Kaichi

Once again I joined the amigurumi-making contest in Amigurumi-Challenge and this time, the challenge was to make a dinosaur. Either with your own pattern or adopting someone else's.

Well, if it's a dinosaur... I've already made one: Kaimon, my kawaii solution to the excessive green yarn problem. Hehehe! Remember the cutie? ^^

If it was allowed, I would've had him for my entry. He'd be a sure win! Bwahahaha! But rules are rules... I can only submit an amigurumi that's made within the contest month, which in this case was March. Oh well... C'est la vie! If life gives you lemons... You squeeze them back into life's eyes. Now that's a twist. Gumball's mom is so hardcore. ^^

Initially I didn't want to join since I've got tons of projects lined up. With my niece's birthday coming up and her mom's challenging gift request... Yah! There's a lot on my plate. Plus, I got no inspiration to make up a dino pattern. I was currently in a state of creative block. So instead of rainbows, unicorns, and chocolate waterfalls, there was a buzzing static in my head. Groan. -_- 

It all happened when I did my yarn inventory after buying sets of skeins for my upcoming projects (For some reason, doing yarn inventory is just as good as wearing a thinking hat. Imagine that. O_o). So I separated all the ones I'm going to use from the ones I'm putting in storage. When the Pamplemousse, Parakeet, and Lettuce skeins got together in a pile I thought, "Huh! That's a cute combination... It reminds me of bubble gum. How about I crochet it into a small dinosaur? One with dark and light green stripes, and pink spikes... Yeah! A bubblegum dinosaur!!!" Then the crowd hoisted me on their shoulders and we did a parade, everyone cheered and applauded- Yah... That sounded less awkward in my head. Hahaha! OvO

KAICHI

Materials:

Monaco Yarn Shade #50 - Parakeet (1 skein)
Monaco Yarn Shade #54 - Lettuce (1 skein)
Monaco Yarn Shade #33 - Pamplemousse (1 skein)
Crochet Hook - F5 (3.75 mm)
Felt cloth:
           - Green
           - White
White thread
Fiberfill stuffing

HEAD/BODY
(Parakeet)
Rnd 1: 6sc in mr (6)
Rnd 2: inc around (12)
Rnd 3: 1sc-inc (18)
Rnd 4: 2sc-inc (24)
Rnd 5: 3sc-inc (30)
Rnd 6: 4sc-inc (36)
(Lettuce)
Rnd 7-8: sc around (36)
(Parakeet)
Rnd 9-10: sc around (36)
Rnd 11: 5sc-inc (42)
Rnd 12: sc around (42)
(Lettuce)
Rnd 13-14: sc around (42)
(Parakeet)
Rnd 15-16: sc around (42)
Rnd 17: 6sc-inc (48)
Rnd 18: sc around (48)
(Lettuce)
Rnd 19-20: sc around (48)
(Parakeet)
Rnd 21: 6sc-dec (42)
Rnd 22: 5sc-dec (36)
Rnd 23: 4sc-dec (30)
Rnd 24: 3sc-dec (24)
Rnd 25: 2sc-dec (18)
Rnd 26: 1sc-dec (12)
Rnd 27: 1sc-dec (9)
FO, weave in ends
*Cut out green and white felt for the eyes
*Stitch mouth with white thread

BELLY PATCH
(Pamplemousse)
4ch
Rnd 1: sc on 2nd ch from hook, inc around (12)
Rnd 2: 1sc-inc (18)
Rnd 3: 2sc-inc (24)
Rnd 4: 2hdc, 1sc, inc, [3sc-inc] 4x, 2sc, 2hdc, sl
Leave tail for sewing

LEGS (2x)
(Pamplemousse)
Rnd 1: 5sc in mr (5)
Rnd 2: sc around (10)
Rnd 3: 1sc-inc (15)
(Parakeet)
Rnd 4: 2sc-inc (20)
Rnd 5: sc around (20)
(Lettuce)
Rnd 6-7: sc around (20)
FO, leave tail for sewing

ARMS (2x)
(Parakeet)
Rnd 1: 4sc in mr (4)
Rnd 2: inc around (8)
Rnd 3-4: sc around (8)
FO, leave tail for sewing

