#1 threat to america

I've not been posting much because all my free waking hours have been spent studying for chemistry.  But I wasn't just taking chemistry. I was also taking an art appreciation class where I got to make some paper mache stuff.  So, bears!

The semester ended a couple weeks ago, but then every waking free moment has been spent making gifts for Christmas. I'll be posting pics of all the gifts I made shortly.

Adipose!

It is fun to make things for people who like the same things as me.  Case in point, my boyfriend's sister, Joanna.  She likes Dr. Who at least as much as I do.  So what a great excuse to make one of the cutest little creatures from the show, Adipose!

He is adorable, even if he is a pound of body fat!  If you want to make an adipose of your own, the pattern is here.  I found it absolutely necessary to read her FAQ and errata post to finish the feet and confirm an error or two I noticed in the pattern.  A more persnickety person might have corrected the posted pattern, but either way, I love the results!  There will be more adipose in the future, trust me. 

first day at rutgers....late post

Miranda and I went camping as one last hurrah before going back to school.  This time no other young girls tagged along, including Kait, so Miranda and I had plenty of time to talk and just exist together.  It was four days of complete leisure, followed by three days of packing, cleaning, family dinner, then the big move to Rutgers in New Brunswick.  I think we were both impressed with how quickly and effectively we organized her room.  When we were packing the car, it seemed like she was taking waaaay too much stuff, but everything had a place in the room with plenty of space left over.

Julia loves me so I can get away with posting this

Josh, Keily and Mom all showing their true feelings about something

Andrea and Paisley

Miranda and her granny

Hopefully Chris loves me, too

Miranda and Joshua, too cool for school

Kait doesn't love me enough for me to get away with this.  She just never reads my blog.

Last moments before I left Rutgers on the first day.

why is chris the only one not smiling?

  

Miranda's dorm

Camping crochet

Miranda and I are camping in the woods for a few days before she heads off to Rutgers.  I decided her dorm needed a lucky cat

Part of Miranda's go-to-college blanket

this is the first big square of miranda's solar system blanket

Enderman

I enjoy video games.  Always have.  I might not have time to play them very often, but I will never forget how it feels to totally obsess over a game, nor will I ever fault anyone else for *being* obsessed over a game.  On that note, I have to say that while Minecraft is a game I'm not really down with, I recognize and appreciate that Bri, my niece, is a total nerdhead over it!  I spent a lot of time researching the game characters to find one I could make for her birthday.  So, tada, Enderman.

Don't look him directly in the eyes.  Better yet, don't really look at him above his knees.  He'll think you want to fight.

I based my pattern on WolfDreamer's pattern, although I did modify it slightly because apparently I can never just follow a pattern as it is written.  The end result was great and Bri seems to genuinely love it, so success!

A moose for Ross

I made a little moose for Ross, since it is his birthday today and he's a fan of these oversized members of the deer family.  He worked up quickly and I think he turned out pretty cute.  I found a free pattern for him online, but can't seem to locate the link at this moment.  As soon as I find it, I'll add it to this post. *edit-Here is the pattern by aphid777.  It's a really sweet moose and I'm working on another one currently.

alien bunny

Apparently I cannot stop making bunnies of some sort.  You might call it an addiction, but it's a pretty harmless one as far as I'm concerned.  I wish the photos showed up the silver bits through the dark grey/black yarn better, but it feels very outer space'y to me.  Miranda doesn't like that.  Kait, on the other hand, begged for this one to be hers before he was even finished.  I kind of want to keep him for myself, because a grown woman needs a ton of stuffed animals everywhere.[1]

He seems a little sad.  Maybe he misses the stars.

Little Nicky

I felt like making something cute, but not too cute.  So, cute devil!

chocolate lab

Finally finished the lab, phew!  I don't know why this one was such a project, but I think he turned out cute.

And Han Solo Bunny thinks he's just right for a ride!

Something for Kait

I've been finishing up the dogs, but got the urge to make something else up while watching a movie.  So I used up some left over yarn to make this bag for Kait.

pug!

My current crochet project has been a commissioned set of three dogs.  The first finished is this adorable pug.  He wants to stay here with me, but I imagine eventually he'll have a brother or two that will stay.

I probably will have to make a small herd of them for my sister because I know she'll miss the pug herd next door when she moves!

PUG!

ps.  I used a pattern from bvoe668 with a few modifications,specifically to the face.  I always like to add my own touches into a design when I make anything.  She has great patterns and I foresee more of her creations showing up on my page!

Socrates!

Miranda surprised me with a request for one more gift for one of her favorite teachers.  She asked if I could make a doll in the likeness of Socrates. Although I couldn't find a pattern for one, I think I did a pretty good job of modifying a standard amigurumi figure to make look like the famous Greek philosopher.

 
I had to completely wing it on the clothes, but I'm really pleased with how he turned out.  Now I just have to resist the urge to create *all* of the famous philosophers!  Nietzsche, Bietzsche!

foxy foxy

The time is winding down for Miranda to graduate from high school.  One week from today is the ceremony, unbelieve.  Her first day of preschool is still firmly etched in my brain, her serious face while she stood in line waiting to go into the school and how she never looked back when they went in.  It feels like a lifetime ago and only yesterday simultaneously.  Time and memories are weird. And now this phase of her life is almost over.  I'd probably be more emotional about it, but the pace has been a bit frenzied as of late and I'm pretty much ready for it to be done already.  Not having my alarm clock go off at 5:30 any more isn't going to make me sad!

I sold my very first crocheted item, the purse for a coworker, which she loved!  Somehow I managed to not take any pictures of it, but I'm going to get her to so I can post here.  Also, the owner of the salon where Miranda got her hair done for prom ordered crocheted dogs to match her actual dogs.  I had a time finding a pattern for a labrador, but it's nearly completed.  I'd lost track of how quickly the end of the school year was approaching and panicked when I realized I never made her chemistry teacher's gift, so dogs have been set aside for this:

 Fox scarf!  When it's done, it will wrap around with the tail hanging down.  I kind of love it and almost want to make one for myself, or one of another animal.  Miranda spotted this pattern months ago and immediately thought of her teacher, so it's been planned for ages.  Now it's crunch time, but it worked up quickly.  I have to put the back legs on and crochet the tail, then it will be done.  Probably finish it tonight after work or some time tomorrow.  Once it is done, I'll get some better pics, of course.  Unless I forget.

angels in the garden

I couldn't stop making angels until I used up the whole skein, so here is the whole weeping angel family.

And somehow they made it out into the garden.  Someday I'll have a full-sized angel.  It'll be great!  Not creepy at all!