Moved

           Hey guys! I just wanted to let you know that I moved to knittinchicken.tumblr.com, where I shall be posting more awesome creations for you to see, learn, try, etc.! Come visit me! Thanks for reading!

Be brave,
Ari

P.S. Who knows, I may come back here someday...

Summer Strawberry Lemonade

            Happy summer, everyone! Life is great, I have time to do things, and rookie camp for band has started. This time, I'm on the leadership team, so it is a little different and you have to watch everything you do. Summer is in full steam! I mean that quite literally, because it is hooot, and sooo easy to get dehydrated. Stay hydrated, y'all! Here is a recipe from recipe.com, a wonderful site with almost every food recipe you could think of.

Strawberry Lemonade (from Recipe.com)

1-1/2 cups sugar

4 cups water

2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled

1 tbsp. finely shredded lemon peel

1 cup lemon juice (4-5 lemons)

1. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of the sugar and 1 cup of the water; cook and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.
2. In a blender, combine remaining 3 cups of water, 1/2 cup of sugar, and the strawberries; process until smooth. Transfer to a 2-quart pitcher; add cooled syrup, lemon peel, and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Fill pitcher with crushed ice. Makes 8, 8-oz. servings.

Make ahead tip: Prepare lemonade but do not add ice. Cover and chill up to 8 hours. Add ice and serve.

Knit Pants

            Hola! I would like to mention that I knit a pair of pants. They were quite excellent. Unfortunately, I did not have time to take pictures of them, so I cannot show them to you. My friend Jessica very much enjoyed her birthday gift. :)

Be brave!
       Ari

P.S. Schoooool is ooooout! Whoo, summer!

Re-Epiphany

            Today, I will not talk about anything I made, am going to make, or want you to make. Instead, I have something very important to get off my chest.
            The senior class of 2013 has a lot of special, amazing people that, in a way, saved me. When I came to join high school, I was a sorry piece of insecure meat chewed and spit out by Junior High. I'm sure many of you know the feeling. This group of people, rather than teasing us (my class) for being newbies, welcomed us with open, loving arms. Freshman year was an incredibly happy year for me. I was a changed person: confident, always smiling, happy, kind, you name it. Not that I wasn't already, it's just that I felt it more, like it was flowing inside of me. They taught me that sometimes, a person can look arrogant, but when you get to know them, it's not that but confidence, hard-work, and spirit.
            Well, they're graduating now, and I've been quite emotional lately. Close to tears about the smallest of things, and full-blown sobs over slightly bigger things (that were still pretty small). I've been stressed outta my gourd (weird saying I got from my dad), and worried I won't get to tell them everything that needs to be told, and making sure I can still keep in contact so I don't lose them. When I cry for silly reasons, I feel guilty and foolish, and I hate that feeling, so I cry harder, and the more often I cry, the more often I feel like rabbit droppings all the time.
            So when I realized that I wasn't going to make curfew tonight during Maypole, I texted and called both my dad and my step-mom about it. They weren't happy. Perhaps I did the wrong thing, but at least that's what I thought was the right thing to do at the time. So I came home, and they gave me "the benefit of the doubt" after quite a bit of added suspense, stress, and drama (which was a bit exaggerated as it was perceived through my overly-emotional state). That extra suspense broke me.
            I know this is totally ridiculous and unrelated, but it made me feel like garbage. I was thinking, "I've got straight As, honors classes, I'm on leadership team, second chair, blah blah blah.... and somehow I will never be good enough!" As I said, preposterous! What does that have to do with curfew? Who knows. Fact is, I broke it, and that's that. Well, they heard me ranting to outer space, so they came out mad and told me what garbage I was babbling. Thankfully, they still let it slide, but were even more peeved at me. Then I felt bashful, foolish, and stupid, and I just couldn't take it. I cried under a pile of blankets thinking, "I am so sick of feeling like rabbit droppings!" (because, as you know, I'd been crying a lot lately)
            So then I took a look back at the last few hours. I just watched some of the people I admire most take a big step in their lives, had fun, talked to people I loved, finished school for the year, then went home and sobbed because I was late and my parents were peeved. Pathetic, that last part was (yay, Yoda!). I realized that I have the power to change the fact that I feel like cow pie. I know I am not one. Yes, sometimes people will be mad at you, and of course, we all screw up, but that doesn't define us. You can mourn over what little there is left of that water in the glass, or you can celebrate the water still left. You can reminisce when you mess something up, or you can acknowledge your fail, learn from it, and keep building. Everything in life is either a blessing, or a lesson. Take advantage and learn, and never let your spirit waver. Don't do what I did and beat yourself up about it. Embrace the you, because you are awesome!
            That is the attitude the 2013 graduated taught me. For a moment, I had forgotten it. However, I simply cannot throw away one of the most important lessons in growing up for any reason. Thank you, 2013 grads, and thank you for letting me share my re-epiphany with you.

