Amigurumi Obsession by Shannon

Come and Meet Emily, Chloe, Bob & Dani

2014-07-08T17:46:00.001-07:00

Baby Emily Elephant

I am Emily a little elephant who would like to find that perfect person/s to adopt

and give me a new home. I am smart and like to learn new tricks.

Both my trunk and legs can be posed.

I also wouldn't mind traveling with you in your purse or pack.

Chloe the Pink Piggy

Hello there… I am Chloe and I am a very clean and happy piggy.

I would love for the right person/s to adopt and take me home.

Pirate Bear Bob

Aaarrrr mateys….

I’m Bob the Pirate Bear. I’m cute friendly and don’t let it get around,

but I’m pretty loveable too. Bob is looking for a new crew to adopt him.

He is a compact size at only 8 inches high and likes to travel, spend time at the beach,

on the ocean or any large body of water really.

Dani Donkey

This cute little girl is Dani Donkey. She is looking for a loving person/s

to be adopted by . A country girl at heart she is stands a compact 8 inches high

and could fit easily in a quiet corner to watch quietly over your activities

such as reading or crochet. But she is not opposed to tagging along in a purse

or pack to follow you on any adventures you might be going on.

Bernard the Barrister Bunny

2013-09-27T18:43:00.000-07:00

Meet Bernard the Barrister Bunny.

Bernard is one of the best in the high paced world of defense law. His belief that every bunny (dog, cat, giraffe or any animal for that case) deserves the best representation under the law. That is where he comes in.

After studying at some of the finest schools in the world, Bernard finally decided to settle down and hang up his "bowler" hat so to speak in Northern California where he has made himself available to any animal that might be in need of his services.

Visit Bernard on the A.O. Facebook page or on Pinterest.

Mixed-Media Turtle

2013-04-09T14:33:00.000-07:00

Mixed-media Amigurumi Turtle

It seems that turtles are a very popular amigurumi design. I probably get more hits and comments on my turtle design than all others. Then one of the guys I work with, Chris Klawonn, turns these wonderful wooden bowls. I was talking to him one day and "click" I had this wonderful idea. Wouldn't an amigurumi turtle be pretty cool if it had a wooden shell. I had these 2 scrap blocks of oak that I thought would be the perfect size to make a bowl that turned upside down could also make a turtle shell. You could also use it as a place to keep small items. (I keep my headphones for my cell phone it it.) He also thought it was an excellent idea. So off we went. I brought him the wood and Chris got started. Once we knew the outside diameter of the shell I was able to get started on the amigurumi part of the turtle. I crocheted a round base for under the shell then repeating the same number of stitches as the last row of the base I crocheted 3 rows up for the side to hold the shell. To keep the shell from falling off I crocheted one last row with some reducing stitches so that the base would be tight enough to hold the shell (see diagram a.) All of the remaining pieces (head, flippers and tail) are attached to the bottom of the base. Then a trimmed down piece of plastic cross stitch is sewn to the bottom to keep the base flat and ridged.

diagram a.

base (bottom) & attached pieces

top of shell

Awesome Ami-book giveAway

2013-01-19T02:58:00.003-08:00

Google+ A funny thing happened to me on my way to receiving my copy of the awesome amigurumi book Zoomigurumi... my copy got lost in the mail. So you are probably asking yourself now how is that funny??? I'm gonna tell you the whole story (and ask anyone who knows me, I don't tell short stories) so bare with me and you will see.
So sometime later last year (I cannot remember how), I came across this group of 12 designers (see their work here) who were working toward doing what is probably on the "dream" list of all of custom amigurumi designers, publishing a book of their designs. Over on the blog Amigurumipatterns.net the idea behind it was "... fond of crocheting. Looking for patterns on the internet we built a collection of the ones we liked best." ... I thought it would be nice to collect them all in a handy website to share with everyone." Interesting thing was that when I looked at who the group of 12 designers was, I had already flagged the majority of them myself as ones I liked best and wanted to follow. So following the link back I found that for a small donation to help them towards the cost of publication we would be rewarded with a copy of the finished book. I jumped on the opportunity to have something I already knew was going to be great.
Skipping ahead... once the book was published and they were all sent out I waited....
I knew that the book was coming from Europe and since I am all the way out in California, USA (that's on the west coast for any "geographly challenged", I figured it would take a while to arrive. Well after mailbox watching for about 1 month I decided that something had probably happened when it had not arrived yet. So I shot off an email to Joke at Amigurumipatterns.net explaining that I had not received my book and was wondering what she thought. She was very sweet and assured me that it did get shipped and to wait til the end of the week and if it still hadn't arrived she would ship me out another.

Well you might want to note that all this was going on in the Thanksgiving, Christmas holiday season and to anyone who knows anything about mail and shipping about 60% of a years packages are shipped throughout this time period. So it is perfectly natural for something to get "lost in transport". I gave it another week and still no book. (Not too much a problem as I did still have the digital format, and was busy working on holiday projects anyway.) Still I really was looking forward to getting the "printed copy". I contacted Joke again and she sent me out another.
Now I do want to note.... this so far has been totally an issue with the "shippers" and the time of year, not Amigurumipatterns.net, Joke or any of the Zoomigurumi designers.... and is just a part of my story. So please so not think badly of any of them.
So on Christmas eve I arrive home from my "day job" and what so I find has arrived.... "Squeeee...!!!! (insert sound effect here)... Yes, the brown envelope has at last come!!! So I tear it open and Merry Christmas to me... it is just as wonderful and cute as I expected. I send another email to Joke informing her of it's arrival.

