Love, Lydia - Notes from a geeky, plus sized artist.: accessories
Showing posts with label accessories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label accessories. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Where am I? And "Sister, Spy" Book Review

Hi friends!


I know I haven't been around much lately, and I wanted to give you an update as to why.  For the first time in what feels like a long time many of the reasons are good.  And I'm happy to share some great things on the horizon too!



Where I've Been...

First of all May kept me busy, I've been in a great group coaching course called the Own It Academy, led by Jessica Rasdall (She's amazing!  Her story is unique and moving; definitely check her out if you want to learn how to convey your stories to folks!).  The class has been a fantastic experience that's had me writing away as I learn more about how to tell my story to you all.  The idea behind the course is boldly owning up to your story for the world to see and telling it effectively, so your audience can be encouraged, learn from what you have to say, and understand what it's like to be you.   We're about 2/3 of the way through the course now and along the way I realized the writing I've been doing there has honestly sapped away at my creative energy for posts.  So I'm sorry I haven't been around as much as I usually am, but I'm happy to be learning a lot, which I'm excited to start sharing with you all.

One of the biggest things I've discovered is how I've been looking for balance in my life and failing to find it.  Mostly because I push myself so hard to reach goals that are unrealistic.  I imagine you all can relate, you set great goals that when you look at each one individually seem quite attainable, but when you look at the big picture you realize you're trying too hard to be superwoman.  Honestly, my goals have been ambitious, and that's not taken into account how I deal with depression or other areas of my life I want to respect.

It's made me re-think my plans and goals for the future.  I'm prioritizing being happier and not being down on myself because I've set a course that's impossible to follow and be healthy.  It means that instead of trying to post 3 times a week I'll try for 1-2 really great quality posts that will help you, my wonderful readers, much more.  I love spending the time to research topics, creating great images, and fully writing out my ideas to give you the best I can.  I'm looking forward to doing more of that.  Right now my biggest problem is that I have loads of great ideas to write about, and have learn to put some of those ideas on the back burner!

Other than that I've been doing a lot with family, like having my parents visit, attending my brother in law Davey's wedding, and spending time with my husband.  I've dealt with a nasty cold, and some other health issues, which are thankfully getting better, though I'll touch on them more in a future post.  And in the past month my husband, Bryan, had been waiting for and finally received notice that the job he'd been contracting for the past 6 months is hiring him as a permanent employee.  We're super thrilled about that and starting to think ahead for some new developments in our personal life related to the increased stability we'll be so lucky to have.


Sister, Spy - Book Review




I love finding new books in a variety of genres, and while normally spy stories aren't my thing the premise of this one captured my interest.  And luckily I was given a copy of it to review by the publisher.  "Sister, Spy" by Menahem Misgav is about a pair of siblings who survived WWII living in monasteries and were recruited by the Soviets to spy for them in the fledgling country of Israel.

The first third of the book starts with a situation where the brother is killed, then we learn more about his family and how they lived the war.  A good amount of the next third of the book is about how he and his sister came to be spies. (Including a chapter on the sister's sexual awakening and subsequent relationships, which was a little graphic for my tastes, with all the parts of the story before it being focused on the family it was a little jarring.)  Finally in the last third of the book we get to see why the brother was killed and what his sister and father will do now that he's gone.

Overall I enjoyed the author's writing style quite a bit and found a fast and engaging read.  Other than the sexual content the only other fault I might have would be with some light mistakes in editing, all homonyms that snuck through the editing process.  I feel like this happens with many recently published books I read, since publishing now relies so heavily on spellcheck as an editing tool.  Perhaps this means I should take up editing?  In any case such a common issue it's hardly worth mentioning if I weren't such a grammar nerd.  I think most people with an interest in Holocaust survivors, spies, or Cold War fiction will enjoy this novel.  Please check it out here on Amazon through this affiliate link.



Coming Soon

More book reviews!