Be brave (and confident)!
       Ari

BMO Messenger Bag (End Result)

            Hello, friends! Do you remember when I posted that pattern for a Beemo (from the cartoon Adventure Time) Messenger Bag? I had promised you a picture of the finished result when I was done making it. Well, I finally found time to work on it today after two band contests, loads of school work, dance classes, sock-making for a birthday gift, and eating cake and attempting to talk on helium whilst delivering those socks (needless to say, I've had a busy five days). Here is the end result:

             Is that what you expected? I hope so. I like to surpass expectations. :) Thanks for reading!

Be brave,

       Ari

Striped Sock Intervention

            I will take this brief opportunity before I post the finished project from last post to show you this lovely pair of warm, woolly socks I knit.

            They are quite fuzzy and took three days to make. That is all.

Be brave,

       Ari

BMO Messenger Bag Pattern

            In an earlier post, I mentioned that I might, at some point, post one of my patterns. So, freshly written out of my Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends-themed pattern-writing notebook (whew, that's a mouthful), here I have one. FYI: It's not for knitting. I don't use/write patterns for knitting (though someday I may write one). This is for sewing.

 Beemo Messenger Bag

1. Cut one rectangle out about the size a Pearson Chemistry textbook (CB) using Blue 1. Cut another that is one and almost a half CBs. Then cut two strips whose length equals the width of a CB and width equals the width of a spine of a CB times 2. The cut one strip whose lenght equals the width of a spine of a CB times 2 and width equals the length of a CB. See Fig. 2 (not to scale)

2. Proceed to sew all cut pieces together like a topless cube as shown in Figure 3. Hem in places if neccessary.

3. Cut a rectangle out proportionate to that of the face in Fig. 1 using Blue 2. Cut out black eyes.

4. Sew on eyes and embroider mouth onto the rectangle.

5. Sew face (the rectangle from #3-4) to correct area shown in Figure 1. Make sure the bag is outside-out and sew the face on the outside. Leave top open to make it into a pocket. Hem if necessary.

6. Cut yellow plus, grey ovals and strip, Blue 3 circle, pink circle, green circle, and Blue 2 triangle. Try to use felt for fabric for these. If not, hem (if neccessary). Sew to proper places as shown in Fig. 1.

7. Cut a strip for the handle (preferably out of Blue 1) and sew. Hem is necessary.

OPTIONAL STEP

1. When cutting out the one strip used as a base, also cut a twin out of a thick material. Sew on the inside for stealth with the base strip. This makes for a firmer, sturdier bottom.

            I will post the finished result when I'm finished making it. Hope you liked! :)

Be brave!

       Ari

Headband

            Good evening, or rather, night! I have just now finished a lovely, simple headband intended for a girl in my math class who requested one. As I said, it is quite simple, but it came out rather exceptional.

            Here is the top view of my creation. I think I like the flower addition, myself.

            Here is another angle... It is a full circle, sewn together at the end. It is slipped over the head rather than buttoned like other headbands.

             And here is my model for this lovely piece of attire:

I love my lion.

            Here are a few pointers....