End of story.... (mmmm.... don't think so.) FYI, told you I don't do short stories, just novels.

Holidays come, holidays go... just before New Years I come home again to find what do you think, but another familiar looking brown envelope. "Oh boy..." So what do you think??? The severely geographically challenged envelope had finally arrived! Well if I had paid attention to the postage I could have noted that the 1st package (was the original, how to know - electronic postage - much easier with "hundreds" of packages to ship out.) 2nd package (the replacement copy - covered with many hand placed postage stamps.)
So once again I sent an email to Joke telling her about the latest in the adventures of an amigurumi book. I also offered to return to her the additional copy, or I could forward one of the copies to someone here in the U.S. that had purchased the book (which I figured could cut a shipping expense), or I also though do some kind of giveaway (only as long as I had her complete blessing).

So here we are I have an extra copy of this "wonderful" amigurumi book, with some of the cutest designs, by some of the most talented designers out there. And with Joke's blessing "... if you could make someone happy by giving it away, then don't hesitate!" So I am going to give the book away, but I want to make it fun for everyone and get as many people involved as I can. The only rub is that this is "new" territory for me and I am not sure what will get the best response. I mean it would be fine if there were just 3 or 4 people to participate, I will still be giving it as a prize. But wouldn't it be even better to have many more people involved. I am not opposed to shipping it back out of the USA to anyone who will really appreciate it. It really is an awesome book!

So here is what I need... IDEAS!!! Responses, comments below, thoughts, ideas, ideas and more ideas!!! The more the better.

Do you want to do a CAL??? If so what on holiday or season themed, winter, spring or Valentine's Day is coming up??? Pattern themed, picking 1 pattern for everyone and letting people loose with their creativity??? Animal or design themed, do you love bears or monkeys or bunnys??? You tell me what you want to do and we will do it!!! I bet you can come up with many other better and creative ideas.

Starting today Saturday, January 19th (PST) thru next Saturday, January 26 for 1 week I would like to hear your ideas. After which time I will make my decision as to what kind of giveaway I'm going to do.

Thank you, Shannon

A.O. 2012 Year in Review Collage

2013-01-01T20:04:00.002-08:00

Here is a roundup from most of my 2012 A.O. designs

A.O's 2012 Year in Review Collage
(left to right / top to bottom)

* Truffle the Pig - some turtles hunt mushroom, this one hunts chocolate truffles, Valentine's Day
* Bunny, Easter
* Ballerina Bunny, from Easter Bunny pattern
* Easter Eggettes - made all my Easter designs with egg shaped bodies
* April 1st - yes, pigs can fly
* MFA - Rex T-Rex, baby safe My First Ami (amigurumi line made to be baby safe)
* MFA - Dani Donkey, baby safe My First Ami
* Dani Donkey -girl / boy, breast cancer awareness fundraiser & MFA
* Mortimer Hippo, wildlife (continuation from my list of wildlife ami's)
* Polly the Water Polo Pony, my entry for Ravelry's 2012 Olympic Games Challenge
* Harley / Captain Ameri-Ami Pig, super-hero USA pig
* Disney's Mickey Mouse & Tinkerbell, for Dad by request
* Bears, the - siezure, panda, teddy & Pirate Bear Bob, same pattern w/ multiple results
* Cartoon versions of A.O. characters
* Sparkey from Frankenweeny, special request
* Apple Brown Betty Bunny, incomplete design finished with fedora hat
* Minion from Despicible Me, special request
* Simon the Meerkat, next wildlife design
* Mixed Media Turtle, in partnership with Christopher Klawonn (ami base & wooden shell)
* Binkey Saver / Pacifier Clips (not shown)

Sorry it has been a while between posts. The last couple months have been kind of crazy. Hope the end of 2012 finds you all doing well and I look forward to a wonderful 2013. Stay tuned here too because shortly I will be having a CAL contest with a wonderful prize for the winning design. I am still working out the details since it will be my first one. I was thinking about something winter themed. Leave me your comments below if you have any ideas you have or what you would like to do.

Welcome to 2013 and Happy Ami, Shannon

Amigurumi Pacifier Clips (binky savers)

2012-06-16T14:56:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who is getting about ready to have her first baby. I have always been a fan of pacifier clips and usually include one in with whatever gift I am sending to the newborn baby.
     This time it occurred to me that I could crochet cute "binky savers" that are animals. I browsed and was surprised to see that a majority of the pacifier clips out there were strips of ribbon or crochet with clips not the animals I had envisioned. Not that there is anything wrong with them (they are cute with different patterned ribbons and beautifully crocheted strips).
     The final thing that concerned me was finding clips that would work. It would really defeat the purpose if I had to go out and purchase already completed pacifier clips just to get the last part. After a short browsing thru Bing and Google I was able to find what I was looking for. So I ordered a couple "sample" packs to check out their product and colors.
     Now I have 6 different crocheted amigurumi pacifier clips completed and up for sale in my Etsy shop. They are a bunny, an elephant, a giraffe, a panda bear, a piggy and a turtle.
     I plan to make more animals to add to the collection with some for boys, some for girls, but many for both.