A follow up article with more reviews of LuLaRoe clothing than the popular original post (found here).

About a dozen videos, including lots of unboxings of beauty, geek, craftsy, and food boxes, plus my first fashion review on film!

And last but not least here's a brand new giveaway if you scroll down, because it's been too long since I've had some fun with you all!  Thanks and I'll see you all again very soon.



This giveaway includes a pair of LuLaRoe leggings in size TC (Tall & Curvy, fits sizes 12-24) 3 pairs of owl socks, and 2 pairs of "invisible" or "floating" style cat socks.  The owl and cat socks can be found here (owls) and here (cats) through my Amazon affiliate links.  LuLaRoe clothing is sold through local or online consultants, you can buy leggings through my consultant, Nicole's Facebook group here.  None of the companies involved paid me in any way, I just wanted to share some fun clothing with you all in this month's giveaway, which runs until July 4th!






LuLaRoe Leggings and Cute Sock Giveaway

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Geek Week Fashion Challenge

Hi Friends!


Sorry I've been on a bit of a break from writing.  I've been going crazy producing videos on my YouTube channel.  I'm going to create some posts here for them to make them all available for you all very soon though.  I have a ton of things I want to write about too, so I'm excited to get to it.  I'm just trying to find balance between writing and making videos.  This month videos won, but next month should be better.  I'm not going to go into it all too much though, or I'd be here all night.

What I'm really here to write about today is the Geek Week themed challenge I've been doing this week with the Geeks & Beauties Community!  Different people approached this from a bunch of perspectives, and I decided to go with a fashion one.  First because I love making geeky fashion choices and it's been a while since I touched on the subject despite that being the last thing I wrote about technically speaking.  So let's take a peek!


Geek Week Fashion Challenge

Look #1

This book and fairy tale themed look includes a short sleeved shirt from Threadless.com, undershirt from Walmart, jeans from Torrid, and socks from Hot Topic.

Look #2

Day two shows itself in this Ravenclaw inspired outfit featuring a locally made necklace (purchased at the 2014 Boylan Heights Art Walk in Raleigh, NC), Top from Old Navy, Skirt from Charlotte Russe, leggings by LuLaRoe, and flats from American Eagle by Payless.

Look #3

This outfit was a fun one, I wore it for our Pokemon Tabletop RPG to channel trainers from the video game.  Items included are a vest from a boutique in Grandin Village, Roanoke, VA, tee from Hot Topic, wet look ponte pants from Lane Bryant, and flats by Reaction.

Look #4


We couldn't forget a Doctor Who outfit in the mix!  This one features a DIY key necklace, hair pin rose from Forever 21, 9th Doctor Dress by Her Universe◊(Affiliate to main site, dress no longer available), leggings from Modcloth◊(Affiliate), and flats by American Eagle by Payless. 

Look #5


Going with the Thor idea this outfit's a bit of medieval meets modern, Female Thor V Neck Tee by Her Universe◊(Affiliate), shorts by Torrid, Leggings by Bombsheller (This pair's no longer available, but there are hundreds more designs and you can get an affiliate discount with code GEEKMEUP), clutch by Deux Lux, and sneakers by Converse.

Thanks for sticking with me, let me know what you think and feel free to ask questions about sizing or anything else in the comments.  See you again soon.  Please check out my friend's work below if you've got the time!














Other Geeks & Beauties work for Geek Week


Sadie by Design -  http://www.sadiebydesign.com/2016/03/announcing-geek-week/

Lea Graham -  https://www.instagram.com/p/BDO-HuGBjXP/?taken-by=lovehellokittyandmakeup

ZombeeKittyMeow -  https://www.instagram.com/p/BDNS_iBClti/?taken-by=zombeekittymeow

Jasy - https://www.instagram.com/p/BDPjlxIA4IS/?taken-by=jasyuniquelyme
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDRiTpXg4B7/?taken-by=jasyuniquelyme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwZ_pxTku_E

