June 22, 2007

Crafty Devil

Thanks to everyone who sympathized with me about yesterday’s crappy dorm news. I’m still holding on to a tiny sliver of hope that maybe, just maybe, I’ll get my own room.

Anyways, I mentioned that I’ve been doing a LOT of non-knitting crafts. And most of them are for the 3 different Harry Potter swaps that I’m in right now.

First we’ve got the Handmade Harry Potter swap.
I painted the book/box and the little trinket box, sewed the DPN holder, beaded a subtle Gryffindor pride bracelet (cause not everyone is down with shouting their fandom from the rooftops) and made some stitch markers in all the house colors.

I have to say that I’m quite please with how the book/box came out. I painted it green, but it looked too fresh, so I took a brush, put a little brown paint on it and dirtied the book up. Then I used crackle, so it looks like aged leather.

And what book of Darkest Magick would be complete without a splatter of blood and a bloody thumbprint on the back?

I finally finished everything up for my Hogwarts Sock Swap pal. Besides the socks and Hagrid (who I got on eBay for $1!) there’s stitch markers, a sewn DPN case and 4 sets of DPNs, a beaded bookmark, a painted trinket box in purple (her favorite color) and a bracelet in purple and silver.

Close up of the box:

And for my Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap pal…A handknit Ravenclaw bag with dyed Ravenclaw yarn from an Etsy seller inside, a DPN case with 4 sets of needles, a bookmark, a trinket box and tonight there will be a bracelet made as well. All of this stuff is due to be shipped out on Monday, assuming that I can get to the stores and stuff to find the silly Harry Potter candy.

I have to say that I really enjoyed painting those boxes. I got them for $1 each at Michaels and they turned out better than I could have hoped.

Lil sis and I went to the museum this past Saturday and it was artist day. That’s where they have artists at the museum and they’ll give you paper and pencils and crayons and little chairs and you can go anywhere you like to draw whatever you want. Well Lil sis LOVES pandas, so we headed over to the case with pandas inside to draw them. Lil sis’s is WAY better than mine. Her pandas are all happy and smiling. And hers is in color. We’ll be saving her drawing for the dorm room wall.

In reading news, I was completely sucked into: For a Victorian novel it is remarkably funny, fast paced, easy to read and completely accessible to the modern reader. I suggest it to anyone who enjoyed Jurassic Park or who was a dinosaur nut as a kid. Professor Challenger is a hilarious character.

That's all I got for now!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dang girl, you have been busy. You have some lucky pals there. Lurrv your panda pics. Yep, Kari's is way better, but that's only 'cause she's the cute little sis. ;)

Unknown said...

Pandas are the best and I used to collect little china pandas when i was little (I dont have them any more though).

You've been so busy! I feel almost lackadaisical!

Batty said...

Wow, that's some amazing Harry Potter stuff!

About the dorm thing: When I was 19 and about to start college, I would have given my right arm (possibly my left arm too, even though that would have made knitting impossible) to have a quiet, non-partying roomie. I had 3 majors, an enormous workload and a party animal for a roommate, and I couldn't move into the graduate dorms for obvious reasons. But I bugged the housing people until they let me move elsewhere. My second roommate was awesome. We've been close friends for 11 years, and I'm so glad I got to meet her. We never would have run into each other if we hadn't roomed together.

So: if they gave you your roommate's contact info, call her and talk a little. Give her a chance, see if you get along. I wish you the best and hope she's a great person who doesn't drink, drug and party all the time.

Shannon said...

Look at all that great stuff...I'm jealous of your swap pals!

Chris said...

Wow! Lucky, lucky swap pals! :)

Diane said...

The book/box looks wonderful. What a great idea to age it so well.

Winnie said...

Very nice kits!!! I'll have to get you for a partner next time :)