Right when we moved into our apartment, I was really annoyed by our huge, clunky heater. It made arranging furniture really difficult, and was just an eyesore. So, I decided to turn an eyesore into a piece of art!
I had ZERO craft supplies, so it is a box the router came in, some metal bits found on the ground, a black piece of paper, and a white wire hanger.

I love seeing him every day, and he does quite a good job at keeping me warm. When my best friend/excellent interior decorator finally saw my apartment, she took one look at my robot, and said, “That is such a Jessica thing to do. Only you…” While laughing and shaking her head. What can I say, I like home decor that makes me laugh!

Morton lost his eye in a freak embroidery accident, so DON’T CALL HIM A PIRATE!! (It is a sensitive subject for him).

I used this pattern. I couldn’t get his right eye to look decent, and I tried so many times he was left with a mangled mess where his eye should be. Finally, I said "screw it", and crocheted him an eye patch with the embroidery thread. I quite like the way he turned out:)

I made this necklace using this necklace pattern. The heart is from here. I decided to use a heart instead of the flower. I love it! Although, it is really difficult to keep straight, because the weight of the heart makes it fall to the center. I’m thinking of ways to add a counter weight, something invisible, because I like it exactly as it is.

So I’m not usually one to pay for things, such as crochet patterns, or easy DIY projects. My take, is that it will encourage me to actually try and make something on my own, improving my creativity. However, there are some thing just TOO cute, and too difficult to make on my own. Such as the Signature Escargot from GourmetAmigurumi. I’ve been admiring her snails for a long time, and she finally put the pattern up in her shop!!

So, I fought my ‘anti-spending inner voice’ and bought the pattern. I am SO happy I did. It is extremely well written and easy to follow, and the end result was cute as a button. Or a snail, really.

What is on my desk at work:)

So I’ve been buying these at the premium grocery store near my work, for about $2 a piece (yikes, major markup!). They are yummy, crunchy nori (seaweed) slices, sprinkled generously with sea salt. I’ve been meaning to buy them from Amazon, but decided to try making them at home tonight.

Wow, are they easy!

Sea Salt Nori Snack:

1. Take a piece of nori, and lay it flat.
2. Using a pastry brush or your finger, lightly coat the nori with toasted sesame oil.
3. Sprinkle finely crushed sea salt on top of the oiled nori.
4. Cut into bite-sized squares.

THAT’S IT!

Obviously, if you don’t like nori, these aren’t exactly for you. But, if you love it, and have some laying around from sushi making, try this out! You wont regret it:)

Well, I’ve finally tried all three recipes from my previous post. I thought it might be helpful for other people curious about home-made cleaners if I wrote a little about my experience. Let’s start off with the home-made all-purpose cleaner:

Vanilla & Cloves All-Purpose cleaner :

I used this recipe, but with equal parts water a vinegar. I thought the cloves and vanilla would help mask the vinegar smell, but it was barely noticeable. What was actually more effective was simply leaving some cloves and cinnamon sticks in the spray bottle, so the essential oils are extracted as I use it. I also added about half a lemon’s worth of lemon juice, and that also helped with the smell, and increased the cleaning power.

Conclusion: Nothing will hide the smell of vinegar, but the cleaner itself is extremely effective, non-toxic, better for the environment, and cheap.

My Grade: B-

Salt Packed Citrus Shells: DIY Air Freshener :

I used the leftover citrus shell from juicing the lemons for the cleaner. To be honest, my fridge didn’t really stick to begin with, so I’m not sure how effective it was. I love the smell of lemon, so it was nice getting a hint of lemon each time I opened the fridge door.

My Grade: B

Make liquid soap from a bar of soap :

OK, this one was quite interesting. First, let me tell you how I made mine:

I used this recipe, and the ratios are dead on. Basically, use 1oz soap  to 4 cups water. An average bar of soap is 4oz. I recommend trying only 1/2 or 1/4 bar, just in case this soap isn’t for you.

What I added:

• Brewed lemongrass green tea for the water
  • Barely added any scent, even though the tea was quite pungent. The soap’s smell overpowered everything.
  • Green tea is great for the skin, so I’m hoping my gourmet tea went to good use, but who knows!
• Olive Oil
  • I added about 2 Tbs per 4 cups of water. That actually might have been too much, so I’d only add 1Tbs, and increase it if it’s not too moisturizing.

