$pend and $ave

Last fall, I wanted to crochet something that reflected the slide of the economy. When other projects occupied my late 2008, I thought I missed the opportunity to make something current.

Unfortunately, the economy has continued to worsen. Fortunately, the long downturn has allowed me to make this timely moneybag and piggy bank!


Robbers will be disappointed that these items contain only polyfil stuffing. The piggy bank does accept one real coin in its working coin slot, which was formed by sewing a pocket to a crocheted button hole.


Here's a piggy-bank comic I drew in 2002, when the economy was better:


The best financial approach is as timely now as it was then: spend and save wisely!

Eye Heart U

For Valentine's Day, I gave this envelope to my girlfriend, MJ:


She found a coded message inside:



Here is MJ's reaction to the crochet gift (and to the SingStar™ ABBA game):


The envelope was made from a Lion Brand pattern, and the heart is a smaller version of Pepika's pattern. The letter U contains a pipe cleaner, which holds the U's curve.

I hope everyone's post-Valentine's days are filled with sent and received messages of Eye Heart U!

The Nose Now Knows

For most of my life, I had a reduced sense of smell (a condition known as hyposmia). I could recognize strong odors like orange peels and gasoline, but most scents were lost on me. But for the past few months--and for unknown reasons--my ability to smell has fully returned. To mark this olfactory upgrade, I crocheted this nose:


Smelling everything has been a mixed blessing. On one hand, breathing in a bakery's fresh bread is divine:


On the other hand, my dumpster diving career is now sadly on hold:


At the very least, I no longer feel as self-conscious when reading crochet books in public:


It will take awhile to adjust to having all five senses again. I should pass the time by following my under-appreciated recipe for Beef & Mashed-Apples Shepherd's Pie. I hope it still tastes delicious!

UPDATE: I need a new shepherd's pie recipe.

HooWoo

My friend, David, and I were big fans of Twin Peaks, the early-nineties TV series that featured cherry pies, logs, and owls. A popular catchphrase from the show: "the owls are not what they seem".

Over the holidays, I made HooWoo the Owl for David:


It took half an hour in the winter rain to set up this photoshoot before HooWoo dove off the tree, bounced off some bushes and landed in mud. I had to reshoot on the following rain-free day.

Beware of those mischievous owls! They are not what they seem:


For the die-hard Twin Peaks fans, here is my 9-minute video of the 1992 Twin Peaks Festival that David and I attended: