Arrested Development peg people

I can't seem to stop myself.

These are for a friend who's a huge fan of the show "Arrested Development." It was hard to keep the cast to a manageable size -- there were so, so many other characters I could have added.

Harry Potter peg people

Yet *another* set ripped off from Etsy! Yet (Yetsy?) I've broadened it a little. For example, I added a Hagrid:

Ooooh, it's those darn Slytherins!

One of those one-dollar wooden cabinet things from the unfinished wood section at Michaels (cut horizontally in half, painted brown, and turned upside down) can hold anything you need for Potions or Herbology class.

Wait, those aren't plants! Those are mandrakes! (sculpey and toothpicks)

Professor Quirrell is sporting a turban made of sculpey. There's also professor Sprout (who really needs her gardening hat, I think), and Profs McGonagall, Dumbledore, Flitwick, and Snape. I think there are two Flitwicks in the movie versions -- a really old one, and this guy who also conducts the choir.

When Quirrell takes off his turban, look out! (Stole this idea from the Lego version.) I'm really pleased with how McGonagall's hair turned out -- I just dragged a toothpick through the paint, and it really looks like a bun!

Now I'm working on a Hogwarts castle. I'm not a very precise builder -- not enough patience, not enough skill with tools -- so it's pretty rough. Seriously, I think I did better work when I was in 7th grade shop class. But so far the boys like it.

More peg goodness

Again, totally ripped off from Etsy. Except the ghost. That was my own invention.

Big Damn Peg People

I've been busy. I swear. Too busy to make many projects, and too busy to post the few that I've worked on. So here's something I just finished today. It's for a very good friend who loves Joss Whedon's "Firefly" series. I ripped off the entire thing from a much better set I saw on Etsy. (That's not me being modest -- just honest. Her work is much neater than mine. But I probably drink more while crafting than she does.) So I made this set of 9 figures, then I went to Michael's and got one of those decorative boxes that looks like a book. Has a magnetic closure. The title of this fake book was "Live Laugh Love." Lame. I printed a new title (it's funny if you know Firefly) on some old-looking paper, sprayed it with matte finish, and used some spray adhesive to stick it over the title. It turned out pretty well!

For the inside, I used some leftover upholstery foam to create some space for the figures to friction-fit into. Then I used an old scrap of flannel and my glue gun to cover it. Much more thematic than the green upholstery foam.

I'm super excited about this because the friend is a writer (her first novel is coming out this fall). Books are what she loves. And she loves Firefly.

R2D2 shirt

I got fan mail! Sort of. I got a lovely comment last year about an R2D2 costume I made for my son Asher, but I didn't realize it until like May because I had somehow inactivated "notify me of comments" or whatever that is called.

I would have loved to have made a similar costume for the woman's son, but various things are keeping me from that. In any case, I present the simplest thing EVER: The R2D2 shirt. Made from a plain white T (thank you, Michaels -- or is it Michael's?) and fabric markers.

My boys both want one now. Damn it! I need to hide these things better!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle hat/mask combo

I used the idea from a Craftster post that I can't find right now. Argh! (Just search for teenage mutant ninja turtle mask on the crochet board.) I didn't use the woman's pattern. I just did dc in a round until I got to the eye holes, then sl st through to make the eye holes. I went long in the back so that I could tie the ends in a knot like a regular mask would actually do. I had to test-fit it as I went, and then when it was done, I realized it fit a 3 year old and a 35 year old pretty much the same. Gotta love dc.

Rolling Stones iPod case

I made this for my girlfriend. La di dah, la di dah, just another iPod case. It's made out of a sage green denim, has a clear vinyl front for viewing and accessing the wheel, an opening at the bottom for charging, and the ribbon tab on top (embroidered with my machine's leafy motif) has a velcro closure. Boring, right?



But no! Look who it is!