SURPRISE!

I've been doing stuff; stuff in Atlanta, stuff in Asheboro, stuff in Asheville. I like cities that start with the letter 'A' apparently. But all that's to come later. Right now, the important thing that Monday (July 29th) was my best friends birthday. It's important to note that I love celebrating other people's birthday (I don't like my own birthday just because people tend to notice you more and no thanks. BUT I'm a twin so I get to push it all off on her). So this week we're having a small get together thing and doing the party stuffs. BUT OH MY GOD WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE WHAT I MADE HER FOR HER BIRTHDAY. 

I have this habit of being crafty but not wanting to keep anything I make. Once it's finished (if it gets finished) I'm kinda just like, "yeah. cool. what do I do with it?" and then it ends up as a Christmas present. So when I had the idea to make what's in these little boxes, I knew exactly who to give it to. 

Wanna know what's inside? Of course you do. But first you have to guess because it's no fun if I just give you all the answers. So here are your hints: 

     They are the approximate size of the spine of the seventh Harry Potter book. 

     There are five of them. 

     The come with select accessories that correspond directly. 

     My best friend's favorite band is The Maine.

If you didn't get it on that last hint then you need to rethink your guessing abilities. BECAUSE LOOK IT'S THE MAINE AND THEY ARE TINY.

                                        

I've had to keep these a secret for over a month and now I get to rub them in people's faces. I AM SO EXCITED. The first thing my nephew asked me was if they were voodoo dolls. I mean, technically yes, but I'm not priestess or anything so I think the guys are safe. 

They didn't turn out 100% like I had planned and there are definite changes I'll make if I ever make them again. I say if because dude, these took a solid month to make and it was the most frustrating month of my life. I cry when I get frustrated and I cried over Jared Monaco's hair for at least three hours. If I had had more time, I would have made actual clothes for them. Currently they're sporting a t-shirt and 'denim' vest because I swear on my vinyl collection that these guys all just shop at the same damn store. 

 












This is Garrett! He's the bass player and I'm forcing him to play a blue American Vintage Jazz bass from Fender. The glasses were made to be a charm for a necklace or bracelet, but they fit his face nicely. I've also never made facial hair before so this was a decent attempt. 

 





Here's Jared, one of the guitar players! He's playing a 'surf green' Fender 50's classic Stratocaster if you were wondering. His hair looks pretty good for doing it twice and being covered in tears. 

  Lead vocals and frontman, John O'Callaghan! He wears this little Amish hat that people tend to hate, so I made it too. Don't hate on the hat, peeps. Hats are good things. Amish are good people. Amish hats are therefore pretty nifty. This hat is a little too small for his head, but that my dears is why gauge is important and should not be ignored. Don't be like me. Pay attention and don't watch Game of Thrones while you craft. 
 

Pat Kirch, drummer of your dreams. Those drumsticks are a toothpick that I broke in half and forced through his hands, kind of like in the Best Day Ever episode of Spongebob (Squidward and the jellyfishing net. anybody?). Pat's my favorite out of all of these miniatures. He was the first one I made and he has a little trouble sitting up on his own, but that's okay. His hair's a little shorter than I planned, but at least now I know that I should definitely not become a hair dresser. 

And finally, here's Kennedy Brock who does vocals and plays guitar!
















 He was the first one I attempted the short hair with. I wish I had more time to mess with it, but alas! birthday's wait for no one. He's playing a Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded that has stripes because somebody is running out of ink and doesn't feel like installing a new cartridge. 


All in all, I feel like these guys are adorable and my friend loves them! They aren't perfect, but they were handmade and I think that's what counts. I need to give a huge thanks to overthebifrost for creating the pattern and allowing everyone to use it for free and to customize it however they want and a BIG HUG to mynerdcloset for answering all my questions and being ridiculously helpful and patient with all my messages about amigurumi hair. The eyes are Suncatcher brand and were bought from Michelle on Etsy! 

***
The Maine just finished up the 8123 tour, but will be back out this fall with Anberlin! You can download their new album, Forever Halloween, on iTunes or from their official website! 

***
Now Playing:
just a buncha stuffs from
Panic! At The Disco
Hands Like Houses
Secrets
The Eagles
STYX

Keep it crafty 

Music Monday: FALL OUT BOY.

{I'm still working on those posts about mental health, but the amount of information I'm wading through is extensive. Article after article is full of information and some of it is from not-so-reliable sources. It's taking me longer than I thought, but I promise they'll be here soon.}

I've been absent due to travels. After our short stay in South Carolina, we headed north to Indiana to see my beautiful sister, her grill-master boyfriend and their adorable-as-fuck puppy. While seeing them was AMAZING, it wasn't quite as good as seeing Fall Out Boy live in Indianapolis.

The energy was astounding. I've been to my fair share of concerts, but I had never been to a concert this intense. We were next to an incredibly nice couple in their late thirties or early forties. They were bikers and I was scared until he started talking to my twin sister, and I realized he was probably one of the nicest people there. So, I head banged with a forty year old biker to Fall Out Boy.

