Break from crocheting-now Watercolour

Taking a watercolour class at the Santa Cruz Art League:
http://www.scal.org/

Trying my hand at apply real method from experts then making something up in my head...which it usually comes out funny.
so here are some random exercises required in class.
More examples will be posted later.

Black and White- Japanese amigurumi book

Whilst shopping at a Japanese bookstore...(now I have to travel to find one)
This one caught my eye. It's unique, the style is different and so away from the large heads, tiny bodies, and plastic eyes and nose that you typically see. Mainly the stuff I do - hah.
The Book is titled "Shiro- to- Ku-ro" meaning (sorry I have terrible Japanese translation)
"Black and White"
The intro loosely describes that the author created the designs and her 85 year old mother crochet them.
Her mother has to be closely watched, because she crochets so fast that the daughter is worried that it might turn into a pig, instead of a dog. The cute thing is that, this is obviously a great mother and daughter teamwork, even though the author says that her mother grumbles while she crochet and a challenge to "control" her.
Hah, that's probably an understatement when it comes to mother and daughter relationship.
Anyways, love the unique look to their designs.
Unfort, I didn't buy the book...I already have more then enough Japanese craft books...

Keychain

Left over glass beads from Kenny for extra coloring.
Lesson learned: don't use soft yarn for key chains, they will just come apart and dirty easily.
From now on, I'll be using 100% acrylic or harder cotton...they have a better wear and tear stability.
I think the same goes for amigurumi that will be gifts for young kids.
I know as Kenny tends to throw them around once I'm done with one.
BTW- Kenny said this one has a funny face on him, and I agree. Not everything I crochet turns out.

Re shot the photography on my latest Ami Doggie

Thought that this still life shot was better then the previous one.
Made with left over 100% organic cotton. Added a star like collar for extra detailing.

Ami-mixed breed dog

Made the head smaller on this one, so the eyes are more in proportion.
Ear are sewn on correctly. And the muzzle is just right for the head.
I think this is the best one so far, that I've made.
It is a mixed breed doggie, some Labrador and hound...

Now, the next dog for someone else, that is a dog lover.
Noticed more and more dogs in my old neighborhood in San Francisco.

I got a request to make a "ami" dog

either a Chihuahua, Cavalier King James Spaniel (boy, that sounds royal)
or a French Bull dog.
The requester has all three in her home.

BUT,
I am currently working on my "mixed breed" ami doggie.
Why mixed breed? well, most of the people I know has a mixed breed doggie
adopted and or rescued.
As it should be.

Flower dish rag

bought the "Sugar n' Cream" 100% cotton yarn... for a new ami, but it is very course and stiff.
Doesn't feel too nice on the hands, when you try to loop through in basic crochet, but it is pretty cheap and you can buy at Michaels and JoAnne's.
I didn't want to waste it and too lazy to return it, so I made it into a dish cloth.
Perfect for it, plus you can throw it into the laundry without any issues.

I was checking out the Santa Cruz directory and was able to find a local knit store.
I was pleasantly surprised that there is an amigurumi class taught there.
I can't wait to visit them, if my schedule permits.
I'm not digging the commute from Santa Cruz to San Francisco, but that's life for you.

Sketch with watercolor_Blue Hoodie

"ami"
as the die hard amigurumi crafter would call it.
thought that this little guy had a lot on his mind. (the one posted on April 24th)
so I drew it out.

Happy Easter (belated)

White Bunny for you. Ok. so I made this one after I lost the blue bunny I made.
It became a keychain. I got compliments from the girl that works at JoAnne's.
(man, there are many books on this type of crocheting- is it a fad?)
I got left over kimono type material and sewn that into the ears and make a pocket out of it.

ps- the eyes came off and I eventually used black craft thread to make the eyes.
I will show a photo of that later, if I remember

"Terri" amigurumi

New terrier dog amigurumi by the beach.
She's wearing a heart collar (hard to see it)
I just ordered some 8mm eyes that has bigger pupils. Because currently, I think these eyes might be a bit too small for the size of the head.
So far, I've only ordered amigurumi eyes on Etsy.com. I've been unable to find dolls eyes elsewhere.
I originally bought some glue-on eyes, but those don't last and immediately fall out, especially if you plan to use them on a doll as a keychain. So from experience, the eyes on these should either use the safety eyes with the washer in the back or hand sewn.
I will post a white bunny keychain I did, where the eyes did fall out, and I ended up using craft thread to make the eyes.
I am a geek, I know.

Tried an animal with a hoodie with ears

Let me know what you think.

These are made randomly....all from the top of my head.
Going to make as much of these little amigurumis as possible.
So now, I'll need to buy more doll safety eyes from Etsy.com
Love that site.

I have arthritis...from my dad and hoping that it isn't RA.
so sooner or later, I'll probably lose the functions of my hands/fingers.
so whilst I still have function with minimal pain, I'll keep busy with these.

blue bunny for Easter

decided to not due a traditional white bunny...
hmmm....people couldn't figure out what it was.
besides, got lost.... boo hoo
(oh well)

Finally photographed my three amigurumis

with my new camera...
used the zoom lens.

Posion Mushroom amigurumi keychain

Panda half amigurumi with felt

Wanted to try a technique where I didn't have to crochet everything...
used black recycled felt for the eyes, ears, arms and legs. The middle is a tiny pocket
made from left over scrap material. Besides I have packed away all my yarn stuff and those plastic round doll eyes, that I just cannot find. So I will need to hand sew every detail from now on.
Anyways, by using contrasting thread colour, it gave it that sort of "Tim Burton" look to it.
http://www.timburton.com/
Amigurumi crafting fits well with my life style...now since I will be between San Francisco, San Jose and Santa Cruz....I can easily take my projects with me.

hand sewn keychain

from a Japanese sewing kit.
using felt material....
unfort. felt is horrible for everyday use...so amigurumi would of been a better solution.

USB Flash drive- teddy bear cozy

Well...I haven't updated this blog in a while.
Lots of changes in our lives right now. Might be moving to the coast.
Anyways, was able to get some crochet time...I've always wanted to a USB flash drive cozy.
So here it it.
It's "teddy" and he looked like he's been smacked around a bit. Probably due to the content that he had to ingest.

felted "cowdog" small stuffed toy

this was harder then it looked.
It was my attempt to make this look like "April" a black and white terrier mix.
It's no where close.
A free and small pattern that had to be hand sewn to get around due to the size of it.
I will probably wear reading glasses the next time (if I make it)
surprisingly the photo came out better then the actual doggie.
I call it the "cowdog" because it looks like it.
here's the definition, old Mac users will know what it is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogcow

Goth-like fabric pin...made from left over fabric

center is glass beads with ripped netting fabric.
been having a weird itch to sew...machine and hand. I just made pj pants from never used fabric....from projects when kenny was a baby and discovered that with a baby, I didn't have time to make anything for him. <;0(
We also have lots of XL and XXL men's t shirt that I will cut up and make into something...might be more shorts for kenny or maybe a stuffed animal...

black kat pin- hand sewn from felt

(posted from my craft blog- I still don't know how it ends up on my fb)
so i felt like felting a felted pin.
I copied the pattern from a japanese craft book, that I cannot read, since I'm not that japanese-y, although
one day I will be....I guess I'll have to stick it out in Nihon for a couple of months to get my vocab up to speed.
sorry, random rambling.