Creativity

It’s Life, Jim, Just As We Know It

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When I got my iPhone last October, my old phone became my Mom’s new phone. However, I think I’ve dropped it a little too much over the two years I had it, since over the last week  the screen started shorting out. Mom figured this would be a nice time to get a new phone, so when I suggested we head to the phone shop together, she wanted to go the next day 😀

So, Saturday The Mom and I took the car to the transferium and from there the citybus to the centre. After a stroll across the market, I wanted to see if Jansen&Jansen had any new fun stuff, which they had. Before I’d left, Nienke asked me to see about finding her a new pair of slippers. I didn’t find any pretty ones at the market, but found awesome ones at Jansen&Jansen 😀 Fuzzy clog-shaped slippers, pink with red hearts on them 😀

Of course I had to bring these for Nienke. I also bought myself (and her) a duck for our collection. After this we headed for the T-Mobile shop to pick out a new phone for Mom. After discussing it with the sales guy, we decided on another Nokia, since she’s used to that in terms of control and looks.

Then we hit the main shopping street, bought some clothes (shirt, t-shirt, hat), shoes, had lunch at Hema and then made our way back up towards the market.

Some more looking around there was followed by a last stop at the craft store to get latex (to make a vampire forehead), some music-themed charms and a paper maché leaf for Florian the Flower Faerie to sit on. By then we were getting a bit tired so we decided to grab the next bus back to the Transferium and head home.

I hung around at the parents for the rest of the afternoon. When I got back home, Nienke was much pleased with her slippers 😀

After some hanging about and watching another episode of Stargate Atlantis, I decided to finally start sorting through my clothes, which I’d been wanting to do for a while now. Nienke took her laptop and accompanied me while I tried on everything to see what still fit, what I still liked and so on. Much fun was had, especially with all the typical female clothes (women tunics, dresses, female tops and so on). It felt like another step in my gender process from gender neutral towards masculine, as wearing these clothes made me feel like a drag queen. (It did give me an awesome idea for a dress-up though: dress up as a drag queen while wearing my binder, so sort of being a woman being a man being a woman again.)

After sorting, it was too late to fold everything, so I stuffed it all back in the closet just so my bed would be free and I could sleep. Nienke had sorted through her clothes a few weeks ago, but not yet put her stuff back either, so Sunday evening, after procrastinating all day we decided to fire up Skype, and both go about folding and putting our clothes back.  It was much fun, although the whole process took hours. Photo was about mid-sorting I think.

Monday I had a day off. I messed around in the house, did dishes and such. Made a cake, made a painting and painted the paper maché leaf I bought on Saturday.

Weekly Four: week 8

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I’m grateful for my parents, just because that should be said sometimes <3

I’m happy with all I’ve been doing last week, both creatively (puppets) as well as in my house (re-organizing the kitchen, sorting through my clothes)

I’m annoyed I’m falling of the blogging bandwagon again. Haven’t posted in almost two weeks, which on itself is okay, but a couple of the theme posts (like P365 and the Weekly Four) should still happen. Even if only because it’s too much work if I miss too many.  Managed to catch up with the P365, but will skip the WF for week 7.

I learned to cut things for the puppets slightly bigger than I was already doing. George’s boots are rather tight after sowing the parts together

Weekly Four: week 6

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I’m grateful for having multiple pairs of shoes 😀 Always nice to know there’s another pair when one turns out to be leaking. On both feet…

I’m happy I finally took some major strides in putting my first puppet together

I’m annoyed I managed to forget last week…

I learned sewing all afternoon and a large part of the evening will give you muscle ache in your arms when you’re not used to it.

Treasures from the Market

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First, because I forgot them in the previous post, the state of the puppets now. All the body parts for George are now almost complete. I lost the bit I cut for his second arm, so will have to go through the boxes to see where it is, or cut a new bit. Once I have that, I can attach all the limbs. The pattern normally calls for sturdy thread to be put through the thighs and lower body to make the legs movable. However, I think I’m gonna try doing that with a bit of wire first to see if that sticks. I thought of that because I didn’t have proper thread for it, but now I do. So I think I will end up going for the thread, but to experiment is always nice 😀

The loose leg on the left is Nienke’s second leg. I forgot to add her body for the photo. For that puppet I still need to make both arms.