No Babysitters Allowed

2012-04-25T11:42:00.002-07:00

     I have 3 nephews and 1 niece. At work I found this cute little book, "No Babysitters Allowed" by Amber Stewart, about a bunny who is a little upset when his parents decide to leave him for the evening to go out. So he has to stay with a babysitter. While I do not have any kids of my own I can see this first experience being an issue for many parents.
     Looking thru the book, I thought what would make the book a little more fun then having a couple stuffed ami's to go along with it. The main character in the book has several toys, two of which are these cute little bunnies.
     I took the book over to their nana and papa's house so there will be a special treat there for them from their proud aunty Shannon every time they go to visit.

The book is "No Babysitters Allowed", by Amber Stewart

Meet the Easter Eggettes

2012-03-22T22:57:00.001-07:00

The Easter Eggettes

Baby Chick Bunny Eggette

This year I am participating again in the Easter CAL sporsored by FreshStitches. Click on the link to learn more. If you do not know a CAL (or Crochet-A-Long) is where a theme is choosen, a couple patterns picked and then all participants get to put their own spin to them.

Baby Bluebird Eggette

I have been creating an extensive family of ami's all with egg shaped bodies. They are the Eggette's.

I loved the idea of taking the one body shape and trying to see how many different designs I could come up with.

Family members so far are Baby Bluebird, Baby Chick with his attempt to become the 2012 Cadbury Bunny, then there are the twin baby bunnies.

Pink Baby Bunny Eggette


Baby Bunny Eggette

The Eggette's love getting together to celebrate the Easter holiday and the beginning of Spring. More and more family members are constantly joining them to get in on the fun.

Best wishes for a "beautiful" Spring and Happy Ami, Shannon

Easter Bunny & Ballerina Bunny

2012-03-07T10:40:00.000-08:00

Easter Bunny

(side view)

Easter is almost here and everyone should have their very own Easter Bunny. This bunny is pretty big standing at about 16" inches high (when using a 7 mm hook). I used buttons on the arms to give him that old doll style feel, but they can be attached just like the legs if someone wanted to.

(back view)

When making the legs I thought that the feet were the perfect shape to be ballerina toe shoes. So using the same pattern you can see how you can get a totally different look using only different colors and a few embellishments. I used ribbon which I just threaded thru the top of the shoes then wrapped and tied at the back.

Ballerina Bunny

To make the different parts of the bunny "pose-able" I have been experimenting with different things to help hold shape. Here I used them in the ears and on the legs of the ballerina. Still working on that and not quite satisfied with the results so that will be a topic for the a future posting.

Ballerina Toe Shoes

      Stacey from Fresh Stitches has gotten me hooked on crocheting in the back loop, so I have been finding that the work I've been doing lately has been about 50/50 back loop & traditional (front & back loop) depending on the look I am trying for. If you notice on the toe shoes, I used the traditional single stitch for the shoes (bright pink) as I wanted a smoother look. Then I switched to the back loop when I got to the actual bunny itself because I wanted more of a texture.

     The only thing not included in the pattern is the skirt which I just made up spontaneously. Really all it is is several rows of single stitch connected together at the back and cinched together at the top to fit the waist.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful 2012 so far... best wishes & happy ami,    Shannon

Meet Stacey from Fresh Stitches

2012-01-27T07:52:00.000-08:00

I am excited to add this "new" and what I hope will be a monthly interview feature to the A.O. blog.

I know we all have seen some of the wonderful work that is being done in amigurumi design. I am interested also in the stories behind the designs and I can bet many of you are too.

For Janurary I want you to meet Stacey Trock from Fresh Stitches. While she does mention one of her "amigurumi-idols" below, I have to admit that Stacey is one of mine. So I am doubly-honored to have her not only agree be interviewed but to be the first interview for A.O..

I can bet that many of you already know about Stacey's wonderfully "koot" work. Not only does she have her absolutely adorable site at Fresh Stitches, but she is also the author of not just 1 but 2 books featuring some of her koot and cuddly designs, "Cuddly Crochet" and "Crocheted Softies". And as you will see below that only scratches the surface of all the things she does.

A.O.: I know I fell into amigurumi design by accident, How or why did you get into Amigurumi/animal design?

S.T.: I started as soon as I finished school: I had no idea what I wanted to do, but I knew that I loved crocheting and really loved stuffed animals… so I put the two together!

A.O.: When did you first get started in Amigurumi/animal design?

S.T.: In the middle of 2008 is when I started my first couple of designs, and I had my website (www.freshstitches.com) up and running by the end of the year.

A.O.: What influences your design style?

S.T.: Cute. I always want my designs to be cute and make you squeal a little when you see them. Cute can come out in lots of different ways… sometimes it means big eyes, but sometimes it means funny little feet or a hilariously large beard.

I’m always looking for cuteness in the world- I get influences from drawings and cartoons, toys and even adorable household products!

A.O.: I really look for inspiration anywhere I can get it. How do you come up with your design ideas?

S.T.: It sounds cliché, but the ideas really do ‘just come to me’. Sometimes, I have a particular goal (for example, I just designed a groundhog for Groundhog Day), but often not. I’ll just suddenly think, ‘hey! Wouldn’t it be cool if I made…’. And then I do it!

A.O.: I've recently gotten into using cotton yarn after primarily using acrylic. What are some your favorite yarns or materials to use?

