8/26/2006

My Art...


I've been wanting to post pics of my collages for a while, and I just couldn't wait till I got a good digital camera (which will probably be for my b-day on monday) to post this one. Made it in my painting class. It's about 10 sumi-ink drawings of mine cut up and reassembled on a 30x36 inch flat canvas. It has a lot of 3D elements that I tried to show in the pictures. Hope you like it. (And I promise I'll redo all my pics as soon as I get a better camera.)

8/24/2006

Finally...


  1. Man, I've been working on this amineko for an eternity. He's been sitting on the coffee table with no legs or tail for god knows how long. but I saw that there was an amineko-along on craftster, so I thought I'd finish him up and put him on here so I could link it. He's sooo cute! And he's easily poseable for cute pictures. As soon as I get a better digital camera I'm going to redo my pictures on here and then take him outside and do some cute stuff. The pattern posted here is the one off of the craftster forum that was translated from the origional japanese one. I didn't change a single thing and I think it turned out really well:








US Hook size G, one skein of worsted weight yarn and small amount of contrasting yarn, cotton batting, weights (pebbles, marbles, polly pellets, etc.), embroidery thread.
Rnd (Rnds) = Round, SC = single crochet, SLST = slip stitch, INC = increase (+1 sc), DEC = decrease(-1 sc).
Head (make 1):
Rnd 1 : make 6 sc into a ring, join w/ a slst to first sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2 : sc inc each st. (12 sts)
Rnd 3 : sc inc in every 2nd st. (18 sts)
Rnd 4 : sc inc in every 3rd st. (24 sts)
Rnd 5 : sc inc in every 4th st. (30 sts)
Rnd 6 : sc inc in every 5th st. (36 sts)
Rnd 7 : sc inc in every 6th st. (42 sts)
Rnd 8: sc inc in every 7th st. (48 sts)
Rnds 9 - 15: work even. (48 sts)
Rnd 16: dec in every 7th st. (42 sts)
Rnd 17: dec in every 6th st. (36 sts)
Rnd 18 : dec in every 5th st. (30 sts)
Rnd 19: dec in every 4th st. (24 sts)
Rnd 20: dec in every 3rd st. (18 sts)

Body (make 1):
Rnd 1 : make 6 sc into a ring, join w/ a slst to first sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2 : sc inc each st. (12 sts)
Rnd 3 : sc inc in every 2nd st. (18 sts)
Rnd 4 : sc inc in every 3rd st. (24 sts)
Rnd 5 : sc inc in every 4th st. (30 sts)
Rnd 6 : sc inc in every 5th st. (36 sts)
Rnds 7 - 23: work even. (36 sts)
Rnd 24: dec in every 5th st. (30 sts)
Rnds 25 - 26: work even. (30 sts)
Rnd 27: dec in every 4th st. (24 sts)
Rnd 28 -29: work even. (24 sts)
Rnd 30: dec in every 3rd st. (18 sts)
Rnds 31 -32: work even. (18 sts)

Arms (make 2):
Rnd 1 : make 6 sc into a ring, join w/ a slst to first sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2 : sc inc each st. (12 sts)
Rnds 3 - 6 : work even. (12 sts)
Rnd 7: dec in every 3rd st. (9 sts)
Note: pattern says 8 sts left, I get 9.
Rnds 8 - 28: work even. (9 sts)

Legs (make 2):
Rnd 1 : make 6 sc into a ring, join w/ a slst to first sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2 : sc inc each st. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: sc inc every 4th sts. (15 sts)
Rnds 4 - 7: work even. (15 sts)
Rnd 8: dec every 3rd st. (11 sts)
Note: pattern says 10 sts left, I get 11.
Rnds 9 - 24: work even. (11 sts)

Tail (make 1):
Rnd 1 : make 6 sc into a ring, join w/ a slst to first sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2 : sc inc every 3rd st. (8 sts)
Rnds 3 - 22: work even. (8 sts)

Ears (make 2):
Rnd 1: make 4 sc into a ring, join w/ a slst to first sc. (4 sts)
Rnd 2 : sc inc each st. (8 sts)
Rnd 3: sc inc every 4th st. (10 sts)
Rnd 4: sc inc every 5th st. (12 sts)
Rnd 5: sc inc every 6th st. (14 sts)

