Morrgan's Creatures

Turku in wintertime

2012-01-10T13:35:00.004+02:00

I love Turku in summer, but it can be pretty darn beautiful in winter too, once the snow arrives and the temperature goes below -10°C. Here are a few pics Mr. Morrgan took on his way home from work yesterday.

<3

Happy New Year! And a SALE!

2012-01-05T10:50:00.006+02:00

Hello hello and a very happy new year to anyone who might still be reading this blog. Perhaps I should make a resolution to blog more regularly this year. We shall see how that goes. For now though...

At Morrgan's Creatures, the year 2012 begins with a sale!

I am renewing the shop's selection and all fingerless gloves and arm warmers must go! Everything in that section of the Morrgan's Creatures shop is 40% off.

I'll be listing more gloves I have in store over the next few days, so do come back later if you don't see the perfect pair for you right now!

Tiny Dragons - The 11th Batch

2011-09-29T14:47:00.003+03:00

Hello and welcome to Morrgan's blog about dragons. :P Yeah, lots of dragons lately, I've been on a dragon-knitting spree. There's more going on around here than dragons though, I'll just have to try to write about those other things too. In the mean time, here's yet one more batch for your enjoyment.

I'm quite happy with the colours in this batch, so colourful and pretty! Here they are, the 11th batch, from left to right:

#51. Rufus - light blue and cobalt blue
#52. Felix - light green and bright green
#53. Amelia - saffron yellow and rusty orange
#54. Iris - pink and purple
#55. Murray - cobalt blue and brown

Here's how it works: Every now and then I make a batch of 5 dragons. Each dragon has a unique set of colours and they get a signed hatching certificate with their name, number and date.

When they're ready to list, I post an introduction on this blog like the one above. During the following few days, I'll list them in numerical order in my Etsy shop. Should you happen to spot one you must have, let me know and I can reserve it for you.

Tiny Dragons - The 10th Batch

2011-09-18T13:31:00.002+03:00

Lo and behold, it's another batch of dragons! Here's the 10th batch, from left to right:

#46. Lilith - red and dark purple
#47. Brody - light green and variegated green
#48. Basil - mint and steel blue
#49. Brick - rusty orange and brown
#50. Ashley - pale beige and moss green

Here's how it works: Every now and then I make a batch of 5 dragons. Each dragon has a unique set of colours and they get a signed hatching certificate with their name, number and date.

When they're ready to list, I post an introduction on this blog like the one above. During the following few days, I'll list them in numerical order in my Etsy shop. Should you happen to spot one you must have, let me know and I can reserve it for you.

Tiny Dragons - The 9th Batch

2011-09-10T15:12:00.003+03:00

The 9th batch of tiny dragons is ready for introductions! It's definitely been a dragon-intensive autumn/summer so far. From left to right:

#41. Jonathan - red and black (reserved!)
#42. Jade - moss green and variegated green
#43. Joseph - beige and dark brown
#44. Josie - teal and dark green
#45. Jasmine - cream white and pale beige

Here's how it works: Every now and then I make a batch of 5 dragons. Each dragon has a unique set of colours and they get a signed hatching certificate with their name, number and date.

When they're ready to list, I post an introduction on this blog like the one above. During the following few days, I'll list them in numerical order in my Etsy shop. Should you happen to spot one you must have, let me know and I can reserve it for you.

Reds in the Garden

2011-08-21T16:30:00.006+03:00

Just a few quick shots from the balcony garden, showing off some of the red hues this time.

As soon as I saw this dahlia, I just had to get it. I've never seen one like this before!

Lots of flowers throughout the summer, it's been gorgeous.

The pelargonia has been another gorgeous one, full of flowers. It's the first time I've tried one in the balcony and it seems to be a perfect fit for the conditions.

The indian cress turned out just as I wanted for the first time, after a couple of years of semi-failed attempts. This year it finally does a good job of covering one end of the balcony. It also does a good job of luring the pests away from my edible plants, both pretty and practical!

Tiny Dragons - The 8th Batch

2011-08-18T16:29:00.003+03:00

Hot on the heels of the previous group, here's the 8th batch of tiny dragons. From the left to the right:

#36. Lime - yellow and bright green (reserved!)
#37. Choco - brown and dark brown
#38. Spearmint - light green and teal
#39. Flame - orange and red
#40. Plum - purple and dark purple

Here's how it works: Every now and then I make a batch of 5 dragons. Each dragon has a unique set of colours and they get a signed hatching certificate with their name, number and date.

When they're ready to list, I post an introduction on this blog like the one above. During the following few days, I'll list them in numerical order in my Etsy shop. Should you happen to spot one you must have, let me know and I can reserve it for you.

Tiny Dragons - The 7th Batch

2011-08-09T14:45:00.003+03:00

It's been a while since the last time, but now the 7th batch of five tiny dragons is ready for introductions. From the left to the right:

#31. Harley - orange and black (reserved!)
#32. Alex - bright teal and brown
#33. Mildred - pale lavender and dark reddish purple
#34. Sunny - yellow and orange
#35. Steele - bright blue and dark blue

Here's how it works: Every now and then I make a batch of 5 dragons. Each dragon has a unique set of colours and they get a signed hatching certificate with their name, number and date.

When they're ready to list, I post an introduction on this blog like the one above. During the following few days, I'll list them in numerical order in my Etsy shop. Should you happen to spot one you must have, let me know and I can reserve it for you.

The Balcony Garden: Time for Yellow

2011-08-07T13:43:00.006+03:00

Yikes, it's already August?? Where did the summer go. ._.

On the positive side, August is when the balcony looks its best, if everything's gone well. We were away from home quite a lot in July and the plants would have wanted more water than they got because of this, but the balcony is still looking better than last year.

One recent development is that the yellow flowers have finally opened! Here's the first sunflower:

This one is called Black-Eyed Susan, a pretty vine that climbs among my woodbine.

I like to have the colour scheme change a bit as the seasons change, so the timing of these is perfect. Nevertheless, the overall impression of my little green corner is still red/orange and green:

Very pleased with how it's turned out this year. =)

There's still 3 more sunflowers that haven't started flowering yet and the Black-Eyed Susan has only just gotten started, so it'll be interesting to see how the view changes this month.

A Teetering Tower of Yarn

2011-08-01T17:26:00.009+03:00

Q: What does a Morrgan do when she receives a tall CD-tower?

A: She fills it up with yarn, of course!

Alas, I must admit it's not the most practical form of storage. Even a tower this tall will only hold a fraction of my yarns. Sure, I was able to empty a whole box of yarn into this, but there's another 8 boxes of yarn in the storage room.

It does look rather pretty though, doesn't it? =) Some colour is just what that empty white space needed.

The Balcony Garden Grows

2011-07-06T16:01:00.007+03:00

It occurred to me that I haven't posted anything about this summer's balcony plants yet. Oh noes! Time to fix this!

I'll start by showing the main flower box and how it's evolved over the past 3 months. This year I'm going for red and white, with a bit of yellow here and there. This box has red Petunias and a red Pelargonium (sorry, not sure what the English name for them is), together with white Lobelias (one of my faves).

May

June

July

Very pleased with how it's turned out, both colourwise and in shape. =)

I also got tomatoes this year too, since they were such a success last year. This time I have one bushy one like last year, and one new kind, a tall climby one. (Great scientific terms, eh? ;) The tall one shown below is almost as tall as me!

It may beat the tiny bushy one in size, but the little one was the first to produce a ripe tomato - spotted the first one today!

A Birthday in Scotland, part 2

2011-06-21T11:50:00.009+03:00

Here's the 2nd batch of Scotland photos! These are mostly from our day trip to Loch Lomond, with various stops at places along the way and back.

Our first stop was at the Forth (Rail) Bridge, crossing the Firth of Forth. It's old (finished in 1890) but still in use today, about 2,5 km long and absolutely massive.

Our second stop was in the city of Stirling, by its castle. We figured the 1,5 hrs stop wouldn't be enough to explore the castle properly, so instead we took in the scenery of the city itself while enjoying an icecream. Scenery including, as seen above, the graveyard around the Church of the Holy Rude.

Fun fact: Holy Rude actually means Holy Cross, like the differently spelled Holyrood in Edinburgh that came up in my previous Scotland post. (To be honest though, this wasn't as fun a fact as the mental image the words "Holy Rude" first conjured up in my mind.)

Outside Stirling Castle stands this statue, with the William Wallace Monument (seen Braveheart?) far in the background. In an interesting turn of events, I found out after the trip that the man this statue portrays is meant to be my greatgreat*insert-lots-of-greats-here* grandfather. (Genealogy is fun!)

The name is hard to see in the photo, so I'll give a hint: his name begins with Robert. Ends with Bruce.

Onwards we went and soon came to Loch Lomond, where we had a lovely lunch and wandered along the shores.

The views were delightful. We could happily have spent a whole afternoon here, but sadly only had another 1,5 hrs.

On the way back to Edinburgh we stopped at Scotland's southernmost Highland distillery Glengoyne, where we enjoyed a tour and whisky tasting. Mr Morrgan, who is the true whisky appreciator of us two, took a liking to their 17 year old and brought a bottle of it back home.

The next day it weas time to head back home to Finland, but on the way to the airport I had the chance to do one more thing I'd wanted to since I was a kid - ride on the top of a double-decker bus!

So, those were some of the highlights from the Scotland birthday trip. And for those who might have been wondering, yes I did eat haggis and black pudding (and even a deep-fried Mars bar) and liked it very much. ;)

A Birthday in Scotland, part 1

2011-06-15T16:05:00.016+03:00

As the title says, I have indeed been to Scotland to celebrate my 30th birthday. It was about time, considering I was about 10 when I started saving up my weekly allowance for a trip to see Loch Ness and the monster. (I was a great big dino fan back then.)