• I used size 15 knitting needles
• I used a thick black yarn for the main part, normal red yarn for the petals, and normal black yarn for the flower center and sewing.
• I used a different type of stitching that I don't know the name of. When knitting a row, go for the second to the top loop instead of the top loop. Then after that go for the top loop. Repeat the process for the whole row. I hope that's explanatory enough...
• For the flower, I used a cute little loom my most favorite secret seniors (a lovely band tradition that I won't explain now) gave me my freshman year of high school that is still useful today.
• All sewing was done with a tapestry needle, as you may have guessed. Incredibly useful if you don't have one. I definitely recommend one.

Be brave!

      Ari

Cow Mittens

            Happy Easter everyone! I hope you've been having a lovely day... Today I have finished making a pair of cow mittens. Rather suiting, I think, being Easter. Cow are kinda springy, Eastery animals, right?

...anyways...

            Take a look-

             I made these in sections (or pieces) and sewed them together, quite the same as the St. Patty's gloves I posted on St. Patrick's Day. I used...

• size 10 1/2 needles
• three colors of standard yarn (nothing special): pink, white, and black

             The pieces I made:

• eight same-sized black circles for the eye pupils and nostrils
• four same-sized white circles for the eye whites
• one, white, one black, and four pink ear shapes.... As you can see, one of the ears on each mitten is the thumb part. A pink ear shape is sewn on the bottom. The black ear shape and white one also have pink on their undersides. They were just sewn together, then sewn onto the mitt.
• six different black spots... Three go on each mitten. I just made random shapes for these, even more unorganized and left to my whims than my "pattern making"... Just knit and add/remove loops whenever, keeping them at a reasonable size.
• two white thumb pieces, which are just rectangles the length of a thumb and folded diagonally. One of these days I will show you how to do these things step-by-step with pictures, but not today as I'm dedicated to showing you my mittens.
• four pink rectangles for the nose
• four sloping rectangle things for the wrist part... basically look at your hand from the middle of your palm to past your wrist... this is the shape I'm talking about.

            I'll now leave you to your imagination  as to how to put that together... Someday, I shall also post real patterns I make for you to follow, as these are just kind of "run-throughs" of things I've made. Making a pattern should be fun!! :) Hope you have a good Easter!

Be brave!

       Ari

Wind and Dust

            Hello! So the weather here in Where I Live, New Mexico has been incredible.That doesn't mean it's good. It's windy. This isn't your average wind, either. It looks like the Dust Bowl.

            That's the view from my window. Obviously, you can only see my car, and the measly outlines of the house across from us and our tree. That giant dust cloud? That's the street that normally stretches on out of sight. Today, it's just out of sight...

            That is our front porch, or part of it. I sweeped it yesterday afternoon. :( More sweeping...

            This may not look too bad to some of you, but it was worse about three hours ago. Earlier today, I had decided to do some errands on foot. It was not my smartest move, as after about thirty minutes I looked like I had gotten an amazing tan, and my face looked like it had very poorly done stage makeup intended to imitate elderly age. I could not see more than ten feet in front of my face. I hope this clears up to my favorite sweltering heat. Well, bye for now!

Be brave!

      Ari

St. Patty's Gloves

            Top o' the marnin' teh yeh! Happy St. Patrick's Day! Now I have a wonderful green knitted creation to share with you today: A pair of pure green, bamboo-spun yarn gloves!

            It didn't take too long to make these. I really almost never use knitting patterns, so I made these off the top of my head. If you'd like to be guided in the right direction to make something like this, here are a few pointers...

• I used green bamboo spun yarn. It is, in fact, the very same yarn that I used to make the tassels in last post's scarf.
• I used size 10 1/2 needles
• Rather than using some crazy pattern, I knit eight different size rectangles and used a tapestry needle to sew each piece in the correct area. I'd have a set number of loops for each finger or hand piece, and I'd just knit until the length of it matched the length of the actual person's hand. Here's a diagram:

Thank you Grandloving.com for hand outline

• Please keep in mind that these particular numbers are for a full-grown man's hand. I also had to add on to the end, as the wrist part came out a little bit short, so I knit a short bit with 32 loops and sewed it onto the end. :)

Be brave!

     Ari

Chinchilla Scarf

            Hello readers! Well, today I actually have something I've just knitted for my father for his birthday (which is actually in October). Unfortunately, it's not of much use now that summer is starting to role in (where I live, spring only lasts about three days). It is very thick and warm, though, so it will be good for next winter.

