Custom Order Updates

Well things are getting a bit slow on the Product Info front...questions have stopped rolling in and I am getting writers block, so I think we are going to start switching things up and calling Wednesdays "Shop Info Wednesday" instead. This way I can post custom orders, shop updates, FAQS, answer your questions, and at least once per month (although I am being ambitious and hoping for every other week) you will still get an in-depth article about a product or shop policy.

So, for this week I thought I would share the custom orders I worked on last month. Usually orders like this only show up as a small blip on my shop's radar as the customer purchases them pretty quickly after posting. I have also been so busy that I neglected to make small posts on Twitter or Facebook so you could all check them out.

Order #1 was for a stuffed animal of the Pokemon Growlithe. He was a lot of fun to make, and since he was for an adult I had some extra fun taking pictures of him "in his natural habitat."

Order #2 came in while I was working on Growlithe. It was for a rebel alliance beanie for the customer's newborn nephew.

Upon delivering it (as this was a local order) I was asked if I can do one in adult sizes too. The answer is yes! but prices will go up a bit...so you may see an adult rebel alliance beanie in the near future n_n

This month I will be working on 3 projects and hopefully you will get another update by the end of the month to see those. In order of due date, they are 1.) Train gift set consisting of an afghan, train plush,and conductor's hat; 2.) First Grandson gift set consisting of a blanket with the little boy's name and matching cap; and 3.) Penguin plushie.

Tropical Green Smoothie

As much as I love my banana-[insert random berry(ies) here] smoothies, I thought I should start changing it up. Add a little variety to my mornings. So I am trying something new and adding another smoothie to the mix. My boyfriend's little sister had gotten something similar to this from Jamba Juice and let me try it. It was really yummy and the tropical fruits completely overpower the greens in flavor so you get the benefits of the greens without the taste. I've done a little searching on the web for similar recipes, and this is what I've come up with for a 12-16oz single serving smoothie.

Shopping List: 1 bunch spinach 1 bunch kale 1 pineapple 2 mangoes 4 bananas

Per packet: 1/2 c spinach 1/2 c kale 1/4 c pineapple, chunked 1/4 c mango, chunked 1/2 banana, sliced

This resulted in 8 packets. The measurements I will say are approximations as I pretty much just split whatever I had into 8 packets--really I was fairly close to my measurements and I think I was only a little short on the greens, but I still managed to get a handful of each per packet.

Following suit of my last two smoothie posts, I make these lactose free and try to boost the protein. In doing so I add 4-6 oz unflavored soy milk (I find with the frozen fruit I need closer to 6 oz, whereas with fresh fruit I use 4 oz and about 1/2 c by volume of ice), 1 Tbsp plain creamy almond butter, 1 Tbsp ground flax seed/flax seed meal.

This time I used sandwich bags! You definitely need the extra space for the greens anyway, plus I'm hoping the fruit won't clump up into one giant frozen chunk like they did the with banana berry smoothies in the snack bags n_n (Ignore the fact that I folded them over for the pictures! >.< )

What are your favorite smoothie recipes? Are there any you are particularly fond of for meal replacements (e.g. breakfast)? Share them here!

Free Keroppi Pattern

In honor of my sister moving to Japan tomorrow, I thought we could look at a pattern in theme n_n

I am sure many of you are familiar with SanRio, or if not at least Hello Kitty. There are many other characters that SanRio has created, my favorite of all time being the frog Keroppi. My best friend in grade school and middle school was Japanese and had actually moved here when we were in kindergarten. As a 6 year old I was engulfed in her culture and the adorable world of SanRio.

A while back I went on a hunt for a Keroppi plush pattern, and I think I found the perfect one over at Stitch Love. Michelle's Keroppi is not only perfect looking, her pattern is easy to follow and it's free!

A mini Keroppi I made as a keychain.

Check out the pattern here and make your own Keroppi n_n




Sorry for the short post and lack of Product Info Wednesday this week. As I said, my sister is moving to Japan tomorrow! On top of that my boyfriend's brother is getting married today so I have been crazy busy all week and will probably continue to be so through the weekend! Things should slow down and be back to normal next week with a few custom orders on the hooks & needles and our regularly scheduled posts.