I never did save enough of my allowance when I was 10, but maybe that just made this birthday trip to Edinburgh 20 years later all the more exciting. =)

It really was an excellent holiday, and as is the custom here at the Morrgan's Creatures blog, I shall prove it with photos!

On my birthday, Mr Morrgan and I visited Edinburgh Castle.
Fun fact: the castle is built on an ancient, extinct volcano.

As it happens, it was also the birthday of the Duke of Edinburgh, which was celebrated at the castle. It was fun seeing a birthday gun salute on my birthday, even though it was intended for the Duke. ;)

The castle had some very pretty interiors. Sadly my poor old camera isn't up to taking indoors photos anymore, so this is all you'll get to see.

It seemed every other corner in Edinburgh had something major happen at one time or another. Fortunately there were plenty of commemorative plaques to educate us on the details of past important events.

The city was also littered with monuments. This is the Scott Monument in the Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh. It's open to the public and we thought it'd be fun to climb up and take a look at the view.

It wasn't. It was possibly the most terrifying thing I have ever done. Not because of the heights, but because the 287 steps up to the top are INCREDIBLY narrow, at worst about 40 cm wide. The real "fun" is when you're going one way and meet people trying to go the other way and you then have to pass one another on these cramped stairs. As I said, terrifying.

The views from the monument were delightful though, so it is worth the climb if you don't mind those moments of terror.

The weather was quite variable during the trip, so when the sun was (mostly) out one morning we took the chance to head out to the hills of Holyrood Park.

They were very pretty hills.

You get quite the views of Edinburgh from up here, so if you don't mind a longer walk, you might prefer this to the scary Scott Monument.

Just don't get too close to the edge - one of the paths was closed by the police while a forensics team was investigating an accident that had taken place the night before.

There's no lack of spots for lovely city views in Edinburgh, so no worries if neither of the above were to your tastes. I think our favourite was Calton Hill, which includes the Nelson Monument above.

The views from Calton Hill were breathtaking.

That's it for now! I'll post a second batch of photos later this week, showing more of what's outside Edinburgh. Hope you enjoyed these and stay tuned!

Carrot soup with a touch of chili

2011-05-26T18:56:00.003+03:00

Let me start by saying this is the best soup I've ever made. Ever. Words cannot describe how pleased I am with this soup. The combination of coconut and sweet chili is just my thing.

(Note: I do mean the best soup I've made, not necessarily the best soup ever. I'm afraid this doesn't beat the absolutely fantastic pumpkin soup I had in New Zealand some years ago. It comes close, though.)

Carrot soup with a touch of chili (2 portions)

3 sliced carrots
1/2 chopped onion
5 dl (2 cups) water
1 1/2 tbsp (or one cube) chicken or vegetable stock
2 dl (1 1/4 cups) coconut milk
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
about 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil (or other herb of your liking)

Boil carrot slices and chopped onion in water with chicken or vegetable stock until soft (about 20 mins). Puree the vegetables (a stick/hand blender comes in handy). Add coconut milk and sweet chili sauce, bring to a boil. Sprinkle the fresh basil on top just before serving.

Also works well served with a bit of chopped and fried bacon on top. I imagine a dollop of crème fraiche would be lovely too. =) Enjoy!

Tuesday Finds: Playful Things

2011-05-17T11:08:00.004+03:00

Who says only kids can have fun, playful things?

Orwell Clutch - Teal Alligator Purse by
tsurubride.etsy.com

Duck Feet Bowl by
TwoTreesBelgium.etsy.com

King of Hearts Journal Sketchbook Album by
somavenus.etsy.com

Geek Chic Toy Brick Cuff Links by
glamasaurus.etsy.com

My Creative Space: Houston the Dragon

2011-05-12T10:19:00.001+03:00

Say hello to Houston the Dragon!

Houston is knitted and crocheted using my Primrose the Dragon pattern (available via Etsy and Ravelry). I made the pieces a while ago, but only managed to sew the pieces together this week. He's a bit of a troublemaker, constantly getting himself tangled up in my yarn as I was putting him together. Tsk. ;)

I used needles size 3.5 mm/US 4, so he ended up a little smaller than Primrose, about 25 cm (10") long.

Want to see the creative spaces of others? Head on over to Our Creative Spaces for a look!

tap tap Is this thing on?

2011-05-08T15:40:00.004+03:00

My blogging seems to follow a certain pattern. Looking at past years, February and March have often been very quiet months. I was quite pleased to break the pattern this year and manage fairly regular posts in those months. Turns out I was only postponing the inevitable. Darn.

Truth be told, it's been a pretty tough year so far with many worries. When I worry, I have little energy for things like blogging, hence the silence in this little part of the web. Or for creative things like new knitting projects. I wouldn't have had much, if anything, to show you lately anyway.

So, does this mean I'm back? We'll see.

Spring is turning into summer though, which is always a good thing. The balcony garden's perennials have been woken up for a new summer and while the balcony doesn't look like much at the moment, it's at least warm enough to sit there enjoying tea with a slice of cake.

In this case, a zucchini cake filled with ginger-flavoured lemon curd and covered with yoghurt-cream cheese icing. Mmm. I just might manage another update soon(ish) with the recipe.

Tuesday Finds: Dandelions

2011-03-29T14:16:00.004+03:00

Spring Ballet 2 - Fine art photograph by
JKphotography.etsy.com

Dandelions clutch purse by
BagNoir.etsy.com

Petite Dandelion Wish Silver Necklace by
AliBaliJewellery.etsy.com

The Young Dandelion - Original Drawing by
NorthernArtistShop.etsy.com

Tiny Dragons - The 6th Batch

2011-03-03T16:20:00.005+02:00

I've been in the mood for knitting dragons lately. The 6th batch of five tiny dragons is already ready for introductions. From the left to the right:

#26. Azure - light blue and steel blue
#27. Sandy - pale beige and beige
#28. Eliza - red and dark brown
#29. Lukas - grey and teal
#30. Viktoria - moss green & dark brown

Here's how it works: Every now and then I make a batch of 5 dragons. Each dragon has a unique set of colours and they get a signed hatching certificate with their name, number and date.

When they're ready to list, I post an introduction on this blog like the one above. During the following few days, I'll list them in numerical order in my Etsy shop. Should you happen to spot one you must have, let me know and I can reserve it for you.

Tuesday Finds: Stacking

2011-03-01T11:14:00.005+02:00

Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 owners, have you played a game called Stacking by Double Fine? You should. It's awesome, adorable, wonderfully silly and features nesting dolls!

Red Matryoshka Dolls Burp Cloth by
laundrymonster.etsy.com

Babushka Nesting Doll Pendant by
Fingerprince.etsy.com

Red Matryoshka Necklace by
tetabina.etsy.com

Dinosaur Nesting Doll Eggs by
SavageArtworks.etsy.com

Tiny Dragons - The 5th Batch

2011-02-25T12:37:00.002+02:00

It's time for the first tiny dragons of 2011! The 5th batch of five tiny dragons is now ready for introductions. From the left to the right:

#21. Constance - pink and dark red
#22. Cuthbert - teal and light blue
#23. Miranda - light purple and teal
#24. Humphrey - mint and teal
#25. Manuel - bright green and two shades of dark green

Here's how it works: Every now and then I make a batch of 5 dragons. Each dragon has a unique set of colours and they get a signed hatching certificate with their name, number and date.

When they're ready to list, I post an introduction on this blog like the one above. During the following few days, I'll list them in numerical order in my Etsy shop. Should you happen to spot one you must have, let me know and I can reserve it for you.

Tuesday Finds: Birches

2011-02-22T17:44:00.008+02:00

The cold winter weather continues here in Finland. The downside? My fingers go numb even on the short walk into town. Nose too.

The upside? Views like the one on the right, with the snow-covered branches of birches and other trees. It's been quite the winter wonderland lately, with clear blue skies and white snow.

It might even be worth a few numb fingers.

Natural White Birch Coaster Set by
virtualdesignlab.etsy.com

Koivu Raku Birch Eggs by
Maari.etsy.com

Birch Tree Buttons by
basrelief.etsy.com

Birch Bark Ring by
esdesigns.etsy.com

Llama inc. - New Songs!

2011-02-20T12:55:00.005+02:00

Here comes an important message for friends of music!

Now that I have your attention, you may remember that my brother plays and writes songs in a band called Llama inc. They have released a few new songs which are available on Llama inc's Myspace page. If you like indie punk/rock, check them out!

Tuesday Finds: Valentine's Day

2011-02-15T14:20:00.005+02:00

Happy belated Valentine's Day! Did you do anything special for it?

Here in Finland it's more of a day for friends, rather than lovers. Most years I just wish a happy "ystävänpäivä" to any friends I happen to see or talk to on the day, but otherwise it passes without much attention. Mr Morrgan and I made a lovely dinner together though, it's always nice to have an excuse for that.

(We had also planned a romantic evening of shooting aliens co-op in Halo: Reach, but by the time we were done with dinner, it was pretty late and we had an early wake-up the next day. Oh well.)

A Lovers Rose and Heart Locket by
NewFashionedWhispers.etsy.com

Personalized Map Garland of Hearts by
bookity.etsy.com

Vintage Inspired Paper Heart Garland by
EdgeInspired.etsy.com

Three Tiny Heart Bowls by
redhotpottery.etsy.com

Zucchini Slices

2011-02-02T12:40:00.009+02:00

Yum. Yum yum, yum yum. That should be enough of a description!

