Third time is acceptable

 I learned to knit in college and spent a couple of years satisfied with small projects - hats and mittens, that sort of thing. And then I decided to try a sweater. After all, isn't that the pinacle of knitting? That experience taught me a couple of things: 1. I hate seaming a garment and especially setting in sleeves. 2. It's okay to enjoy small things. I resolved at that point to stick to small projects from that point.

Fast forward to now. I got this idea for a sweater, using a variegated yarn in a colorwork pattern. It was ridiculous and felt like a lot of work. And it would not leave me alone. Not only did I want to do a colorwork pattern, I wanted to invent my own chart. I started it right after Christmas. And when I got it done it was wrong. I had to take out the whole top and try again. When I had it nearly finished I discovered a major error and had to rip out the top for a second time. It's finally done. The fit isn't quite right but I refuse to redo it again. And this may well be the last sweater I ever make. Still, it matches my imagination pretty well.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 16

 When I made my little Doctor Who tree, I knew it needed a topper. And after much debate I settled on a design: a fez and bow tie. They are a simple construction from colored paper.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 23

 I hadn't intended to make any Doctor Who themed crafts this December, but as I was unpacking my decorations, a little Doctor Who display started coming together. All it needed was a couple of decorations for my miniature tree. So I whipped up a couple of adipose and a Lady Cassandra. It might still need a star but that's a project for another day.

Weeping angel redux

 Early in this blog's history I posted about a Weeping Angel I'd made from a Barbie doll. It was a bit of decor that I loved but had to give away when I moved. I've wanted to make another one since but never found a Barbie. Then I came across this in a box of junk my dad brought home.

While I've never understood the desire to have a fancy dressed doll in your bathroom hiding a roll of tp or an air freshener, I did see her potential on the Weeping Angel front. After a little razor knife and hot glue surgery, a new hair style, cardboard wings, and a fabric scrap dress, all she needed was some paint to make her a Doctor Who monster.

Crafty Christmas countdown: 4

 I wasn't going to make any Doctor Who themed Christmas crafts this year. Then I sat down to make a scottie dog pin out of felt and this happened instead.

 

that felt insisted on being K9

Once the Doctor Who door opened, I figured I'd just roll with it and made this ornament as well.

 

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 6

 My room wasn't looking very festive, so I though I'd add a garland. And what better garland than a string of cardboard gingerbread men designed to look like the Doctor from Doctor Who. 

Non-fiction book review - Why the People

 

Why the People by Beka Feathers

Government is complicated, probably far more complicated than most of us realize. Complicated enough that when we realize it is not as simple as we were taught in middle school most of us don't bother trying. That's certainly to our detriment and Feathers is certainly trying to correct that void in our understanding. This book systematically breaks down not only the different forms of government but different variations on those forms. We come to realize, through this book, that the "right" form of government can be dependent upon circumstance and culture, how even ideal forms can go horribly wrong if managed by the wrong people. It's dense and complicated information so it's certainly too much to absorb in a short period of time. But it would make an excellent supplement to government curriculum. 

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 13

 I make no secret of my fondness for puppets. Especially for sock puppets. Every time I think I've run out of unique ideas, I come up with a new one. I'll admit, I found it a challenge this year to come up with a new Christmas themed puppet. Then, while looking for inspiration for another project, I came across this image.

Wilfred (occasional companion on Doctor Who if you're unfamiliar) was the perfect subject for a sock puppet. I was so excited for this build that I completely forgot to take any process photos.

This particular sock puppet required two socks. One serves as a base with a layer of quilt batting to add some softness to Wilfred's face. I cut the leg off of the outer sock, building the body instead from some green fabric.

 

 

Graphic novel spotlight - Frankie and the Creepy Cute Critters

 

Frankie and the Creepy Cute Critters by Caitlin Rose Boyle

Most of the time, fairies in books are sweet and delicate creatures clad in pastels. We don't get many like Frankie with bat wings, fangs, and a fondness for insects. Now, at heart this is a fairly standard fish out of water story. Frankie is judged by her new classmates by their first impression of her. Feeling lonely, she explores the creatures surrounding her new town. She judges many of them "creepy" at first glance but learns lots of fascinating positive traits about them. By observing nature, she learns not to judge by first glance and to appreciate or respect things that frighten her. While the message is a bit heavy handed, it's a quick appealing read well supported by charming illustrations. A great choice for upper elementary readers.

