Apologies

Hmm. I feel like I have been less around here than I should be or would like to be. I would say that life is getting in the way, but I don't have a life so... No it's more like all the reasons that I don't have a life are getting in the way. In the last week I have had a rowing race, in minus three degree weather, and let me tell you I have never been in so much pain. Also, everyone has started setting homework (I was like 'homework? what's that?') and of course there was the three and a bit hour meeting after school on Monday where we planned our trip to Madagascar. Which is great cause I now feel like I am raising money towards something, not just for the sake of it.

Anyway, because of all of this, I haven't really got any big projects on the go (okay, the socks, but I actually haven't touched those since last week, shh.) I have a fair few smaller things on the go though, so I thought I would share those today:

1) My wall, which I am immensely proud of though it's no where near finished:

2) One of the Friendship Bracelets I have been making for (guess what?) Fundrasing:

3) Okay it's not a project, but here's my ticker for Fundraising:



4) I am reading a great book at the moment, which I shall review/talk/gush about in due course (by the end of the week, when I am finished)

5) I have been listening to great music recently and it is making me really happy. Also, my dad and I agreed on the musical theme of our skiing trip next week. It's going to be a fab week of First Aid Kit, Joni Mitchell, Bright Eyes, and Tracey Chapman. (Also the ski trip is a source of great excitement)

(That was a pathetic project list. Most of that was rambling thoughts. Shh)

WIP Wednesday: Blueberry Waffle Sock

So, Work In Progress Wednesday people.

At the moment I am only working on one thing, and it's part of my new years resolutions list (yay for pretending that that may get done :)) I am knitting (rather slowly, cause I can't do them fast yet) some really pretty socks. 

I'm just turning the heel at the moment, a point I had hoped to get past before posting this, cause if you have never knit a sock before it probably just looks like a deformed potato at the moment to you. And I am really proud of it, so I was hoping it would be more sock-like when I came to posting it. But it's Wednesday, alas the only day that starts with W to alliterate with WIP, and even though I know there is nothing from stopping me from doing a WIP Thursday say, I am afraid I am just not indie enough for that. And tomorrow it would probably still look like a deformed potato...

Okay, end of non-interesting rant. The point was, there is a sock that is yet to look like a sock that I promise will one day look like a sock :(

Mixtape Making

Okay, so maybe not mixtapes, cause I don't even know where I would buy a cassette from anymore, or how I would record something to it, or who (except me,) actually has a cassette player.

So, Mix Cd's, but that is less catchy. Mix CD's are what I spent this evening doing.

Inspired by RookieMags post a few months ago, my friend Haley, who lives in Florida and I are sending each other care packages. Which include music (yay!) and other things, like posters and books and stupid little badges and other normal stuff like that.

Anyway. It took me an embarrassingly long time to get the playlist from the computer to the CD's I bought on the way home from school today (so I may have wasted like three CD's in the process...) and cause I was feeling cheap, I didn't buy any CD cases, so I had to make one of those as well.

So I am rather proud of that. The cover says 'Music You May Hate' cause she is super picky about music, and also I put some Taylor Swift in there to annoy her... And then I just cut up an old NME and stuck in on my makeshift CD jacket.

Now That That Is All Over...

So I hope everyone had a great Christmas, and you were all able to spend time with your families and friends and stuff, and also on a more materialistic note, you got cool presents :)

I am happy to say that my Christmas was great. My family managed to avoid any major disagreements, and I got great presents to boot.

Now that it's all over however, I am starting to get excited/worried about the new year. Last night (technically this morning actually, it was really late) I started making a list with my friend. I am currently at ten so... Looks like I will have a busy year ahead of me.

Also, I started thinking about this past year, and Sophia (who sold cookies with me earlier) showed me this video.

As I find posts without pictures look a tad sad, here are some the crafty gifts that were given in my family this christmas:

The bottom two, I made. The scarf for my sister, and the hat for my brother. The top (very impressive hat) my mum made for my dad. My sister also made from the same pattern for my dad, and both rather outshone mine stuff...