Zucchini Slices

4 eggs
3 dl (~1 1/4 cups) sugar
5 dl (~2 cups) grated zucchini
200 g (7 oz) butter, melted
1/2 dl (~1/4 cup) almond flakes or crunch
4 dl (~1 1/2 cups) flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla sugar

Beat eggs and sugar until white and fluffy. Add zucchini, butter and almonds. Mix the dry ingredients together, then add to the batter. Spread the batter onto a baking tray (30x40 cm or about 12x16 inches) covered with baking paper. Bake at 200°C (392°F) for 20-25 mins, until the surface is a lovely golden brown.

Icing
150 g (~5 1/2 oz) cream cheese
5 dl (2 cups) icing sugar

Mix the cream cheese and icing sugar, then spread onto the cooled cake. Decorate with almond flakes.

Tuesday Finds: Travelling

2011-01-25T12:00:00.006+02:00

End of January. It's about that time of year when I feel like travelling. Sure, the weather is nice and cold at the moment, with pretty white snow around. But, before you know it, the snow's melting and everything is wet and grey and icky.

Seems like a good idea to me to make travel plans and prepare now, in order to be ready to flee once the unpleasant part of early spring shows up.

Travelling Slippers by
susistitches.etsy.com

Personalized Luggage Tag by
CestSuperbeLabels.etsy.com

Passport Cover: I Want To Ride My Bicycle by
twopolkadots.etsy.com

Screen Printed Vintage Luggage Set by
BrightWall.etsy.com

Tuesday Finds: Periodic Geekery

2011-01-18T12:06:00.004+02:00

Periodic Table Fused Glass Coasters by
pollyfusia.etsy.com

Uncool Birthday Card by
ShopGibberish.etsy.com

Periodic Table Bribe Wine Gift Bag by
YellowBugBoutique.etsy.com

Atomic Symbol for Silver Earrings by
nicholasandfelice.etsy.com

Tuesday Finds: O Tannenbaum

2011-01-04T12:01:00.005+02:00

Hello there, new year of 2011! I wonder what you will bring for us all. Have any of you made any New Year's resolutions? I haven't made any particular ones, although there is a vague determination to make things happen this year. Things Need To Be Done, my brain says. What these things are, though, that remains to be seen.

As I was away from the internet over the Christmas and New Year holidays, I thought I'd take the chance now to show off a few pretty trees I noticed before my vacation. I do like trees, for Christmas and otherwise.

Scented Christmas Tree - Little Topiary by
kaleda.etsy.com

Christmas Tree Silhouettes Card by
thespottedsparrow.etsy.com

Oh Christmas Tree - Paper Decorations by
PaperFairytale.etsy.com

Christmas Tree Ornaments by
mychristmastree.etsy.com

Happy Holidays

2010-12-20T12:09:00.004+02:00

Well well, it's about that time of year again. Soon, most likely tomorrow morning Finn time, I'll close up the shops and take a break for Christmas and New Year's. I probably won't read emails and messages while the shops are closed and this is the last blog post of the year too.

So, this break includes pretty much all of the internet - I want to take time to recharge my batteries and spend time with family.

Happy holidays and see you again next year!

PS: Should you get an uncontrollable urge to knit a creature of mine during the holidays, my Ravelry pattern shop will stay open.

Friday is my Day

2010-12-18T13:10:00.005+02:00

Ever wonder what a day in the life of Morrgan looks like? Well, now you can find out!

Friday is my day: Morrgan

Big thanks to Heli for inviting me over to her blog for a day! Check out her Etsy shops: HeliS and helisengezer.

How long to make a sweater, I wonder

2010-12-16T13:36:00.006+02:00

Mr Morrgan was complaining about having an insufficient amount of warm sweaters the other day. This jogged my memory and I remembered that he'd received a big pile of yarn as a Christmas present, together with the promise that I'd make a sweater out of it. That was 2 years ago. Oops.

It's about time he got his sweater, then! It'd be funny to wrap up the finished sweater as a gift this year. "Remember this?"

I'm about to finish the back, but I still need to remake the front and knit both sleeves. And there's, oh, 8 days until Christmas eve? This'll be interesting race against time. Wish me luck!

Tuesday Finds: Music

2010-12-07T19:10:00.003+02:00

Lambert the Pianist Mouse by
TheHouseOfMouse.etsy.com

Music Pillow Box Set by
TheWeepingWillows.etsy.com

Sheet Music Wrist Cuff by
Waterrose.etsy.com

Sarasate, a Slender Cuff by
LaTouchables.etsy.com

Introducing Marigold the Moose

2010-12-03T19:41:00.010+02:00

Marigold the Moose

Marigold the Moose got her name because marigolds are her favourite flowers. To eat, that is. She likes to keep one behind her ear as an emergency snack!

Marigold's history
Who would have guessed that making a moose could cause so many unexpected problems?

One day I started knitting a moose, and while knitting I was pondering a suitable name. "Marigold" popped into my head. Perfect! Mr Morrgan also thought the name would suit a moose and suggested that she got the name for liking marigolds so much for lunch. Even more perfect!

After that it was settled. The moose called was Marigold.

Only a little later did it occur to me that a lady moose doesn't have antlers. D'oh! Some biologist I am. By this time it was too late. The name Marigold was so perfect it had to stay. I decided she just belongs to a special species of plush moose, where every individual has antlers. So there.

The second uh-oh occured when I was trying to place the ears. I put them between the antlers. ...No, that didn't look right. I put them behind the antlers. Nope, didn't work either. I put them below. Still looked wrong.

There was only one way to solve this: searching for moose pictures online! I discovered something interesting. Plush moose often have the ears below the antlers, whereas live moose have them behind and often showing between the antlers. No wonder I had trouble placing them.

After the gender/antler trouble from before, I felt my integrity as a biologist (ahem) would suffer too much if I'd bend reality twice for the same creature. Hence Marigold's ears are behind and between the antlers, unlike most other plush moose.

Marigold the Moose is available as a pattern via Ravelry (or click here to buy now - no Ravelry account needed) and from my Etsy shop.

Marigold is an intermediate level pattern. Marigold is knitted both flat and in the round, with the stitches knit, purl, lifted increases, knit/purl 2 together and slip stitch over. I-cord knitting is used for the flower (the pattern has brief instructions on how to do that).

Want to see more creature introductions?

Tuesday Finds: Relaxing

2010-11-30T15:49:00.006+02:00

I have just edited my Etsy shop listings. All 103 of them. All. Day. Long. My eyes hurt, my neck hurts and my brain is fried after so long by the computer.

Sounds like right about now would be the perfect time to curl up in my favourite comfy chair with a warm blanket, a good book, a cup of cocoa and a giant giraffe. Yup.

Woven Merino Blanket in Rich Browns by
RiverfarmRI.etsy.com

Giant Giraffe by
pepperstitches.etsy.com

Chocolate Molecule by
kraplap.etsy.com

Miniature Book Necklace by
veterok.etsy.com

My Creative Space: Progress on the Secret Project! Also, a Moose!

2010-11-25T11:37:00.015+02:00

Work on the Secret Project continues! Last time I had the problem of figuring out how to stuff it - well, my mom came to my rescue, as moms tend to do.

She found in storage an old foam mattress I could take, wash and use. (Actually, she did the washing too. Yay!) A fine solution methinks. Always good to recycle something that isn't needed.

The mattress was 5 cm (2") thick, so I had to cut out and shape several layers to create the needed shape.

Fortunately the material was easy to work with using scissors. Such things are not my strong suit and sure, the surface could have been evened out more, but it doesn't show on the outside of the knitted piece.

So, the little dude is taking shape and I'm ridiculously pleased with how it's turning out. I've knitted 19 pieces so far, so there's still a few more to go. Maybe next week you can see him finished, in his proper place on our couch! Still a chance to guess what this is until then. :)

In other crafty news, here's is a sneak peek of a little knitted moose lady:

Her name is Marigold and I've been working on her pattern this week. The pattern should be ready soon, and once it is she will get a full introduction on this blog! Stay tuned!

Want to see the creative spaces of others? Head on over to Kootoyoo's blog for a look!

(PS: There's a SALE at my Etsy shop! Check out this post for details!)

Black Friday and Cyber Monday SALE

2010-11-24T19:58:00.006+02:00

Now here's something that doesn't happen every day. Or month. Or even year. It is...

*drum roll*

A SALE!

Use the coupon code BFCM2010 at the Morrgan's Creatures Etsy shop for 10% off all purchases from now until Nov 29th!

As Etsy recently unveiled its new coupon code feature and Black Friday/Cyber Monday was coming up, I couldn't resist trying it out. It's in fact only my 2nd sale ever, so this kind of opportunity doesn't come around very often!

I know, I know, it isn't Friday yet. The code won't be announced at the Etsy shop until tomorrow evening, but it's valid starting now and I wanted my dear blog readers and Twitter followers to hear it first!

Tuesday Finds: Let It Snow

2010-11-23T13:24:00.004+02:00

Yay for snow! It's finally snowed enough around here that I can look outside and see the ground covered with white fluffy stuff. So refreshing after the grey and slush of autumn. Inspired by this, here's a selection that reminds me of the pretty snow of winter in one way or another.

Fresh Air Earrings by
Kosmika.etsy.com

Grey Frost Plush Monster by
stuffedsilly.etsy.com

Tweet Hoot Little Snowy Owl by
feltmeupdesigns.etsy.com

'It's Water. It's Life.' Photography Print by
filigreephotos.etsy.com

New Magnetic Creatures: Bunnies!

2010-11-19T17:42:00.004+02:00

How long have I been planning to make magnetic bunnies again? Hmm. I may not have mentioned it here, but it's been a while. And here they finally are!

There's two kinds of bunny magnets available from my Etsy shop, fluffy beige mohair bunnies and white wool ones. (Well, will be available - right now there's only a fluffy one, but a white one will be listed soon.) As with most of my magnets, they're made with a crafty mix of mostly knitting, a little bit of crochet and some sewing things together.

