Pantsing It!

It certainly has been a long time.  I've been very busy with real life endeavors (moving and finishing up my MBA being the main contenders) and have had little motivation for blogging.  I have completed a few craftings, but I will have to post about them when I get the urge or motivation up to do so.  Hopefully that will change a bit this coming month. 

I stumbled upon a new noveling experience in March as part of the NaNoWriMo.  However, this was something a bit different.  Instead of the concrete goal of 50,000 words in a month, this one the author could choose a goal and was encouraged to commit to other things to be completed in a month.  It was the Camp NaNoWriMo.  I signed up for April, but never really got off the ground. 

Time passed and I finished out my grad schooling without really thinking about it.  Then, I got another email.  I remember that the Camp went two months: April and July.  So yesterday I decided that I wanted to get this novel that has been festering in my brain for four years out. 

Submitting my cabin settings, I pulled out a notebook and pen and started to write.  I've been reading through what I've previously written, but can already feel the different direction this is going to take.  It seems that the inital writing never got off the ground because I didn't like the way it started.  Of course it would have been nice to realize this.  Brain what were you thinking?

I can only summize that I wasn't ready to write this story.  It is one that is taking me in all kinds of new directions.  When I first started writing it (in 2009) I didn't really have much in mind except a concept around what would the world and humanity be life post a supervolcanos erruption.  This also begged the question of what set it off.  A dragon was the logical answer.  That being said, I didn't really have any characters in mind, just the setting and some vague notions about life and civilization.  With this Camp NaNo rewrite, I can feel my character forming more fully.  I'd had some idea about her, and a few others that were to appear, but nothing concrete. 

There is also something even more experimental for me.  I'm pantsing it.  Normally I write with some details outlined.  I've learned in the past (from previous NaNos) that my character rarely stick to the road I map out.  They really enjoy the detours.  That being said, I have no idea what is going to happen.  I never really had a plot in mind for this world, since the main question was about the world itself that led to the idea.  It should be interesting.  I'm flying by the seat of my pants or pantsing it as they say. 

The last thing that is very different from my norm is that I'm writing it by hand.  In the past it has been mainly on the computer with bits and pieces hand written as things come.  Thus they are normally written very out of order.  This one I am writing chronologically and in a notebook (or two...).  I haven't written a story to completion by hand since 1999.  I love the process and feel of a pen in hand and the paper beneath the tip.  There is something tangible and satisfying about handwriting something.  I decided to explore it after having gone to Neil Gaiman's book signing for The Ocean at the End of the Lane a couple of weeks ago.  He talked about his writing process and made me think about how much I miss the pen and paper aspect of writing.

As you can see I have a neat clockwork notebook (actually I bought two) that had been lying around my apartment.   It was a little too perfect since the story has a post-apocalypse steampunky feel.  That would also be why I have some steampunk reference material on hand.  Though, those are only two of many reference books I have on hand for when I get stuck and need an extra oomph.

I am very much looking forward to this month of writing.  I hope that I can reach my goal of 25,000 words and the challenge of handwriting the novel.  (Hopefully my hand and fingers will survive the exercise.)  Here we go!  Camp NaNoWriMo July 2013!

It's Knittin' Time!

With fall getting ready to knock on our doors, I've picked up the trust knitting needles once again.  I've been knitting bits and pieces over the summer, but not consistently.  This needs to be remedied. 

I have started some Podster Glittens in two colorways.  One is for a co-worker who ask many moons ago for flip-top mittens.  I enjoyed making them, but they are trying too. 

Thus I decided to knit a few projects that are quick and gratifying.  One's to be a gift, so that'll have to stay hush hush, but the other is very Autumnish!  It's this cute pixie hat in the amazing deep orange colorway.  My photo does it no justice!  I'm looking forward to posting as I finish some projects.

Along with a few new projects, I have some cast-on that I should finish.  One is my Clockwork Skies Cowl.  Love that pattern! I'd really like to finish it so I can wear is this Fall/Winter.

I knit the wurm for my BFF.  It was a glorious hat.  I have some left over yarn from my Octopus Mittens (★).  I feel that the wurm would make an amazing matching hat for the yarn.  The switching colors looking like the tentacle suckers!  :D

I've also got a few other craft projects of the non-knit variety in the works.  Again, for Christmas.  Hopefully I'll finish all that I would like to have finished by then. 

In order to have something to do while knitting, since I need to stay engaged on multiple levels, I normally watch tv.  Today it has been D.Gray-Man.  Imagine my amused surprise and delight to look up and see the Millenium Earl knitting away mid-way through an episode (22 I think).  XD  I love when characters knit randomly for no apparent reason, or for good reason. 

But tv can get boring and you have to stop to change discs so  I've been looking in to audiobooks too. 

I've been reading Martin's A Game of Thones.  As an extraordinarily long book and series, I feel this would be a good invest for the knitting!  Maybe even The Wheel of Time Saga as well as The Lord of the Rings.  Let's get the fantasy reading...er...listening on!  ;)

Grape Swirl

I love when my plots and schemes come together. Not so much for myself, but I do love when I plot for others.

