At home

Tomorrow we're going to try and get California state IDs so we don't need to carry our passports around anymore. This will probably take all morning and possibly a large part of the afternoon, as there'll be endless lines and things don't tend to go fast at government offices. We also have some other errands to run and we're planning on having dinner somewhere in Japantown. That's why we stayed home today so that Yasu could get a lot of studying done before his classes start again on Tuesday.

He also played around on his new iPhone and I finally got my sewing stuff out and actually did some sewing, I'm still working on a custom order of horses for a very patient customer. I've missed it!

Nurse Kitty Amigurumi crochet pattern

Nurse Kitty is a new pattern. I finished her today. The Nurse Kitty pattern is unfortunately no longer available after a complaint by Sanrio.

900 Catholic sex abuse victims come forward in the Netherlands

The John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army is expanding in the Netherlands. 900 cases have now been reported to authorities.



If this expansion of the most heinous crimes against Catholic children by the John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army does not convince the 1.1 billion Catholics NOT to call John Paul II a saint -- then it is a doomed religion anticipating its own quick demise as predicted by the Third Secret of Fatima.



See our latest posts in our sister weblogs,



Benedict XVI Ratiznger: God's Rottweiler



Benedict XVI the most callous hearted Pope of the 21st Century -- celebrates 5 years of autocracy in out-of-touch-with-reality holiday Castel Gondolfo



http://pope-ratz.blogspot.com/2010/08/benedict-xvi-most-callous-hearted-pope.html



The Vatican is not a Country as other European Countries. It’s an artificial State created by Mussolini in 1929. It now wants power in European Union



http://pope-ratz.blogspot.com/2010/08/vatican-is-not-country-as-other.html



John Paul II Millstone



The Roman Catholic Church is no longer "Holy". All Catholic churches, sacristies, rectories are not «holy» but potential priestly pedophile places



http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2010/07/roman-catholic-church-is-no-longer-holy.html







900 Catholic sex abuse victims come forward



http://www.rnw.nl/africa/article/900-catholic-sex-abuse-victims-come-forward

Published on : 25 August 2010 - 11:16am | By RNW Africa Desk (Photo: ANP)









More than 900 victims of sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church in the Netherlands have so far reported their cases to the enquiry headed by former cabinet minister Wim Deetman.



Some perpetrators have also confessed, Mr Deetman told Dutch daily de Volkskrant, although he has not yet had contact with them. However, most of the abuses took place so long ago they will no longer be liable to prosecution. Mr Deetman called on other abusers to come forward to try to make up for the harm they have caused.



The Christian Democrat statesman, appointed by the Catholic Church in May to head the enquiry into the sex abuse scandal, says that not all the victims are interested in receiving financial compensation. “There are victims who only want to tell their story and have it investigated. There are many people who want help and guidance,” he said.



Two or three large meetings with victims are to be held in the coming months, Mr Deetman said, stressing that the enquiry would be listening to the victims, not merely providing information. The enquiry also plans to establish an alternative channel to provide support for victims that is independent of the church’s own institute to investigate the abuse, Hulp & Recht (Help & Justice). “Many victims have no confidence in Hulp & Recht,” he observed.



Mr Deetman said he was shocked that the extent of the abuse in the church should have remained hidden for so long, and to receive e-mails from victims in their sixties saying it was the first time they had told anyone about their experiences.

Vintage Rattan

It's no secret that I am totally addicted to Villa Maison and their vintage rattan. I just love this 'Cotton Club' vintage rattan chair, one of Villa Maison's latest arrivals. It has 'Cotton Club' stamped on the back in black. Email me if you want one.... or two!

Musiikkitalo!, a workshop by "Rakennetaan kaupunki!" (Helsinki, Finland)

WHAT IS A collaborates with the architect Maria Nordin preparing "Rakennetaan kaupunki!" (Opera + Architecture 2012).

