I've got a very busy week in which I've been staying up past midnight and waking up at 7 at the latest. The reason is because I'm finishing up all of my papers for the semester. But I'm slightly ahead of schedule this morning (I've written 3 pages before 9am!!!) so I thought I'd make a quick post with something lovely I recently bought.

My boyfriend graduates with a degree in computer science next weekend. I had no idea what to get him and wanted to find something both useful and fun. I did a little looking around etsy because although I don't have time to make him anything myself I still wanted something handmade with love. I found this perfect tie with a screen printed computer circuit design.

From the Projector Tie Workshop on Etsy

I think it's just abstract enough for him to wear it all the time. I chose the black one because I know it'll match a lot more of his dress clothes than the green. I'm so excited for it to get here and to give it to him next Saturday!

Have a great rest of the week everyone, I'll try to do a post this weekend, when I have at least more than five minutes to breath.
♥ Freckled Craftster

It's a rainy saturday and I've got a fun video!!!

I just found this GREAT video via Eskimimi, it's the story of how jumpers are made in Scotland. So cute, funny, and of course about one of my favorite subjects:

Pringle of Scotland has commissioned artist David Shrigley to create a humorous short animated film about life behind-the-scenes at Pringle to celebrate the brands return to Milan Fashion Week.

The animation, showcased during Pringle of Scotland's menswear show in Milan on 18th January, depicts the making of jumpers and cardigans over the past 195 year history of the Scottish brand.

Hope your weekend is full of joy and sun
♥ Freckled Crafter

PS: if it's not raining where you are check out rainymood.com for some great background music! I like to pair it with calm music or listen to it all by itself while I'm writing papers and such, it's so relaxing and calming.

Late is better than never right?! Well I've been busy this week with school and thus haven't had a lot of inspiration this week. Thus I took note from our changing weather and googled spring. Here's some inspiring images I found:

I love doing this one a nice sunny day! Can't wait till the weather is perfect and I've got my balcony garden going, I'll be doing this alot!

All the baby leaves are coming in!

And all the blossoms make the trees so pretty, I just want to curl up under one and take a nap! You'd wake up smelling of flowers ♥

I admit, I'm 24 years old and have bubbles, I love imagining people down the street seeing random bubbles floating by and smiling!

And this one is just too awesome not to share! I don't quite understand how these hot springs do this but it's gorgeous!

Happy weekend!
♥ Freckled Crafter

Going vegg

So after many years of wishing I've finally decided to go vegetarian. I'm not quite sure what sparked it but I love the idea. I'm not eating beef or pork but I'm still eating fish and for now chicken. I would love to drop chicken too but I feel that would make it a little too hard, perhaps sometime in the future. For now though I'm just eating lots of fruits and veggies and fish.

I'm doing it in attempts to force myself to eat better. I just thought it would be something fun to try and hopefully something I can stick to. I also picked up some seeds so I can try my own little balcony garden this summer. I bought green beans, spinach, bell peppers, and basal and chamomile for the kitchen window. I just love the idea of being self sufficient.

Show and Tell Week Day 5: SOCKS!

So for my final show and tell this week I wanted to show off my current project. I used to be someone who had a billion projects going at once but the Ravelympics really helped me control myself and I'm a pretty good monogamous knitter these days.

Socks have always seemed like a coveted project for knitters. There's alot of reasons but I figured it was about time I figured out for myself. My summer project is to knit at least a few pairs of socks.

Pattern: Pine Tree Toe Up Socks by Kim Salazar
Yarn: Opal
Mods: I wear an 8-8.5 and ended up leaving out one increase row. Granted the pattern maker has size 10 feet so that's probably the size difference.

Here it was on monday...

...and this is what they look like right now (thus crappy night shot)!

I'm pretty proud of them and since they're so portable they're a great project for how on the go I've been lately.

Have a great weekend everyone, I'll be at a cosplay photoshoot all day tomorrow so I should have some great pics to show off soon!
♥ Freckled Crafter

First off I'd like to point out the new banner I just finished. I liked the old banner but it felt a little awkward and a little grainy. I knew I could do better! I went to ployvore.com (oh my gosh, I've got a serious obsession!) and started searching things I like or that inspire me and adding layers. The new banner makes me smile a lot, I feel as if it really expresses a lot of different aspects of me.



Yarn, thread, sewing machine, teacup, nail polish, Alice in Wonderland, the TARDIS; these are all things that make my heart happy! I also changed the layout so it's more streamlined and the banner is more centered. I'm trying to decide if I want a background of some sort on the sides or if I want to keep it simple and white. I guess blogs constantly evolve.

Now on to some serious inspiration! This week I've been saving Alice in Wonderland themed items to share and here they all are:


Lots and lots of ruffles and lace! I'd love to make this...maybe it should be my summer project?

This is a still from Bright Star, a gorgeous movie about a seamstress and a poet. Tons of eye candy.

I can imagine Alice getting married in this!


The costume designer for the latest movie was AMAZING! I haven't even begun looking at all the beautiful inspiring outfits.


More ruffles and lace! This one is a little more wearable and I HAVE to make this one! I think I'll find pretty white lace at a reasonable price and play around with dyeing it myself.

I love this whole photoshoot!

And the first polyvore I made, all things inspired by Alice mashed into one!

Alice in Wonderland Inspirations by freckledcraftster featuring Forever21 dresses

Items in this set:
Whitney crystal-embellished dress, $1,525
SHOP BY COLOUR - Pastels - Forever Unique, 150 GBP
Under the Seafoam Dress-Mod Retro Indie Clothing & Vintage Clothes, $215
Metallic Bubble Dress, $40
Forever21.com - Dresses - Casual - 2074072455, $20

I love the blogger tool! It automatically adds all the links for you.

