Patchwork Plague Doctor Mask

I found the pattern via Facebook and decided I'd crazy-quilt mine. It's been coming along slowly, but now there is a contest at work for the most creative mask and I intend to win.

The only problem is that I wasn't sure how to do the lenses for the eyes. My dad is going to cut some for me with his lazer, and I'm going to tint them with some mirrored window tint, so that's all fine and dandy, but what about fixing them to the mask? The pattern provides pieces, but I don't care for how they are constructed. Then it hit me: Shisha embroidery!

https://www.needlenthread.com/2015/01/stitch-fun-shisha-embroidery-with-cretan-stitch.html

It's awesome and I'm totally gonna do that for my lenses. They won't be detachable, but that's fine. I just won't put it through the dryer after a wash. This is definitely more of a costume piece anyway, and I plan to wear it with my apothecary costume when I finally get it finished.

Guitar Strap Pattern

I have acquired a bass guitar and need a strap. Last year, for my birthday, I acquired an Inkle loom. Coincidence?!

Yeah, actually, it is just a coincidence.

BUT ANYWAY!!

I don't know how to do anything fancy yet, like pick-up weaving or tablet weaving... but I can do plain weave and I can read "patterns" for the fancier plain weaves. AND SO!!!

https://carolingianrealm.blog/PatternGenerator.php

This place is awesome. You can design your own patterns. Guess what I did...

Musical OCs

I like to write a lot (although not many people have ever seen the results) and am constantly looking for new short story prompts or character ideas. One of those came to me via Pinterest. The gist of the "game" is this:

1. Put your playlist on shuffle

2. The first song is your first character

3. The second song is your second character

4. The third song is their relationship

I have a "Festival Season" playlist that I like to listen to all spring to keep me in the Renaissance Festival spirit. Here's what it churned out:

Character 1  - Dark Lady (The Bilge Pumps)

Character 2  - Loreley (Blackmore's Night)

Relationship - Devil Down Below (Gaelic Storm)

___

Character 1  - Satyros (Faun)

Character 2  - Black & Tans (The Bilge Pumps)

Relationship - Wiskey You're the Devil (The Craic)

___

Character 1  - Dulaman (Celtic Woman)

Character 2  - Play Minstrel Play (Blackmore's Night)

Relationship - Under a Violet Moon (Blackmore's Night)

___

Character 1  - The Ravens (The Craic)

Character 2  - Lover's Wreck (Gaelic Storm)

Relationship - Ghost of a Rose (Blackmore's Night)

___

Character 1  - Why Paddy's Not at Work Today (Bedlam Bards)

Character 2  - Hunting the Wren (Heather Dale)

Relationship - An Hini A Garan (Cecile Corbel)

Handy Code for Blogger

How to add a photo-reel: https://www.kimsixbloggersupport.com/2016/07/how-to-add-image-slider-to-posts-on.html

I need this for fabric photos for masks.

Free Mask Pattern

In the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic, I have found that I am allergic to Lysol. To reduce the strain on my lungs I needed a filter of some sort, so I found this free pattern:

https://www.craftpassion.com/face-mask-sewing-pattern/

Super-easy to make and comfortable-ish to wear (face it - medical masks are just not that great to wear all day), I whipped one up in an evening out of some scraps from a cosplay, complete with some cute little embroidery. I'll probably make some more when my state decides to quarantine.

Handkerchiefs

I've been having a lot of fun making handkerchiefs! Remember this post?

I've made a couple of the Shadowmarks as well as a whitework paisley.

I've also made the "Protected" Shadowmark and am working on a bowl of petunias for my sister, a grey handkerchief to match my mask, and then maybe a set of Dark Tower and a set of dice hankies. And some monogrammed ones.

Post-Scheduling Tools

I need to research these. They are free, social-media schedulers that hook in to Instagram and Facebook.

https://later.com/pricing/
https://slacksocial.com/#pricing
https://hootsuite.com/plans/free