Bean Bag Warmer

Need an idea for a quick, easy, and practical homemade gift? This was my gift for a Secret Santa exchange this year. A microwaveable bean bag warmer.  It is great for muscle pain and cold toes. ;D All you need is cotton fabric and some rice!

I made a 3-sectioned one that sits well on the neck.  With cute owls. Hahaha

Remember to pick a cotton fabric, as synthetics should not be put in the microwave. Flannels are a good choice as they are soft! I used a little less than 6 cups of rice for this project. There are other things you can fill them with, there are lots of good suggestions floating around online. I would recommend putting dried lavender in them if you can find it, it makes them smell really good when you warm it up. Just remember: dried ingredients only!

First I cut a rectangle of flannel that was 13"x22". I folded it in half lengthwise (patterned side together) and lined up the edges, pinning them in place. Then I stitched around 2 sides leaving one end open. 

 Then I clipped the excess fabric in the corners and turned it right way out. I poured in a little less than 2 cups of rice, then did a line of stitching about 1/3 of the way down the rectangle. This ensures that the rice doesn't just all slide to one end of the bag. I repeated the process with the middle section. I poured my last 2 cups of rice in the final section and then folded the unfinished edge inside, top-stitching it closed neatly. 

Then I folded and decorated with ribbon!

Here is 2 more I made for other gifts. I love the striped flannel. 

Owl Bags V2 & Bowtie Hair Clips

 Hey all! A quick post on some of the things I sold at FanExpo this year! Read my remarks carefully, as some of these items are still for sale!

All my items are, of course, handmade, and have plenty of blood, sweat and tears put into them. :D And did I mention they're all one-of-a-kind?

I sold these charming Owl bags at our table--Sweet Geeks--at FanExpo! All of them are fully lined, machine washable, and utterly adorable. :D  They go for 50$ apiece.

Sweet Geeks now has a Facebook group! Go and like us on Facebook! :D
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sweet-Geeks/259643404065978

These two gray ones are essentially the same, but I used different buttons for the eyes. Both sold fairly quickly. The white one (or light gray one, as some people refer to it) sold first, and very quickly. I really liked the stark contrast on this bag, with the electric, bright eyes. :D  I also remade the original bag, as I still had the fabric for it and I had so many compliments on it. ;D Unfortunately, that fabric is all finished, which makes me very sad...

^This is probably my other favourite from this batch of owls. :D I was able to find a light fabric in the exact same pattern as the rest of the bag! :D The paisleys were not as well received. I am told that people generally don't like paisley. Personally I think that this particular paisley is quite nice, but the problem might be that it is pink...



<-This lovely owl was not sold at the convention and is still looking for a home. Contact me if you are interested in purchasing this great bag! ;D

Now we are getting into my hair clip bow ties. They are awesome because they can be worn as hair clips OR bow ties, so long as you have a button up shirt, you simply clip it on. :D

They sold for 12$ apiece, simply because of the sheer amount of hand-stitching required for these. And to help make up for the loss on the owls (which I don't get paid minimum wage for my hours on).

There are still still 6 of these left! Contact me, and I will bother to check what colours are left... XD



Next up: my Elegant Mini Hairclips and Steampunk Necklaces!

September Update

Holy carp! It's september already? And I managed to disappear off the face of the earth, AGAIN. In all fairness, prep for FanExpo was crazy-hectic and took up all my time.  But still, now I am even more behind on my picture posting... sigh. (Seriously, my last post was almost a month ago, I am starting to feel like a failure of a blogger!)

I made owl bags, hair accessories and necklaces to sell, and put together 3 costumes: the 10th Doctor from Doctor Who, Ginny Weasley from Harry Potter, and a steampunk-lolita creation of my own original design. More pictures coming up in early september. (Hopefully)

But I didn't make any business cards, so hopefully the 4 people who bothered to ask for one and received this url on a scrap of paper actually made it here... DX Next time I will have business cards!

In the middle of all of that I went to Montréal for the Jean-Paul Gaulthier fashion exhibit at the Musée des Beaux-Artes. A very fun trip. :D

I saw the Cirque du Soleil perform Totem last week! What an amazing show!!! 

I start university this week at Ryerson, which I am very excited about! (And really nervous, but mostly excited!) Orientation was last week and I met a few people from my program who seemed very nice! Looking forward to what I hope will be a wonderful, if busy, year! :D

Here's how it's going to work: I will finish posting Edinburgh pics, and then I will take a 2 month fast forward to post my FanExpo costumes and products. Then I will back track to the rest of London, and Folkestone and continue in chronological order. XD (Meaning that after that will come the farm, Tremblant, Quebec and then Montréal, Quebec.)

Hoping I haven't lost you in my absence? XD

August Update

August already?! Time flies! DX

So behind on everything I don't even know where to begin! Got to start working double-time on my projects for FanExpo. And continue posting my pictures, as I am now behind on 2 trips! Sigh...

I went to Quebec this past month with my family. I will post those pictures after the UK.

I was in the music video of some cosplaying friends of mine at the beginning of June, which debuted at ConBravo (I believe). A fan-made production for the song "This isn't Hogwarts". So yeah, if you haven't already guessed it, I pulled out my Gryffindor robes for this! However, I didn't go as Ginny--as my hair is far too short and no longer ginger--but as Ron instead. We had a maroon wig in the closet that worked quite well for an impromptu Ron costume! (Also they needed a Ron, so that worked out quite well!) Be sure to check out the video and go comment if you like it! They worked really hard on it and did a great job! :D (Ron approves!)