S.T.: My favorite materials are natural ones. Most of my designs use either 100% wool or 100% cotton. In my opinion, they feel nicer to work with, and they hold up well over time.

I don’t crochet with a yarn that I wouldn’t personally wear. Since I’m making stuffed animals that are often suggled by kids- I want to make sure they’re soft and lovely!

A.O.: I myself only designing and blogging a little over a year now primarily use Twitter, Facebook, the blog and word of mouth to get the word out about A.O.. Where and what are some of the ways you like to promote yourself?

S.T.: I’m really into using social media to reach out to people… I’m on twitter (@freshstitches) and facebook (/freshstitches), and also on Ravlery and Craftsy.

I don’t do much paid advertising… mostly because it can be expensive, and it’s a real art to figure out how to get the best results. I’m slowly learning, but I still mostly stick to the strategy of being an active blogger and social media user.

It takes a long time to build a following, and it’s really easy to look at someone else and say, ‘oh, they have so many more followers than me.’ At first, I felt overwhelmed … but then I realized: (for me at least) developing a customer base is about building relationships with other crocheters- and that takes time!

A.O.: I firmly believe if we didn't like doing this we'd be doing something else so, What is your favorite part of what you do?

S.T.: I totally agree! My favorite part of what I do is… Oh, everything! I love that there are so many facets to my job. I come up with designs (which is very creative), I crochet (which is fun and relaxing) and I also do all of the marketing, website design and business stuff (which totally keeps me on my toes and learning new things!)

It’s true that I could make more money by being a full-time designer for a big company- but that’s not what I want to do. I love being involved in all stages of the process… and that’s what running a small business is about!

I also love that I get to work from home, which allows me to have a flexible schedule and move around/travel with my husband. It’s a lovely life!

A.O.: What is one thing that you don't think people know about you or your work?

S.T.: Ooh… that’s tricky. Most people know that I like to crochet through the back loop. But I don’t think people know that I do it for a reason (maybe they just think I’m a weirdo?). I crochet through the back loop, because attaching pieces is easier and you can get away with using a bigger hook without stuffing showing through.

About me personally- most people don’t know that I have something called ‘Irlen Syndrome’ which, among other things, means that I have an extreme sensitivity to fluorescent lights. I wear tinted lenses to prevent me from getting migraines in conferences and other places with fluorescent lighting… but I think most people think I’m just trying to be uber-trendy!

A.O.: I believe everyone has something they can teach one another. If you had one piece of advise for new designers what would that be?

S.T.: Oh, there’s so much! I have two. First, if you love what you’re doing- keep it up! Success rarely comes overnight, and it takes a while to get to where you want to go. Second, don’t be afraid to say ‘no’. When you’re starting out, you feel like you should take every opportunity that’s offered to you so you can get experience. But, not all opportunities are what is best for you (personally) or your business. So, don’t be afraid to turn things down if you don’t get a good vibe about it!

A.O.: Is there anything new you're working on now or would you like to tell us about anything new you are doing this year?

S.T.: My goal for this year is to just keep up what I’m doing… so I don’t have any crazy plans!

I’m very excited that two video courses that I filmed with Craftsy will be out in early 2012: an intro to amigurumi and a class about how to design amigurumi. I’m so thrilled about the design course- it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time.

Other than the courses, I’ll be crocheting stuffed animals, releasing patterns and also stepping up the information available on my blog. Starting late in 2011, I began writing a ‘tip Tuesday’ post- posting about a crochet tip. My readers have found it really helpful, so I’m looking for ways to add even more info to my blog!

A.O.: Finally I have 2 or 3 people that I've learned so much from both in ami- design and in other areas too such as blogging. Who are some of your favorite influencers? Would you like to give a shout out to them?

S.T.: Oh, you ask such tough questions! I’m absolutely in love with MochiMochiLand- Anna comes up with such creative designs, has lovely photography and great ideas about how to present her pieces. She’s definitely my amigurumi-idol!

On the business front, there’s no one person I follow, but I read lots of information on small businesses, SEO (search engine optimization) and marketing. I’m always learning about how to make my business better- and there’s a whole bunch of folks out there with brilliant ideas!

I would once again like to thank Stacey for taking time to answer some questions and providing all the pictures shown here too. I know all your tips and help with any questions I've had since I started this new ami-journey have been invaluable to me. You've always been generous in taking the time out of what I am sure is a full schedule to reply to whatever questions or requests I've had (no matter how small or strange).

Have a wonderful day to all... and Happy Ami,

Shannon

Truffle the Valentine's Pig

2012-01-11T17:24:00.000-08:00

Some pigs can find mushroom truffles...

... this pig finds "chocolate" truffles.

       Meet Truffle the Valentines Pig. He (or she) has a unique talent. Truffle is the only pig who instead of being able to sniff out mushroom truffles is able to find "chocolate" truffles.
   Truffle has his own basket with 4 (zero calorie) truffles in it. The basket is sized where if you want you could switch out the ami-truffles for 3-4 real chocolate ones to make Truffle a truly unique gift for the one you love.


     The pattern is available from both my etsy and ravelry links (above) and has instructions to make Truffle and all the "optional" accessories such as the bow, hat, basket and truffles.

What is in your crochet tool kit?