ZombiieeNinjjaBeauty - http://zombiieeninjjabeauty.weebly.com/blog/geek-week-cult-classic-wants 
https://instagram.com/p/BDPi1DyD5hQ/
http://zombiieeninjjabeauty.weebly.com/blog/my-zombie-obsession



Jennifer Roman - https://www.instagram.com/romanj00/

Dusty Sabot - https://instagram.com/p/BDUr9cRHAAu/

xxBeautifulAliciaxx -  https://www.instagram.com/xxbeautifulaliciaxx/

Lena7623 - https://youtu.be/-s3KbkzqzIk

Saturday, February 27, 2016

My Top 5 Spring Fashion Essentials

Hi Friends,

I'm back with another fashion post, and this one if part a spring collaboration with my friends from the Geeks and Beauties Community.  So for other great top 5 lists please scroll to the bottom of the post!



My Top 5 Spring Fashion Essentials

#1 - Pastels

A classic springtime favorite pastels can work for anyone.  If you're not a fan of the traditional Easter inspired hues you can always try grayed down versions like old rose, sage green, dusty blue, and mushroom.  Personally my favorites are mint and lavender, but I've also been playing the trends and adding touches of this year's Pantone colors - Serenity (pale blue) and Rose Quartz (soft pink).  Here's a peek at some of the pastels I'm using in my wardrobe:

Sweater - Torrid, Dress - ModCloth, Leggings - LuLaRoe

#2 - Great Jackets

A good jacket keeps you warm through the last hints of winter, a great can also be styled for spring just as beautifully as it might November.  My military style jacket pairs pinks with with olive for the right combination that works for both spring and fall looks.  A light denim jacket does this well too, though I don't own one yet.  And for colder days a soft white coat flatters most anything you pair it with, but keeps you from looking too drab with colorful skirt peeping out!  Additionally a soft flannel shirt can layer like a cardigan with a touch more interest thanks to the plaid print.

White Coat - Target, Military Jacket - Maurice's, Plaid Shirt - Old Navy


#3 - Ballet Flats

As the weather warms these become a staple for their versatility.  A more comfortable pair with insoles can get you through a whole day on your feet, the floral ones certainly did for me back when I was working at Anthropologie!

Blue Shoes - Payless, Floral Shoes - Payless, Mint Shoes - Forever 21


#4 - Soft Florals

Speaking of florals what spring closet is complete without a bit?  Light or dark they can set a cheerful tone, or make a solid colored outfit perk up fast!  Florals paired with text can set a nice modern tone as well.  Floral shoes can soften a more somber outfit.  Or you can wear the floral with pastel for an ultra feminine look.

Skirt - Torrid, Sandals - ModCloth, Tee - Switchfoot

#5 - Pops of Bright Accent Colors

Finally, sometimes between all the gentle colors I want to add something bold to the mix!  Bright purple nails with lavender or mint work great.  Or let a bright floral print paired with all pale or dark colors shine.  Jewelry, bags and shoes can all let bold colors in to keep a more approachable feel at work too.  (See the cobalt blue flats pictured above!)  Dark floral prints often have a more edgy feeling as it is, and the brighter the colors paired with the dark color the more they'll pop.  Bright solids can also work wonders with pale or dark shades in the same color family for a monochrome style.

Nail Polish - Julep in Sherri, Leggings - LuLaRoe, Top - Torrid

I hope you've enjoyed my spring looks, and if you have more fun ideas for how I could work with these items let me know in the comments below!  Thanks for reading.










My Friend's Top 5 Spring Essentials



Starting off with a bit more about clothes there's Sadie By Design's Top 5 Spring Cosplay Essentials.




Next up is this fun video by Dusty Sabot!








Zainey Laney bridges the gender gap with essentials for men and women in this video.








Zombiieeninjja Beauty gives us a look at her hair essentials in the above video.