A funny story about when we were filming: We were filming on the U of T campus, because it looks kind of like Hogwarts, but there were also lots of people taking wedding pictures, and we were really worried we would be asked to leave. But actually, quite the opposite happened! One of the brides really liked Harry Potter, and asked us to be in a few of her wedding photos! XD While we were posing with her, she raised her bouquet and said, "My wand is roses!" XD

I like her dress. :D So fluffy!

I don't think I make a very good Ron. Too stiff. D: And there's my scarf that I knitted all through grade 12. In class. And no teacher ever told me off. XD (Probably because I was still listening?) And I still have yet to fix the costume... It has gotten more wear out of it than I thought! I never expected to be in a music video! XD

I clearly don't take credit for the pictures, seeing how I'm in them. lol Credit goes to Mike Kowalek. :D You can view the full gallery here:
http://eleventhphotograph.com/events/harry-potter-music-video/




Went to the Harry Potter Deathly Hallows pt 2 Premiere! Very exciting! It was a great end to a spectacular series! Wore my robes, of course, but it was nameless female Gryffindor, and not Ron. It was quite hot out, I didn't think I would be able to stand wearing a scarf, a wig, and long pants.

Still working on that skirt. It needs a zipper, so I have to make a trip to Fabricland and pick up a few things. The bows are done, and the owl bags are all in progress now. I hope I have time to make everything (including my costume(s?)) for FanExpo!!! Need to order wigs, which probably won't get here in time... sigh.

My bike got fixed! ... And then 2 weeks later the seat got stolen. So I'm back to having no bike again! D,:

Still haven't overhauled my blog. Maybe I'll do it this month? XD

July Update

Hey all! I've been very neglectful of my posting lately! I hope to rectify this in the near future! XD

I will be posting my pictures from my trip to England and Scotland starting today. I had lots of fun and I hope you guys enjoy them! Also, my pictures of AN are up next, though I only have a few from the Friday as my Crow Soldier costume rather inhibited me from taking pictures...

I've been working like mad on my products for FanExpo. I've made about 20 bowtie/hairclips; meaning they are awesomely versatile in that you could wear them as a hairclip OR a bowtie! BD I am planning on making some owl bags next as soon as I figure out my colour combos for the fabrics (I will make one replica of the original owl bag, as I still have enough fabric left to do so, but I am contemplating what other patterns and colours I should try.) Look forward to it! :D

I'm currently making myself a skirt, before I get started on my next costume. I will probably wear it to FanEx on one of the days. :D I am currently trying to figure out the materials I will need for my next costume before start on it.

I've been watching movies like crazy while working on my bows because they require a bit of handstitching, which is rather dull work. I've had a bit of a blast from the past the other day and watched All Dogs go to Heaven, The Land Before Time, The Brave Little Toaster (I highly recommend this one!), An American Tale, etc. XD Some of them are just as good (and as scary) as I remember them, but others (-coughalldogsgotoheavencough-) I wonder why I ever liked them at all. O.o

I've also been having a bit of a Harry Potter marathon. I have re-watched all the movies excluding 5 and 6 (I'm watching 5 tonight) and am re-reading all the books before the premier (which I am not going to, I will go to the movie on a later day. D:) I think I am looking for some closure? Harry Potter has been a huge part of my childhood (I have faithfully followed the series since grade 1), and with the release of the last movie marks the end of that great era. It shall be greatly missed.

And in amongst all these things, I got a job. :D I'm doing custom embroidery on backpacks, towels, blankets, etc. I am greatly enjoying a job that is not customer service at a postal outlet. BD

I've been meaning to do an overhaul of my blog, and change the background, layout, etc. Because what I have right now is quite hideous. If you come back and it looks completely different, don't be alarmed.

And for anyone wondering about Multi footage, I haven't forgotten, I swear!

That's it for now!
Mischief Managed! >:D

Owl Apron

After a wonderful suggestion from Alex and Mike (who thought my owl bag was a shirt or something...), I have used the pattern for the owl bag as the basis for an apron. I had to modify the size of the owl to achieve more flattering proportions, and designed the bottom part of the apron from scratch. Alex says it looks like he's sitting on the moon. :D I decided to change my original design and ditch the ruffles around the bottom half of the apron. 

I will have another post on the matching hairband at a later time. :D

The initial construction is much the same as the bag,
so I didn't bother to take any pictures of that.  

 

This is my workstation. :D

I put the joining seam for the tie slightly off centre so that the right foot
could be used to partially hide it. 

The topstitching here was a little bit tricky, with the curve and the
multiple changes in direction.  

The pocket is built in as part of the design.

At this point I tried it on my sister and
decided I didn't like the proportions.
I went back and shortened the owl's body.
It looks much better now.  

My mum made a comment on how I should sell these to Hooters. D:<

I am not amused. 

Owl Bag

This is a bag a made using a pattern I found in the Hallowe'en section.  It was a little extra that I missed the first time I saw the picture in the pattern book. The pattern was for these wacky looking owl costumes, and so at first I laughed, and then I spotted the most adorable bag! I had to have it! :D So I bought the pattern.

And a couple months later I actually made the bag.  (Maybe someday I'll make the owl costumes too...)

I finished the bag earlier this week, but hadn't had time to post it. Here are the progress shots from start to finish.

Normally I wouldn't match green with yellow and burgundy, but it seems to work here! I thought that red made him look too evil, green makes him look more cute. :D

I REALLY like this bag! It fits my sketchbook perfectly. I am planning on selling a few of these at Anime North (at which my friend and I are going to get a table).  Would you buy one? :D