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Lecture at Rakennustieto_september 9.http://tarjanurmi-arkkivahti.blogspot.com/2010/08/arkkivahti-mainostaa-advertises.html

Workshop " Mussikkitalo! The house of music!" at kindergarden Vironniemen päiväkoti, Helsinki_september 10.With Maria Nordin, Reino Nordin, Jorge Raedó. http://www.vironniemi.fi/

Report by "Strada"_YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Company)

PHOTOS by Reino Nordin, Jorge Raedo. http://www.flickr.com/photos/whatisarchitecture/sets/72157624957088808/show/

Free cat schoolbag crochet pattern

You can use this little bag as a school pencil bag, for cosmetics or a handbag. Design your own bag by changing the colors or use patches, beads, flowers to decorate the bag. Below are two examples:  

The bags in the photos do not have a zipper yet: I need to buy them :).

This pattern has been translated into German. Click here for the German translation.

Cat bag crochet pattern

This pattern can be made using any yarn you wish. Choose a hook size that matches the yarn.

Materials:
1) 4.00 mm hook
2) Worsted Weight yarn (white, orange, brown and light green)
3) Black embroidery floss
4) Two 10 mm black buttons
5) Tapestry needle
6) Sewing needle and thread for attaching buttons
7) One 6.5 “ Zipper

Size: approximately 4”x 8” (10 x 20.5 cm)

Abbreviations:
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
st = stitch
sl = slip
tog = together
rnd = round

Notes:
1) The bag is working in rows; the rows start with chain one and join with slip stitch at the end of the row.
2) Tail and Eyes are working in continuous rounds.
3) Mark first stitch of each row/round.

Bag:

Row 1: With orange, ch 31, sc in second chain from hook, sc in next 28 chs, 3 sc in next ch;  working in remaining loops on opposite side of ch, sc in next 28 chs, 2 sc in next ch, join with sl st in first st. (62)
Row 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 28 sts, 2 sc in next 3 sts, sc in next 28 sts, 2 sc in next 2 sts, join with sl st in first st. (68)

Row 3: Ch 1, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 28 sts, (2 sc in next st, sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 28 sts, (2 sc in next st, sc in next st) 2 times, join with sl st in first st. (74)
Row 4-13: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st in first st.
Row 14: Ch 1, (sc in next 35 sts, sc next 2 sts tog) 2 times, join with sl st in first st. (72)
Row 15: Ch 1, (sc in nest 34 sts, sc next 2 sts tog) 2 times, join with sl st in first st. (70)
Row 16: Ch 1, (sc in next 33 sts, sc next 2 sts tog) 2 times, join with sl st in first st. (68)
Row 17: Ch 1, (sc in next 32 sts, sc next 2 sts tog) 2 times, join with sl st in first st. (66)
Row 18: Ch 1, (sc in next 31 sts, sc next 2 sts tog) 2 times, join with sl st in first st. (64)
Row 19: Ch 1, (sc in next 30 sts, sc next 2 sts tog) 2 times, join with sl st in first st, fasten off. (62)

Bow:

Bow: Working in rows.
Row 1: With light green, ch 2, 3 sc in second chain from hook, turn. (3)
Row 2-5: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (3)
Row 6: Ch 1, sc 3 sts tog, turn. (1)
Row 7: Ch 1, 3 sc in first st, turn. (3)
Row 8-11: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (3)
Row 12: Ch 1, sc 3 sts tog, fasten off. (1)
Sew row 1 and row 12 together

Middle piece:

Row 1: Ch 7, sc in second ch from hook, sc in next 5 chs, leave long end for sewing, fasten off. (6)

Sew the middle piece around middle of bow.

Ear (make 4):

Row 1: Working in rows. With brown, ch 2, sc in second chain from hook, turn. (1)
Row 2: Ch 1, 3 sc in first st, turn. (3)
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in each st across, fasten off.

Sew 2 pieces of ears together.


Tail:

Rnd 1: With brown, ch 2, 6 sc in second chain from hook. (6)
Rnd 2: (2 sc in next st, sc in next st) around. (9)
Rnd 3-4: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 5: (Sc in next st, sc next 2 sts tog) around. (6)
Rnd 6-11: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 12: Sc in each st around, join with sl st in first st.

Leave long end for sewing, fasten off.

Eye (make 2):

Rnd 1: With white, ch 2, 6 sc in second chain from hook. (6)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around, join with sl st in first st, fasten off. (12)

Sew black button on each eye as in picture.