Jessica Forbes shows us some of her beauty favorites in this video as well.


A few more friends will be added too, so be on the lookout as I add their work to this post as the week goes on!

If you're a blogger or vlogger and would like to learn more about the great support offered through the Geeks and Beauties Community please click here for more information.  We create collaborations monthly and we'd love to have you join us!  Thanks for reading.

Friday, January 15, 2016

My First Enchanted Beauty Box Review

Hello friends,

I'm really excited to share this unboxing and review of the first ever Enchanted Beauty Box!  It's their December box and since this box is Disney themed they created a Star Wars box to celebrate the release of The Force Awakens.  I am so thrilled to see such a fun theme!  Check out the video below to see what I got and then enter to win the giveaway below so you can have the chance to win one of January's Frozen themed boxes.

The December Enchanted Beauty Box - Star Wars




You can nab a subscription for yourself at http://www.EnchantedBeautyBox.com and get 25% off by using coupon code GEEK.

I've kept this post brief because I know unboxings aren't for everyone.  I've actually decided putting videos of my subscription boxes on YouTube is a better way to let you all see what I'm trying out too.  So from now on I'll make short posts like this that you can feel free to skim over if they're not your thing.  Thanks for stopping by, and good luck on the giveaway!


The Enchanted Beauty Box Giveaway


Enchanted Beauty Box giveaway

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Handmade Holiday Gift Guide

Welcome friends, and happy Thanksgiving!


I hope you and yours have spent a wonderful holiday with family acknowledging all the good things you've been blessed with this year. Personally I am very thankful to have all of you readers here as I get to know you more each day. I'm especially glad you stopped by today because I have a wonderful batch of small business owners I want to highlight as we think about our holiday gift giving.

While I love many mass produced things like comic books, clothing, and makeup I also have a soft sport for all the beautifully handmade items. And the great part is there are tons of makers who focus on handmade items that fit more niche interests. I believe that spending our money on their great products is one of the most rewarding things we can do this season for our loved ones and the makers. So I hope that you will join me in shopping at some of these amazing stores as you find the right beautiful, geeky, fun, and handmade gifts for some of those special people on your Christmas list. At the end of the list you'll find a giveaway too!





Lydia's Designs - 2015 Handmade Holiday Gift Guide


Paper & Chocolate Press



I heard about Paper and Chocolate through The Rising Tide Society, and was hooked the moment I saw their fantastic superhero themed journals and blank books. As you can see they cover a bunch of great fandoms, plus they have more traditional journals as well as some lovely Christmas ornaments! They're running the following sales this year:

Seasonal Deals:

During November use the coupon code NANOWRIMO15 to receive 15% off writers notebooks and journals; excludes recipe books, ornaments, and guest books.

Black Weekend Special: Free Domestic Shipping with coupon code: BLACKWEEKEND2015, November 26-December 1.

Holiday Deadlines:

All custom orders and made-to-order items need to be ordered by Thursday, December 10, in order to arrive by Christmas.
All ready-to-ship items need to be ordered by Thursday, December 17, in order to arrive by Christmas.

Social Media:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Authored Adornments



Authored Adornments specializes in literary inspired jewelry. Seen above is a beautiful cuff bracelet, and in their shop you'll find rings, pendants, and earrings as well as bookmarks and wine bottle stoppers. Most of the works featured are classic literature, but they also create custom pieces and have items in partnership with John Green which you can find at http://store.dftba.com/collections/john-green.

Seasonal Deals:

Black Friday is amongst us once again! This weekend will include some great sales. Each sale will be announced the day before, so please stay tuned! Since Thursday is Thanksgiving and I'll be spending my time with family, the Friday deal will be announced a little early, thanks!

Use: FRIDAYISBLACK for 20% off your entire purchase, good through 11/27. Visit the shop for more information.