Christmas Eve

(Just in case you hadn't noticed!)

Anyway. At the moment my Fam are all downstairs watching Alvin and the Chipmunks. Which, y'know, I should probably join in with. Bonding and all. Also, by this time tomorrow, I guarantee everyone will be fighting. So I should probably be making the most of it. Oh well.

Instead though I am desperately trying to finish my Crafty Christmas presents, which all seemed like a great idea when we were safely in November... Now not so much. I have two WIP's for my siblings, which I seriously need to sort out and the hours are slipping away from me people! In the mean time though, I am procrastinating by stalking the NORAD Santa Tracker thing. Which is one of my favourite pastimes :)

I will most likely have an update tomorrow (it looks like there will be loads of crafty presents in my household this year!) but if not, Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating. Or, Happy Fifth/Sixth day of Hanukka. Or...

I'm starting to get confused now, so let's stick with Happy Holidays people. That's general right?

2012 Diaries

Last week, I wrote about my Poundland Presents. Wednesday night, I finally finished them (and oh my goodness they took ages. It got kind of annoying...)

So these are the five that I got done. They were super easy (although, I am seriously not joking when I say you better not underestimate how long they will take you to do.)

I mostly used magazines and newspapers. Actually, I mainly used stylist and style, because I love the layout and design they have, and also they are free (yeah, them being free is nice...) Anyway. I cut out the cut/pretty/interesting bits, and also any deep quotes that I found. Another great thing about these magazines was that they had really cool titles that worked well for spines. (see picture below)

I arranged all the little bits (some of which I had also printed off) on the books, and stuck them on with PVA. Which was much easier when I got some proper glue. Word of warning, don't use any of that school glue that has been in your cupboard since you started reception. It will be gloppy and cause you to go insane. I speak from experience.

So, stick pieces of paper on with glue, and then cover in that plastic stuff. Now, I don't know what it is called aren't I super helpful?) but it is that clear plastic sheet stuff that is sticky on one side. You can get it anywhere, and it means that the paper won't rip off the books straight away (cause that would be sad.)

And here is a picture of three of the ones I finished. It's only here cause I am really proud of them :)

Thoughts about Knitting

So I love knitting. No actually, it's really fun and all. But sometimes if kinda gets me down. Cause it's like, oh hey guys! Take a look at my deformed sock made of super expensive wool that has taken me hours and is still not that pretty.

And my friends are like, 'Oh, our friend who will be an old cat lady as soon as she can pass for over twenty.' They think the knitting thing is pretty funny. Unless I do it in public, in which case they are like:

'Emmmaaa. Put it away, ugh, you are soo embarrassing!' and they sorta sound like kids with embarrassing parents. I would be a great embarrassing parent. That is plan b, if the whole old cat lady thing doesn't work out.

So while that is all fun, it is a bit sad that when I am casually stalking my friends friends youtube accounts (okay, the fact that I do that is admittedly a little sad) and it's suddenly like, wow, this person can SING. and they are FUNNY. and guess what, they are also PRETTY. and turns out they have a VERY COOL room.

and I am still sitting here with my slightly deformed sock.

Poundland Presents

So here are two facts you might want to know:
1) Getting people Christmas presents is pretty much my favourite thing to do
2) I am a total cheapskate, and I am always broke anyway

This year I have actually managed to accommodate both issues though, and so I am giving everyone something from Poundland. But it's decorated, so it's cool, see?

This is the first one I have done so far.

And this is the first one again, cause I have yet to do any others...

And here is the stack I still have to do....

Should be fun. In the mean time, I need to go back to pretending I am revising my chemistry...

I'll post a How-to with tips and things later in the week (once I finish my pretend revision.)

In the mean time if you like poundstores like me, you should go read this. It made me a little less worried about how much fun I have in them.