Friday, September 27, 2013

Bernard the Barrister Bunny

Meet Bernard the Barrister Bunny. 

Bernard is one of the best in the high paced world of defense law. His belief that every bunny (dog, cat, giraffe or any animal for that case) deserves the best representation under the law. That is where he comes in.

After studying at some of the finest schools in the world, Bernard finally decided to settle down and hang up his "bowler" hat so to speak in Northern California where he has made himself available to any animal that might be in need of his services.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Mixed-Media Turtle

Mixed-media Amigurumi Turtle
It seems that turtles are a very popular amigurumi design. I probably get more hits and comments on my turtle design than all others. Then one of the guys I work with, Chris Klawonn, turns these wonderful wooden bowls. I was talking to him one day and "click" I had this wonderful idea. Wouldn't an amigurumi turtle be pretty cool if it had a wooden shell. I had these 2 scrap blocks of oak that I thought would be the perfect size to make a bowl that turned upside down could also make a turtle shell. You could also use it as a place to keep small items. (I keep my headphones for my cell phone it it.) He also thought it was an excellent idea. So off we went. I brought him the wood and Chris got started. Once we knew the outside diameter of the shell I was able to get started on the amigurumi part of the turtle. I crocheted a round base for under the shell then repeating the same number of stitches as the last row of the base I crocheted 3 rows up for the side to hold the shell. To keep the shell from falling off I crocheted one last row with some reducing stitches so that the base would be tight enough to hold the shell (see diagram a.) All of the remaining pieces (head, flippers and tail) are attached to the bottom of the base. Then a trimmed down piece of plastic cross stitch is sewn to the bottom to keep the base flat and ridged.
diagram a.
base (bottom) & attached pieces
top of shell


Saturday, January 19, 2013

Awesome Ami-book giveAway

Google+     A funny thing happened to me on my way to receiving my copy of the awesome amigurumi book Zoomigurumi... my copy got lost in the mail. So you are probably asking yourself now how is that funny???  I'm gonna tell you the whole story (and ask anyone who knows me, I don't tell short stories) so bare with me and you will see.
     So sometime later last year (I cannot remember how), I came across this group of 12 designers (see their work here) who were working toward doing what is probably on the "dream" list of all of custom amigurumi designers, publishing a book of their designs. Over on the blog Amigurumipatterns.net the idea behind it was "... fond of crocheting. Looking  for patterns on the internet we built a collection of the ones we liked best." ... I thought it would be nice to collect them all in a handy website to share with everyone." Interesting thing was that when I looked at who the group of 12 designers was, I had already flagged the majority of them myself as ones I liked best and wanted to follow. So following the link back I found that for a small donation to help them towards the cost of publication we would be rewarded with a copy of the finished book. I jumped on the opportunity to have something I already knew was going to be great.
     Skipping ahead... once the book was published and they were all sent out I waited....
     I knew that the book was coming from Europe and since I am all the way out in California, USA (that's on the west coast for any "geographly challenged", I figured it would take a while to arrive. Well after mailbox watching for about 1 month I decided that something had probably happened when it had not arrived yet. So I shot off an email to Joke at Amigurumipatterns.net explaining that I had not received my book and was wondering what she thought. She was very sweet and assured me that it did get shipped and to wait til the end of the week and if it still hadn't arrived she would ship me out another.
     Well you might want to note that all this was going on in the Thanksgiving, Christmas holiday season and to anyone who knows anything about mail and shipping about 60% of a years packages are shipped throughout this time period. So it is perfectly natural for something to get "lost in transport". I gave it another week and still no book. (Not too much a problem as I did still have the digital format, and was busy working on holiday projects anyway.) Still I really was looking forward to getting the "printed copy". I contacted Joke again and she sent me out another.
     Now I do want to note.... this so far has been totally an issue with the "shippers" and the time of year, not Amigurumipatterns.net, Joke or any of the Zoomigurumi designers.... and is just a part of my story. So please so not think badly of any of them.
     So on Christmas eve I arrive home from my "day job" and what so I find has arrived.... "Squeeee...!!!! (insert sound effect here)... Yes, the brown envelope has at last come!!! So I tear it open and Merry Christmas to me... it is just as wonderful and cute as I expected. I send another email to Joke informing her of it's arrival.