Back in a bit with my WIP!
♥ Freckled Crafter

Day 4 of Show and Tell Week: Seven Circle

(holy cow! windy much?!)

Sorry about last night. Sometimes the days just get away from me before I get things done that I plan. So here's the late thursday show and tell.


Pattern: Seven Circle by Kristen Johnston
Yarn: random unknown wool from a kit I bought ages ago
Mods: I started by following the pattern but ended up being lazy and casting on however much I felt like for each round.
Notes: Fun project, great FO! My only complaint is all the casting on and binding off but what can you do? Plan to make more of these in the future, maybe some in cotton for summer :D


Like my new FO layout? I think it's much easier to read and more organized (which I could always use, haha)

Back later after class with my current work in progress and then friday inspiration. Three posts in a day?! That's crazy!!!

♥ Freckled Crafter

Adventures with Polyvore and Amy Pond

Sorry about yesterday, I've got back to back to back classes from 1 till 9 and all time spent not in class was spent studying for a german quiz! I DO have pictures and they'll be up in a bit but for now I thought I'd share something I've been messing around with recently. Polyvore.com lets you create your own looks and designs with anything from the internet or anything someone has uploaded to the site. It's alot of fun and I've been procrastinating with it a bit too much.

This one I made after seeing a picture of Karen Gillian, the new Doctor Who companion on her visit to NYC. I just thought the look was cute and laid back and wanted to try putting together something similar.

Day 2 of Show and Tell Week: Chevron and Feather Scarf

Today is a scarf I made quite a while ago. It's the chevron and feather scarf from The Little Box of Scarves. The patterns are really convenient because they're each on a little card so you can throw them in your bag and keep them with your knitting.

The yarn is Lion Brand Midnight Mohair which I found on sale for a $1 but foolishly only bought two skeins. This resulted in a shorter scarf. Luckly I found this perfect peacock pin at Micheals, I think it really complements the yarn and pattern.


The yarn is made up of two threads stranded together, a bright multicolored shiny yarn and a whispy mohair. The effect is something not easy to photograph but in person you can see it's true beauty. The pattern was fun and easy to memorize quickly (my favorite kind of lace).
Well that's all till tomorrow,
♥ Freckled Crafter

Show and Tell Week: Day 1...the vest of glory!

So I've decided that I haven't posted nearly enough of my own work on this journal. Therefor I declare this week show and tell week. Each day I'll be showing something I've made recently. This week is all knitting and thanks to lovely weather and lots of sun I've got relatively good pictures to show off.
First is something I've been working on for the past month. I finished it on saturday and it's just in time for a Doctor Who photoshoot I'm attending this weekend.


I used The Doctor Who Pattern Book by Joy Gammon with heavy modifications. First off I made it sans sleeves because majority of the time I'll be wearing the jacket over it and when I'm not there will be puffed or rolled up sleeves sticking out (I like doing a modified femme!five instead of classic to the T). I added alot of shaping in hopes of creating more shape because for whatever reason white cricket sweaters are generally not too attractive on me. It looks a little wonky here but when it's on it fits quite well, although I'd love even a little more negative ease. When it came to the neckline I did some odd short rows across the front and up the sides of the neck in order to get the right width and number of rows per color without alot of bulk around my neck. You can see this especially with the burgundy which should actually be brown but I took my own creative liberties with it. The original worn by Peter Davison WAS brown but it just looks burgundy to me.

(ooo, pretty cables are pretty!)

I used Knitpicks Bare Superwash for the off white and Telemark in black, poppy, and garnet heather. I've got 3/4ths a skein of superwash left and almost all of the three telemark yarns. I'm debating between the five hat on ravelry and making up my own wristwarmers (for when I eat celery, naturally!).

Overall I'm quite happy with it, it's quite soft and pretty, and if I can find the right pairing may actually wear it outside of cosplay once or twice. Pictures of me wearing it WITH costume this weekend after the shoot along with a full costume breakdown.

See you tomorrow with something else I knit up this weekend!
♥ Freckled Crafter

(Forgive my nerdiness, this gif was necessary)

This week isn't so much inspiration as images I've been saving this week. Little things that make me smile. Hopefully they'll make you smile too!

Alice in Wonderland has been a long time love! Everything about it is so perfect and cute and just the right amount of crazy. Burton's movie was awesome, just like I knew it would be!

I love love love spending time in the city. Chicago has so many awesome things to offer! I want to make alot of day trips this summer and visit all the museums. I think I'd like to plan a thrifting day as well and visit some of the best thrift stores in Chi-town!
This song makes me smile. I put it on a mixed CD for Matt ages ago, right around the time we'd started dating and it always makes me think of us ♥
Kurt Halsey, I used to be totally obsessed with Kurt's work and I still love it, although in a way I've outgrown it. Images like this make me smile though, they remind me of Matt and I, in the summer when we get slurpies and hang out at the park all the time!


Pretty craft rooms are such inspiration! I've got zero room for crafts right now but one day I want a room all of my own and an entire cabinet for yarn!


This one is just so much win! I love love love Star Trek, it reminds me of my childhood watching Picard with my dad on saturday afternoons.

Have a great weekend everybody. I'll be back later with some of my own stuff I've been working on recently (oh gosh, there's SO much!)

♥ Freckled Craftster

NEWWHONEWWHONEWWHONEWWHO!!!!!

Uhh excited much?! The answer of course is YES! It's a new era and a new doctor and everything is so fresh and new! I made a quick little project while watching. Something I've been wanting to mess around with for a while but never got around to till today: shrinky dinks. I was awesome though and used some old plastic packaging instead of going out and buying anything. 100% free always makes me happy! So here's my new earrings to go with my Five costume:

This is the just beginning of trying out this new technique but I'm thinking maybe I should do a little photo tute? Just for funsies?!