11.16.2015
Rainbow Blossom Shrug
I started on this a few months ago using 2 different colorways of Red Heart Unforgettable Boutique yarn. This project originally began because I wanted to see how this motif would look like in a rainbow-y yarn and then it just became a shrug. Good for spring when the weather can't make up it's mind.
I got this purple cat brooch from Pony People and wasn't sure how to use it until now. (I need to incorporate crazy cat lady in my designs somehow!)
Since I've been designing more wearables, I'm slowly starting to buy more of the fancy yarns you can get at Michaels (and Knit Picks). It can be hard to justify the cost sometimes but there's been times where I really liked a pattern just because of the fancy yarn. I generally don't splurge on other things (except food because I love you food) so why not yarn every once in a while?
I love wigs and started wearing them about 5 years ago when I shaved my head after my hair turned to poop. It seemed like it was a better idea to start over rather than to salvage the mess. Now my hair is around shoulder length but nearly impossible to style so I still like to wear wigs every once in a while.
This is my second Forever Young Vintage Vixen wig. This one is the color HL4-33, Medium Dark Brown highlighted with Dark Auburn. There is a white house on my right reflecting the sun and making the auburn pop! (Also, check out my Graptoveria Moonglow babies!!)
The first Vintage Vixen wig I got can kinda be seen here in color 2, Dark Brown. For that one, I cut the bangs really short. It's actually still in okay condition years later but I really wanted to get a lighter color and the long bangs again.
It took me a long time to decide on which wig to get because I don't think most sites provide enough photos or even realistic ones. Either the model's wig is heavily styled and/or photoshopped or they only show one model photo and the rest are tiny color swatches. It's also difficult finding customer reviews with photos that aren't taken in a dark room.
This is my second Forever Young Vintage Vixen wig. This one is the color HL4-33, Medium Dark Brown highlighted with Dark Auburn. There is a white house on my right reflecting the sun and making the auburn pop! (Also, check out my Graptoveria Moonglow babies!!)
The first Vintage Vixen wig I got can kinda be seen here in color 2, Dark Brown. For that one, I cut the bangs really short. It's actually still in okay condition years later but I really wanted to get a lighter color and the long bangs again.
This is one of my favorite wigs. It's wavy with long layers, not too thick or thin, not too shiny for synthetic fibers, and it looks natural. Also the colors are so pretty! This is a perfect wig to wear every day.
The photo on this tag is the photo that was originally on the websites for this wig but it seemed it has been replaced by a new one. Just the overall style of this photo was what made me want to get this wig actually. You can style the bangs like shown there but I wouldn't recommend it because it's not comfortable getting stabbed in the eyes!
9.30.2015
Vintage Planters
My little vintage collection started with this pink cat planter:
And then I got her a blue friend:
And after those, I kept buying more. I can't remember how I got into buying them exactly. The idea of having my own little thing... a garden of cute, maybe? I filled some of them with succulents for a while.
Pink lamb with a cart.
Baby elephant with a flower, which inspired this doodle:
And there's more!
Another lamb! I really love the flower design on this one. I actually wanted a blue flower one but couldn't find one at a more affordable price at the time.
Just everything about this is perfect.
And I found a matching kitty!
Interesting clown-ish bear (?) design haha... I like the embossed details.
This was one of the more simplistic pony designs I found at the time, thought it was unique!
I keep thinking how awesome it'd be if they still made these sort of designs. I can't quite find anything like these in stores, either just regular pots or basic handmade sort of types.
If you want to get some similar looking vintage planters, look up brands Enesco, Napocoware, & Replo on Etsy! Or stalk some instagram vintage shops, usually found under #vintageplanter or #vintagejapan. I can't think of any in particular because I had to unfollow them a long time ago so I'd stop spending so much money ;)
9.29.2015
Jewelry for Mermaids
I'm excited to share my newest sponsor from Etsy. This is Christine from Florida Shell Girl who is a seashell designer! These jewelry pieces are really making me miss summer and the beach already. I actually haven't seen anything like these before
9.27.2015
Tiny Owl Amigurumi Crochet Pattern
Crochet a tiny owl amigurumi (or penguin)! It only takes about 2 hours to make.