2011-11-19T14:46:00.001-08:00

    Since I got back into crocheting "seriously" a little over a year to 2 years ago I have gone thru a series of bags and containers that I store and carry all of my crochet paraphernalia around in. Since I do bring my crochet work with me about everywhere (no telling where you will be able to find a few extra minutes to get projects done) I have gone from carrying a purse and extra bag with yarn, tools and projects in varying degrees of completion to my current travel companion a laptop/messenger bag I got for a steal when we had back-to-school supplies on clearance at my day job. I can put everything in it from my cell phone, tablet, yarn, current projects, notepad, etc. When I go to visit my mother and step-father they always jokingly ask if I am planning on moving in. :-)

       Another of my back-to-school clearance buys was the pencil pouch (above) that when I saw it I knew it would make a perfect place to keep all of my smaller crochet tools in one place. At only $1.00 I knew if that didn't work there would always be some other use for it instead. Up til now I had the hooks and scissors thrown in one of the pockets on whatever bag I was using. The tapestry needles and safety eyes were in one of those little magnetic lipstick cases. Then the yarn and project I was working on would be in another bag.

   So I was looking at the case and remembering the recent series of articles Stacey Trock from FreshStitches did on crochet hooks I got to wondering.... just what tools do other crocheters have in their arsenals and what could they not do without.

The pencil pouch is made of neoprene so I am able to stick the tapestry needles, safety pins and t-pins thru the inner layer. Working (left to right / clockwise) A small tape measure when I have to measure progress. I also have pens to sketch out ideas or write down notes as I design patterns and highlighters to mark changes when editing. There are small, sharp scissors. Next are 2 yarn ball winders for hand-winding center-pull yarn balls which I have discovered do not bounce around when using them. Next are some crochet hooks with bamboo handles (just had to try some different ones after reading Stacey's reviews). Don't quite know how got 2 more pairs of scissors, but I did. "Tip" - the green grips for hooks (the ones you snip the ends off of) are really handy to slip over the tips of your scissors so you don't reach into your bag and stick yourself. In the center are my ergonomic hooks which are my favorite because the tips of my fingers were starting to feel numb and my hands were cramping when I spent too much time hooking (ya, no hooker jokes please). The remaining are my first set of aluminum hooks that sometimes I will use, but have been replaced with the ergonomic ones. Oh and I cannot forget in the back is my favorite tool, my Toshiba Thrive tablet. So much easier to carry around than my laptop and get better viewing online than my smartphone when on the go. Can also store all the .pdf patterns and other files on the removable SD card. I love it!!!

So I want to know "What so you have in your crochet tool kit?" and "What one item can you not do without?" Come on now I want to hear back from you.

Best Wishes to All this Holiday Season... and Happy Ami - Shannon

2011-11-08T09:08:00.000-08:00

Meet Henry Turkey

     Hi there. This is Henry Turkey and he is the newest addition to the A.O. family. His pattern is now available on both my Etsy and Ravelry sites.
   I wasn't initially going to make a turkey. I cannot really tell you why except to say that I had already gotten into working on my Christmas ornament designs and pattern and my brain just hadn't gotten into it. But I was working on them during a break at my "day job" and several of my friends asked when I was going to make a turkey. Since they have all watched my amigurumi obsession grow over the last year+ they are getting used to all the new designs that I've worked on.
   I am just getting used to trying to having my designs and patterns completed and ready in time for a holiday schedule. My brain thinking is still kind of on regular calendar time. I am having to train it to be on an earlier "designer" schedule so people can have the patterns in time to actually make the products for the holiday.
   Henry does have a cousin who should be coming to visit soon. Don't really think he will be available in pattern form though, but is an idea I have to do.

   I think my friends and family are finally getting used to the fact that this ami thing is probably not going away anytime soon. As I figured out a long time ago absolutely none of my friends or family have the same interests I do. So the fact that I still get "whats that?" when I tell someone about my amigurumi designing hobby/obsession is something I am getting used to.

.... Welcome to Hobby Lobby

     I also have to mention that I am just thrilled that we have a new Hobby Lobby that has come to our area. I have been using acrylic yarn for my designs but having tried cotton yarn (that I had to order online) I am wanting to do more with it. While there is 1 local yarn store it is way out of my way and the other crafting stores are stocked with mostly acrylic and wool. While their selection is "slowly" evolving I have found that Hobby Lobby has a very large selection of yarn (including their own "I Love This Cotton Yarn"). So now I do not have to go online for my last minute ideas. When I think it , I like to go get it and get started. So thank you!!! They are expanding a lot right now so if they come to your area I would highly recommend checking them out. I believe in supporting all my favorite craft stores so I also quite frequently go to Beverly's Crafts also. (I nice that they are right next to my work also.) They've always been really good to me too (... and I've been doing their copies at my "day job" for more years than I can mention). Hobby Lobby is family though so I am glad they are here now. Apparently lots of other people are too cause the parking lot is usually always full.

Happy Holidays to all and Merry Ami,      Shannon

Ami-Halloween & Holiday Prep 2011

2011-09-27T00:54:00.000-07:00

Ami-Halloween Trick-or-Treat Bunny???

... is really the Trick-or-Treat Kitten

Ami-Halloween Ghostboy

Ami-Halloween Scarecrow

... the Ami-Halloween Trio.