Finishing:

Sew Bow, Ears, Eyes and Tail on Bag as shown in picture on first page.
With black embroidery floss embroider Nose and Mouth.
Sew a Zipper to the Bag. (the bags I made still do not have zipper: Need to buy them :)

You can design your own bag by changing the color of yarn or use patches, beads, flowers,...etc. to decorate the bag.

On FlickR is a group where you can show pictures of your finished bags: http://www.flickr.com/groups/kandjdolls/
You can also add your project in Ravelry. Ravelry is a website where crocheters share their ideas and projects. Here is the link to my bag design on Ravelry: Cat crochet bag on Ravelry.

Copyright 2010 Sayjai. All rights reserved. This is a free pattern. You are not allowed to sell this pattern. You are not allowed to distribute or publish this pattern in any form (this includes blogs and websites). You are not allowed to alter this pattern in any way. This pattern is provided to you freely for personal use only.

Pop-Up Store Revival

Pop-up stores are getting some new love these days. It seems as though in this economy, the need for short term rental space has grown. Building owners would much rather have short term tenants than none at all, and companies have found the pop-store store to be a successful, creative advertising strategy.
Launching a new product takes on a whole new dimension when you can create a launch event and then leave the entire atmosphere intact for days afterwards. The ways in which to use pop stores are multitudinous; have an anniversary or bar/bat mitzvah and invite your overseas or out of town guests to stay a week, throw a fundraising gala for the arts and have a running gallery show for a week afterwards –the possibilities are endless! Here's an article where you can find out more...

Actioning Some Lights

For those of you after these light fittings... head over HERE for the goss.

Tyrone

Tyrone from the Backyardigans (a children TV show). This moose is made by Sonia. The pattern is available in my cartoon and TV pattern store: kandjdolls2.etsy.com 

On FlickR is a group with many dolls based on K and J Dolls patterns: Click here for a slideshow 

Little Guys

Kimberly made these little guys for the babies at a pool party. Ain't they cute? The Hello Kitty pattern is available for free right here on this blog. You can read about these on Kim's blog: http://kimpayne.blogspot.com/ The school bag she made from old Jeans is great!

Jazzy the Good Witch Mini Backpack Patches

Cute no? These are embroidered patches. It's Jazzy the Good Witch. You can put her on your bag or jeans. You iron them on. The plastic bottom has a glue which gets sticky when heated. Two I give away in a lottery. Send an e-mail to kandjdolls@gmail.com or comment on this post. Write which Jazzy doll or cartoon character you like me to crochet. I will put all e-mail addresses in a high hat and select 2. The 2 winners get the patch by mail all the way from Thailand.

The lottery is now closed! I will select 2 today (14 sept 2010).

The Jazzy the Good Witch crochet pattern is sold in my shop: kandjdolls.etsy.com.

The patches were given by Quirck Books. They will publish the pattern in a book called "Witch Craft".  A preview of the book is on Amazon.com Halloween is getting near!

What is a Gobo?

What is a Gobo and how can it make my event spectacular?

At DJS Events, we LOVE gobos. Many people don’t know what gobos are, or how they can amp up an event. Let us fill you in.

Gobos (or Go Betweens) were originally created for stage and films sets to control lighting and the shape of lighting. They serve the same purpose for events. A piece of material made of plastic or glass with patterned holes is placed in front of a light. This material only lets the desired shape through while blocking the rest of the light, which casts specific areas of shadow and light, creating the image that you want onto a ceiling or wall. The image can be of anything, be it a company logo, a person's name, or an image. Gobos can be simple with clean lines like a men's/women's restroom icon or layered and elaborate like a gothic stained glass window. Some high tech gobos can be animated!

Sound super technical? It’s not! Gobos make an awesome addition to your event. Here are some examples of Gobos that DJS Events have executed for our clients.

Head Over Here...

Image Courtesy Brooke Giannetti's Camera

... to Brooke's Bloggy... you won't want to leave. Sigh. I am in love with the place. Hubby has already strolled down all the streets through Google Maps... stalked websites on the place (that play John Denver music).... and has checked plane routes... from Australia.