Sunday, December 10, 2006

Earrings

One of my favorite gifts for my friends of the female persuasion is earrings. Really simple earrings, made with just one, pretty bead. Close inspection would prove that the work was not that of a master craftswoman with excellent tools, but instead that of a minorly skilled 20 year old with a fake Leatherman. Still. Not bad. I got the beads from a schwanky bead store on Alder near Pio Square called Let It Bead.







The first pair is tigers eye, I think. They're big and kind of heavy, but I really love the color and the shape so whoever gets them is just going to have to deal. The second pair is abalone, which you can't really tell from the picture since I can't figure out how to take a picture at night without severe flash glare. The third pair are coral, I think. A lot of their bead trays weren't labeled, the douches.




I like the first pair first. I got two pairs of the beads so I could have a pair for myself if I don't end up giving away both to people for Christmas.

Friday, December 8, 2006

Another doily and some things to keep my legs warm

I finished another doily yesterday! (And of course, couldn't stop myself from starting another one). This one is pattern number 19 from the Big Book of Little Doilies. I think my tension is too tight or I'm not using the steel hook right because my doilies are coming out tiny, and very hard and inflexible. The doilies we have around the house at home are just like lacy fabric and have nice drape. Well poo. Practice makes better.

A lot of people have been asking me what exactly a doily is for. My usual explanation is that they're coasters for expensive things, like all the vases and Hümmels my mom has... which is why these doilies will be the most perfect Christmas present EVAR for her.



Yesterday I also fixed a pair of legwarmers that I made maybe a week ago. I cut the arms off an old wool LLBean sweater that was full of moth holes and they make sweet-ass legwarmers. The problem: if worn with the underarm seam in back, they make you look like a clydesdale horse, and if you wear them with the underarm seam in the front, they drag. So I just tacked the bottoms up a little bit so they could comfortably be worn with the seams in front. (I know it looks like it from the picture, but I don't normally dress like a 14 year old on crack). I'm not usually the legwarmer type, but good-golly these are warm.

Tuesday, December 5, 2006

Birthday cake is delicious!

This is the most ADD birthday cake I have ever seen. And I made it. Yes. Today was my roommate's 21st birthday and this was my present to her. Obviously I'm not a pastry chef, but for box mix, Pillsbury frosting and bargain rack decorating icing, I don't think it came out half bad. At least it was delicious.

I love making birthday cakes. Here's one I made this summer for my boyfriend:Yes, those are those awful, tooth cracking, radioactive silver sugar balls. It took me maybe an hour or more to place those all.


Still working on crocheting stuff. There will be lots of updates over winter break, since I'll be making lots more Christmas presents, plus baking a lot. For now, I'm trying to survive the last week of classes and finals next week. But yes. Lots of wonderful craft projects soon, I promise!

:)