Materials:
• Worsted weight yarn in purple, white, and orange. (I used Vanna's Choice Baby and Red Heart Super Savers)
• Pair of 9mm safety eyes
• Stuffing
Tools:
• B/2.25mm hook
• Yarn needle
Size:
• Approximately 3.5"(9cm) tall. Results will vary depending on your tension and your yarn & hook choice.
Head:
With purple yarn,
R1: 6 sc into magic ring. (6 sts)
R2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sts)
R3: *2 sc in st, sc in next st* rep to end. (18 sts)
R4: *2 sc in st, sc in next 2 sts* rep to end. (24 sts)
R5: Sc in 8 sts. Change to white yarn, sc in next 3 sts. Change to purple yarn, sc in 3 sts. Change to white yarn, sc in next 3 sts. Change to purple yarn, sc in 7 sts. (24 sts)
R6-7: Sc in 8 sts. Change to white yarn, sc in next 9 sts. Change to purple yarn, sc in 7 sts. (24 sts, 2 rounds)
Put the safety eyes between R7-8, 2 stitches away from the edge with 5 sts in between.
Start stuffing.
R8: *Sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts* x2. Change to white yarn, sc2tog, sc in 2 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts. Change to purple yarn, sc2tog, sc in 2 sts, sc2tog, sc in st. (18 sts)
R9: *Sc2tog, sc in next st* x2. Change to white yarn, sc2tog, sc in st, sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts. Change to purple yarn and fasten off white yarn, sc2tog, sc in st, sc2tog. (12 sts)
Finish stuffing.
R10: *Sc2tog, sc in next st* around. (8 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a tail.
Beak:
With orange yarn, stitch on the beak over the center stitch on R8.
Ears (Make 2):
Leave a tail at the beginning for sewing.
With purple yarn,
R1: Ch 4, sk first ch, sc in next 3 ch. Ch 1, turn. (3 sts)
R2: Sc3tog. (1 st)
Fasten off and weave in the end. Using the beginning tail, sew the ears onto R3-4 on the head.
Body:
With purple yarn,
R1: 6 sc into magic ring. (6 sts)
R2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sts)
R3: *2 sc in st, sc in next 2 sts* rep to end. (16 sts)
R4: Sc in each st around. (16 sts)
R5: *Sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts* rep to end. (12 sts)
R6: *Sc2tog, sc in next st* rep to end. (8 sts)
R7: Sc in each st around. (8 sts)
Stuff. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Sew the head onto the body.
Wings (Make 2):
With purple yarn,
R1: 5 sc into magic ring. (5 sts)
R2: Sc in each st around. (5 sts)
R3: *Sc2tog* x2, sc in st. (3 sts)
R4: Sc in each st around. (3 sts)
Don't stuff. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Sew onto the sides of the body on R7.
Feet (Make 2):
With orange yarn,
R1: 6 sc into magic ring. (6 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Sew onto the sides of the body on R3-R4.
The pattern is easy to make into a penguin. Here are some things to change:
1. To make the color change on the head to be more of a point, change R6 to this:
Sc 8, change to white yarn, sc in next 8 sts. Change to purple yarn, sc in next st. change to white yarn, sc in next 8 sts. Change to purple yarn, sc in 7 sts. (24 sts)
2. Make a rounder beak such as 6-7 stitches into a magic ring or using a small piece of felt.
3. Omit the ears.
4. Add white to the front of the body by switching to white yarn in the middle of the rounds for about 4-6 stitches (depends on how narrow the body is). As you get to the last rounds, do one less white stitch on each side to taper it.
9.16.2015
Starflower Shrug
A few months ago, I test knit this shrug pattern for Elizabeth Felgate.
It's called the Starflower Shrug pattern and features Estonian lace. I used Lily Sugar 'n Cream Big Ball in Off White.
It's called the Starflower Shrug pattern and features Estonian lace. I used Lily Sugar 'n Cream Big Ball in Off White.