I have been getting ready for the upcoming 2011 crafting holiday season. This will be my first full season (did minor stuff @ Christmas last year) so getting all the prep-work down is a new thing to me. I am probably going to start the season with some "finished" works for Halloween. I have found 2 planning tools to help teach me what needs to be done for a successful holiday. The first is the "Holiday Marketing Planner" from Handmade Success. For the second I signed up for Etsy's "Holiday Bootcamp" which sends weekly emails with a list of tasks to be completed to get ready for the holidays.

Like many of my fellow crafters out there I do have a regular "day job". so I find the structure of a list of tasks to be completed very helpful. Since this is really my first holiday I am able to learn from those who've done it all before. It is great so I don't feel so alone. Breaking it down into smaller tasks also keeps it from being too overwhelming.

Above are the first of my ami's part of my Ami-Holiday's Halloween collection.I started out with the scarecrow. Since pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns are synonymous with Halloween I gave him a pumpkin head. My favorite part is how the floppy straw hat came out. Next how can Halloween be complete without a ghost. This one is actually a little boy (or girl - could be either) trick-or-treater all dressed up and ready to go out. Finally the trio is rounded up with my kitten who is dressed up as a bunny along with basket and all.

It's getting late and I do have to be at that "day job" tomorrow so I must go for now. I really hope to not have postings so long in between, but I really appreciated all of you who keep coming back to visit and see what is new at A.O. . I have also started to have some sales on my Etsy and Ravely sites where I have my patterns available now. They are also available on the "patterns" page of the blog.

I would like to wish you all the best of holidays and Happy Ami, Shannon

Francisco Frog, Ducky & the USA Bunny

2011-08-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

WIP Wednesday

My current WIP (works in progress) are for the "new" Ami 4ur Pup line I have been designing. On the right is the duckie (no name yet) who is about 6" long and is completed. On the left is Francisco Frog the current project I am working on. One of the guys I work with wanted me to name one of my ami's after him. Since his name is Francisco I had broken down the choices to a fox, falcon or frog. Okay so maybe the frog isn't the "coolest" one of the 3 options, but I do think he is coming out pretty cute. Both designs contain the "squeakers" that make noise when you squeese them. They are also made to be "pup friendly" sizes (i.e. dogs and puppies can get a hold of them with their mouth). Still working with squeaker placement though. You wouldn't think that, that would be all that a big a deal. But if it isn't placed in the right spot it makes squeaking a little more difficult.

USA Bunny

The other project that I just finished was a request from a friend (Emi) for a white bunny. After starting the bunny I decided I would do one wearing a sweater and scarf so using Emi's favorite color red I started with the red & white star fabric I used in the ears. This is the first time I have used fabric. Usually I use felt but wanted to try something a little different this time. Since the bunny is red white & blue and has stars on it I thought that it fit perfectly into a patriotic / USA theme. Emi's dad is in the military too so I thought the patriotic idea appropriate.

Best Wishes to All.... and Happy Ami, Shannon

Pinterest - More Than a Fancy Bulletin Board

2011-08-10T21:21:00.000-07:00

    Recently I have discovered the site Pinterest. For those unfamiliar with what Pinterest is it could be described in it's simplicity as a fancy, electronic bulletin board. But in working to try and find ways to make my blogging and foundling amigurumi designing better I came across this wonderful article on the Handmade Success blog by guest blogger Bettie. In the article "Organize Your Online Content with Pinterest" (click link to read article in it's entirety - recommended) it talks about more of the possible ways the site can be used other than just another online time sucker.
    The thing I initially loved about Pinterest is that it was a great place to visually organize any of the ideas that I would find online. Much better than cutting & pasting to Word as I had been doing. I look to those ideas when I am looking for that spark of inspiration that we creative types sometimes need to get our "juices flowing" when we are getting a new project started. I love that it is quick, easy and I can leave my own notes or comments for when I go back.
    Even better you can follow others boards and repin them to your own. As you repin you will also start to notice that others become interested in the boards you've created and might start to follow you in return.
    So I recommend checking out the article by Bettie and if you can even check out my Pinterest boards if you haven't heard of it before and just want to check it out.

Best wishes to all ... and Happy Ami,            Shannon

Porter Penguin & Ami 4ur Pup

2011-08-08T10:55:00.000-07:00

Porter Penguin

Meet Porter Penguin the newest addition to the A.O. family of designs. The meaning of Porter is door keeper or gatekeeper and I thought he was a little stocky so I thought it would be a fitting name until he reaches his new daddy who can give him the name he wants. Porter stands about 8" high and is a slightly larger version of a penguin named Percy who hangs around with me guarding keys. Hopefully I should have the pattern of him done soon so I can add to my Etsy and Ravelry sites.

Ami 4ur Pup

    Have been thinking about making a line of amigurumi for people and their pups. I must admit that the idea has been brought up to me before but I never really gave it much thought before now. I've been looking for a way to be creative and unique in my designs.
    Recently I gave my friend Wanda a completed set of the turtle/tortoise since she collects turtles. Since she loved them so much she was quite distressed the next time I talked to her when she wanted to tell me what had happened to them. She had put them up on a shelf in a closet until she had decided where she was going to put them out at. One day she noticed that both of her dogs Boo boo and Tyke were paying extra attention to the closet. When investigating what had them so entranced, especially the younger one Tyke she had noticed that he had somehow gotten a hold of them. Taking them away she moved them to the dresser in the bedroom. It was then that Tyke proceeded to go lay on the bed where he could stare at the turtle & tortoise and wine until Wanda finally gave in and let Tyke have them. Tyke is after all one of her babies. I just had to laugh, since I actually thought it was adorable. The thing that has surprised Wanda the most is that Tyke no longer wants to play with his other toys. (She did try to go out and get him something new also, but he was not having it. No way!) He and Boo Boo share all their toys, but Boo Boo is not allowed to play with either the turtle or tortoise. Tyke will growl if Boo Boo tries. He also will not "chew" on them. Instead he likes to lay on them with his front paws. (Go figure!)

