I promised myself that I would personally make all my gifts for this year's holiday season. I happily saved patterns I found that I thought useful. I even purchased acrylic yarn by the bulk (I planned to give home accessories, hats, and small bags).
But then... the orders started pouring in. My mom requested 15 snowflake doilies for her corporate clients. My sister-in-law asked me to make ten hats and ten bookmarks. I crocheted all of those in less than two weeks. By the time I finished them all, I didn't know if I had the perseverance to finish everything for everyone else on top of the massive orders.
And in between these, I made a triangle scarf, a shrug, and a beret for myself (yes, I put my needs ahead of others >:D). I haven't even managed to take pictures in the holiday rush. :|
So... In short, my family was able to gift hand-crocheted items to their friends. While I had to sneak to the mall to buy myself some mass-produced 2010 journals. :|
Here are some of the items I made (I wasn't able to take pictures of everything):
I hope everyone has a happy new 2010!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Feeling angelic
I finally made the angel. :)
I was depressed yesterday. Just from watching the news. So I wanted to make something to remind me that there still is beauty in the world. And that no matter how bleak everything starts to seem, I can help transform it with some yarn and a hook.
So, let me rant now. :D
1. The Maguindanao Massacre
I cannot believe that I actually live in the country where such a horribly evil tragedy happened. The day I read about this, I actually felt tears burning in the back of my eyes, from anger, from helplessness.
It's not the number of deaths that depressed me (although it is quite large -- 57 casualties discovered to date). It's the way the whole thing was staged. And how very brutally violent their deaths were. And how maddeningly rich the Ampatuan clan is -- when they live in one of the poorest provinces in the Philippines. And the fact that they have their own private effing army. How could this all have happened under everyone's own noses?
2. Martial Law in Maguindanao
I think this is a good call from PGMA. Suspending the writ of habeas corpus enables the Philippine army to go about the region without further delays. I don't think the evidence against the Ampatuans would amount to much today, if it weren't for this.
The only thing I don't like about this is its name. Saying "martial law" here in the Philippines amounts to the same thing as saying "Voldemort" in Harry Potter world. Anti-administration officials and lawyers are all shooting their mouths off, saying that this is clearly another power trip on PGMA, and that this could lead to proclaiming martial law in other areas, or even for the whole country. These people are only encouraging more fear in the term.
Martial law, in today's Constitution, is not the same as it was in the Marcos regime. I'm confident in this. I mean, the media is covering the movements of the Army in Maguindanao. In the Marcos regime, media reports were heavily censored -- some stations and newspapers were even forced to close. But today, the media run alongside the government's forces as they uncover evidence concerning the massacre.
So, while there are some who reasonably question the legitimacy of the President's call, I support it. Given the way that the legislative government operates, the Army should be able to go in and out of Maguindanao by the time all of this is sorted out *crosses fingers*.
3. The 2010 elections
Amidst all the sadness and outrage that the Maguindanao massacre created, candidates in the upcoming elections are still busy campaigning. Why can't we all just set down our personal agenda, and unite against this? I mean, if all the money these politicians spent on advertisements and commercials, were spent on protecting the massacre witnesses, I bet a lot more will come forward. And people can hold all the prayer rallies and demonstrations they want, but that won't directly help bring justice to the victims' families.
I mean come on, our country's been disgraced enough. We've become the crime scene where most journalists were killed in one day, in the same place. Add to that a former president (who was ousted for corruption) seeking reelection. And the family of the man who put the nation under dictatorship for more than 20 years, all seeking office as congresswomen and vice-president. And a current president running for congress in her home province. What's happening to us? Is the nation just a carnival to these people?
So. I'll go back to crocheting now.
I was depressed yesterday. Just from watching the news. So I wanted to make something to remind me that there still is beauty in the world. And that no matter how bleak everything starts to seem, I can help transform it with some yarn and a hook.
So, let me rant now. :D
1. The Maguindanao Massacre
I cannot believe that I actually live in the country where such a horribly evil tragedy happened. The day I read about this, I actually felt tears burning in the back of my eyes, from anger, from helplessness.
It's not the number of deaths that depressed me (although it is quite large -- 57 casualties discovered to date). It's the way the whole thing was staged. And how very brutally violent their deaths were. And how maddeningly rich the Ampatuan clan is -- when they live in one of the poorest provinces in the Philippines. And the fact that they have their own private effing army. How could this all have happened under everyone's own noses?
2. Martial Law in Maguindanao
I think this is a good call from PGMA. Suspending the writ of habeas corpus enables the Philippine army to go about the region without further delays. I don't think the evidence against the Ampatuans would amount to much today, if it weren't for this.
The only thing I don't like about this is its name. Saying "martial law" here in the Philippines amounts to the same thing as saying "Voldemort" in Harry Potter world. Anti-administration officials and lawyers are all shooting their mouths off, saying that this is clearly another power trip on PGMA, and that this could lead to proclaiming martial law in other areas, or even for the whole country. These people are only encouraging more fear in the term.
Martial law, in today's Constitution, is not the same as it was in the Marcos regime. I'm confident in this. I mean, the media is covering the movements of the Army in Maguindanao. In the Marcos regime, media reports were heavily censored -- some stations and newspapers were even forced to close. But today, the media run alongside the government's forces as they uncover evidence concerning the massacre.
So, while there are some who reasonably question the legitimacy of the President's call, I support it. Given the way that the legislative government operates, the Army should be able to go in and out of Maguindanao by the time all of this is sorted out *crosses fingers*.
3. The 2010 elections
Amidst all the sadness and outrage that the Maguindanao massacre created, candidates in the upcoming elections are still busy campaigning. Why can't we all just set down our personal agenda, and unite against this? I mean, if all the money these politicians spent on advertisements and commercials, were spent on protecting the massacre witnesses, I bet a lot more will come forward. And people can hold all the prayer rallies and demonstrations they want, but that won't directly help bring justice to the victims' families.
I mean come on, our country's been disgraced enough. We've become the crime scene where most journalists were killed in one day, in the same place. Add to that a former president (who was ousted for corruption) seeking reelection. And the family of the man who put the nation under dictatorship for more than 20 years, all seeking office as congresswomen and vice-president. And a current president running for congress in her home province. What's happening to us? Is the nation just a carnival to these people?
So. I'll go back to crocheting now.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Feeling very Christmassy
I logged on to Ravelry this morning, and found myself in rapture when I found this little angel pattern for free!
I've always been an admirer of Elizabeth Ann White's designs. I love traditional crochet and quirky color combinations, and she combines them both in her patterns. I love the colorful crinoline ladies and textured flowers that she uses to adorn her doilies -- even though I'm no big fan of doilies.
The only real problem I have with her designs is... That the ones I like are not available for free. :D
So I was really happy when I came across this lovely little angel. Check out the free pattern over at the author's blog: http://bellacrochet.blogspot.com/2009/12/christmas-angel-free-pattern-for-you.html
I've always been an admirer of Elizabeth Ann White's designs. I love traditional crochet and quirky color combinations, and she combines them both in her patterns. I love the colorful crinoline ladies and textured flowers that she uses to adorn her doilies -- even though I'm no big fan of doilies.
The only real problem I have with her designs is... That the ones I like are not available for free. :D
So I was really happy when I came across this lovely little angel. Check out the free pattern over at the author's blog: http://bellacrochet.blogspot.com/2009/12/christmas-angel-free-pattern-for-you.html
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