I'm quite pleased with these little guys. I hope you like them too!

Tuesday Finds: Here Kitty Kitty

2010-11-16T13:59:00.005+02:00

This week we're celebrating my cousin's cat Viiru's return to his family, after having been missing for 5 weeks - a lot thinner and dirtier, but ok. Welcome home, Viiru!

(Mr Morrgan suspects poor Viiru had much the same expression as Mariska's Boris below while missing.)

Big Red Cat Boris by
Mariska.etsy.com

Two Cats on Baby Bodysuit by
BHBKidstyle.etsy.com

Playful White Cat Brooch by
vantidesigns.etsy.com

A Candy Cat - Wooden Brooch by
krize.etsy.com

My Creative Space: The Seeeeecret Project, part 2

2010-11-11T12:23:00.006+02:00

As promised, here's another preview of what I'm working on! (See the previous one here.)

I've got 16 pieces ready (probably need another dozen or so), so the project has been progressing pretty well. Until now, that is. I've hit a snag. The main body of this is meant to be a square-ish shape. That will not happen if I try to fill it with the usual polyfill, alas.

So, I've been hunting high and low for something suitable, but no luck so far. I want something with structure to it that I can shape it, but still soft enough to be a cuddly plushie. Some sort of foam, perhaps. Any ideas?

This material sourcing problem means you still have time to guess what this might become! Plenty more hints this time. Does anyone want to try? :)

Want to see the creative spaces of others? Head on over to Kootoyoo's blog for a look!

Tuesday Finds: Skeleton Keys

2010-11-09T13:43:00.004+02:00

Pocket Size Coptic Bound Notebook by
paperiaarre.etsy.com

Victorian Style Skeleton Key Necklace by
meltemsem.etsy.com

Skeleton Key Pillows by
sugarandfig.etsy.com

Genteel Whiskey Brown Leather Wallet by
urbanheirlooms.etsy.com

I'm on Ravelry!

2010-11-07T10:18:00.004+02:00

Yes, it's true. I have finally signed up for Ravelry, as Morrgan (surprise surprise). Are you there? Come by and say hi!

If you're not there, you might have noticed that you need an account to see my profile. You may also be wondering what Ravelry is. Well, it's a place for knitters, crocheters and other types of yarn addicts to meet up and chat, share ideas and what they're working on, offer patterns (free or for sale), etc. Might be worth a look if you're interested in such!

I've added some of my patterns there for sale already (including these triceratopses) and will be adding them all eventually.

(Oh, and so far no correct guesses on what my latest project is. Next week you'll get either another update and chance to guess, or the answer, depending on how fast I'll be knitting. Stay tuned!)

My Creative Space: A preview

2010-11-04T09:58:00.004+02:00

This week I've been working on something for myself. I'm not going to say what it is yet, but I'll show you a little preview. If I can make it exactly like I picture it in my head, it's going to be pretty cool. It's kind of a fun test of my skills. ;)

So, who or what might this become? Anyone want to take a guess?

Want to see the creative spaces of others? Head on over to Kootoyoo's blog for a look!

Tuesday Finds: Lace

2010-11-02T09:19:00.005+02:00

Linen and Lace Fabric Bins by
Tuuni.etsy.com

Khaki and White Doily Stationery by
DawnCorrespondence.etsy.com

Porcelain Lace Bowl by
Hideminy.etsy.com

Soma - Wheat Romantic Corduroy Bag by
helisengezer.etsy.com

Introducing Clive the Chilly Giraffe

2010-10-30T14:39:00.012+03:00

Bored of the heat and eager to see more exotic surroundings, Clive the giraffe left the savannah and traveled north to temperate forests. At first everything was just as he'd dreamed - plenty of trees to nibble on, pleasantly warm without being hot.

Then it got a bit colder. Then all the leaves fell down. And then it got absolutely freezing.

So here's poor Clive enduring winter, so chilly that he's turned blue, trying to keep warm in his red scarf. Let's hope the scarf keeps him from getting a cold - with a neck that long, a sore throat would not be fun!

Clive is available as a pattern via Ravelry (or click here to buy now - no Ravelry account needed) and from my Etsy shop.

Want to see more creature introductions?

Tuesday Finds: Ancient Olive Tree Project

2010-10-26T10:08:00.005+03:00

This week's Tuesday Finds are a bit different. I'd like to bring you to the world of Frances Melhop - a world of fairytales, dreams and surreal imagery.

Frances has suddenly been given the chance to travel from New Zealand to Italy and begin what she calls the Ancient Olive Tree Project, which is something she's been dreaming of for 10 years. Her plans include old school photography of these magical olive trees, an exhibition and hopefully a book with these photos, local recipes and spooky stories by Italian grandmothers. How cool is that?

Unfortunately, because it was such a sudden opportunity, funding is a problem and she needs your help! Read more about the project and its progress on Frances' Kickstarter page.

Below is a small collection of her images, which fits my current mood, but there's much more to her work than what's shown here. Take a look at her website or Etsy shop for more!

ghostgirl by
matchstickgirl.etsy.com

home sweet home by
matchstickgirl.etsy.com

tiny paper boat by
matchstickgirl.etsy.com

waterbaby 8 by
matchstickgirl.etsy.com

Who wants a pet AT-AT?

2010-10-24T10:32:00.005+03:00

As some of you may have noticed, I'm a bit of nerd.

Okay, okay - so I'm actually a rather huge nerd. I *did* spend all that time when I was last ill in bed reading up on Star Wars trivia on Wookiepedia, after all. (In fact, I believe I reached a whole new level of nerdiness by learning about the seven classic forms of lightsaber combat. *sigh*)

However, I do not think you need to be that much of a nerd to appreciate this funny little video. Take a look!

I want a pet AT-AT!

Knitting tip: Two-handed Fair Isle technique

2010-10-21T10:08:00.004+03:00

Today I bring you a quick knitting tip.

Are you a knitter? Do you like to knit Fair Isle patterns? Then this video is for you!

Basically you knit with two colours, using both the English/American and the Continental/European styles of knitting; holding one colour in your left hand and the other in your right hand. This way the yarns are kept separate and do not tangle, and the whole process is quicker. It's brilliant.

The only problem now is that I'd have to learn the English way of knitting, which seems overly complicated and slower compared to the Continental. This is the best reason I've found for giving it a try, though.

(Maybe you've heard of this technique before? If so, why haven't you told me? :D)

Tuesday Finds: Jungle Creatures

2010-10-19T09:10:00.005+03:00

Elephant Fabric Basket Set by
blota.etsy.com

Bride and Groom Hippos by
bunnywithatoolbelt.etsy.com

Recycled Metal Lion Sculpture by
PacificArtworks.etsy.com

Jungle Creatures Finger Puppets by
stayawake.etsy.com

Tuesday Finds: Green, again

2010-10-05T12:42:00.006+03:00

Oh look, green! Again!

Yeah, I need a bit of green this week. Autumn is here and the plants are turning red and yellow. It's very pretty, but I do miss the green. *sigh*

Green Vine Reversible Coasters by
Foodphyte.etsy.com

Cut Out Greeting Card - Thank You by
PaperBazaar.etsy.com

Shamrock Table or Wall Quilt by
moonspiritstudios.etsy.com

Green Apple Earrings by
PetitPlat.etsy.com

Tuesday Finds: Teeth

2010-09-28T13:23:00.006+03:00

Hallo again! Those of you who have followed me on Twitter might already know that the recent blog silence was due to me having a couple of wisdom teeth pulled out. They were the last two, both bottom ones. Everything went pretty well, despite them being a bit infected and despite the dentist having to drill them both to bits before being able to get them out. I think the main feeling I've had from all this is a sense of relief to finally get them out. (There was also joy at being able to eat icecream with no guilt whatsoever, as it was one of few things I could eat without trouble last week.)

I've been feeling better each day after the operation and today the stitches were removed, which officially marks the end of all my wisdom teeth. Woohoo! I shall celebrate with more icecream!

A Lucky Tooth by
theblackapple.etsy.com

Molar Tooth Soap by
KcSoapsNmore.etsy.com

Tooth Fairy Pillow by
BeadRush.etsy.com

Little Tooth Teething Toy by
littlesaplingtoys.etsy.com

Minecraft

2010-09-17T09:10:00.013+03:00

Now for something a bit different than the usual posts on this blog. Today I bring you a game recommendation! The indie game in question is Minecraft and it has given me more excitement and intense adventures than most games I've played recently.

Oh my, look at those huge caverns. Who knows what riches and dangers await inside.

You start off with nothing in a randomly generated HUGE world (apparently the surface area is about 8 times larger than earth) and your goal is simply to survive. It's a bright day and everything is peaceful, maybe with some cows, chickens and such wandering around. However, at night when it's dark, monsters will come out and it's a bad idea to be out in the open at this time. In order to live through it, you'll have to gather some resources and make a few basic tools, so that you can build a shelter lit by torches (light equals safety). You'll want a safe place that the monsters can't get into. Once you have one and have made more tools (including a weapon) and gathered supplies, it's time to start exploring!

Some worlds are snowy ones. Behold my house built on a cliff by the seaside. On the right you can barely see my greenhouse, growing crops for food.

For me, the appeal is two-fold - creative creation and danger-filled exploration. First of all, everything that you have in the game are things you've made yourself. There's a certain pride and satisfaction you get from that, even in a game. You can build a house (or a fort, or a mansion, or an underground lair with a moat of lava...) for yourself, in any shape you wish. You can use a variety of materials and decorate the place with things like paintings and bookshelves. For example, you can collect sand and clay to make glass for windows and bricks for walls, respectively, by heating them in a furnace. Use your imagination to your heart's content. How about a rollercoaster?