Ideas for other additions:

• Any other oil that you like using on your skin
• any other tea
• brewed espresso for a yummy smell
• finely ground oatmeal, for extra moisturizing power.
• salt, sugar or finely ground walnut shells, for the scrubbing power

My Assessment:

• Smell: The soap smelled pretty much like the bar soap I used. Make sure to use a bar soap that you love, and you’ll be happy with the end result.
• Texture: OK, I’m going to be honest here. This stuff has the texture of SNOT. That, or The Blob, from the 1950’s movie. Seriously, this stuff is slimy, icky, gooey. Nothing like gel soaps you buy in stores. I think kids will love this texture:P And really, you foam it up, and it’s exactly like any soap, so the texture should not be a huge deal breaker. I read that most commercial soaps (like the one I used) contain hardeners, so that might be a big contributor to the texture. Try it with a natural, handmade soap, and it might be better.
• Effectiveness: For one thing, this soap does not have the dreaded Sodium laureth sulfate, so no matter what, it will not get as foamy as commercial liquid soap. Also, I think the excess olive oil that I added reduced the foaminess. That being said, it is still an effective cleaner, and works great with a puff or washcloth.
• Skin Issues: I was actually pretty wary about using this, because I have extremely sensitive skin. Well, it was no different that using the bar soap, but had the added benefit of the olive oil. Again, use a bar soap that you love, and you’ll love the liquid version of it.

Conclusion: Use a bar of soap that you love, and you’ll be happy with the liquid version. I unfortunately was not a fan of the soap to begin with, so it was only mildly improved. My boyfriend is squeamish, and the mucus-like texture turned him off from the soap (he’s a total wuss ).

My Grade: A-

I’ve been trying to eliminate harsh chemicals from my cleaning routine. I’m very sensitive to them, and sick of the migraines they cause. Also, I’d love to eliminate the extra plastic that they add to the landfill!

Here are some recipes I’d like to try, that I already have all the ingredients for:

Vanilla & Cloves Air Freshener Spray : I plan on using this + some lemon peels + drop of dish soap to be my all-purpose cleaner. My current one (based on many recommendations) is 1 part water, 1 part vinegar, 1 drop of dish soap, but the plain vinegar smell is getting old.

Salt Packed Citrus Shells: DIY Air Freshener : I bought kosher salt in bulk for some bath recipes, so I’ve got loads to spare…

Make liquid soap from a bar of soap : I’m sick of paying $6-10 for a small bottle of moisturizing shower gel, and creating all that packaging. I weirdly collect soaps from the nicer hotels we visit. I plan on melting those first, and adding honey, olive oil and brewed green tea/peppermint tea. I will re-use the container that my current shower gel is in.

MMMmmm, Noro. I love the colors of this yarn, but I’m a bit disappointed with the feel of it. I guess since I’m very allergic to wool, no wool yarn will ever feel yummy to me.

I originally bought this skein of yarn for the wavelength, but it was just taking me too long. The thing kept twisting severely, and every row I’d have to spend 5 minutes straightening it. Luckily, I found I way to both show off the lovely colors, and also use nearly 100% of the skein! Basically, I capitalized on the natural gradients of the noro, and made a sort of ‘plaid’. The results are easy and beautiful!

Here is the super simple pattern, sized so it uses as much of the skein as safely possible:

Noro Plaid Scarf

1 skein Noro Kureyon Sock

Size f crochet hook

Finished measurements: approx 7 in. x 51 in.

Row 1: ch 43

Row 2: dc 2nd ch from hook. *ch 1, skip next st, dc 1* repeat across

Row 3: ch 4 (this counts as first dc and ch). *dc 1, skip next st, ch 1* repeat across
(Basically, you are making a dc mesh, like in filet crochet)

Repeat rows 2 and 3 just row 3 (thanks emy!) until the scarf reaches about 51 inches long.

Now, there are many ways you can do the vertical weaving. I chose to make long chains, to keep the integrity of the gradient, but you could replace the chains with 2 or 3 stands of yarn. It is your choice whether you want fringe, but remember, this scarf uses most of the skein, so keep that decision until the end.

If you are weaving in chains here are some options:

• Chain one super long chain, and wind into a ball to use, cutting the length as you go
• Chain single lengths and make them as you need them
• Chain double lengths and weave both ends, so you have two less ends to weave in

Basically, take the chains or strands of yarn, and weave them in and out of the mesh boxes, lengthwise. Make sure to alternate the starting direction for each column. Secure the ends of the chains by making a knot, and weave in the loose ends of the chain back into itself.

This all sounds much more complicated than it actually is! Here are some more pictures. NOTE: These pictures are of the unblocked scarf! I will try to replace them with better quality ones when I get a chance.

]]> http://craftypants.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/new-york-noro-plaid/feed/ 13 craftypants Noro Plaid Scarf Noro Plaid Scarf Noro Plaid Scarf http://craftypants.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/where-i-wonder-if-ill-ever-feel-warm-again/ http://craftypants.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/where-i-wonder-if-ill-ever-feel-warm-again/#comments Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:44:18 +0000 craftypants http://jessicasuzanne.com/craftypants/?p=409 ]]>