Product Info on Break

Sorry guys, but no Product Info Wednesday this week. Between my sister moving to Japan on Saturday and my boyfriend's brother getting married on Friday (and his other brother we see twice a year being in town as well), my time is filling up fast!

I'm trying to see my sister as much as possible. Plus apparently dating my boyfriend for 10 years makes me family so I am expected to partake in the weekend of wedding activities (seriously! rehearsal dinner Thursday, pictures & actual wedding Friday, luncheon with both families Saturday). We are also entertaining my boyfriend's other brother and his girlfriend (both of whom I love, it just makes me very busy). On top of that Saturday is going to be brutal as I know I'll be up late at the wedding Friday, then I am getting up early to make breakfast for the family before we leave at 9 am to take my sister to the airport (so that's 2 hours in the car alone), and then I get to go to the luncheon!

As far as the shop, ready made item purchases will still be shipped out. Custom requests will be replied to within 48 hours. Other inquiries will be tackled next week as my life slows back down n_n

Banana Berry Smoothie Packets

Breakfast smoothies have become my go to. They keep me nice and full until lunch, they are healthy, and they kick start my metabolism. As any nutritionist or trainer will tell you, breakfast is a very important meal. However, I am not a breakfast person at all so this is my compromise.

I shared some of my recipes a while back, comparing my lactose free protein shake with a commercial one. This is just how things have evolved since that post in my kitchen. What's great about preparing these packets is 1. you just have to mix with your base (in my case, soy milk, almond butter & flax seed, but you could do water, milk, even throw in some protein shake mix) and 2. you do not need to add ice! I have upgraded to ALL THE BERRIES, so that is the breakdown I will give you.

Shopping List: 1 pint strawberries 6 oz raspberries 6 oz blackberries 6 oz blueberries 4 bananas

Per packet: 3 strawberries, quartered 7-10 raspberries 7-10 blackberries 10 blue berries 1/2 banana, sliced

In dividing up the strawberries, I had enough to make 7 packets. From there I split up the raspberries and blackberries until there were none left, so the number I give you is more of an approximation. The blueberries I did actually count out 10 per packet, and I had a handful of them left (although not for long, as my dog thinks they are delicious and ate them all...after of course rolling them around the kitchen floor and chasing them.) I also ended up with 1/2 banana left over, but depending on the size of your strawberries you may be able to get an 8th packet out of them.

I used snack sized ziploc bags for these. The fruit just barely fit into the bags. It was also 1 solid block of frozen fruit when I took it out to make my smoothie, so I had to break it up in order to get the blender to mix everything. I would have gone with sandwich bags, but I did not discover we were out until I was about to bag all my cut up fruit. In the future I will use them to avoid this ice chunk and recommend you do too n_n

Now to start exploring more smoothie options. I hear some good think about some mango or pineapple smoothie involving spinach and kale...wonder how well I can freeze up those packets?

Free Beginner Crochet Blanket Pattern

Welcome again to Free Pattern Fridays. This week's installment is not one of my patterns (they seem to have been misplaced in the midst of redoing my computer a few months back, but don't worry I will  find them eventually!). However, I really like this blanket and believe it is pretty simple. In fact this is the pattern I used to teach my friend how to crochet. You learn some basics: chain, double crochet, increase, and decrease. The ripples give it a nice "advanced" look which is what my friend liked. She didn't want some "crappy" first project, so instead she got a beautiful wavey blanket in aqua, brown, white, and tan (I wish I had a picture, because the color combo is just gorgeous!). I unfortunately have only ever finished a dolly blanket in this pattern, although I do have a few inches of an afghan for myself started (It will be in black, burgundy, dark teal, and aqua).

So without further ado, I give you Susan B.'s Easy Ripple Afghan (click the picture for the link):

(c) Susan B in metro KC

How Long Will my Custom Order Take?

While I will always give you an estimate upon placing your order, I realize for some of you it may be easier to have a general idea instead of spending a few days messaging back and forth while you try to determine what items you want and whether they can be completed within your time frame. So this post is a general guideline for how long individual items may take. I will give you what information I can to help you see how that time changes in a gift set too, but please always feel free to reach out to me if you have questions about crafting time before finalizing your order.