    So that got me started again in thinking about the ami line of doggie toys. I really want to know what you all think of the idea. Ya :-) - good idea     (or)     Na :-( - not so good

Have a wonderful day and Happy Ami,           Shannon

Works In Progress Wednesday - H.R. Puff-n-Stuff

2011-07-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

   It's the middle of the week and in the tradition of other amigurumiers (is that a word???, lol) my current Wednesday WIP (work in progress) is for a friend who asked if I could do a H.R. Puff-n-Stuff. She wants to give it to a friend who is a big collector so I have to make sure I get it right.

   Now for anyone who is asking who/what is a H.R. Puff-n-Stuff, well the short answer is that it was a live action childrens show from the 70's. H.R. Puff-n-Stuff was the main character along with (okay this will date me and require some brain cells to wake up), Witchie Pooh, Sigmund the Sea Monster, and a kid whose name I don't recall. Now if I do remember correctly H.R. is supposed to be a dragon. (Any die hard fans out there please forgive me if I am wrong). I cannot honestly say that I watched the show too much. Scooby Doo and the Peanut's specials were more my thing.

   Above center was the best picture I could find for reference so I hope I have done him justice. Not many actual pics of the back of him were available so I had to go off photos of some of the promo products that were produced in promotion of the show (which I have to say weren't all that great and really kind of scary looking in that some don't seem to be close to the original - sorry).

Have a wonderful week... and Happy Ami,        Shannon

Amazon Associates Cancelled California Contracts (updated)

2011-06-29T19:18:00.000-07:00

   UPDATE: 6/29 pm - Gov. Brown signed it, now contracts have been cancelled!!!

This is really gonna suck if it goes thru and will do little if anything to help the failing California economy or to balance it's budget. All it is going to do is take money from the little guy cause for starters as Amazon is not based in California so any sales that the program leads to aren't subject to California sales taxes anyway.
    I cannot say that I have been making lots of money from the program, but really if the state want to get some money to help pay their bills I can make a big suggestion (Legislatures) Cut those "fatcats" paychecks and remove the "perks" they seem to think they are entitled to cause they haven't been able to do their job in what over 10 years getting a budget in on time. Most of us "regular" people get paid on our performance. Why shouldn't they be held to the same standard. Yes, we passed the law that if they don't get the budget in on time they don't get paid (not sure why that took so long to do either). I think it should be added that when they do get paid they only can draw minimum wage too! Let's see how they like living on that.
   I posted a copy of the email from Amazon below in case anyone is interested in reading it. As you can see I am just a bit "fried". I cannot really put any blame on Amazon though. It all goes back to the politicians (bunch of gov't criminals if you ask me)!

EMAIL/LETTER:
Hello,
For well over a decade, the Amazon Associates Program has worked with thousands of California residents. Unfortunately, a potential new law that may be signed by Governor Brown compels us to terminate this program for California-based participants. It specifically imposes the collection of taxes from consumers on sales by online retailers - including but not limited to those referred by California-based marketing affiliates like you - even if those retailers have no physical presence in the state.
We oppose this bill because it is unconstitutional and counterproductive. It is supported by big-box retailers, most of which are based outside California, that seek to harm the affiliate advertising programs of their competitors. Similar legislation in other states has led to job and income losses, and little, if any, new tax revenue. We deeply regret that we must take this action.
As a result, we will terminate contracts with all California residents that are participants in the Amazon Associates Program as of the date (if any) that the California law becomes effective. We will send a follow-up notice to you confirming the termination date if the California law is enacted. In the event that the California law does not become effective before September 30, 2011, we withdraw this notice. As of the termination date, California residents will no longer receive advertising fees for sales referred to Amazon.com , Endless.com , MYHABIT.COM or SmallParts.com . Please be assured that all qualifying advertising fees earned on or before the termination date will be processed and paid in full in accordance with the regular payment schedule.
You are receiving this email because our records indicate that you are a resident of California. If you are not currently a resident of California, or if you are relocating to another state in the near future, you can manage the details of your Associates account here . And if you relocate to another state in the near future please contact us for reinstatement into the Amazon Associates Program.
To avoid confusion, we would like to clarify that this development will only impact our ability to offer the Associates Program to California residents and will not affect their ability to purchase from Amazon.com , Endless.com , MYHABIT.COM or SmallParts.com .

We have enjoyed working with you and other California-based participants in the Amazon Associates Program and, if this situation is rectified, would very much welcome the opportunity to re-open our Associates Program to California residents. We are also working on alternative ways to help California residents monetize their websites and we will be sure to contact you when these become available.

Regards,
The Amazon Associates Team

Meet Emily Elephant

2011-06-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

   Meet Emily Elephant the newest addition to the A.O. family. Emily is here straight from her home on the African Serengeti. She stands a stout 7 1/2" to 8" high (that's inches - American) .