The scary scary dark night. The greenhouse is on the left and on the right is a big lighthouse I built because it seemed like a cool idea. I'm also hoping it will help me find my way back as I explore the surroundings. But mostly I built it just because it seemed like a cool idea.

Actually, there's a nostalgic element to this too. The blocky look of the game reminds me of building secret bases and such out of Lego when I was a kid. Back then I'd always run out of pieces before I was finished, but in Minecraft I can go out into the huge world and find more. Awesome.

Mr Morrgan enjoys the game too. Here's his house by the sea, complete with a manmade stream and planted trees and flowers.

Second, the world is full of cool caverns and cave systems to explore and mine for useful things like iron ore. The deeper you go, the better materials you find for making better quality tools, weapons and armor. It's dangerous, as these are dark places and monsters could be anywhere, but oh so exciting. I have had several great adventures in such places.

These waterfalls lead into dark caves below. Dare you go in and explore?

And after a scary adventure in the deep, it's a big relief to get back to your house by nightfall. Then you are safe in your home while zombies and other creepy things roam the land outside, and you can fry some bacon for dinner and work on more tools and weapons for your next expedition while you wait for morning.

Darkness falls and the moon rises as I return to my house just in time before the monsters come out. What a welcome sight.

Well, these are just some examples of the things you can do. If you're interested in the game, you can go to the Minecraft website to get the Alpha version that I have (a beta version should be available soon - yes, the game is actually still unfinished). There's also the older but free Classic version you can try out to see if this is your thing.

Inside Mr Morrgan's house.

You can also check out this series of Minecraft gameplay videos to get a better idea of the experience.

The view from the balcony of my cliffside house.

My Creative Space: There Be Monsters

2010-09-09T10:24:00.003+03:00

The knitting (and crocheting) of warm stuff for autumn and winter continues. This week it's mostly been dreadful monster scarves. Rawr.

Looks like I'm all out of that blue yarn, so those will be the last two of this colour and material. Grab 'em while you can! I'll keep an eye out for a replacement yarn, though, so similar monsters may appear in the future.

(For those who might be wondering about the never-ending sock project, they're still not done. After all that knitting, unraveling and knitting again, I needed a break from socks. Wild monsters seemed like a much nicer project.)

Want to see the creative spaces of others? Head on over to Kootoyoo's blog for a look!

Tuesday Finds: Forest Creatures

2010-09-07T10:59:00.004+03:00

Custom Felted Moose by
forestblue.etsy.com

A Fallow Bear Brooch by
ememem.etsy.com

Vixen Mat by
Joannarutter.etsy.com

Tiny Bunny Wall Wear by
neawear.etsy.com

My Creative Space: Yarn trouble

2010-09-02T09:54:00.008+03:00

This week I bring you a tale of woe, misery and broken dreams. And socks.

Remember the beige and green socks I'd just started on last week? Well, that project failed miserably.

It wasn't anything to do with the pattern or the knitting itself. One sock turned out just lovely, and the other was going well. And then I ran out of yarn. Yarn I'd bought about 5 years ago, so I can't get more of it now. Arrrrrgh.

I undid the 2nd sock and started again, making the sock a bit smaller this time. And ran out of yarn again. I then undid the finished 1st sock and am currently making it in the smaller size too. Hopefully there will be enough left over from that to finish both socks, and all this yarn puzzling will result in two fine, albeit smaller than planned socks. Hopefully.

So that's the reason why these socks are still in the works this week.

(Well. That and the fact that I may have gotten myself addicted to Soulcalibur 4 and Borderlands, taking up most [er, all] of my time. Again.)

Want to see the (more successful) creative spaces of others? Head on over to Kootoyoo's blog for a look!

Tuesday Finds: Houses

2010-08-31T10:14:00.003+03:00

Micro Houses in Stoneware by
elukka.etsy.com

Fabric Buttons by
thebluekitteh.etsy.com

Little House Ring by
PeculiarForest.etsy.com

Stitched Cityscape Canvas Print by
lauraamiss.etsy.com

My Creative Space: Slippers and socks

2010-08-26T10:31:00.003+03:00

Here's what I've been working on this week: knitted footwear for both men and women. It'll soon be the season for warm slippers and socks around here, alas.

Want to see the creative spaces of others? Head on over to Kootoyoo's blog for a look!

Tuesday Finds: Teal

2010-08-24T10:54:00.005+03:00

Tsumami Kanzashi Headband by
PetalMix.etsy.com

Mum Tote - Dark Teal by
yorktownroad.etsy.com

Multistrand Beaded Necklace by
xoots.etsy.com

Long Pencil Ruffled Skirt by
tasifashion.etsy.com

Tiny Dragons - The 4th Batch

2010-08-21T17:05:00.005+03:00

The 4th batch of five tiny dragons is ready for introductions. From the left to the right:

#16. Crimson - red and dark red
#17. Cindy - light purple and beige
#18. Cyril - light blue and purple
#19. Cecil - turquoise and dark green
#20. Celia - light green and grey

Here's how it works: Every now and then I make a batch of 5 dragons. Each dragon will have a unique set of colours and they will get a signed hatching certificate with their name, number and date.

When they're ready to list, I post an introduction on this blog like the one above. During the following few days, I'll list them in numerical order in my Etsy shop. Should you happen to spot one you must have, let me know and I can reserve it for you.

Solving a Fruit Fly Problem

2010-08-19T09:56:00.005+03:00

A few days ago I discovered that a cloud of fruit flies had appeared in the fruit bowl.

Ack! Ick! Yuck! What to do?!

Fortunately, I have suitable minions, also known as Drosera capensis or the Bane of Fruit Flies. They were more than happy to help me set a devious trap for the flies.

Muahaha. Feast, my pretties!

(Aaaaaand considering the topic of this post, I just have to link to this animation again.)

Tuesday Finds: Dinosaurs

2010-08-17T11:46:00.006+03:00

If you're a dino fan like me, you may have noticed the recent news about Triceratops and Torosaurus. A recent study suggests these two are actually the same; that the Triceratops fossils were young animals and the Torosaurus ones were adults.

It's a world gone topsy-turvy.

Giant T-rex Vinyl Wall Art by
ModernDecals.etsy.com

Darling Dinosaur Necklace by
ANORIGINALJEWELRY.etsy.com

Triceratops Silhouette Pin by
lostatseashop.etsy.com

Build Your Own Stegosaurus Kit by
kfarrell.etsy.com

New Creations for Fall - Scarves

2010-08-15T21:17:00.008+03:00

The first new designs for fall/winter 2010 are now available in my shoppe!

There's a simple idea behind this design. I like wearing shawls as scarves, but often they aren't ideal for the job. The shawl might be too short to properly go around my neck. Or if it's long enough, it's also too big and bulky for comfortable wear.

Designed to combine the best qualities of a scarf and a shawl, my triangular scarves or mini shawls can be used as both - layered around the neck or keeping the shoulders and upper arms warm on chilly nights. The main body of the scarf is knitted in a pattern that looks beautiful on both sides - I love the effect, to be honest. I decorated the edges with cables, my favourite thing to knit.

I've made a number of these now, each a different colour. I also used several kinds of materials and made small changes to the pattern for many of them, making each a little different from the others. They will gradually show up in this section of my Etsy shop.

Roses are red... and pink!

2010-08-12T10:12:00.009+03:00

During the two brief vacations I've taken this summer, we went to visit my parents up north. As usual, I spent as much time as possible in their garden together with my mother - digging, planting, weeding and just enjoying the pretty views. I thought I'd share!

This little beauty is called 'Sommerwind'. I love those kinda scalloped petals, they give the rose such a lovely, romantic look.

The reds on this rose and dahlia are so vibrant!

There's plenty of red raspberries too, as well as strawberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants and gooseberries. Yum!

Another pink beauty.

These lilies were planted a couple years ago and some of them we got as "surprises" - we had no idea what colours they would be. Due to a lily-eating meanie, this is the first year we actually saw them. They turned out to be rather fantastic surprises. =)

Tuesday Finds: Mushrooms

2010-08-10T10:31:00.006+03:00

Is it mushroom season yet? I wonder if there will be any mushrooms this year, after such a hot summer.

(I wouldn't want to eat the ones that look like these, though.)

Felted Mushroom Woodland Scene by
ingermaaike.etsy.com

Kawaii Mushroom in Moss Necklace by
dinafragola.etsy.com

Ceramic Mushrooms - Set of 3 by
whereisthumbkin.etsy.com

Mini-Mushroom Bowling by
MuddyFeet.etsy.com

A recipe tip: Ratatouille Pie

2010-08-07T10:47:00.005+03:00

In our household, Mr Morrgan is usually the chef. He enjoys it and is much more imaginative in the kitchen than I am, so having him do most of the cooking was a natural choice. Baking is more my thing.

However, since I've lately spent more time at home than he has, it didn't seem fair that he'd have to work all day plus cook dinner, especially as just walking to work and back takes him 1-1 1/2 hours every day. So I decided to be brave and venture back into the world of cooking.

I've never been very interested in cooking, so I haven't bothered to learn that many recipes. It only took about a week to go through the usual suspects. Alas and alack, it was time to learn a new recipe.

Fortunately for me, I happened to spot something interesting in a magazine: a ratatouille pie. It was a pie (=baking) AND it had goat cheese on it. Perfect!

It was time-consuming, but I'm happy to say it was a success! Delicious both when warm and fresh, and when cold the next day. The only thing that would have made it better would have been to use homegrown veggies, but we only had our own lemon basil to put on top. It did make a very nice addition to the flavour, though.