Footwear

Barefoot Sandals are a very quick project for me. Turn around time is 1 day as long as I have the colors on hand. However, this does not mean you should expect 1 day per pair if you are ordering more than one. I can easily get through 3 pairs a day, and I have been able to pull off 6 in a day before (although I will admit I worked on them pretty much all day).

Booties have a slightly more varying turn around, but I will try to get as specific as possible...

Plain cuffed booties usually take about 1 day. If you want an image on them, the time ups to 2 days. Your typical time quote will be 1-2 days regardless of style just to give myself a buffer.

Mary Janes and simple sneakers take 1-2 days. Usually I can pull off 1 pair in a day, but it will take all day for me if Monday-Friday, and if I have other projects I like to give myself that 1 day buffer. If you want flowers or other adornments on the Mary Janes or for the sneakers to be Converse (or another logo) then it definitely takes the full 2 days, and if in conjunction with other orders (which I will inform you of, and you can always check on my current orders) it may possibly take 3 until I can ship.

Ice Skates and Cleats take about 2 days. If you add on logos or a lot of color changes, there is a possibility of the time upping to 3 days. Basically simple ice skates and cleats take 2 days, complicated designs average 3 days.

Roller skates take the longest. I have to make 8 wheels, and while they are tiny they take a bit of time. For roller skates I always give myself at least 3 days, sometimes I need 4 if I have other projects going on or my day job has gotten particularly crazy. Normally I will give you an estimate of 3-5 days just to cover myself, but always mention your time frame to me as I will do my very best to accommodate your needs.

Headwear

Headbands can be done within a day as long as I have the bases on hand (which I usually do). At most you will wait 2 days until shipping so that I can acquire materials.

Hats, like booties, vary by style...

Simple beanies take about 1 day. If they are relatively plain, I can usually get two of them done in one day. If you want an image on the hat, it ranges from 1-2 days depending on complexity. If you ordered more than 1 adorned beanie, I would quote you at 1 day per hat.

Specialty hats honestly range in time by design. I did a toddler hat that had a interchangeable cubs logo/flower to attach which took about 3 days. The flower bonnets typically only take 1 day, sometimes 2 in order to get to the flower due to my schedule being busy. The derby helmet took 2 days, but day 2 was mostly figuring out the logo and making it look correct. I guess to give you an estimate, I would say specialty infant hats will be estimated at 1-3 days.

Clothing

Clothing gets a little less precise. I can give you an estimate by project, but to just list general guidelines is a bit tricky. Some clothing is lacey or made with thicker yarn so it goes faster. Other clothing is very solid, or long, or complicated, or uses thin yarn so it will take longer. I can give you some projects I have worked on in the past and how long they took to try and help though:

Dresses
A lacey newborn dress took me 1 day. A solid tunic length 12 month dress took me 1 week. A solid knee length 5T dress took me 2 weeks.

Tops
I made a caped sleeve cardigan for a newborn and it only took 1 day. I would say this is a pretty fair estimate for short sleeves, and I would probably quote you at 2 days for long sleeves.

Bottoms
I honestly have sewn all my skirts so far and have yet to do pants. I have done a pair of overalls, but it was a personal project not an order and as such kept getting put on the back burner.  I believe it took me about a day for each leg...Given that I would quote you at 1 day for diaper covers, shorts and short skirts. I would quote 2 days for longer skirts and pants (up to 12 months, beyond that we may be looking at an additional day). For overalls or a jumper I would quote 2-3 days.

Cocoons
Are cocoons outfits or blankets? I never know how to categorize them... I think I have been lumping them in with clothes so far, so let's stick with that. The cocoon and matching hat set I made took 1 week.

Blankets

Receiving blankets will take minimal time. I would say approximately 3-5 days, mostly dependent on fabric acquisition. These are fairly simple and rather small blankets with minimal sewing and a crocheted border. If the fabric desired was on hand or easily attainable at a local store, it will only be 3 days.