I have had to start and frog this gem of a project several times. Also, due to the variegated yarn I wasn't sure how the pattern was going to look/ turn out, but it was smashing. I especially like that there are blue and purple stripes with the swirls.  

The pattern, Swirl Hat, is wonderful! It is very simple, but a bit tricky.

Finally figured out the trick so I wasn't having to keep counting...because, seriously counting to 8 over and over not so awesome. So pulled out loads of stitch markers and plotted it out.

Honestly, this yarn is beautiful. I have a few skeins left, so another project it in the works for it, but I'm not sure when that will be done. Not for Christmas for sure. I have an few other projects in the works so...there will be more of this Arabian Nights purple and blue in the future.

*gnaws* Knitting a Shark is...

As I mentioned many moons ago, I was asked to make a shark sleep sack thingie for a co-worker's baby. It was an amusing proposition so I thought, what the heck. Let's do it!

While trying to workout the best way to construct it, I came across an article about a woman who photographs her baby girl in these amazing sets. It's really adorable. When I saw it, I thought of him since he promised silly photos. :D She made a book, but I think this one was my favorite. Or the elephant riding one. :D

This was quite the experience.  I don't improvise project much.  I haven't reached a level of knitting where I really understand the stitches and construction well enough to feel comfortable with doing so.  However, this seemed like a fairly easy challenge, so I went at it full steam ahead.

As it is basically a really large hat I had a good idea for the knitting.  To give it some texture I knit-through-the-backloop for the body so it made a twisting pattern.  That was the easy part.  Tedious and boring, but easy.  The complicated part was deciding to knit the thing as one piece.  I discovered while knitting plushies that I really hate binding limbs on.  The extra stitching is irritating and doesn't look as nice.  That being said, I practiced the increases for the dorsal fin and the side fins.  That was an interesting exercise.  I had to monitor how they grew slowly every other round in relation to the length of the swaddler.   When the fins met my length requirements, I had to determine when to start decreasing to make the tail and close the bottom.  That was a slight challenge too.

I remember plotting early on about the eyes being sewn so the little one couldn't swallow buttons.  I also decided on making it look slightly less realistic and creepy, but still pretty recognizable as a shark.  Thus, no red gums like in the photos, not was I making mutliple rows/sets of teeth.  I like that the four teeth make it look a bit goofy.  Also, the XO for the eyes was amusing to me, but not sure everyone is going to see the hugs and kisses thing like I intended.  It does look sort of silly demented, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I also had to buy a slightly different weight of yarn to finish the project out.  The manufacture stopped producing the one I'd originally bought and pulled it from stores.  So when it came time, the weight is a little larger on the new skein, even though the colors match.  I ended up using way more yarn than projected.

A lesson in many things this project.  I learned kitchener stitching as well as that I don't really like knitting thing that don't provide quick/instant gratification.  If I do a swaddler again, it will have to have some sort of pattern to keep me entertained while knitting it.  The monotony of ktbl for about 16 inches was torture.  Fortunately I didn't have to pay overly much attention and could watch movies while knitting without fear of screwing up.

I started the project in January and finished the first of July during the large East Coast power outage.  Yes I did finish it while out house was without power for a little over 48 hours in the dark by flashlight/candlelight.  Once I gifted it to my co-worker, there was much delight, and it only took about five seconds for him to pull it over his head. 

Scrabble Anyone?

I found a picture a while back of coasters made of scrabble tiles...and knew I had to make some for my second mom (BFF's). She loves scrabble and words with friends.  She's always playing it when I see her, or talking with her girls about playing it. 

I decided that they would make a fun and cute birthday gift for her.  Something that would she'd get a kick out of.

It was a little while before I had some free time to truly stew on the idea.  I went searching for some inspiration and came across this little tutoiral.  I mostly did my own thing though with what supplies I could find in the craft or hardware store.  I think the majority of my time was spent figuring out where to get the tiles from.  I went looking in thrift stores to no avail, so I ordered a couple of packages of just letters.

Overall, making them was a load of fun.  I ended up putting together a few for myself.  I had extra tiles leftover and started making words that meant stuff to me.  I also made a few that have a hidden word in them.  Muwahahaha!  Can you see the hidden words in three of them?  Also, anyone care to take a stab at the references?  XD

As for her set, I even made a little stand for her coasters out of cork and wine corks.  I'm terribly pleased with how they look and came out.  I think the most difficult part was thinking for four letter words that related together.  I had a running list going.  It was entertaining to think of words to put together.  

I may have discovered that I really like coasters.  I came across a bunch of other DIY projects to make some in a variety of materials.  These could be fun gifts to make.

There was also the discovery of other scrabble related projects.  My favorite was a find on pinterest for scrabble wall art.  It would be an amazing piece to make from an upcyled scrabble board...if one can be found.  I discovered in my search for tiles that most thrift/second hand stores don't have scrabble.  Alas, it seems to be a favorite game for most.  It is classic for a reason. 