The recipe can be found here, though it seems to only be available in Finnish. Basically the filling is a ratatouille made of eggplant, zucchini, capsicum (bell pepper), onion or leek and crushed tomato. The crust is rolled out thinly into a large circle, the filling placed on it and the crust edges are folded over the filling. After 20-ish minutes in the oven, goat cheese and olives are placed on top and the pie goes back into the oven until the cheese has melted.

As usual, I changed the recipe a little bit. I didn't have the graham flour the recipe asked for, so I made my own version of the crust:

Pie crust

1 1/2 dl (2/3 cup) wheat flour
1 dl (~1/2 cup) rolled oats
3 tbsp wheat germ
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp oregano
a pinch of salt
75 g (~2 1/2 oz) butter
about 3/4 dl (1/3 cup) water

Mix the dry ingredients together. Add cubed butter and work into a dough. Add water and stir/mix until you have a smooth mixture. Wrap in plastic wrap and keep in fridge while you make the filling.

My Creative Space: Preparing for autumn

2010-08-05T10:48:00.006+03:00

Yeah, I missed the Tuesday Finds this week, sorry about that. While I did get back on Tuesday, we arrived close to midnight, so I just collapsed in bed as soon as we got home.

But enough of that and on to what's brewing in my creative space this week, with a sneak peek of this autumn's winter wear! As I am at times physically incapable of letting the knitting needles rest even on holiday (needleless fingers = restless fingers = unhappy fingers), I made the bottom three during these past few internetless days. I have used an eclectic mix of lovely soft wools, bamboo and even a funky vintage cotton-acrylic blend, in all sorts of fun colours. Neutral, dramatic, colourful, sweet; there's pretty much something of everything.

None of these are completely finished yet, but once they are, they'll find their way into my little shoppe.

Want to see the creative spaces of others? Head on over to Kootoyoo's blog for a look!

My Creative Space: Owly Bits

2010-07-29T10:50:00.003+03:00

Oh look, it's another pile of random-looking yarny things! This is one of the projects for this week - a bunch of tiny owl magnets. Mmmm, I love that chocolate brown.

With this post I'll again be taking a few internetless days to enjoy summer over the weekend. I should be back in time for next week's Tuesday Finds, so see you then!

Want to see the creative spaces of others? Head on over to Kootoyoo's blog for a look!

Tuesday Finds: Back to Nature

2010-07-27T11:27:00.005+03:00

I just love natural materials, both the look and the feel.

Black Walnut Slices by
PineGardenBaskets.etsy.com

Genuine Baltic Sea Driftwood by
alatsupplies.etsy.com

Pebbles Post Earrings by
LAccentNou.etsy.com

Soy Silk Handspun Vegan Yarn by
Snowberrylime.etsy.com

Introducing Hugo the Hugglephant

2010-07-24T10:35:00.011+03:00

On August 22nd 2009 I tweeted thusly:

"is starting work on the HUGGLEPHANT."

I got off to a good start, then had to prepare for a trip and after that the holiday season was upon me. Poor Hugo has been terribly neglected since then, until the start of July. I picked up where I left off and am very happy to finally be able to introduce:

Hugo the Hugglephant
Hugglephants are like elephants, only their trunks are extra-long for hugging!

Hugo the Hugglephant dreams of becoming an acrobat when he grows up. He enjoys spending his time by rehearsing fun tricks, like standing on his head!

However, he is a hugglephant first and foremost, so he makes sure to also take frequent huggling breaks.

Hugo is available as a pattern via Ravelry (or click here to buy now - no Ravelry account needed) and from my Etsy shop. The pattern can also be used to make a regular elephant.

Want to see more creature introductions?

My Creative Space: Nessies!

2010-07-22T10:38:00.009+03:00

Well, I finished the custom order I mentioned I was working on last week. These plesiosaurs were shipped yesterday and I miss them already. *sigh* I'm just so happy about how they turned out.

I might have to make a big Nessie or two for myself to sit by the aquarium. I think the red-finned Fishmeat (seen chatting with the plesies in the photo) misses the company as well.

Want to see the creative spaces of others? Head on over to Kootoyoo's blog for a look!

Tuesday Finds: Butterflies

2010-07-20T11:33:00.007+03:00

Papillons by
aufilde.etsy.com

Butterfly Gift Tags by
HappyHuismus.etsy.com

Peach Melba Recycled Butterflies by
ahueofduckeggblue.etsy.com

Upcycled Butterfly Mobile by
BabongoHome.etsy.com

Tiny Dragons - The 3rd batch

2010-07-18T19:04:00.003+03:00

The 3rd batch of five tiny dragons is ready for introductions. From the left to the right:

#11. Hugh - light blue and teal
#12. Dawn - light green and dark green
#13. Doris - purple and dark brown
#14. Lewis - turquoise and brown
#15. Samuel - dark green and black

Here's how it works: Every now and then I make a batch of 5 dragons. Each dragon will have a unique set of colours and they will get a signed hatching certificate with their name, number and date. When they're ready to list, I post an introduction on this blog like the one above. During the following few days, I'll list them in numerical order in my Etsy shop. Should you happen to spot one you must have, let me know and I can reserve it for you.

Photos from the balcony garden

2010-07-17T11:20:00.009+03:00

How did I survive those 10 or so years without a balcony or garden? By spending a lot of time in my parents' garden and having my aquariums filled with an ridiculous amount of plants, I suppose. Seriously though, now I can't imagine going back to living without an opportunity to grow my own edibles and flowers.

Ah, such pretties. I think these marigolds are the first plants I've grown from seeds to flowering plants. So easy, so satisfying.

My first balcony-grown pea pod! It ain't summer without fresh peas.

A funky striped tomato! I don't know what was up with this one, but it tasted just fine. Didn't kill us either.

And here's an overview of about half of the balcony. Had I been smart I would have cleaned away the tools and such under the table before taking the photo. Oh well.

My Creative Space: Finished Chompy Hearts

2010-07-15T14:04:00.004+03:00

Remember last week's random pile of knitted red pieces? It's turned into proper hearts gone wild. Rawr. Some of these are for a custom order, but a few will be making their way into the shop later, once I manage to take some proper photos of them.

(The small ones are magnetic, meaning you can finally have wild chompy hearts guarding your fridge. Perfect!)

Other than that I don't have much to show so far this week. I have done quite a bit of knitting, mostly on another custom order, but all I could show of that would be more piles of random shapeless forms from yarn and there was enough of that last week. ;)

Want to see the creative spaces of others? Head on over to Kootoyoo's blog for a look!

Tuesday Finds: Summer Meadows

2010-07-13T12:12:00.004+03:00

Midsummer Meadows Stud Earrings by
SoleDeVita.etsy.com

Sunlit Meadow Handspun Art Yarn by
WeirdAndTwisted.etsy.com

The Meadow Earth Light by
paperplanet.etsy.com

Being Framed Sun Necklace by
vadjutka.etsy.com

My Creative Space: Chompy Hearts

2010-07-08T11:15:00.003+03:00

The flu is finally all gone and it's back to knitting for me! I have a couple of custom orders on my plate, starting with this:

This random-looking pile of red will eventually turn into a number of hearts gone wild. As you can see, I use up to six double-pointed needles when making these guys. I like my knitting complicated.

Want to see the creative spaces of others? Head on over to Kootoyoo's blog for a look!

Tuesday Finds: For the Garden

2010-07-06T11:41:00.006+03:00

Here it is, the tomato that was the greenish orange-yellow thing in the previous post. Once the process started, it didn't take long for my first ever homegrown tomato to turn a lovely bright red. Nor did it take long for us to eat it. =) Yum!

So, this week's Tuesday Finds are inspired by this giant cherry tomato - all sorts of neat things for the garden/gardener.

Treapot - Upcycled Teapot Birdhouse by
ThePaisleySpoon.etsy.com

Large Bee Hotel by
Wudwerx.etsy.com

Gardening Paper Pot Maker by
WoodElements.etsy.com

Vintage Silverware Garden Markers by
monkeysalwayslook.etsy.com

How my (Balcony) Garden Grows

2010-07-04T16:46:00.007+03:00

It's been a while since my previous "planty" post. The flower box (on the right) has filled out nicely in June and the pale purple lobelias are doing especially well. The most exciting thing at the moment can be seen below though - my first ever tomato is turning red! Yay!

I took the photo a few days ago and since then it has become a pretty orange red, turning a deeper red every day. I've got two tomato plants, each planted in their own plastic bucket (very convenient), and both have many many tomatoes on the way. They're supposed to be cherry tomatoes, but I think someone forgot to inform these plants of that fact - just look at the size of that first tomato!

My other growing edibles, these ones planted from seeds, are also coming along. In this flower box on the left I have edible peas planted together with sweet peas, both growing and climbing fast right now. Radishes and a few pathetic leaves of chives can be found in the pots. I also have marigolds growing here and there, both in the pots and box.

So, what's next? Well, this weekend I got my hands on a second big wooden box, about 50 litres in volume. =) I'm having a bit of trouble deciding what to plant in it, but I'm leaning towards a bush or two of blueberries, together with a climbing plant with pretty flowers - maybe a Clematis or a rose, such as New Dawn? Suggestions are welcome!

My Creative Space: Homemade Piña Colada Ice Cream!

2010-07-01T13:41:00.004+03:00

As you can see, I'm back on the internet. I spent the previous week relaxing with family and it was all good. So what happens when I get back home? BAM, I get a summer flu. A very mean flu too. It meant I couldn't do much other than go "oh woe is meeee" in bed in a plaintive voice, hoping Mr Morrgan would take pity on me and bring me nice things to eat and drink. (Which he did.)