A typical knit/crochet blanket takes about 2 weeks. Sometimes I can rush these and complete them in 1 week, especially if they are of a smaller/newborn size or simple design.

The regular tunisian blanket took me about 6-8 weeks to complete. These blankets unfortunately cannot be rushed too much. They are just simply a lot of work, as each row is worked twice. They are also worked with a finer yarn which means many more stitches.

However if you like the tunisian look but want the blanket faster, there is the large stitch tunisian blanket option. These blankets are made with a thicker yarn. They are a little more airy and less dense than the regular tunisian blanket, but they are still about as thick. However they can be worked up in about 4 weeks. Check out the post I made comparing the two a couple months ago to get a better idea what these differences mean.

Toys

Toys vary with complexity...

Generally speaking, small toys and rattles can be done in 1 day. I may quote you 2, and that is only to give myself time to acquire the rattle insert or sew the toy together if it is made in multiple pieces (which for infants I avoid as much as possible).

Medium toys generally take 2-3 days.

Large toys vary again, but unless they are overly complicated I would quote you at 5-7 days. If the toy is for an older child or adult, I can get more detailed and am more willing to make them in multiple parts. Toys of this nature could take 1-2 weeks depending on the complexity.

Notes

Non-Listed Colors
Normally I will include time to acquire materials in your original time quote. But to give you an idea, if the colors you request are listed in my available colors, then I have it on hand or can buy it/more of it at a local store. If you want another color, I am always happy to accommodate, but I will need to go out and purchase it. If I can find the colors you desire in a local store, it will only add about 1 day to your time. However, if I need to order the color online, as unfortunately happens with some colorways (I don't know why...but sometimes 1 store will carry a color on site, another online only, and another not at all!), your time will increase depending on how long shipping is. I can expedite shipping for supplies if necessary to meet your needs, but I may up your price just a tad to cover these expenses.

Tight Time Frames
If you find yourself in need of a product within a tight time frame, please let me know. The times I provide are the longest I expect something to take and usually have buffer time built in for random things like my day job becoming busy, a sick day, or overlapping projects. Some clients give me a lot of advance warning on their needs, so some of these projects can easily be set aside for rush orders. I can also adjust my schedule to make room for more crafting time.

Shipping Upgrades
If the time frame is very tight, I may ask you to pay extra for expedited shipping. However, if I guarantee your timeline and find myself falling behind, I will pay for the shipping upgrade to ensure you receive it on time.

My Sister Moves to Japan in TWO WEEKS!

This has been an exhausting weekend, but in a good way. We threw a HUGE going away party for my sister, who is moving to Japan in just two weeks to teach English.

The party was impressive...over 50 people throughout the course of the evening. And I wan to say it ran near 12 hours (started at 4pm, I crashed at 2am, my mom and sister crashed at 3am and there were still people there!). It was a ton of fun. Friends from middle school, high school, community college, university, and multiple jobs all showed up plus family.

We made a ton of food too! There wasn't too much left over either o.O And one of our friends was kind enough to pack up the food and straighten up the kitchen for us since we were all in bed by the time he left (although he says he had some help).

We had volleyball and bags, but sadly never got around to setting them up. We also have a slew of light-up toys (football, soccer ball, volley ball, beach ball, a million frisbees), so those came out as it got dark. There was also a fireworks display and bonfire (thankfully we live out in the country, where our neighbors are farms).

So Saturday was a TON of fun, but very tiring. And now we face the reality that in just two weeks, my sister gets on a plane for Japan. She will be living in Kushima City in Miyazaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushuu (second largest of the non-main islands, the one towards the south). The area is considered tropical, with temperatures ranging from about 40F in winter to 90F in summer. She is also in a rather rural area, the city being surrounded by race paddies and mountains. It's nice though because it looks beautiful so she will enjoy exploring the country side. Also you can walk pretty much everywhere within the city.

She also has some friends out there from her brief stint while her husband was in the navy, and she has made some new friends through the JET program.Unfortunately they are mostly on the main island...and Tokyo is a 9 hour train ride (it may make more sense for her to fly actually! long train rides get pricey). Her predecessor also has some friends that she is trying to introduce my sister too so she has some people to hang out with when she moves. This well be awesome because she gets about a month to get settled in, and now she will know people in her city and the nearby towns.

