Late post this week, but if you know me on Facebook or in real life, you know that I spent Monday being told not to freak out over thesis stuff and then freaking out anyway.  Because staying calm and keeping things in perspective is, like, so mainstream.  You may laugh at me because I'm different, but guess what?  I laugh at you because you're all the same.

My first loom knitting project: Special Olympics Scarf Project scarf.  Sure, my scarf and I have managed to miss two state deadlines now, but I'm sure there's a cruel and tasteless joke that could be made!

Well, technically my second loom knitting project.  The first would be a sad cat blanket I made to practice loom knitting and to use up some baby yarn.  Zoot sat on it while it was still attached to the loom, then enjoyed sitting on it as an actual blanket for awhile.

There are still states collecting, so if you knit or crochet, there's still time.  I've started a second one!  Because when you believe in yourself, there's no telling how many deadlines you can completely miss!

And if you don't want to risk missing all the deadlines, the 2013 colors will be announced some time in April.

Scarf photos and collage by Julia L.  Cat washing butt is all me.

Chekhov's Spider

This is Amy's cat-sitting present.  Amy isn't afraid of spiders, but she does go to U of R, the only college to have a spider for a mascot.

I have humorously wrapped and labeled this gift as though it is from the cat!  With is hilarious when you remember that the cat hates Amy.

Our love is WORLD SHAKING!

I've been doing more stationery sets as part of my "actually use the crap you print off the internet" initiative.  I also forgot my camera at my favorite sister's house, so I've also made a trade with a friend: I crochet, she takes competent pictures.

My cunning plan: Sailor Moon Valentines.  The senshi-in-hearts are from a Japanese site's splash page.  Senshi-in-hears are much easier to cut out than my usual favorite pictures, and it occurred to me: I can just rename the listing if nobody wants Valentines.

I did the stars and hearts cards earlier this month...but I could probably refer to them as Valentines until mid-February, right?  Anything with hearts on it counts?

Not only am I a clever entrepreneur, you should probably know that my terrible handwriting is the only thing stopping me from adding inscriptions like, "You give me a Pink Sugar Heart Attack!" or "I want your Love-Me Chain, Valentine!"
(The rest of the pictures are mine.  As you can probably tell.)

"You make me dead scream"

"Don't Deep Submerge your feelings for me!"

"Our love has the power to destroy the universe."

These aren't Valentines, just lesbians.  Or cousins.  I would've included Pluto, but I didn't have a third white card left.  Cards I have left in one of my sets really does determine what I make.  You see, creativity isn't just about having actual talents or coming up with great ideas.  It's also about figuring out what the hell to do with the crappy colors left in your box of blank cards.  Sailor Moon Says!

Bag Lady

Jamel has a December birthday, and I found a roll of purple duct tape.

You can find online tutorials for turning a plastic bag into a duct tape bag, but there is basically one step: put strips of duct tape on the bag.  I tried to use a standard grocery bag, but that failed miserably.  If you want a bag that doesn't look like crap, you can't really upcycle those crumpled up grocery bags because they're too wrinkled.  I used a smallish Ben Franklin bag.

For those of you playing at home, turn the bag inside out, cover each side with duct tape, then turn it right side out.  You may feel like you're about to destroy the entire thing--that just means you're normal.  Keep pushing, and eventually the thing will right itself.

Make your strips for the front a little bit longer so you can fold them over the top edge.  Make a strip to fold over the sides and the bottom (to cover up the last of the plastic).

I had this picture of Sailor Saturn leftover from a paper craft project, so I figured that would be relevant to Jamel's interests.  You put the picture on using strips of clear duct tape, similar to how the bag itself is made.

Handles are super hard you guys.  Especially since there's nothing duct tape loves sticking to more than itself.  If you mess up earlier in the project, you can carefully reposition a strip.  Once you fail to line up duct tape sticky side to sticky side, everything is ruined forever.  I had to wrap some smaller pieces around the strap to cover up the sticky sides that didn't quite line up.

Since I had some little scraps of Disney Princess wrapping paper leftover and pink duct tape exists, I decided that I must make something for Kristen.  Even though, as I'm sure you remember, Kristen is the easiest person to shop for.

Same size bag, same technique to get the picture on.  For the handle, this time I cut a long strip and folded it over on itself.  It's probably an improvement, but handles are still hard yo.

Just in case anyone can't figure out who a neon bag with Sleeping Beauty on it belongs to.

Hooo Loves Christmas?

I bought the Septmber/October 2010 issue of Crochet Today for one reason: Ana Paula Rimoli made them an owl bag pattern.  The Kristen loves owls.  Given that everybody else loves owls right now, Kristen has become even more the easiest person to shop for.  For those of you who don't know my sister, she likes pink, princesses, and owls (Basically, the day I find a Sleeping Beauty doll that includes her owl friend is the day I become the Best God Damn Sister Ever).

This is some hot pink yarn I had for what I assume are Kristen related reasons and some baby pink from my yarn inheritance.

Looking down at the owl bag with its eyes, I said to myself, "This doesn't look enough like an owl."  And then I would've made some lame joke about talking to myself, but I'm the best conversationalist I know.  Clearly the answer was a triangle.  For that owl...face.  Thing.

I've heard of something called "blocking."  Based on my internet research, it involves some fancy magic board that costs lots of money.  It can also apparently be done using some sort of padded surface.

My commitment to quality is such that I decided to straighten the handles by pinning them to the ironing board.  And because the holiday season is such a busy time, I didn't bother to take the ironing board down first or anything.  I had cookies to bake!