9.08.2015
Purple Owls Sweater
I probably attempted this pattern a bajillion times in the past years with other yarn.. but I kept giving up on it because it's not easy getting the fit right when you're not an average size and your measurements fluctuate too much.
This time, I decided to try a new yarn and got Knit Picks Brava Bulky in Eggplant. I had to knit it one size smaller than I'd normally select. I think because the yarn is so stretchy? You can read all my mods on my Ravelry project page. I almost want to make another in a brighter color but my queue is already full!
This Owls sweater pattern also comes in kids sizes (6 months-10 years) and is called Owlet. And there's a cardigan version called Owligan, which is next on my queue!
Do you like owls?
8.31.2015
Squid Amigurumi Bag
This one is sturdy and keeps it's shape better because the yarn is held double and it also has a crocheted lining. It's big enough to hold small toys, a phone, monies, keys, and whatever else you can't fit into your jean pockets.
I was wondering how it'd look if I made a bigger one and then figured I might as well make it into a bag (for more practical use!)
8.13.2015
How To Fade Haircolor Fast
I'm sharing this fading treatment I did to remove most of the color out! The blue was created with 3 different dyes awhile back and hasn't budged. I only had an issue with fading near my roots and ran out of dye so I thought why not go back to pastels?
I have a post about how to keep color long lasting. I needed to lift this quickly before bleaching because walking around with weird uneven colors is a nope.
Here's what I used:
Color Fading Mask:
2-6 capsules of Vitamin C powder
1/2 cup of clarifying shampoo
1.5-2 teaspoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda (or more)
Additional Add In's:
1-2 tablespoons of 10-30 volume developer
1-2 tablespoons of 10-30 volume developer
Dish soap
1 tablespoon honey
Anti-dandruff shampoo
The baking soda should dissolve first with a small amount of warm water otherwise it'll foam up the whole bowl. Vitamin C can give some people reactions from it so start off small like 2 or 3 capsules. I use the capsules I can twist or cut open. There's also pills you can crush up with a spoon. Mix it into the shampoo and apply onto dry hair.
The baking soda should dissolve first with a small amount of warm water otherwise it'll foam up the whole bowl. Vitamin C can give some people reactions from it so start off small like 2 or 3 capsules. I use the capsules I can twist or cut open. There's also pills you can crush up with a spoon. Mix it into the shampoo and apply onto dry hair.
I added the oils to help condition AND also pull out color. Never use oils on freshly dyed hair. I left mine in for a hour or two. I kind of lost track of time. If you use developer in your mixture then limit it to under a hour .
The dull result! It couldn't remove anymore but it's still a great faded color to bleach on. It's best to condition your hair first and wait a day for your natural oils to soak your scalp if you have sensitive skin.
Use a conditioning mask with protein and no sulfates. Avoid using shampoo especially if it contains sulfates because the dryness will double!
Vinegar rinse is ideal because it'll help restore the pH of your hair. Mix some into a bowl of good conditioner and keep it on your head for a few minutes then rinse with cold water.
Products that have silicones will coat your hair and give you a smoother texture. Think Aussie's 3 Minute Miracle.
Now it's onto fading hair extensions! It's going to be difficult to get this color out without damage. I did vitamin C masks twice and used the recipe above. It faded a few shades.
I don't recommend doing this if you can help it. I personally don't want to spend hundreds on a new set and I'm aware of the possible results.
Vinegar rinse after each mask. It's important that you do this delicately and make sure it won't get ratty while it dries. Never try to brush while it's wet or even slightly damp.
I left coconut oil on these for 6 hours before putting diluted bleach on it. This is after one bleaching session. Green is pretty stubborn!
I did another bleaching session with VERY diluted bleach and left it on for under 20 minutes:
It was mostly blonde with pale green. The colors I'm putting on will cover so it's fine. I did trim the ends and the extensions are thinner than before. This will most likely happen if you do it too!
Similar posts:
Fading + Bleaching Aftercare
Red to Teal without bleaching
How To Safely Bleach Your Hair With Coconut Oil
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