About a quarter of the way through their set, however, my sister started to feel dizzy. We rushed her out of the main room and into the hall where she could sit. The staff was incredibly fast at getting her water and the girl working the merch table came to check on her. We remained here until the end of the show, and it was just as incredible out in the hall. We could actually see too! {and, if you're wondering, my sister's doing fine! she was just a little dehydrated. we're making plans to keep her hydrated for our next concert in Atlanta}

With concerts, comes new music (usually). This time, we had the pleasure of listening to The Unlikely Candidates.
Admittedly, I was concerned. Sometimes, the opening bands are barely better than me (and I sound like a slightly on-key seal). But these guys surprised me. Their rendition of House of the Rising Sun was the best cover I've ever heard. After arriving home, I bought the only two songs they have on iTunes, Howl and Follow My Feet. If you have a spare $1.99, spring for their EP and I promise you, it will be the best two dollars you've ever spent.

There's been a lot of talk about FOB's new album, and when I say "talk" I really mean hate. The most common complaint I hear is that they aren't "saving rock and roll". While they may not, technically, be rock and roll, I think it's important to realize that they are, in fact, doing something for music. For once, turning on the radio hasn't been dull. To know that a band I love with abandon is actually on the radio is amazing. They have raised the bar for other artists in all genres because no one is paying attention. Fall Out Boy is being played on every station short of the country stations.

The next complaint is that it's not the old Fall Out Boy. Well, of course not. In four years do you expect them to stay the same? I'm not the same person I was in sixth grade when I started listening to them and they have done their fair amount of growing up as well. Their new album has a new sound, but if it didn't I would be severely disappointed. This goes for all bands. All bands are allowed to be human. They are allowed to grow and experiment and change as individuals and as a band. How boring would it be if a band produced songs that sounded the same album after album? Sure, Taylor Swift sells a lot of albums but it's not compelling and exciting as it was on her first album.

Please, keep an open mind when listening to new music. If I hadn't I would not listen to half the music I listen to today and I like to think that I've been a better person for it. Open minds are wonderful things.

I'm laying low until July 13th, when I head to Atlanta with two of my sisters and my best friend to see the 8123 Tour at The Loft, featuring The Maine, Brighten, A Rocket To The Moon, and This Century.

Love & Good Tunes

***
Current Favorite Albums:
Peace & Quiet - Brighten
Follow My Feet - The Unlikely Candidates
Post-Heroic - Surrogate
Forever Halloween - The Maine
Prepare For Black And Blue - The White Buffalo

Kind Words from a Gentle Heart

I have this friend named Julie. She's one of my best friends and I think you would like her, most people do. 

We went to high school together and were acquaintances. We traveled in the same group, but never got to know each other. At the end of our senior year, she asked me to be her roommate (we were going to the same university) but I had already made plans to room with my at-the-time best friend, Lauren. We agreed to hang out every once in a while so we wouldn't be completely lonely. 

After we both had horrendous, awful, up-at-two-in-the-morning-crying roommate experiences, Julie found herself in need of a roommate and I found myself in need of a place to go. So I became her new roommate freshman year. She'll be in my wedding party when I finally find my man. 

Julie has a habit of saying incredibly nice things about people. She doesn't do it to be nice, she just speaks honestly and it some how has a habit of affecting you more than you think. 

We were at lunch one day, and a song came on in the restaurant and I began to sing. Now, I have the voice of a slightly on-key seal on a good day. I joked about my ability and she said, in all seriousness, "But you sing anyway. You know how you sound and other people tell you how bad you are at singing, but you sing anyway. And that's incredible. That shows more about you than anything else". 

See. Incredibly honest, profound, and just Julie. 

I never forgot that. It's been nearly two years since those words were said to me and I'm sure she has no memory of saying them. It's become my mantra, "Sing Anyway". In so many instances in life, we are told that we don't have what it takes or that we aren't worth the effort. And that's bullshit. Because we are worth it. We are worth every bit of time and effort. We have what it takes to do whatever it is we want to do. There will always be the person behind you saying you can't, but they're behind you. They're scared of what you can do so they put you down. Despite what they say, keep singing. Keep going forward. This is your life and this is your one shot. 

Those words also serve as a reminder to be gentle. Words have a way of sticking and what you say has an impact. Hate culture is so strong and it breaks my heart. How hard is it to simply promote what you love and simply let go of what you do not? Why do we find that so much harder? 

This month, try to only focus on what you love. If  you don't like that YouTube video, don't watch it again and leave the comments alone. If you don't like that drawing, keep scrolling and let it slip your mind. If you love that song, turn it up and tweet it. If you love that book, read it again and recommend it to a friend. 

And if you're being put down, just keep singing. Being who you are is far more important than what people say. 

***
Fun Fact: When the Ellen DeGeneres Show puts videos on YouTube, the only enable comments on clips of adults. Clips of kids and children have comments disabled to protect them from the harsh words of society. How awesome is that?