What's really neat about her replacing someone, is she has a contact to help her figure things out ahead of time. She will be moving into her predecessor's apartment, and is lucky enough to be able to buy all the furnishings so as not to worry about figuring that all out when she gets there. Her predecessor is also hooking her up with a car. On top of that my sister is getting information on custom, school policies, what her different coworkers are like and what they will expect, what there is to do in the area, what to do in her free time, etc. She also has an address already so if we need to ship stuff too it can go out whenever.

Once my sister gets to Japan, she will be teaching on a 1 year contract. After that time, she may have the opportunity to renew. It sounds like you are usually asked unless you specifically say you don't want to. After 3 years, they are expecting you to be rather fluent in the language to continue. This is an awesome opportunity, and rather perfect as she went to school to be a high school English teacher! We have also been surrounded by the Japanese culture since I was 6 (best friend since Kindergarten had moved here from Japan), so it has always had a place in our hearts.

I am super excited for my sister! But also a little jealous, and a little sad that she will be so far away for so long. Hopefully I can afford a trip to visit her n_n

Free Zero the Dog Pattern at Jellybums

Well boys and girls, I have yet to hear back from the author about sharing my crochet adaptation of her knitting pattern for Zero. Although, in all honestly, I pretty much followed the pattern exactly as it was written and just changed each knit or purl stitch into a single crochet. So, if you crochet instead of knit, just work each stitch as a single crochet with a US D hook :)

I made my crochet Zero* as a prototype for converting Jellybum's pattern from knit as my swap partner had wanted to learn amigurumi and I thought this would be a pretty simple pattern and a great addition to her Tim Burton swap* packaged. It is a very easy to follow pattern, and I recommend checking out Jellybum's other patterns on her blog and in her etsy shop.

So, without further ado, here is Jellybum's Zero the Ghostly Dog pattern. Enjoy!

*links to my Ravelry project pages--must have an account to view

Yarn Options

I briefly went over fiber options in my Caring for Hand Knits post back in May, but that didn't really get into why you might choose a specific fiber. Unless of course your only concern is ease of washing n_~

Anyway, yarn options can go one of two ways: fiber or weight. Fiber is pretty self-explanatory. For the most part you have 3 options: synthetic, natural (animal), and natural (plant). Weight refers to the yarn thickness. There are a wider range of options for weight, but typically infant projects range from fine to medium. Weight is also usually dictated by the project, but in some instances (e.g. blankets, sweaters) you may want to choose.

Now for the break down...

Fiber Types

Natural Fibers: Animal

Wool varieties come from sheep. Depending on the type of wool, the yarn will range from scratchy to very soft (although with a good wash, most ends up very soft). Wool also has the possibility of allergies (specifically lanolin which keeps the wool soft, but the fiber itself can cause reactions too)--this is something to be careful with when ordering infant items. However, wool can also be very warm so may be a good choice for a blanket or sweater in colder climates. Most wool also needs to be hand washed and requires special care. There is also the possibility you will see some dye in the water during your first few washes. This is normal with wool, and I always wash it at least once before sending your items out as well.

Superwash wool has been chemically treated so that it can be machine washed without felting. This essentially removes the outer "fuzzy layer" so the wool may not feel as soft or bouncy. However, it also tends to be more colorfast than regular wool.

Llama & Alpaca Fleece are naturally very soft. They are probably my favorite fibers. They are also said to be hypoallergenic, although I have run into a few people who are allergic so keep that in mind if you do not know about the baby's allergies. Like wool, llama and alpaca fleece will felt in a washer so items made with this fiber need to be hand washed.

There are also other kinds of fleece that you could select, but to be honest I have not worked with most of them:

• Yak Fleece comes from yaks. Surprising, right? I have actually handled this and it was very sturdy. After 1 or 2 washes is softens up too.
• Mohair & Kashmir Fleece comes from goats. I have heard they are very soft and cuddly fabrics. Mohair also has a halo about it.
• Angora comes from rabbits. This yarn also tends to have a halo. I have also heard mixed reviews from it being very soft to very scratchy.