It also meant I haven't been able to do any knitting. However, I'm a person who can't sit still for very long. Once I was well enough to get out of bed, I needed a project to work on. While browsing blogs, I came upon a photo of homemade ice cream. And BAM again, it hit me: I must make homemade ice cream!

Behold my first batch of ice cream!

As I can't follow a recipe to save my life, I got creative about this too. "Coconut ice cream? Boooring, when I can make a few modifications and make piña colada ice cream instead! Can't find a recipe for that? No problem, just take this and that, and add some of those with a pinch of these..." Well, you see how it goes.

In the end I made up a recipe of my own for homemade piña colada ice cream, made from scratch with whipping cream, cream of coconut, crushed pineapple, white rum etc. No eggs, no ice cream machine. For a first try, I'm very pleased! As is Mr Morrgan, who now has the flu too and needs ice cream to soothe his aching throat (or so he claims).

While surprisingly close in texture to storebought ice cream, it's not perfect yet. I'll fiddle with the recipe some more and when I'm happy with it, I'll share it on this blog. Fun times. =)

Want to see the creative spaces of others? Head on over to Kootoyoo's blog for a look!

Tuesday Finds: Blue Hues

2010-06-29T12:05:00.005+03:00

Cornflower Light Necklace by
ioulia.etsy.com

Wilma - Long Jersey Dress by
vaisto.etsy.com

Carved Resin and Silver Ring by
QuercusSilver.etsy.com

Handmade Peacock Flowers by
supplier.etsy.com

A brief summer holiday

2010-06-19T10:52:00.005+03:00

It's vacation time! I've decided to take a week or so off the internet, starting tomorrow, to enjoy the (short) Finnish summer outdoors and recharge my batteries. My shops (Etsy, ArtFire, Dawanda) will be closed during this time and I will only answer emails after my summer vacation. This blog will also be on a break.

So, if you'd like a pattern to work on over midsummer, or have your eye on something else you'd like from one of my shops (such as my latest magnetic creature, the mighty mouse on the right here), now is the time to order!

See you soon!

Tiny Dragons - The 2nd batch

2010-06-16T13:15:00.005+03:00

The 2nd batch of five tiny dragons is ready for introductions. From the left to the right:

#6. Rose - pink and pale beige
#7. Marigold - saffron yellow and dark brown
#8. Ash - mossy green and brown
#9. Lily - light purple and purple
#10. Hollis - beige and brown

Here's how it works: Every now and then I make a batch of 5 dragons. Each dragon will have a unique set of colours and they will get a signed hatching certificate with their name, number and date. When they're ready to list, I post an introduction on this blog like the one above. During the following few days, I'll list them in numerical order in my Etsy shop. Should you happen to spot one you must have, let me know and I can reserve it for you.

Tuesday Finds: Bees and Bs

2010-06-15T11:01:00.004+03:00

*ponders what a giant 'M' would look like on the balcony, as something for the vines to climb on...*

Milk and Honey Natural Soap by
Elixirio.etsy.com

Large Wood Letter B by
Hindsvik.etsy.com

Bumble Bees in a Honeycomb Mini Purse by
EmenGeeDesigns.etsy.com

Vintage Music 'B' Brooch by
ismay.etsy.com

Smoothies, perfect for summer time

2010-06-10T14:45:00.007+03:00

It's my birthday! And Mr Morrgan the sweetie woke me up with coffee in bed and made French toast with lemon curd for breakfast. Yay and yum! =)

In other news, it's warm and lovely here again, after a week or so of colder weather, and we have been trying out old and new summery drinks. My current favourites for lunch are smoothies, especially nice when made with berries from my parents' garden and enjoyed on the sunny balcony. I thought I'd share a couple of recipes.

I use frozen berries to get a nice cool drink, but fresh ones could be used too. Making them is very easy, just mix everything together with a blender. Simple, fast and yummy! For some fun and equally easy experimenting with flavours, try using different berries and juices.

Blackcurrant-Banana Smoothie (pictured)
2 bananas
1-2 dl (~1/2-4/5 cup) blackcurrants
1 tbsp honey
2,5 dl (1 cup) water

Berry Mix Smoothie
1 banana
1 dl (~1/2 cup) raspberries
1/2 dl (~1/4 cup) blackcurrants
2 dl fruit juice of your choice

Tuesday Finds: Hearts

2010-06-08T09:24:00.004+03:00

Heart Dance Ring by
Nafsika.etsy.com

Hand-embroidered Moleskine Cahier by
papermodeHome.etsy.com

Wooden Heart-shaped Shawl Pin by
woodenjewlery.etsy.com

Love Gives You Wings Cuff by
Aranwen.etsy.com

Introducing Paulo the Charming Tiger

2010-06-06T12:16:00.011+03:00

This is Paulo the charming tiger.

Mister Paulo knows how to charm the ladies. His secret? He's actually sincere.

When he says he bought these roses because their loveliness reminded him of you, that's what he did.

When he says that as lovely as they are, they pale next to your beauty, he really means it.

And the ladies know it. Oh Paulo, you charmer.

Paulo is my entry for this week's European Street Team challenge, hosted by Sofia-Sobeide. The theme for this week was "my favourite flower". Now, how do you get a charming tiger from favourite flowers?

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure myself.

However, the inspiration for Paulo and his personality came to me as I was sitting in my balcony, trying to decide on a fave flower. I looked at my red miniature rose and suddenly the choice was clear - roses. Soon after, the idea of a sweet little tiger holding a bouquet of lovely red roses came to me. How? Why? Who knows. The mental image stuck and I had to try to make Paulo. I'm very pleased that he turned out exactly as I saw him with my mind's eye.

Paulo the Charming Tiger is available as a pattern via Ravelry (or click here to buy now - no Ravelry account needed) and from my Etsy shop.

His roses are also available as a separate tutorial, suitable for beginners.

Want to see more creature introductions?

Introducing the Tiny Dragons - the first five

2010-06-04T19:04:00.007+03:00

Here we go! The first five of the tiny dragons are ready for introductions. From the left to the right:

#1. Daisy - creamy white and grey
#2. Rupert - turquoise and teal
#3. Charles - grey and black
#4. Olivia - mossy green and dark green
#5. Elinor - pale beige and turquoise

I realized I really missed making dragons. My fingers were itching to make some. So create dragons I did. And more I shall create, because I also realized I want to make a huge collection of different ones. These five are the beginning of that collection. Each dragon will have a unique set of colours and they will get a signed hatching certificate with their name, number and date.

I have the following idea in mind. Every now and then I make a batch of 5 dragons. When they're ready to list, I post an introduction on this blog like the one above. During the following few days, I'll list them in numerical order in my Etsy shop. Should you happen to spot one you must have, let me know and I can reserve it for you.

You know, there's something very pleasing about creating a tiny dragon. There really is.

My Creative Space: Teasers

2010-06-03T13:17:00.007+03:00

Well, the major news of this week is that the pattern redesign I mentioned in my Creative Space post from a couple of weeks ago is finished! It was a huge chunk of work, but I'm so pleased to have it done. All redesigned patterns can be seen in my Etsy shop.

Now with that out of the way, I can put my energy towards new patterns and other designs. I have none quite ready to show you yet, but I can give you a few sneak peeks into what I've been working on.

My my, who might this mysterious, handsome stranger be...

...and what are these fine gifts he brings?

These guys might seem familiar to you from way, way back.

More pictures and info on both projects to come later! I'm very, very excited about these, as well as several more projects that are still only in the planning stage. Suddenly I keep having idea after idea and the only problem is when to find the time for them all. I like it. =)

Want to see the creative spaces of others? Head on over to Kootoyoo's blog for a look!

Tuesday Finds: Mad Science and World Domination

2010-06-01T12:22:00.008+03:00

A recent tweet by Huismus linked to the global domination notebook below. This brought back memories of a running joke back from when I was still only planning to study biology, about my goal being world domination through genetically engineered, trained killer potatoes (tomatoes were sooo overdone and potatoes were better suited for the Finnish climate anyway). Ah, the dreams of youth.

Plans for Global Domination Notebook by
Champignons.etsy.com

Young Mad Scientist's 1st Alphabet Blocks by
XylocopaDesign.etsy.com

The Mad Cat-alist Print by
Catswithattitude.etsy.com

Bio Hazard Lab Coat by
artlab.etsy.com

Morrgan's Great Sewing Adventures, part 1

2010-05-30T15:06:00.007+03:00

You may remember that I recently obtained a sewing machine. The first practise session after that previous post didn't go all that well. I spent most of it wondering why everything looked pretty on top, like this...

...while below it was a total mess, like this:

The machine didn't come with a manual, used as it was, so it took half an hour of fiddling with settings, running to the computer to google various search terms (it didn't help that I had forgotten most sewing machine terminology), and running back to the sewing machine to test something new, etc. In the end I was able to find the manual online and it turned out the problem was a poorly threaded machine. Yay, learned something new! Not-so-yay, I wasted all my practise time on figuring this out.

A few days ago I got the chance to try again. As it's been 15 or so years since I last did any sewing, I decided to start with a simple project: a fabric storage box for my yarns. A simple box shape, straight seams only, small and quick to finish - seemed perfect. After all, how hard could it be?

Well, pretty darn hard, it turns out! I haven't used ready-made patterns for 15 years either, so I just calculated some suitable rectangle shapes to sew together into a box. I will not tell you how I did it, because it was probably the silliest way to make a box, ever. For one, I added too little seam allovance. Second, I hadn't quite realized that sewing corners isn't all that straight-forward:

However, after much head-scratching, pondering, unraveling and resewing, I managed to get something vaguely box-shaped together!

So yes, it ended up a bit narrower than planned and yes, the corners are - ahem - interesting, but at least it does its job. And on the plus side, I still know how to sew a pretty straight seam.

