Treat Yo Self 2012!

Guess what I got for my birthday?

A "Treat Yo Self" mug!

You can get one of your own from PeachyApricot on Etsy.

Also, my talented husband made me a Harry Potter tatebanko!

It's hard to appreciate its awesomeness in this picture; 

the glass reflects when I try to take a photo.

But it's super-cool:  it's 3-D and has all the major Harry Potter characters.

If you look at his shop, you can see other tatebankos he's done.

I really like the photobomb one he did of the moon landing:

Wouldn't that be a nifty gift for a kid?

Or a proud member of the Tribe of Nerd?

Or anyone, really?

Also, Minnie's brother, Jackie, wants to know why this blog isn't called

"Dang It, Jack!"

Sorry, Jackie.  You're a super-cool kitty,

but you're not the determined photobomber that Minnie is.

Celebrating The Moon, April Ludgate-Style

Last night was a SuperMoon!

(Photo courtesy of my sweet husband.)

I decided to honor the Ruler of the Moon, April Ludgate.

This is from my favorite show on TV, Parks and Recreation, episode "The Treaty."

Catch up on Hulu, why don't you?

So I made my own moon hat and scepter.

Would you like a tutorial for your own tinfoil hat?

It's complicated!

Ready?

STEP ONE:

Wrap foil around your head, and twist it into a point.

Aaaand, you're done!

(Though now that I look at it, I realize April added a crescent moon to the top of her hat.

Argh!  I guess I did need a tutorial!)

For The Simple Man, Who Likes Pretty, Dark-haired Women And Breakfast Food

As I promised in my last post, here's the tutorial for making a Pawnee Rangers hat.

Now, this isn't fancy, as befitting a man whose troop has only one guideline:

So it's TOTALLY DOABLE by even those who don't possess the crafty gene.

You will need:

a khaki-colored cap

ConTact paper

acrylic paint 

craft knife

small, spongy brush or stenciling "pounce"

 printer 

Instructions!

Print out "Pawnee Rangers". 

(Copy the image, and scale it to the size that fits your hat.)

FLIP IT OVER, and trace the back.

Tape down the paper, and tape a piece of ConTact paper,

with the peel-off paper on the TOP, over it.

As you can see, you should be able to read the blue words on the ConTact paper.

Now, carefully cut out the letters with your craft knife.

Don't worry about the insides of the letters like "A" and "P".  You'll fix those later.

After cutting out all the letters, peel off the backing paper
and stick the ConTact paper on your hat.

Remember all those inside bits for the "A" and "P"?  Don't bother saving the originals.  

Just cut out new bits from the leftover scrap ConTact paper.  It's easier,

especially if you first peel off the backing paper.

Once you have the ConTact paper all smoothed down, VERY CAREFULLY sponge the green acrylic paint on.  Don't brush it across the paper; dab it on with your spongy pounce.

All painted?

Then lift off the ConTact paper and behold the glory of your Pawnee Rangers hat!

Stick that bad boy on your head and you're ready to camp!

Bonus!

If you're interested in making the Pawnee Rangers patch, here's mine:

Instead of printing out the image like I did for the Pawnee Goddess patch -- I couldn't find a Ranger image -- I used Heat N Bond UltraHold and cut out the trees, fish, etc. and layered them like a collage.  I found this guy's handsewn patch to use as a reference.  I used a Pigma pen for the green outer words. (A Sharpie will bleed.)

I didn't have time to zig-zag the outside edge -- my husband decided at the last minute he wanted to join me in Costume Finery -- but it still looked pretty cool.  Don't you think?

Hear My Womanly Roar

Y'know how there's people who have these weird, obscure costumes at Halloween,

and when you ask them what they're dressed as,

they launch into a long, convoluted explanation of every aspect of the outfit? 

And you want to say, Can't you just be a sexy kitten, or something?

Yeah, I'm that annoying costume person.

But I don't mean to be irritating!

I just get excited about an idea, then have to run with it.

Case in point:  Tuesday I went to the Parks and Recreation panel for PaleyFest 2012.

I adore Parks and Recreation: it's not only funny,

but it's also the most feminist show on TV.

Both those aspects were on display in a season four episode titled "Pawnee Rangers",

in which  lead character Leslie Knope (played by Amy Poehler) led a

 progressive troop of young girls called the Pawnee Goddesses.

I loved the episode, and I LOVED THE OUTFIT!

So, I decided to make a Pawnee Goddess costume of my own. 

The beauty of wearing it to PaleyFest is that I wouldn't have to explain to a single person what I was wearing!  We would all have a common frame of reference!

Now, how to make it?

TO THE INTERNETS!!!

First, I found a very helpful tutorial by the lovely and talented Heidi of Hands Occupied.

Thanks, Heidi!

Next, I found a graphic for the all-important Pawnee Goddess patch.

Thanks, Andrea!

After making the vest and buying some pre-made patches,

I set out to make some patches of my own.

Interested in doing the same?

You will need:

white fabric

small scraps of felt

a color printer

Heat N Bond LITE

Heat N Bond ULTRAHOLD

thread

a half-way decent but not necessarily fancy sewing machine

Instructions!

First, I put all my graphics into one page of a Word document.

(You don't have to print them out.  This paper is just for a visual.)

Next, I got some Heat N Bond.

I STARTED WITH HEAT N BOND LITE.

I was yelling at you with caps because if you use the UltraHold,

you will not be able to sew through the patches, and You Will Be Sad.

I cut an 8 1/2" by 11" piece of Heat N Bond Lite, and the same size of bright white cotton.

I followed the directions and bonded them together.

Next, I ran this bonded fabric through my printer. 

I'll be honest:  sometimes this works great; sometimes my printer gets into a snit

and jams a little.  I would say that if your printer can handle cardstock,

it should be okay with this bonded fabric.

I cut out the images with about an eighth of an inch white border around the edges.

I peeled off the Heat N Bond backing, and bonded the patches to coordinating felt.

I had a scant eight inches of felt around the edges.

I AM YELLING AGAIN TO SAY THE FELT NEEDS TO MATCH THE COLOR OF THREAD YOU ARE GOING TO USE, SO PLAN AHEAD!

Here they are, all nice and cut out.

My plan was to do a buttonhole stitch (the satin-stitch kind) all around,

covering both the white border and the felt.

I started with the rectangular patch because I thought it would be easier.

MISTAKE.

 Those stupid corner were impossible, and the tight, wide buttonhole stitch kept getting caught up in the foot and machine.

So, Eleanor doesn't look great.

For the next patch, I decided to try a zig-zag stitch,

and make it only medium wide ("3" on my machine),

rather than really wide (The "5" on my machine.)

I also went around more than once, to fill in the gaps, and I made sure

to cover both the white border and the felt.

Better!

For the third patch, I really rounded the corners.  It made it much easier.

Lookin' good!

I got cocky, and tried an intricate Gryffindor patch.

Oy.  Those corners were a pain.  I should have found a more rounded image.

Also? 

DON'T USE STEAM!

It made the colors run a bit.

Now, it was time for the most important patch of all:

The Pawnee Goddess patch!

I put everything I learned together on this one.

I rounded the corners.

I did a narrow zig-zag for the first time around, then the widest zig-zag after that.

I went around and around until all the white border and felt were covered.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL!

To attach them to the vest, I flipped them over, and used the Heat N Bond UltraHold.

I peeled off the backing, and ironed those suckers to the vest.

The payoff to all my work?

I got to ask this lady a question at the Parks and Recreation panel...

... AND, I was hailed as Queen of the Dorks at the event.

Which was pretty dang cool.

Next up:  How to make a Pawnee Ranger outfit!