Silk is very soft and has a beautiful drape. However it is also rather pricey. This is a great choice for adult items like shawls, gloves, or stockings.

Natural Fibers: Plant

Cotton and Linen can be very soft or very sturdy. It honestly depends on how it was processed. For infant items I always use the softer cotton, but for kitchen items I tend to go with the sturdier cotton to give some extra oomph to your scrubbing power. You of course are more than welcome to request the soft cotton for kitchen items, and I usually choose it for bath items. Cotton is a great choice for knitwear in warmer climates. It is light and breathes very well. You can also generally wash cotton items in a machine (just be wary of hot wash and hot dry!)

Hemp is a very sturdy yarn. It is softer than the hemp twine or jute you would use for necklaces and macrame, but it is still a bit rougher than other yarns. Not to say this doesn't make for a nice fabric, but I recommend using hemp for small or lacey items over full solid garments (e.g booties or a shawl would be better than a solid knit sweater).

Bamboo is incredibly soft, but it is also a bit more processed than other plant fibers. It also has an incredible sheen and is said to be antibacterial. However it soaks up water quite a bit and can get weak when wet. This would be a great blanket choice, but perhaps not for every day items.

Rayon is another processed plant fiber. It also has a great luster and drape like bamboo. However rayon is weak in the heat, so needs special care and must be hand washed in cool water.

Synthetic

Acrylic is my go to for infant items because it is durable and can be abused (by children and washing machines). You don't have to worry about dye coming out in the wash or shrinkage. This is synthetic and unfortunately that means it is heavily processed. You may hear "horror stories" about squeaky or melting acrylic. I have never had this issue, although cheap acrylic is scratchy. However, I hate that kind so you will not be getting it in your orders.

Specialty yarns are a wide variety and include things like Ribbon, Art, etc. These yarns typically serve a specific purpose. Ribbon yarn is usually used for interesting scarves. Art yarn tends to have beads, varying thicknesses, or other adornments giving your item a unique look.

Yarn Weights

Lace yarn is very thin, almost like thread. This yarn is used to create a light. airy fabric. As such I would not recommend it for infant items. However, it is lovely for shawls or lacey cardigans (that you plan to wear over something else, of course).

Superfine yarn is still very thin, but it actually has some substance to it (unlike lace yarn). Other terms used to describe this weight of yarn include Sock, Fingering, and Baby. As you might guess, superfine yarns are often used for socks and other small items. I will use superfine for items like booties, sweaters, pants, and skirts. It will make a rather thin fabric.

Fine yarn is a more average weight. It is probably the thickness you would normally think of for yarn. Like superfine, Baby may also be used to refer to fine weight, as will the term Sport. This is the weight I most frequently used for infant apparel. It will not create a bulky fabric for small items, but it still has enough substance to it that I feel it will keep an infant warm in cooler climates. I occasionally will use this weight for infant blankets as well (particularly tunisian blankets--the thin yarn gives a nice tight stitch without making the fabric overly dense and stiff).

Light yarn is similar to fine but tends to have a bit more substance and bounce to it. You may also hear the terms DK (double knitting) and Light Worsted in relation to this weight. I tend to use fine and light rather interchangeably and sometimes mix them within one project.

Medium yarn is of an average thickness, and another one of the weights you probably naturally think about when yarn comes to mind. Worsted, Afghan, and Aran are other common terms that refer to this yarn weight. Normally I do not use medium yarns on baby items, except for blankets. I find non-tunisian blankets work well in medium yarns. I also use this weight for slippers and adult sweaters.

Bulky yarn is very thick. To give you an idea, the other terms associated with bulky are Chunky and Rug. You may hear the term Craft from time to time to.This yarn is a great choice for a thick blanket, sweater, or jacket. I would recommend considering this weight for blankets and outerwear in cold climates.

Super Bulky is getting close to thin rope in terms of thickness. Roving is also considered super bulky (for those of you not into fiber crafting, this is essentially taking raw wool or fleece and pulling it into strips). I rarely use this for clothing. On a rare occasion I may use it for a jacket or blanket.