TAIL
(Lettuce)
Rnd 1: 4sc in mr (4)
Rnd 2: 1sc-inc (6)
Rnd 3: 2sc-inc (8)
Rnd 4: 3sc-inc (10)
Rnd 5: 4sc-inc (12)
(Parakeet)
Rnd 6: 5sc-inc (14)
Rnd 7: 6sc-inc (16)
Rnd 8: 7sc-inc (18)
(Lettuce)
Rnd 9: 8sc-inc (20)
Rnd 10: 9sc-inc (22)
(Parakeet)
Rnd 11: 10sc-inc (24)
FO, leave tail for sewing

SPIKES (4x)
(Pamplemousse)
Rnd 1: 4sc in mr (4)
Rnd 2: 1sc-inc (6)
Rnd 3: 2sc-inc (8)
Rnd 4: 3sc-inc (10)
FO, leave tail for sewing

I just love his big, green, innocent eyes... I could "Aww!" the whole day. So cute I could melt.

Well that did it... I've turned into a big puddle. Hahaha!

Thank you yarn inventory for such an adorable inspiration. ^^

===> So the winners were just announced this morning (Apr. 2)... Guess what? I won! Woo-hoo! Well, not exactly first place and just a random selection but at least, a win is a win. I'm so happy! Hehehe -^.^- Read the details here in DeviantArt.

Copyright: Kaichi is an original pattern written by Duchess Gala. You may do whatever you want with the finished product but please do not sell or claim the pattern as your own. Also, do not post the pattern directly to your website. Just link it to this blog. ^^ 

Disclaimer: Some of the photos I used are not mine and can be searched online

The Sea God and The Sky Goddess

When I was in college, our professor asked our class to make a story board based on themes he randomly assigned. So for me, I was given "love story". 

Being a naive girl at that time with la-di-da ideas of true love and love conquers all nonsense (Oh Sherlock, what have you done to me?), I decided to make a love story about a sky goddess and a sea god.

The story was simple: boy meets girl; boy tries to impress girl; embarrassing moment; closure; xoxo; the end. Now that seems like the shortest screen play ever... Should I get a Guinness World Record for it? Hahaha! ^^

So like my Sephiroth tribute, I made this story board into a short film while I was jobless. Not that it helped me look for work but it did keep me sane through those months. Oh! Such dark times... 

Anyway, the visuals are not that good since at that time I just started working on my gestures (Not that I'm actually any better now. O_o). But at least the story-telling does have some redeeming factors... I hope. O_O Damn! I need to remake this. Hahaha!

The Story and Characters of "The Sea God and The Sky Goddess" animated short film are intellectual properties of Duchess Gala.

Please do not use for personal or business purposes.  

Sephiroth

A long, long time ago... Okay, maybe not that long since that was just barely like 5 years ago... I made a tribute video for one of my fave Final Fantasy VII character of all time, Sephiroth.

Usually girls get all giddy with Cloud Strife; blue eyes, blonde anime hair... Who wouldn't go crazy over that cutie? Apparently, not me... I went for the sexy villain with the badass long, silver locks. Woo-hoo! -^.^-

Looking back, I may have developed a pattern for admiring characters... But I'm a little confused which is more accurate. Hmm...

Anyway, being unemployed (Just graduated and looking for work... It was hell!) I had a lot of time in my hands so I made a short video clip as tribute to Sephiroth. 

I got the clips from my little brother's movie collection of Advent Children and Crisis Core. He used to be some kind of Final Fantasy VII nut. Me? Well, I wasn't exactly a fan and never played the game, but I did like the movies... Or rather just Sephiroth. Yup! Definitely just Sephiroth. 

I used the song "Running Up That Hill" by Placebo. At that time, the horror-action movie directed by the Spierig brothers, "Daybreakers", was just being released and that song was used in its trailers. It really has a shadowy, dark aura going on so I thought it was perfect for Sephiroth's villainous yet sexy persona. I just had to say sexy. Hahaha! ^^ 

Disclaimer: the song "Running Up That Hill" performed by Placebo doesn't belong to Duchess Gala but to Universal Music Group

Disclaimer: Some of the photos I used are not mine and can be searched online