End of story.... (mmmm.... don't think so.)    FYI,  told you I don't do short stories, just novels.

     Holidays come, holidays go... just before New Years I come home again to find what do you think, but another familiar looking brown envelope. "Oh boy..." So what do you think??? The severely geographically challenged envelope had finally arrived! Well if I had paid attention to the postage I could have noted that the 1st package (was the original, how to know - electronic postage - much easier with "hundreds" of packages to ship out.) 2nd package (the replacement copy - covered with many hand placed postage stamps.)
     So once again I sent an email to Joke telling her about the latest in the adventures of an amigurumi book. I also offered to return to her the additional copy, or I could forward one of the copies to someone here in the U.S. that had purchased the book (which I figured could cut a shipping expense), or I also though do some kind of giveaway (only as long as I had her complete blessing).

     So here we are I have an extra copy of this "wonderful" amigurumi book, with some of the cutest designs, by some of the most talented designers out there. And with Joke's blessing "... if you could make someone happy by giving it away, then don't hesitate!" So I am going to give the book away, but I want to make it fun for everyone and get as many people involved as I can. The only rub is that this is "new" territory for me and I am not sure what will get the best response. I mean it would be fine if there were just 3 or 4 people to participate, I will still be giving it as a prize. But wouldn't it be even better to have many more people involved. I am not opposed to shipping it back out of the USA to anyone who will really appreciate it. It really is an awesome book!

     So here is what I need... IDEAS!!! Responses, comments below, thoughts, ideas, ideas and more ideas!!! The more the better. 



     Do you want to do a CAL??? If so what on holiday or season themed, winter, spring or Valentine's Day is coming up???  Pattern themed, picking 1 pattern for everyone and letting people loose with their creativity??? Animal or design themed, do you love bears or monkeys or bunnys??? You tell me what you want to do and we will do it!!! I bet you can come up with many other better and creative ideas.

     Starting today Saturday, January 19th (PST) thru next Saturday, January 26 for 1 week I would like to hear your ideas. After which time I will make my decision as to what kind of giveaway I'm going to do.

Thank you, Shannon

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

A.O. 2012 Year in Review Collage



Here is a roundup from most of my 2012 A.O. designs

A.O's 2012 Year in Review Collage
(left to right / top to bottom)

* Truffle the Pig - some turtles hunt mushroom, this one hunts chocolate truffles, Valentine's Day
* Bunny, Easter
* Ballerina Bunny, from Easter Bunny pattern
* Easter Eggettes - made all my Easter designs with egg shaped bodies
* April 1st - yes, pigs can fly
* MFA - Rex T-Rex, baby safe My First Ami (amigurumi line made to be baby safe)
* MFA - Dani Donkey, baby safe My First Ami
* Dani Donkey -girl / boy, breast cancer awareness fundraiser & MFA
* Mortimer Hippo, wildlife (continuation from my list of wildlife ami's)
* Polly the Water Polo Pony, my entry for Ravelry's 2012 Olympic Games Challenge
* Harley / Captain Ameri-Ami Pig, super-hero USA pig
* Disney's Mickey Mouse & Tinkerbell, for Dad by request
* Bears, the - siezure, panda, teddy &  Pirate Bear Bob, same pattern w/ multiple results
* Cartoon versions of A.O. characters
* Sparkey from Frankenweeny, special request
* Apple Brown Betty Bunny, incomplete design finished with fedora hat
* Minion from Despicible Me, special request
* Simon the Meerkat, next wildlife design
* Mixed Media Turtle, in partnership with Christopher Klawonn (ami base & wooden shell)
* Binkey Saver / Pacifier Clips (not shown)

Sorry it has been a while between posts. The last couple months have been kind of crazy. Hope the end of 2012 finds you all doing well and I look forward to a wonderful 2013. Stay tuned here too because shortly I will be having a CAL contest with a wonderful prize for the winning design. I am still working out the details since it will be my first one. I was thinking about something winter themed. Leave me your comments below if you have any ideas you have or what you would like to do.

Welcome to 2013 and Happy Ami, Shannon