Pom Poms & Finesse

I finally got a chance to make some of the projects from that pom pom book I posted about last week.  Even though the book is in Japanese, the directions were easy to follow.  The hardest thing about the projects was the finessing.  For me, finessing is sculpting, molding and manipulating a craft project to look its best.

It occurred to me I've never really talked about this final step in the crafting process.  The truth is, I don't really think about finessing when I do it so the step gets left out.  Once in a while I might mention in a tutorial, "needs a little finessing" but that's as far as it goes.  I guess the best way to explain finessing is with a few pictures of how I made one of the pom poms.  This is not a tutorial.

First I started off with a pom pom maker and wrapped and layered the yarn around the ring.  I added this picture in because I know some of you were curious on how the pom poms were made.  It's basically all done with layering different colored yarns.

Once I cut the yarn off the pom pom, it looked like this.  In most craft books it would say, trim down to an apple shape.  The reality is it's all about trimming and finessing.  When you see that perfect project in a craft book or blog, chances are there was some finessing involved.

Big difference from the last picture, right?  Here's where the finessing comes in.  First I did trim the pom pom down to an apple shape.  But then I realized that where the red and white met on top needed to have more of a widow's peak shape.  Since the white part was receding too much, I had to trim down the white yarn much more than the red. Then I combed the red forward to overlap the white a little.  I also had to trim the white yarn on the sides shorter than the red.   Besides that, the seeds were too big.  I had to cut out quite a few of the brown strands and push the white yarn over some of the brown yarn.  While I was doing all this trimming, the white yarn was getting all over the red yarn and I had to keep picking it out.

Any time I follow a craft tutorial I assume there will be finessing involved and make adjustments accordingly.  Curious, do you strictly follow the directions or do you modify the project as needed?

Soft Serve Origami

Can you tell I have a case of summer-itis?  Last post was summer reading, today ice cream cones. For some reason, I feel like the summer break can't come quick enough.  I know summer-itis is a student thing, but it can affect parents too, right?  Please tell me I'm not alone.

If you feel like making something to celebrate the warm months ahead, this project might be for you.  The origami soft serve ice cream cone is a quick and easy to fold.  It's also a good project for kids just learning origami. All you need is a yellow piece of paper and an orange marker to get started.

1.  Starting with a yellow piece of paper, have it face wrong side up like the picture in the left.  Fold down the center to make a crease.  Fold left and right flaps to meet in the center.

2.  Your paper should now look like the picture on the right.  Fold left and right flaps down so they look like the picture below.

3.  Fold left and right flaps back on dotted lines so they wrap around the paper.

4.  Your paper should now look like the image on the right.  Flip paper over.

5.  Fold left and right flaps on dotted lines to meet in the center.

6.  Your paper should now look like the image on the right.  Now you are going to make a pleat fold on the white solid lines.  Fold the top of paper down on the bottom line and then up on the top line.

7.  Your paper should now look like the image to the left.  Now you're going to make a second pleat fold on the lines you see at the top.

8.  Your paper should now look like the photo on the right.  Flip over.

9.  Your paper should now look like the photo on the left.

10.  Draw lines to make it resemble an ice cream cone. 

For different color combinations, fold with two pieces of paper stacked on top of each other. For example, start with a yellow and pink piece of paper to make a strawberry ice cream cone.

Summer Reading List

Who's looking forward to those lazy days of summer?  I know I am.  The first thing on my agenda is reading, lots and lots of reading.   Here are a few of the books on my list:

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean Dominique Bauby - Just started reading this and I'm hooked.  I'll probably finish it tonight.  The book was written by former French Elle editor, Jean Dominique Bauby.  He suffered a massive stoke leaving him completely paralyzed.  His only way of communication was by blinking one eye and he wrote the entire book this way.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer - A Cinderella story about a cyborg name Cinder. 

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzzane Collins 

Let's Pretend This Never Happened: (A mostly true memoir) by Jenny Lawson 

The Power of Habit: Why we do what we do in life and business by Charles Duhigg

What's on your reading list this summer?  Have any recommendations?

Japanse Craft Book: How To Make Pom Poms

 How To Make Pom Poms ISBN 978-4-7661-2282-4

My husband tells me he's tired of going to Japan Town but I think that's code for, "I'm tired of you buying Japanese craft books". Last weekend at the Kinokuniya bookstore, I stumbled upon the most charming Japanese Craft Book, "How To Make Pom Poms".  All the projects were so fun and pretty, I couldn't let it go to waste sitting on the store's bookshelf.  No, this book had to come home with me and live happily with all the other Japanese craft books I've acquired.   

Here are a few of my favorite projects from the book.

Amazing right?  My mind is racing with ideas for these apple pom poms.

Who can resist a babushka?

Pretty accessories. 

Your eyes do not deceive you, that's a hamburger pom pom.

In case you're wondering, I haven't made any of the projects in the book yet.  I've been occupied with work projects, end of school activities, baseball... and the list goes on.  You might have noticed that posts have been sparse the past couple months and that's why.  I'm hopeful the summer will bring more time to relax and craft.

Craft Camp

Today I'm over at Skip To My Lou sharing how to make a pretend-play sash with badges.  There's even a free printable for the badges.  Please stop by Skip To My Lou to get the full tutorial.