I also put together a small list of a few things I need before the next project:

Sewing thread: This box ended up being sewn with three different colours of thread, because I only had snippets of thread around and had forgotten to buy more. Oops.

Fabric scissors: The all-round scissors I have are so blunt it's not even funny. They'll stay that way too, for they're used for all kinds of cutting. Best to have a separate pair just for this, methinks.

A nice and simple fabric box pattern: Any suggestions?

My Creative Space: Many tiny creatures

2010-05-27T09:35:00.006+03:00

This week, my creative space was first filled with many, many tiny bits and pieces of creatures-to-be...

...which I then turned into the actual creatures - lots of magnetic animals, like bats, dinosaurs, kiwi birds, sharks and more.

Phew! I must admit my right wrist actually hurt a bit after finishing all those.

But that didn't deter me for long, because this week I also finished a pair of arm warmers in a beautiful deep burgundy red. I noticed that the yarn used was the exact same red as one of my little roses on the balcony, which inspired me to try a new style of photos. What do you think?

Want to see the creative spaces of others? Head on over to Kootoyoo's blog for a look!

Tuesday Finds: Bugs

2010-05-25T12:57:00.005+03:00

Fabric Moth Ornament by
BlueTerracotta.etsy.com

Arhus Ant Embroidery Bag by
ikabags.etsy.com

Fruit Fly Pin by
annarubyking.etsy.com

Black Spider Hat by
P8Accessories.etsy.com

Flowery DIY Projects: Brooches

2010-05-23T15:16:00.013+03:00

It's time for another crafty idea for my crocheted flowers! Here's a brief tutorial on how to use them to make brooches.

(For more ideas, check out the Flowery DIY Projects section.)

To start things off, here are a few examples to show the different sizes. The purple/pink brooch uses a large and a medium flower, while the beige/white and brown/orange are made with medium and small ones. The blue one, made with a large and a small flower, is used as an example in the tutorial below. The tiny buttons are 8-11 mm (5/16-7/16 in) in diameter.

Here's what you'll need: scissors, some tiny buttons, a needle, thread, safety pins or preferably proper pin back or bar pins, and of course some crocheted flowers.

Pick a couple of flowers and a matching tiny button - in this case a small dark blue flower, a large light blue flower and an iridescent blue vintage button. Pull a length of thread through the middle of the flowers, through the button holes and back through the flowers again.

Pull the thread tight to form the brooch.

Place the brooch pin on the back, loop the thread around it. Pull the thread through the flowers and button and around the pin a few more times until all parts are securely in place. Sew the pin in place with a few stitches. All done!

(A proper pin back would work better, but I had none available. A small safety needle will do the trick if need be, though.)

My Creative Space: Something a bit different

2010-05-20T10:48:00.008+03:00

This week I have actually been mostly working on the computer. I decided my creature PDF patterns were in great need of a facelift, especially the older ones, so I have designed a new layout with many new photos. I've also tweaked instructions here and there when needed, to make them more clear.

I'm very excited about this change! It's something I've wanted to do for a long time, but haven't had the time for until now. It takes quite a bit of time and energy, however - I've found that I can only redo one pattern per day. So far I've got a third ready, so I imagine it'll be a couple of weeks before all of them are ready for release.

Want a sneak peek? Here are the patterns for the goldfish and the piggy; old on the left, new on the right:

Once the new pattern layout is launched, I also have one or two new patterns to add to the shop!

If you have bought patterns from me before and want them in the new design, just send me a note (Etsy convo, email) once the new layout is available in my shop and I'll send you the new version, free of charge of course.

Want to see the creative spaces of others? Head on over to Kootoyoo's blog for a look!

Tuesday Finds: Rain

2010-05-18T11:28:00.008+03:00

The weather has had a bit of trouble making up its mind lately. At "best" it's been bright hot sun at first, then 10 seconds of pouring rain, then sun again. Yesterday it was pretty and hot as can be in the morning, then storming and thundering in the afternoon. Let's see what today brings...

Dancing in the Rain Notebook by
mydollgift.etsy.com

'I'll take endless showers...' Art Print by
ajawin.etsy.com

Yellow Daisy Rain Umbrella by
limegreenrhinestones.etsy.com

Rain Cloud Necklace by
passionflower.etsy.com

The beginning of new exciting crafty adventures

2010-05-16T12:26:00.003+03:00

Look look look! Look what I got!

Oh, what ideas I have to try out. The possibilities, they are limitless! So limitless in fact, that it kind of scares me. :D Will the apartment be inundated with not only yarn, but now fabric as well?

I'm not sure how to continue from here, as it's been 15 years since I last did any sewing on a machine, but that's also the age of this machine, so I hope we'll get along well. I also don't know if it's any good or not, but Singer is one of few sewing machine brands I recognize, as my mother has one that's about 100 years old and still works.

So, time to try it out and practise! The pile of fabric on the right is a bunch of 2nd hand drapes I scored yesterday for 1€ a piece for just this purpose. Wish me luck, and if you have any good hints or tips, let me know!

My Creative Space: Django Ponies and Captain's Chairs

2010-05-13T10:56:00.009+03:00

Mr Morrgan is a web developer and spends all his day with things like Django and Python. He's been rather excited about it and after showing me a picture of Django's unofficial magic pony mascot, I was excited too. Who wouldn't be excited about a flying, magical pink pony? About instantly I decided Mr Morrgan needed his own magical Django pony to help him out at work.

If you haven't heard of these terms before, perhaps this explanation may be of use. Mr Morrgan has tried several times to explain Django to me and I have also tried googling it, with little success. (Frameworks? High-level pythons? What?) This morning over coffee, however, he explained it to me beautifully with the help of Lego. It went something like this: if C is the plastic, metal and rubber used to make Lego, Python is the basic Lego pieces and Django the fancy, moulded special bits you can use to make neato space stations. Et voilà, it made perfect sense to me, who spent her childhood making über-cool secret bases, robots and said space stations out of Lego.

Onwards to the point! Meet Dee, Mr Morrgan's magic Django pony! She's knitted and crocheted from a wool blend, using the pattern for Hubert for the body. The wings are the part I'm really proud of, though. When I started on the first one, I still had no idea how to do them. But it all came almost automatically as I was working and they turned out even better than I had hoped. Joy!

By the way, the chair in the photos is one of my favourite places to sit and knit and is also where I made most of Dee. I think it's a fantastic piece of furniture. Look at the shape! The gorgeous red colour! Best of all, it spins and rocks and adjusts! Awesome!

Mr Morrgan doesn't agree, however. He thinks it looks like a prop from Star Trek of the 60s - hence we call it the Captain's Chair (we joke that I should get a Captain's Log to go with it). He wasn't too happy when I spotted it in a 2nd hand place just as they brought it in, but I vetoed his opinion. This chair is MINE and perfectly illustrates why I love going hunting for finds in 2nd hand shops.

I now await with trepidation when he'll use his veto right on my opinion of a piece of home decor, but it was worth it.

Want to see the creative spaces of others? Head on over to Kootoyoo's blog for a look!

Tuesday Finds: Rusty Orange

2010-05-11T09:18:00.008+03:00

Spirit Horse Painting by
lancasterart.etsy.com

Rusty Bunny with Bow by
MamiMadeIt.etsy.com

Feather Purse Orange Swoop by
NewDuds.etsy.com

Bloodwood, Maple & Ebony Wood Rings by
bcrdesigns.etsy.com

Flowers Galore

2010-05-09T17:08:00.018+03:00

Spring is slowly making itself known around here and the plants are waking up from their "winter sleep". Some are further along than others and are happily celebrating with pretty flowers. I thought I'd share them, so be warned - there will be lots of photos (and a bunch of garden-type babbling at the end).

The white Easter cactus on the right is a new addition to my flowery herd, one I couldn't resist bringing home with me from the shop. Another two new arrivals are below; yellow and orange flaming Katies (English flower names are awesome).

Some of the oldies have gotten excited too, like this red-flowered Episcia.

Even the aquariums have offered their share of flowers, surprising me with this Anubias shown on the right!

The balcony is pretty bare at the moment, but I have grand plans. Oh yes. Grand plans indeed.

Part of this plan is growing a whole bunch of plants from seeds this year. The lemon basil, coriander, parsley and indian cress are already off to a good start, while others (such as sweet peas and edible peas, marigolds and thyme) are still waiting to show themselves. Exciting times!

The balcony garden isn't totally plantless though. The one thing I really, really want in a garden are roses, so this week I picked up a few miniature Mother's Day roses for myself (sorry mamma! ;) and will see how they do. Hopefully they'll survive winter!

I'll keep one on its own, one is planted in the flower box below with some pansies and lobelias, and the third will go into the big wooden box with the woodbine, ground-ivy and Hosta (which all seem to have made it through winter, yay). Interestingly enough the roses all look different - we'll see if they grow and flower differently too.

Well, that's enough plant talk. There's more than this to my grand balcony schemes, but I'll reveal the rest another time!

Flowery DIY Projects: Necklaces

2010-05-07T13:25:00.009+03:00

Recently I went through a few piles of yarn and found quite a few leftovers from knitting projects. I wanted to make something useful out of these short bits of yarn and the idea of crocheted flowers came to me. I've made them before, but it's been years since the last time. I found it to be quite a fun little diversion from the usual knitting I mostly do these days.

My crocheted flowers are now available from my Etsy shop and I'll be listing more now and then. I made them to be used as buttons, so they're pretty stiff and sturdy. However, I realized there's many other uses for them too and wanted to share. This time I have a few photos of them used as beads and pendants for necklaces.

Have you made something from my flowers and want to show the world? I'd be happy to post a photo on this blog along with your name and a link to your website, shop or blog. Just let me know in the comments or through an Etsy convo!