 More information: Frankie and the Creepy Cute Critters releases October 13.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 13

It has become one of my traditions to do a holiday themed LEGO display, usually featuring Doctor Who elements. For the first time this year, I based my display on a particular episode. My favorite Christmas episode: The Christmas Invasion. 

In LEGO I've got Rose and Mickey carrying an unconscious Doctor to the TARDIS 

And citizens at the edge of a roof, perched to jump off at the command of the Sycorax.
 

 There's even a killer Christmas tree on the left edge there.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 15

A couple of years ago I turned a tin into a robotic Santa from the Christmas Invasion. I had another tin in my craft supplies just asking to be something Doctor Who themed as well.

 I decided on the Host from the Christmas episode Voyage of the Damned.

 

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 19

I was planning to change the decorations on our wreath this year. Then I found small wreath forms at the dollar store and the plan changed. I figured I'd wrap the form in some garland and maybe add some Doctor Who themed decoration. Again, though, I found some new craft supplies that changed the plan. Namely, I found some black tube ribbon which gives the wreath a decidedly outer-space feel. Some star garland and a craft foam TARDIS complete the look.

 

Custom Judoon

I've wanted to make a Judoon figure for a while now and I finally found the right action figure to use for the body.

It wasn't too hard to trim the fins off of the shoulders of the figure and whittle down the head to expose the neck joint. The rhino had some natural seems in it's neck that were near perfect cutting lines. Once glued in place, the rhino's head even rotates.

The Judoon's suit is pretty simple, so painting was a quick job.

He is going to look great on my shelf with my custom Cyberman.



 

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 5

As I've purchased more LEGO, I've found ways to incorporate them into a Christmas scene, usually focusing on my TARDIS set. Here I've created a city center with a tree and a skating rink. Not to mention a business man too busy for his family and a rampaging snow monster.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 6

It has become one of my traditions to recreate a villain from a Doctor Who Christmas special every year. This year I picked the Tree King from The Doctor The Widow and The Wardrobe. I made him as a jumping jack type figure out of card stock and colored pencil.

K-9

This week's project is a happy combination of something I needed and an idea that struck me randomly.

I have a really nice wooden bookshelf in my room. It currently fills the only wall space that reaches the full ceiling height as one side of my room is under the eaves. That means that when my book shelf is full, like it is now, I don't have a lot of options for shelving. 

About the time I was realizing that I was running out of space, I decided I wanted to craft something K-9, the Doctor Who robot, themed. And randomly I thought of making a K-9 that would open up to reveal internal shelves. My first thought was to create 3 shelves for holding some collectibles but the need for book space over rode that. 

For this project, I decided my best option was cardboard. I started with a reference image and a straight edge and eyeballed my proportions.

 

quite a lot of hot glue involved, plus an orphan knitting needle for the tail

Most of a bottle of acrylic paint and a little duct tape for a handle finished it off.

And there's even room in the top for an extra shelf that holds my sonic screwdrivers.

 

Silence

I picked up some rocks at my parents' house, intending to paint them in the coming weeks and months. I was examining one, planning out what I might do with it. I was thinking it might be a hedgehog. Then someone suggested that the shape resembled the face in Edvard Munch's The Scream. It only followed, then, that the stone might also be the Silence from Doctor Who. That idea really took hold. Luckily, I had a fine tip permanent marker in my bag.

 

Bobble Davros

I have a friend with whom I exchange weird gifts, often from thrift stores. Stuff like squirrel tongs and creepy bobble heads. And it's that last gift that is relevant in this case. Some people might look at a creepy old man bobble head, say "that's weird", and toss it in a box. I thought "this could be something". Bobble man decided to be Davros, one of many villains in the Doctor Who universe. Davros is sort of half-robot, so he needed some cardboard and hot glue assistance before his final paint job.

Exterminate Winter Cold

We seem to be welcoming 2018 here with more snow and cold temperatures. This after a week of the same. My favorite way to chase away the winter blahs is with new winter hats. I've wanted a Dalek hat for a while but had trouble finding a pattern that I really liked. This hat was the product of a combination of a few different patterns. It may not be my warmest hat but I think a fleece liner will make a difference.

UPDATE: Based on the advice of a friend, I've added a small, battery operated light to the eyestalk. The effect is pretty excellent.

 

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 8

I'm not totally on board with the whole adult coloring book trend. I do own one, though, because it's Doctor Who. And because a big part of the show is the annual Christmas episode, I figured there must be a Christmas image to color. I wasn't disappointed.