Then! This morning I went for coffee and a bit of lunch with Gert in Grunn before work. After that I had a couple minutes left so I checked out the Market and found an awesome craft stand. Bought feathers and rabbit fur and ribbon and leather string. Behold Below!

I’m now thinking, after a conversation I had on Facebook, on how best to construct a dragon. I’m already having some good ideas, will have to sketch them out, but I think it will work quite nicely.

Feathers! I think they're rooster feathers. They're sewn into a band, and would make an awesome short shoulder cape thing

Rabbit! It's a scarf, made from attaching small bits of rabbit fur to a piece of string, and then making a sort of net from that. I plan to take it apart so I end up with lots of tiny bits of rabbit. they'll make awesome shoulder pads and boots and stuff for the puppets

Full length view of the rabbit scarf, it's about 1,5m I think, and 4 dots wide

Ribbon with tiny roses on them, will be using this on the Flower Faerie (I'm thinking to name him Florian?) and possibly on later puppets as well

Leather string bits, good for making belts and straps and such

Puppets & Other Crafty Things Image Dump

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I went shopping at the Pipoos craft store last week, again. I’m falling in love with it. It has things on all matters of crafting, from scrapbooking, sewing, felt work, painting, pottery, mosaicing and what not more. It is on occasion a bit more expensive than certain online shops I’ve found, but it has the advantage that I can go there and touch things, and look at it closely to see if it will work for what I want. Let me show off my treasures 😀

Bells

Pretty Flowers for Planned Puppet nr. 3, a Flower Faerie

Lots of pretty yarn

Hair for puppets, not sure yet if this will actually be used, instead of just making hair from felt, but it's nice to try things

A pretty straw hat for forthcoming Frederic the Farmer

The hat from the side

New wooden shoes, in a bigger size. They fit better, but aren't quite hollowed out enough to fit the feet of the regular legs. So for Frederic I'll either have to hollow them out some more, or make his feet smaller

Pretty keys

A paper mache bag. I'm thinking of giving this to a regular puppet, later on, to carry books in, or possibly a small pet

Then something from myself. A cape from an old stuffed animal. It is a perfect size for the puppets, and will suit a future prince quite nice

Weekly Four: week 3

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I’m grateful for my new storage containers, I <3 organizing 😀

I’m happy I’m renewing my interest in other non-computer things beside reading. Not just crafts, but also board games. Now to harass more people into playing with me.

The one downside of living in Smalltownia, there’s not a lot of recreational things beyond the basics. So, in reference to the previous point, something like a game club you won’t find here.

I learned forgetting the book you’re reading, and enjoying very much, at your parents is not smart 😀

Puppets

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I can tell I’m feeling better. I’ve been doing little of anything the past week (good excuse though, had the flu) and more of that today, but as the evening came on I was feeling restless and wanting to DO!

So I brainstormed and figured out I wanted to make puppets. Inspired by the ones Signe @ Dapper Dier makes. Since they will end up very similar to what she makes, I decided I’m going to make boy puppets (since all I’ve seen from Signe are girls). I’ve made a list of the types I would like to make, and found the pattern online. Had some issues in printing it so will need to borrow Nienke’s printer tomorrow.

As I was making the list, Nienke asked if I would make one of her. Of course I said yes. I started with this one tonight as it’s a bit easier than the rest. Not just because I know exactly how I’ll be making her, but also because it’s okay if I mess up the proportions a little in free drawing the pattern 😀

So far I’ve made her pattern and cut the pieces. I’ve started assembling the body and the head, but have come to a standstill since I have no stuffing. And cottonwool doesn’t really work very well. Fortunately I’ve a short day on Tuesday which will enable me to go to the market in the city and buy various craft related things.

While doing this I’ve been watching the latest Grey’s Anatomy and some more Once and Again. Ended just now with a good chunk of Hamlet with David Tennant. Couldn’t finish ’cause I’m getting too tired, and I can’t do it to Nienke to finish this without her.

Photos of progress tomorrow 🙂