The Things we do for our Children

My 15-year-old is very creative, even if it's in a way that I'm not very interested in. She is an avid Fan Fiction writer and Japanese anime fan. Thus said, she loves going to the anime conventions. We have several in our area, so this travel isn't inconvenient. The entry fee and shopping are a pocket drainer and don't even get me started on the costumes. Yes, costumes. I try to keep my girl reined in, but you would not believe at how much time and money are invested to these creations. The majority are handmade because only non-purchased costumes can be entered in the costume contest.

My Little Pony Cosplayers

We have been attending MegaCon in Orlando for the past 3 years. This convention is a combination of Anime, Comics, and Science Fiction. It's huge. Really. Almost everyone dresses up as their favorite character. In fact, you feel quite out of place if you go sans costume.

One of this year's special guests was Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films. She was so excited for the opportunity to meet him and get an autograph/photo. So was everyone else. Photo sessions sold out and the event staff would not allow personal photos - this was a first for us. So, we snuck in a picture before we got caught. You can just barely see him sitting at the table behind her. She was disappointed, but the attention she received for her costume made up for it. Who knows? Maybe his publicist will see this and make up for it.

Tom Felton in background

Happy Girl

Of course, my daughter needed a new costume for this year. I keep trying to convince her to just improve her other costumes and I'm hoping one day she will agree. However, I'm glad she didn't listen this time because she was a big hit. She loved having people stop her for a photo.

Cupcake's Pinkie Pie

Yes, I sewed each one of those blocks. I'm not sure what happened to her making the costume herself....hmmmm. I do know, however, that I am not meant to be a quilter. That's a lot of work! I'm still a newbie at making my own patterns, so overall, I think it turned out pretty good.

Oh, and remember that I said you feel out of place if you don't dress up? I bit the bullet and joined the craziness. The things we do for our children.

Daughter and Mom dress-up

Easy Baby Sweater and Hat

After searching and attempting to create the perfect - and quick/easy - baby sweater to give as a gift, I finally just combined a few to make the one I wanted. This particular one is more what I would envision for a girl (regardless of color) because of the lacy pattern created with the shells. My next step to find/create one for a boy. This one is simple enough to work up quickly. I only have a few hours of crochet time at night and I completed the set within 3 days. I imagine if you had half a day you could easily finish it in one setting, depending on your skill level. Sweater Materials: 3-4 ounces 3 ply baby yarn Hook - size F for newborn size G for 3 to 6 months size H (and 4 ply soft yarn) for 6 to 9 months 2-3 button for closure Pattern: (Shell = 2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) Starting at neckline, loosely ch 38. Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook & in each ch to end. (37 stitches) Row 2: ch 2, turn (counts as 1st dc throughout) 1 dc in each of t

Crocheted Adventure Time Fiona Hat

Well, my cosplaying kid asked for another crocheted creation, but I don't watch Adventure Time. I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into, but this was easy enough and I get to share a free pattern with you. It straps around the chin with a crocheted button and I had the yarn stashed away. I love projects that use up leftover yarn, don't you? I started out with Lilana Wofsey Dohnert's Finn hat pattern on Ravelry. She's brilliant. Then I made adjustments to make it Fiona and fit a bit more snugly. Materials : Crochet Hook (Size US G-6 (4.0mm)) Yarn Worsted Weight Size 4 Medium ('Soft' recommended) Yarn Sewing Needle Fiberfil Batting Abbreviations : st: stitch ch: chain sl st: slip stitch sc: single crochet hdc: half-double crochet dc: double crochet tr: triple crochet inc: increase (crochet 2 st in single st; preceeded by type of st to use, i.e. 'sc inc') dec: decrease (make 2 st become 1; preceeded by type of st to use, i.e. 'sc de

Organize It - Shoe Rack Grips

Do we really need all these shoes? You can only wear one pair at a time. I guess it's a necessary evil. Shoes aren't my thing. I have more flip-flops and athletic shoes than anything else. I'm happy with that. My favorite shoes are actually my slippers. I could wear them all day and would wear them out if I thought I could get away with it. My hubby, on the other hand, can't have enough shoes. Our youngest K takes after him. We have a fairly large rack for our shoes in the closet to accommodate all those shoes. It's nothing fancy and fulfills my two requirements. It's functional and doesn't take up a lot of space. But there is one huge flaw. Our shoes don't stay put! It ok for shoes that have heels on them because they hang on the back bar. Shoes like this: But if they are flat, like tennis shoes or flip flops (like most my shoes) then they slip right off and I trip over them trying to get to my clothes. What's a girl to do? I

Favorite Little Princess

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