Muzzle (make 1) : Note: it seems long, but it gets attached sideways to the face.
Rnd 1 : make 7 sc into a ring, join w/ a sl st to first sc. (7 sts)
Rnd 2 : sc inc each st. (14 sts)
Rnds 3 - 10: work even. (14 sts)
Rnd 11: sc dec next 3 sts, sc dec next 4 sts, sc dec next 3 sts, sc dec next 4 sts. (4 sts)
And you can get assembly instructions for putting him together here at the origional japanese site.

8/21/2006

Donburi for All!

I've bee toying around with Asian cuisine lately and I thought I'd post my recipe for Teriyaki Chicken Donburi. Donburi is a Japanese dish that's basically some kind of protein (fish, eggs, poultry, meat) over a big bowl of sushi rice. And while I'd love to have a bowl of Tekkadon (raw tuna sashimi over rice) I can't afford to go out and buy expensive fresh fish all the time. But this recipe turned out so yummy and it's so simple. Makes enough to serve 4.
Teriyaki Chicken Donburi

For Rice:
2 cups short grain rice (I use calrose)
3 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp sugar
2 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
For Teriyaki Marinade:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
Other Ingredients:
1 package thin sliced chicken breasts
2 scallions (green onions), sliced thin
2 carrot, sliced thin on the diagonal
1 cup bean sprouts
12 dried shitake mushrooms (reconstituted and drained)
Vegetable oil (can also use stock for a healthier alternative)
Pickled ginger (the salty bright pink stick kind)
Toasted sesame seeds (toast in a pan over med. heat)

1. Rinse rice in a fine mesh collander until water runs clear, and if possible, soak overnight in water.
2. Make rice according to package directions or in a rice maker.
3. Prepare Marinade by combining all ingredients together with a wisk. Set aside a tablespoon or twoPour over chicken and make sure every piece is well coated. Cover and refridgerate for at least 30 minutes.
4. When rice is done, place in a large bowl and add seasonings, mixing into the rice using a wooden spoon and a slicing motion, being careful not to compact or crush the rice. When mixed, let cool for a little while and then spoon into individual serving bowls. (The bowls should be 3/4 full of rice.)
5. Next, stir fry the vegetables. The key to a good stir fry is to get the oil very hot over medium high heat. Hot oil will shimmer and almost smoke. Add carrot slices to about 2 tbsp of hot oil first, and cook until barely tender. Then add the reserved marinade, mushrooms, and bean sprouts since they cook faster. Don't overcook the veggies, they should have a little crispness left in them and only take aobut 10 minutes.
6. In the same pan, add a little oil if needed and cook the chicken pieces two at a time. I don't remember how long I cooked them, but they will be nice and crispy on the outside when done.
7. Now for the fun part: making the bowls pretty. Place 3 mushrooms in each bowl, then spoon the carrot/sprout mixture onto the center. Slice the chicken and place 1 piece on top of each bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions, and place a little pile of ginger on top. Beautiful and delicious, and travels well in a tupperware!

The Style du Jours.

Warning: Sissy, don't read this unless you want to ruin your birthday suprise!

So I know people usually do a scarf for their first crochet project, but it seems I worked backwards and decided to start out making complicated stuffed animals for my first projects, and they turned out fine. I've started scarves before but always ended up unraveling them and turning the yarn into something else before they were done. I guess the monotiny of making row after row of identical stitches got the best of me and I got bored. But I recently picked up the Stitch n' Bitch crochet book, The Happy Hooker. And lo and behold, there was contained in that book a pattern for a scarf in there that went so quickly and easily and had so much flair to it that I
actually finished it!



It's just a chain of 203 and then 4 rows of double crochet with shells around the edges. I worked it in a nice fluffy, almost chunky, yarn that feels just like suede so it's super soft. Think stuffed animal in scarf form. I made this one for my sister and now I really want to make myself one, probably in the same color. If you'd like the pattern drop me a line, or pick up the book. There are so many cute and easy patterns in it, one of which I'm sure will be my first sweater. Adios!