References:

Fiber Types

Standard Yarn Weights

Customizable Barefoot Sandals are Available!

I've mentioned these a few times in the past week or two, and now they are finally available for sale! Etsy allows us sellers to give buyers options. Now if you go to any of my new listings, you can choose the color combination you want (example pictures provided for reference) and the size you need. I make all sandals from the customizeable listings to order, but luckily 1 pair goes fast so turn around is about 1 day. Orders should ship within 24 hours, except for Sundays when there is no post or if you place your order after 9 pm central time, as I likely won't see the notice until the following morning.

Click on the pictures to be taken to the listings and see all the options n_n

Free American Flag Knitting Pattern

For those of you following my Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ pages I apolpgize for the repeat. We are still in celebration mode over here with a long weekend of cookouts, swimming, and fireworks.

I know the Fourth was yesterday, but you can still get in the spirit by knitting your own mini flag. I found this pattern on my local yarn shop's Facebook page. This pattern is a quick knit and a great stash buster too, especially if you have a ton of scraps.

See you next week with more detailed posts, a few custom orders, and a shop update with customizable sandals!

Product Info on Vacation

Happy Fourth of July everyone! 

I am off work and celebrating the holiday with friends and family this weekend, so there will be no Product Info Wednesday this week. Let me know what kind of information you would like for next week's post n_n

Discworld: The Board Game!

Discworld is a book series that the author describes as "an attempt to do for the classical fantasy universe what Blazing Saddles did for Westerns." This series is just brilliant and is a wonderful satire. There's a lot of magic, but also references to the real world and mythology. The books are also light novels, so they make for quick and enjoyable reads.

There are a few one-offs, but mostly the series contains a handful of story arcs. My favorite two arcs being The Watch and Death.

Discworld...which is flat and rides on the back of four giant elephants who stand on the shell of the enormous star turtle Great A’Tuin, and which is bounded by a waterfall that cascades endlessly into space. Scientists have calculated that the chance of anything so patently absurd actually existing are millions to one. But magicians have calculated that million-to-one chances crop up nine times out of ten. ~Mort by Terry Pratchett

Anyway...there is now a board game* based off this series. It takes place in the city of Ankh Morpork (the largest city on the disk). The board has twelve territories and accommodates 2-4 players. Each player gets 1 of 7 characters to play, and each character wins under different circumstances. Everyone has people and buildings as well as a hand of cards. Your objective was to fulfill your character's winning requirements (such as controlling the most territories, having people in every territory, having the most money). Each turn you played 1 card (unless the card specifically said otherwise) and performed as many of the actions on it as you wanted. Cards were based off characters and places in the Discworld and allowed you to do things like gain money, construct buildings, and place people. There are also Random Even cards, and they are definitely random. Some of the event cards we encountered involved trolls, floods, explosions, and there is even a card that will end the game.

We compared this game to a few others. It was a little bit like Clue because you want to figure out who the other players are so you can stop them from winning. It is also a little bit like Monopoly and Risk (or Small World) as you are trying to acquire territories and/or money. Also like Monopoly is that if you build in a territory you own it so you get some bonuses from that as well (money, placing extra people, etc). I also think it is a little bit like Dominion because you are trying to play one strategic card on your turn.

None of us tonight had ever played before, so it was a long game as we muddled our way through. It is estimated to take 60 minutes, but we played for close to 2.5 hours. However, there was a brief (well...60-90 minutes) break while my sister skyped with her predecessor for the JET program (she's going to teach in Japan and starts July 27!). However, as we started figuring things out and didn't have to look at the instructions on every move, things started speeding along and we had a really good time. There were only 3 of us and it was still fun, but I think this game would be best played with the maximum of 4.

*Although for purchasing of games, I am loyal to Cool Stuff Inc. They have awesome prices, free shipping over $100, and a rewards program. If you are in the IL area, Gamers World in Woodfield Mall is also a great place to buy games. I have also seen some of the more popular games of this style (like Settler's of Catan, Carcassonne, etc) at Target and Walmart--online at least, sometimes in store.