It's Always Tea Time!

Last weekend, Mum and I went to see Alice (in Wonderland) the ballet.  It was extraordinary.  They did minimalist sets and focused instead on the dancing and the lighting.  It was gorgeous.  In honor of that event and the amazing way the dancers interpreted the story, I decided I should share some of the things I've made recently that are Alice inspired. 

I made these a few weeks ago while working on many projects that are gifts.  This would be why I haven't made many entries lately.  I have been busy with work and class, but the project I have worked on in the crafting arena haven't been gifted yet.  Soon...

But back to Alice things.  I had found a photo of a tattoo and knew I wanted to put it on the side of a mug.  Lo and behold, I found a wonderful purple mug for it.  :)  I also found a tea bag/ spoon rest and decided I needed that as well.

I'd also come across a little individual tea pot, which I'd been looking for after having a pre-graduation tea party for my BFF's sister last year.  I can't tell you how thrilled I was to find it.  But I waffled on what to draw on the lovely chartreuse canvas of porcelain.  But the other day I was browsing Etsy and came across this set of headphones with an Alice design painted on them (see treasury below).  I drew inspiration from them and painted it today.  Tomorrow I'll fire it.  :D 

And who knows, after the firing is done, perhaps I shall have a spot of tea.  I did recently order some loose leaf tea from ThinkGeek.com and they look highly entertaining.  Timmy's Tea Sampler and Monkey Picked Tea, I am looking forward to the tea time adventure!

I've been continuing my reading list for the year, and I am actually currently in the midst of an Alice inspired adventure.  Hatter by Daniel Coleman (he also wrote one called Jabberwocky).  I'm really enjoying it.  The Mat Hatter and the Cheshire Cat are two of my favorite characters in the stories.  I just love that madness.  XD

As always I find myself on Etsy when the crafting bug hits or something sparks my interest.  That being the case, I made an Alice inspired treasury:

Pay it Forward '11 Reflection

In January of last year, Facebook had a Pay It Forward Project meme going around.I'm a bit late in getting this done, but better late than never. I wanted to write up something on the five Pay it Forward projects that I finished in the last year.

The idea was simple:

Pay it forward 2011: I promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave a comment. They must in turn post this and send something they made to the first 5 people who comment on their status. The rules are that....it must be handmade by you and it must be delivered sometime in 2011.In the midst of completing and gifting the projects I started to think about it all.

And I wanted to collect the links for all the projects into one place.
MP1: 11's Sonic Screwdriver (completed: June 15, 2011 ; gifted: June 18, 2011)
MP2: Anti-Possession Mitts (complete: July14, 2011 ; gifted: August 1, 2011 )
MP3: Gates of Greyhaven (completed: June 26, 2011 ; gifted: July 23, 2011 )
MP4: Grape Wurm (completed December 25, 2011: ; gifted: January 2-5, 2012 )
MP5: Blueschief (completed: July 1, 2011 ; gifted: August 21, 2011)

All posts related to Pay it Forward '11.

It was fun picking patterns and yarn to go with the patterns that I felt reflected the recipient. I put thought into the pattern choice. I also put thought into the yarn choice be it color or fiber.

Overall, the project helped me get a lot of knitting done. It also helped me delve deeper into the fiber world. I ended up visiting a proper knitting store for the first time. That was a fun experience. It made me wish that there was a knitting store closer to home. Also, it would be nice if there were little cozy cafes near by that I could sit in to knit, read, or write from time to time. The main stream never has the same feel that the little independent stores did when I was at college. Though I didn't get around to visiting them too often.

Speaking of reading, I was inspired by a fellow tumblrite, Airiz, in her post about the gathering of her top books of the year. (Her blog is fantastic btw.) It was something that made me realize that I had stopped keeping track of the books I'd read, what I felt about them, how long it had taken me to read, and other such things. I miss making my list and seeing what I read and how it coincides with my life. I read a lot in high school and through college, but the habit fell by the wayside before I graduated. This year, I would like to start it up again and keep track of everything. Hopefully I'll be able to post about some of the books here and encourage reading.

So this year, I'd like to complete a few knitting projects that have been languishing on my needles. I would like to put a dent in my stash of yearn before buying anymore *crosses fingers* I have enough projects and yarn pairings to get my through for a bit. And I'd like to read. Be it from a physical book, on either of my Kindles, or an audiobook while knitting away. I want to get back to doing more things that will relax me and help to keep the stress levels low.

Of course, I hopefully will put a major dent in my MBA course load as well. But like I said, taking the time to read for pleasure is something I haven't been really consistent on in the last few years. I'd also like to try and read things outside of my usual fantasy novels. I want to read more classics, maybe some non-fiction, or other authors that had previously caught my eye but I'd never gotten around to picking up their books.

Let this be a year of knitting comforting projects and reading.