            Nice, if I may say so myself? :) If you want to make one similar to it, I used:

• three types of yarn: the tassels are bamboo spun yarn, and the main body is striped with two different colors of the same material, which is the thick "chinchilla" yarn.
• size 15 needles. I must tell you that knitting with this combination of needles and yarn is a bit rough on your fingers, so be gentle.
• eight "loops" (I don't know what you call the little loops on your needles when you knit, but from now on, that's what I'm referring to when I say "loops"). Again, thick yarn!!

            I actually used all of two balls of yarn for the main body alone, and just a little for the tassels. Oh yeah, and I used no fancy stitching, just standard knit one, knit one, knit one..... Well, hope you enjoy!

Be brave!

      Ari

Hair Care

            Hey, readers or people just passing through random parts of the internet! :) It's late, and although it's Spring Break for me, I've been quite busy, so I'll keep this quick. I wanted to talk about hair care.
            My hair has sort of been on my mind as of late. The way it feels, the fluff of it, how easily it breaks when wet, the way light hits it and it goes into a million flecks of orange and gold even though I am and have almost always been brown-haired. I don't even know if that's healthy, and I admit I've been fascinated. Here are some care tips I've gathered through the years that I simply must get in the practice of:

• Washing it everyday is apparently bad. That makes it dried out and brittle (or so I've heard). Hair needs it's natural moisturizers, and when you are always washing them out, it never has time to do it's stuff.
• Conditioner!! This also helps with the said above problems. According to some sources, you must never go without conditioner.
• Brushing when it's wet is bad. We've almost all heard that awful riiip sound when we brush out hair when its wet, knowing about fifty hairs are now without their ends. Well, as you might have guessed, that's bad.
• Ironing is also bad and blow drying!! I never iron my hair. If I want to curl or crimp it, I take a shower the night before and wear curlers (for curling) or lots of braids (for crimping). I don't know what to do for straightening, as I've never had that problem (my hair's naturally straight)... But this way I've mentioned is much better for hair, and it looks more natural!
• Eat healthy. I know this comes up in everything, but it's true.I cannot express enough how much eating affects everything. Fresh fruits, veggies, lots of water, and un-greasy, healthy foods are the way to go. Seriously, they even have influence on the overall moods you're in. I heard once that when you eat a lot of junk food, you tend to be more cranky.

            Well, that's all for now. I told you it'd be brief, and I'm pretty tired. :) Hope you liked it!

Be brave!

      Ari

Book Binge

             Hello lovely readers! Life has been extremely busy this week, it's amazing how everything is so fast paced! The play is over, I am thankful to say. It was fun but very time consuming. Unfortunately, I did not have time to exhale as this term is wrapping up, tests and all work is due tomorrow, I have state tests that greatly affect graduation in a few weeks, and a very inconveniently placed Spring Break is planted in the middle of it all. Wow, did I really just complain about Spring Break? How foolish! It will be nice to have all this pressure lifted for a mo'.
            My brain also decided to have a huge reading binge. I tend to have odd reading habits. It so goes that I will hardly touch a book in months, then all of a sudden I just can't get enough and I'm devouring a novel a day. You can see, as how I'm very busy, I do not have time to sit around reading books all day, but my book-binges still make themselves most prominent. My last binge lasted from early spring to late summer,  and a lot of those books were really good. Many of them are now having sequels or sequels to sequels coming out now or very soon, and so they have resurfaced to my mind.
            Here are some books I've recently read/read last summer:

• Delarium and Pandemonium, Pandemonium being the sequel. About a society where love is considered to be disease.
• Divergent and Insurgent, Insurgent being the sequel. About a city where people are separated into factions based on personality stereotypes and how that is problematic.
• The Hunger Games and its correponding books. Very popular, and not unworthy of it, either. About children killing each other due to unfair government.
• Matched and Crossed, Crossed being the sequel. About a girl who lives in a city where significant others are chosen for you by the government.
• Maximum Ride series, which is about a band of genetically mutated and abused children on the run from just about everyone and try to save the world.
• Of Poisedon was about a girl who gets mixed up with a fish guy and she finds something fishy about herself, too.
• A lot of books by Robin McKinley
• The Girl of Fire and Thorns was about a girl with gem stuck in her belly button.
• The Selection was about a girl who was "honored" by being chosen to be one of the prince's suitor, but as she harbored a secret relationship with someone else, found a few problems. I rather favored this one.
• Entwined by Heather Dixon. I adored this book. About twelve sisters who secretly dance in a magical room they found with a handsome man. But is this man all he seems?
• Harry Potter. I am currently rereading this series. It's too good to just read once!
• Wake by Amanda Hocking. About a girl who's life is turned upside down by three sirens (the Greek myths)

            There were of course more, like Animal Farm, The Outsiders, and such, but those are classics, and the ones listed above are fairly new and/or have sequels coming out, which leads to my next list.

            Here are some books I have waiting in line to be read:

• Requiem, the final book of the Delarium trilogy I mentioned above.
• Convergent, or so I've heard because the title isn't solidified yet, is the the final book the the Divergent trilogy mentioned above. Hasn't come out yet, though.
• Reached, the conclusion to the Matched trilogy mentioned above.
• Nevermore, the final book of the very long Maximun Ride series
• Of Triton, the next book in the Of Poisedon series which is fairly new and rumored to have five books.
• The Elite, the sequel to The Selection, and is not out yet. :( I am particularly excited for this one.
• Lullaby, the sequel to Wake, and isn't out yet.
• the rest of Harry Potter that I haven't finished (Half Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows)
• Mary Queen of France, a novel that looks interesting that my uncle sent. Apparently she was my great great great great great great great great great great great great great great grandmother or something.
• Beautiful Creatures, which I saw the movie for. It was about a young witch who is worried about a curse that will turn her bad.
• Heaven is for Real, about a young boy who has a near-death experience while in surgery and visits Heaven. Based on a true story.
• The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Enough said.

            If my binge isn't over by the time I finish these in about two weeks, perhaps I shall tackle something more classic and literary, like To Kill A Mockingbird or Great Expectations, the book my father tried to read to me when I was little but I kept crying because I felt he was Joe.

Be brave!

      Ari

"Music Man" Opening Night

            Hello readers! Today is the opening night of "The Music Man" musical at PHS. I am playing my flute in the pit. It's not all singing and dancing, now is it? Where would we be without the background music? I love dancing though. Hopefully next year I will be in that part of the production. Most of my friends are in this one, and for some of them, it is their last before graduation. Wish them (and me) to break a leg! :)
            "The Music Man" is quite a funny musical.

Be brave!
       Ari

Remedies for Ridiculousness

            There are some days where almost everything goes wrong, you're in a bad mood, and everyone, I mean EVERYONE is getting so very much on your nerves. Including that kid across the room who is continuously banging a spoon against a coin like he thinks he's some talented musician. These days are mostly inevitable for everyone. I personally had one just yesterday.
            When I get annoyed and everything's just going awry, I get kind of... a hot, sticky, grainy, bad tasting feeling like the clothes I'm wearing are really thick and I'm breathing not air, but sand. Oh, and my head hurts from the stress.
            If you're like me, and you know what I'm talking about, here are a few tips to make you feel better and pipe the heck down:
1.) Make sure to breathe. Even if it feels like you're breathing in sand and flat soda, getting oxygen to your brain will help you think clearer and possibly help your headache. Listening to music will help you calm.
2.) Put your hair in a tight bun. For those of you who can do this, this is one of my absolute favorites. Most of my headaches are from stress. In stress headaches, all of the muscles in your head will clamp down on your brain. The intenseness of the tight bun will help relieve the pressure. Also, in my experience, the higher the bun, the better. This is not scientifically proven, but when it's higher, the hair follicles aren't used to being turned the other way, and it results in kind of a massage. Plus you have some comic relief due to having a bun almost on your forehead. :)
3.) Stretch. Ahh, stretching.... This is my solution to almost everything. Even when I'm sick it makes me feel better. You can stretch anything from your legs, practicing your split, your back, sides, even your fingers. It makes me feel much more relaxed. Try listening to happy calming music at the same time.
4.) Brush your teeth. This almost always helps me, though I know a few people that it doesn't so it's just up to you. It leaves me feeling fresh, clean, minty, and on top of the world. I know it's weird, but for some reason, it helps. It's also a good remedy for headaches.
5.) Dress well. Well, this has more to do with confidence. When you dress all bleh and you're not rocking your style, sometimes it makes you kinda want to scrunch yourself out of view. When you dress in an outfit you really like and/or is nice or pretty, though, you'll find you hold yourself with more confidence. It sounds shallow, but it's not based on how others view you, just on the way you feel they view you.
6.) Do something out of the blue that's exciting. A lot of the time when I feel gross and horrible, it's because my life has been lately not particularly special, productive, and it's become routine. When you mix it it up a little, life is a lot more satisfying and exciting. Go to lunch with friends you haven't talked to in a while, or go swimming at that nice place across town instead of running your usual route!
7.) Sleep. When you've tried everything and it just seems luck has a vendetta against you today, just go to sleep. Don't give anything a chance to mess up. What could go wrong when you're recharging?
             I hope you feel better. :)

