A new collection

I just got this lovely compact in the mail! I have decided that I love souvenir compacts. Expecially the ones with the little pictures under lucite or plastic, or whatever that little clear covering material is. This one is not in very good condition, but I bought it for $.99. From Ebay. Shipping was $4.80. Yeah. But I love it.

I also really love Ebay. I just bought a vintage Lady Baltimore Suitcase, light green. I am in search of a matching train case at the moment, actually. The little cases just scream 'classy'. Like a cigarette holder made of an albatross beak. Or red wine from a box (I am 18. All wine looks classy to me).

I am also embroidering a lot lately. Matryoshkas, especially. I just love the way they look, and the different designs I can put inside them. These are three handkerchiefs I have done. There is another, but I gave it to my darling sister and now it can't be located. I am also working on a tea towel, with varying sizes of matryoshkas along the bottom edge. By varying, I mean I took a pattern and cut a half-inch from the edge each time I went on to the subsequent doll.

Gosh, just look at them. Their complacent faces, the little smiles. Perhaps it is a bit hard to tell from this photograph, but they like to talk amongst themselves. Not in front of anyone, of course, but I can just tell. You don't get that sort of camaraderie from simply being next to each other all day.

Amber.

Two weekends ago, I went to San Jose, for an anime convention. Yes, I went to the 2008 Fanime. Alas, I did not have enough time to make a costume. But I did take a lot of photographs!

Two adorable little Gundam kids. I loved their costumes, so obviously made by the adult man with them, probably their father. All through the hour and a half line, they looked so resigned to their fate.:

This lady wasn't supposed to be any one character, I don't think, but she looked amazing. I loved the little paper cranes hanging off the edge of her parasol.

The nameless demon from Spirited Away!

Zelda, wandering off:

Just for fun, two Pikachus playing DDR. Oh, my.

I am a huge dork, but I'm okay with that. I had a lot of fun. Tons of it, in fact.

Amber.

Handspun Beret

So this lovely hat is made from two different handspuns. I love it. It only took about an hour to make, too. Because it was knit on size 11 needles, and is rather holey. Just a yo, k2tog lace thing.

In fact, a pattern is in order.

Obligatory Myspace-bathroom-emo-headtilt shot.

Ingredients:

bulky-weight yarn, bought or handspun, 2 colors

size 11 needles

tapestry needle

Pattern:

CO 40 stitches in first color,

knit four rows in 1x1 rib

Switch to second color, increase one stitch at the beginning of the row

Knit three rows in garter stitch,

K2, *yo, k2tog, repeat from *to last stitch, k1

Knit two rows in garter stitch

knit one row, decreasing four stitches evenly. 37 stitches

K2, *yo, k2tog, repeat from *to last stitch, k1

Knit two rows in garter stitch,

Knit one row, decreasing four stitches evenly. 33 stitches

K2, *yo, k2tog, repeat from *to last stitch, k1

Switch to first color

Knit two rows in garter stitch

Knit one row, decrease two stitches evenly, 31 stitches.

K2, *yo, k2tog, repeat from *to last stitch, k1

Knit two rows in garter stitch

Knit one row, decrease two stitches evenly, 29 stitches.

K2, *yo, k2tog, repeat from *to last stitch, k1

Knit two rows in garter stitch

BO, Knitting two stitches together for each BO stitch.

Finishing:

Sew up along the edge, leaving a large circle to fit around your head. Then wear it proudly. In public. And proclaim quite loudly, 'Oh, you like my hat, do you? Yeah, I'm so cool, I made it.'

Not that I have ever done that, or anything.

Amber.

It's sort of sad, but reading that last post over, I realized that my phone takes clearer pictures than my digital camera. It's just the stock phone that costs the least to get with my phone plan, though. I'm a little confused.

Amber.

What is that?

Is that some sort of dishrag? Why does it look so ugly? And what is up with that shape?