completed project: crocheted giraffe

I feel rather accomplished when I actually create, complete or bake something I've pinned to Pinterest.  Over break when I didn't have school, I made this giraffe pattern from Lion Brand Yarn, which I had pinned months ago.  It was quite simple and didn't take long at all.  The stitching is all single stitch, so the trickiest part is crocheting around in a circle, but that's not hard at all if you use a bobby pin to mark your spot. (: This little guy loves it!

I didn't remember to take a picture till it was too late to take a good one..

In other news, I knitted this rabbit for his sister; it's a lot plainer but I like it.  

DIY: map box lights

I live in a room that is approximately 6' by 10'.  It needs to be bolstered up in the cute department, because space is something it definitely lacks.  Last semester, a friend and I spent a delightful Saturday afternoon sitting on my bed listening to country music and creating this lovely twinkle light design for my smallest wall.

Those other two walls need some help...one thing at a time!

It was incredibly simple to create.  All you need are two strings of twinkle lights and an old atlas.  I found an atlas for $0.79 at Salvation Army.  The twinkle lights were on sale for approximately $4 each, so the whole project cost me $9.  Success!

Here is a video tutorial for making the boxes: How to Make an Origami Balloon: Simple and Fun Origami.  (Here is one that is not in video format, if you prefer that.)  They go fairly quickly after you get the hang of it, and after making forty-five you feel like a well-oiled machine! Atlas pages are generally not square, so for us the most tedious part was cutting the pages down to a square.  After we folded and inflated the boxes, we just slipped them over every fourth light.  You could certainly space them however you liked.

I love them! They are so quaint and creative.  We've also done some other travel and hot air balloon themed DIY projects for my room, which you will see soon!  I can't wait until the whole space is completely decorated.