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Last Thursday, our local library held a Star Wars party, complete with a trivia challenge, kids games, and a costume contest. I found out about the whole thing the Monday prior. I hadn't actually known about the costume contest, only that costumes were encouraged.  My daughter is very recently VERY into Starwars. She's watched Episodes 1-4 about one hundred and ninety times.

So clearly, attending was a must. And as my kid pretty much lives in costume, I knew it had to be done.

Her favorite character is R2D2, so after some quick Google-Fu, I decided on a simple circle-skirt dress, with R2D2 Applique. The top bodice part is fully lined, with a zipper in the back.  I didn't line the bottom, but we paired it with a fluffy blue tu-tu, ala R2d2 Princess style.

Edit: Oh! She won! There were about twenty or so people in the costume contest, five winners, and the kid won first place! She snagged a pretty neat copy of the Star Wars Encyclopedia and may have elbowed a jedi to get it. Not unlike when r2d2 zaps General Grevious' droids for touching.

 




I figure I'll go back and sew around the applique later, but in the picture they're strictly ironed-on.


I made a pretty shifty looking tutorial. tutorial's aren't my specialty, as I kind of wing everything I do. Whipping up a dress like this is a cake-walk for me, but explaining how I did it? My brain blanks.  But, I think it's pretty straight forward, although I suggest reading ALL the instructions before beginning. There is a part where I say the decor items need no applique, but I mean seam allowance. I don't know! lol. I'll probably remake the whole thing -__-



You can see a larger version of the tutorial here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lifelesslyndsey/8421705138/in/photostream/lightbox/

I loved the Adventure Time Swap, and would love to run a one tiny version of it! Would probably need a co-organizer.  I was thinking sign up's could run just past valentines day to the beginning of March? (two weeks).  Swap time could be 4 weeks, which is pretty generous for a one tiny thing swap.

Any takers?

So, my bffl, sometimes known as boyfriend for life, turned twenty-five this New Years eve. For his birthday, I made him a rather self-serving cupcake because he wouldn't tell me what he wanted and frankly, I love sharks.

Thus, the Shark Bait Cupcake was born.



Originally, I had cut-out shark fins that magically vanished when I needed them. So, in a pinch I did what I must, and made shark-fin sugar cookies!  It's your basic cut-out sugar cookie recipe with a little blue and black gel food coloring. I cut out squares, then cut them into triangles, pinched the top and voila, shark fin.



The cupcakes are a basic vanilla recipe, nothing fancy. I had intended to do a strawberry curd but the BFFL nixed it, so we did a jello-cake type filling for the 'blood' in the water. Just poked all the cupcakes with holes, and spooned some strawberry jello mixture over the top. The effect turned out pretty good though, so I can't complain!




I finished them off with Wilton's Sky Blue vanilla butter cream and a large round tip, and a medium star tip with white butter cream for the crest of the wave. Jammed the Shark Fin in there and bam, done.



Unfortunately I picked a cupcake that didn't have as much 'blood' in the water for my picture example. But you get the idea. My apologies for terrible phone pictures, ack! Hope you enjoyed regardless.

So my daughter, who is four, cycled through many costume ideas. There was Merida, Katniss (she really wanted a bow), Fionna from Adventure Time, Rainbow Dash from MLP, but as we were heading toward the craft store to get materials (for Fionna from adventure Time actually), she screamed out "MAKE ME A TOTORO"

And so it was. After I told her to use her inside voice, of course.

A totoro, if you did not know, is from the Miazaki cartoon My Neighbor Totoro. He's the dude who made Ponyo, for those of you totally not in the know. No one knew what she was, but SHE knew and that's all that really mattered. I looked it up and as it is, a Totoro is from the word tororu, which means Troll in Japanese. The design from him is made up entirely from Miazaki's wonderful imagination, but based off Japanese styles of art, he's a squirrel-raccoon-cat hybrid. We told people bunny. Miazaki makes some wonderful, whimsical cartoons, and I suggest you all watch them. (Howl's Moving Castle is my favorite.)