Be brave!
     Ari

Pomegranate ♥

            My birdie, Pomegranate, died on February 27, 2013. May he be happy in birdie heaven with lots of millet spray and friends to socialize with. ♥

Be brave
      Ari

Cord Box

               Hello lovely readers! I thought this was a nifty idea. If you've ever struggled with having a box or a pile of tacky looking cords that always get tangled and make that corner of your dwelling 10% more awful looking, this may help.

            What you do is pretty obvious. Gather paper towel and/or toilet paper rolls, stick your problematic cords in them, stack them neatly in a box, and wha-laa! The bigger ones that don't fit in a paper towel tube can go in the spaces not filled up by the tubes.

            As you can see, I used a gift bag instead. It's much more aesthetically pleasing, and I also didn't have a box handy. :) You could also decorate your box if it's looks you're worried about. Just a cool idea. :)

Be brave!

     Ari

I'm Back!

           Hello all who are reading! :) I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while. As the time of this post states, summer came and went, and I thankfully had no time to be spending on a computer thinking of posts and witty things to say on my blog. It's not that I don't thoroughly enjoy writing for all who will read my minuscule blog, because I really do. Long story short, in the rush of everything that has gone on (which I will briefly fill you in on below), I kind of forgot I had a blog.

           I actually kind of just now remembered I had one. You see, as I may or may not have told you in previous posts, I am an avid knitter/sewer/person who creates things. As my projects have been increasingly getting better, I have been trying to think of a way to share them with the world. It wasn't until I was sitting and working on a pair of cow mittens a few minutes ago that my blog crossed my mind for the first time in months. So as well as resuming my silly little posts about everyday life, I hope you will all appreciate and accept my posting some of my best and cutest creations, as well as some other nifty things and ideas for around the house and stuff. :)

           As I promised above, I shall brief you on the delights of the past nine (ish) months!

           Band went beautifully. We did a marching show of Circus Solei (forgive me if I misspelled), and it was brilliant. Football season ended about early November. We got some really good scores for marching competitions. I also participated in the Solo and Ensemble program in which I did a flute duet with my friend who just recently had a birthday. We got a one (the best score for music to all of you who don't know)!

           Ballet was incredible, too. I got to be in a classical ballet last semester! It was called Giselle, and it is such a phenomenal ballet! You simply must see it, look it up on Youtube. It's about an engaged prince Albrecht who decides to have a secret fling disguised as a peasant with a village girl named Giselle. They get caught by his fiance (yikes!). Giselle finds out he's an engaged prince, and dies from a heart attack. Then in the ghost life.... Well, no spoilers, go see for yourself! :) I was the prince's brainy, wise squire. I am now learning to dance en pointe, which is totally exciting!

            I also must urge you to look up Haley Madden (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU3vuf7yltcRcjusBl3sz9g?feature=watch) on Youtube. She's got a few cute little videos, including how to make pizza (I had some, it was delish)!

Be brave!

     Ari (aka Leo)