     I loved the idea of doing an elephant with big, floppy ears and decided to go with the 2 yarns (variegated and a solid), but she would be just as cute in a solid color only. I also used the variegated yarn on the top of the head and bottoms of the feet (which can be seen on my etsy site).

   I have slowly but surely started to post patterns as I am getting them completed. I have sites set up on both Etsy and Ravelry, but as still working on getting the pattern postings linked here to my blogsite as there are still many things I am learning about this as I go along.

      Hope you like Emily as much as I enjoyed making her.

Best Wishes to All.... and Happy Ami,        Shannon

Turtle & Tortoise Pattern 1/2 Price

2011-06-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

   For a limited time only my "new" (duo-pattern) Turtle & the Tortoise is available thru my new Etsy site for 1/2 price when you use the coupon code TANDTINTROCOUPONS at checkout.
   Right now it is the only item listed. You can go to AmiObssnbyShannon to get the pattern that can be used to crochet both turtles (have flippers) tortoise (have legs) with minimal adjustments needed. You can even choose to make a shorter (see green turtle) or taller (see brown tortoise) shell.

   This is really my first pattern out there for sale so I would like to hear feedback from all of you as to what you think about it. Please be honest... I can take it.

    Thank you for stopping by... Best Wishes & Happy Ami,
                                                            Shannon

Hello Kitty Has Gone Zebra

2011-06-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

   One of the guys I work with and his wife are expecting a little girl coming up in August. The colors for the baby are zebra stripes and hot pink. When I asked about what they might want he said "Well I was going to ask if you could do something with Hello Kitty and zebra stripes."

   Do they make black, white & pink yarn? Of course. Well then chances are that I can do something with it then.

   No really, I had just finished my turtle/tortoise project and was looking for a new idea for inspiration. So there I had it and here it is for you to see too. She's pink, she's white and now she has stripes... meet zebra striped Hello Kitty.

Best wishes to all... and Happy Ami,    Shannon

National Teddy Bear Day - Meet Techie Teddy

2011-05-21T01:12:00.000-07:00

     Everyone meet the newest addition to the A.O. family. His name is Techie Teddy and I though what better day to introduce him to all than National Teddy Bear Day.
     Techie loves all kinds of technological things. One of his favorite ways to spend time is sitting at the keyboard in front of the computer as you can see above. Some of the sites he likes to spend time on are checking out all the cool, nerdie gadgets at www.thinkgeek.com and www.accessorygeek.com along with learning new computer tips from www.cnet.com (after of course checking out what his fellow ami's are up to at the favorite links on A.O. ).

Techie has also just recently gotten into photography too. After checking out some of the latest tips at Digital Photography School.com or some cool HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography at Stuck in Customs he has been inspired to get out into the world to learn about all that is out there to see.

So... welcome to Techie Teddy on this National Teddy Bear Day. All at A.O. would like to send out...

Best Wishes, Happy Ami...
Techie Teddy, Picasso Bunny & Shannon

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T10:17:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all Moms.

To friends & family moms. To past, present & future moms. Especially to those who while they may not have given birth have stepped up selflessly & willingly to be the mom, whether it be step-, grandmother raising the kids, girlfriend to boyfriends kids, adopted, etc.

May this day be beautiful and may you all be blessed.

Best Wishes.... and Happy-Ami, Shannon

Meet Paddington Bear

2011-05-03T13:30:00.000-07:00

     Well now that he has been delivered to his new family I can post my version of the British Paddington Bear, based on the same line of childrens books. (you can follow the link to learn more about him). He has been completed for some time now, but I didn't want to post him until he arrived at his new home. The problem with me is that when it comes to mailing or shipping "anything" I am infamously late. I'd make tons of money off myself if I came up with a line of "belated" products. The even sadder part is that we actually do "shipping" out of my department at my "other" job. I know bad, bad Shannon. On the plus side though, when it comes to me actually being places I am usually always on time. LOL Go figure, I don't get it either.
     .... but back to Paddington Bear.
     I made Paddington for my friend Kathy's new little boy Bryden. I was looking for something that was different from the popular Pooh Bear and Mickey Mouse themes that many people have for their new babies. I picked Paddington for a number of reasons. 1.) He is based on a line of childrens books that is made for a wide range of ages and his "theme" could hold up for years to come. 2.) I'd swear to my parents if I wasn't certain that I was born here in the US, I'd think I could have been born a brit. (I guess that makes me an Anglophile then doesn't it?) and 3.) ... lets face it he is just so darned cute!!
      Well I do have to admit I put his color scheme together before I did all the research, but I did find out that it should be okay since different versions of the bear have been done in various colors throughout the years. Like most of my projects I used Vanna's Choice yarn for all the crochet work. There is some felt along with buttons in the details. I glued together with Fabric Fusion glue 2 layers of felt for the bottom of his yellow Wellingtons (rain boots). He also has ears under the hat. Some people seem to leave off the hidden details since they would be covered up anyway like with the hat, but I thought what if for some reason the hat becomes removed? Well then he would just look like and egg-headed creature wouldn't he, and well that just wouldn't be good.
       Once again like Hello Kitty, Paddington created spontaneously so there isn't a pattern to go with him.

Best Wishes to All... and Happy Ami,         Shannon