And luckily, it was the best costume for the 35 degree weather we had on Halloween. I made it out of fleece! No jacket was even needed. She TnT'd in style, and stayed warm too.



We made a Fionna From Adventure Time costume anyway. She wore it under this one, so when she had to take it off, she was still in costume. Either that, or I am a sucker who totally let her talk me into making two costumes.

Made for the Adventure Time Craft Swap with QueenNinjaMonkey in mind.  He's a mini Finn with some serious hair tucked up under that hat, just like in the show.



Look at that hat? You'd never think he had this going on under there....



Again, this show is to much fun to craft. I just want to craft it all the time. Everything is Adventure Time and nothing hurts!

I made these for the Adventure Time Craft swap, but I'm not going to lie, a second set was made for myself.

A Finn Mug Rug, Peppermint Butler Coaster and Jake Spoon Rest.  Finn actually opens up so you can stash your coaster and spoon rest inside of him. Because bro's got to stay together.

Finn is made from some basic broad cloth I happened to have laying around, and felt for the face. Peppermint Butler is...ceder? I think? I don't actually know. He's a round wooden thing I bought to mount dinosaurs on but then got distracted.  Jake is polymer clay.




Also, Finn's face is removable for washing (Because felt is not very washable, and it was all I had). But also, you can put a picture of your own mug in that mug rug. And by mug, I mean face.




Seriously, this show is so much fun to craft.

I got my very first porcelain paint pen yesterday and....well. I can't stop.  I am an avid Wild Things fan, have been since I was a wee kiddo. I even have a Max tat. So, naturally the first thing I made was a Wild Thing, my favorite in particular, Carol.



Unfortunate web-cam picture is unfortunate, but there are only so many ways you can take a picture of a plate, I suppose. It was still hot, so excuse the dish rag.

So this is a joint project between my four year old daughter (as pictured, the little ham) and I.  She actually did quite a bit of the hand sewing, and she helped me work the sewing machine for the clothes and hat.  I made the doll, but she had a hand in everything else.



The doll pattern is actually a softie La La Loopsie doll pattern bought off etsy.  It's the same size as a La La Loopsy.  Originally, Lilly wanted me to turn it into Doctor Who (Ten) and then Doctor Horrible, and at one point Castiel from Supernatural, but she changed her mind every time I started making the clothes.

Fionna, however, seemed to stuck, and she was super excited to get to help. 

I made this little guy for the One Tiny Zombie swap. My partner was a new Who fan who liked art dolls. So, Doctor Who Zombie Edition was born.

He's fully posable, with arms and legs made with crafting wire, and a rice-pounch body.  His head, hands, and foot are all made of polymer. He had two feet. Then he ate one. Or rather, I can't find it, so I assume he ate it.

I got kind of scrappy with his face. Just carved out chunks and mushed and scrapped and generally made it look rough and nasty.  I think I want to make a whole bunch of zombie marionettes. How cool would that be?

Hey there, I was just dropping a line for any Hoosier locals that might be interested in doing a late autumn craft show.  I'm actually looking for some one who might be interested in going halfsies on a booth, so if you are, PM me!

The website with all the details can be found below. It's on the Johnson County fairgrounds, and 10x10 booths rent for 50$.
November 10th and 11th.


http://www.hoosierartsandcrafts.com/index.html



"Welcome to the Hoosier Arts-Crafts & Gift Show!

We hope to see everyone come out and enjoy the Hoosier Arts-Crafts & Gift Show this November. It is a perfect time to get a jump on that Christmas Shopping.

You can pick up that one of a kind unique gift for that special someone that you just can't find in a big box store.

We have true crafters, confectioners, wood-working, quilting and suppliers. A truly one stop shopping destination.

A beautful fall day in Indiana spent shopping in a completely indoor facility with some of the best of the best in Indiana Arts,Crafts and unique gifts. Does it get any better than that?

We look forward to seeing everyone this year!"