Social Media:

Facebook
Twitter
Tumblr
Instagram

Wood Notions



Sometimes I find myself looking for a more traditional gift, and ornaments are the perfect fallback. My husband, Bryan, is picky about no glitter being brought into out house, so I've found that one of the best types of ornaments we can both agree on are laser cut wood ones. Wood Notions has pegasus and griffin designs, many animals, and nature themed pieces, as well as creating custom designed pieces. I found them while looking for the perfect dragonfly Christmas ornament as part of Bryan's Christmas gift last year.

Social Media:

Facebook
Twitter

Ruskerville



You all may recall not that long ago I wrote about how I'd found a wonderful Ravenclaw themed planner, well, Ruskerville also carries planners fit for a time lord! And for those with less nerdy inclinations there are a variety of other general printed covers to choose from as well.


Holiday Deadline:

December 18

Social Media:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Paper From Heaven


Paper From Heaven is a fellow North Carolinian who creates bags for just about anything you could want, from the fantastic cosmetic set above, storage for essential oils, crayon aprons for kids, to crochet hooks. And her fabric choices are lovely to boot!

Holiday Deadlines:

12/12 for US order
11/27 for International and military orders

Social Media:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Spicy Paprika



Each pendant and earring in Amber's shop, Spicy Paprika is made delicately from tiny beads and semi-precious stones to create completely unique pieces. Each one is imaginative and has characteristics inspired by nature's own beauty. One of her pieces occasionally makes appearances here on my blog too, I was lucky to be able to watch her create it while visiting her home in California.

Social Media:

Facebook
Twitter

Olive + Pine



Olive + Pine collects beautiful handmade items from different makers and curates a collection that's sure to please the most picky people on your list. And importantly, their shop carries items hand picked for the men in your lives.

Seasonal Deals:

10% off storewide with the code SHOPSMALL valid Friday-Monday (for black friday, small business Saturday, and cyber monday!).


Holiday Deadline:

December 15

Social Media:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest

Flytrap Clothing



Flytrap makes beautifully designed botanical printed clothing. I own and love one of their cowls that I got last year when I first saw their work at the Boylan Heights Artwalk in Raleigh, NC. Their work is also 100% made in the USA, down to their labels. Additionally they carry a couple of shirts for men as well as womenswear (currently available in S-XL).

Seasonal Deals:

11/27 15% off your entire purchase
11/28 20% off all apparel, both men's and women's
11/29 20% off all scarves
11/30 - Cyber Monday, $30 off orders over $150, free shipping, plus a pack of blank Flytrap Clothing notecards.

Holiday Deadline:

December 21

Social Media:

Facebook
Instagram

babyCorn Soaps

BabyCorn Soaps create a variety of fun bath and body products as well as traditional soaps. Plus they make monthly subscription boxes on a nerdy theme (Star Wars is December's, and November featured Doctor Who) and a more conventional box with seasonal themes too. Anything from their shop would be perfect for the beauty lovers out there. Additionally they make items for men too, such as radioactive shave cream and lumberjack soap.

Seasonal Deals:

BFRIDAY for 20% all items except wholesale and subscription boxes from 12/27-12/29

Holiday Deadline:

November 30

Social Media:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

The Little Smith



And last but not least is The Little Smith. Their jewelry designs are hewn from wood and silver to create stunning geometric shapes and sinuous metal details. They've been kind enough to allow me to do a giveaway for one of their gorgeous Tigerwood Geo Pendant necklaces, pictured below. I'm thrilled to be working with them on this article since they happen to be longtime friends of mine.

Seasonal Deals:

11/27 - 20% off the Earth Collection with code blackfriday2015
11/28-12/16 - 20% off orders over $25 with code holiday2015

Holiday Deadlines:

December 16

Social Media:

Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest



Lydia's Designs and The Little Smith Necklace Giveaway

Thanks for stopping by and letting me share some of my favorite handmade shops with you today!  If you have any questions or comments I'd love to talk to you more, so feel free to leave me comments.

Love,
Lydia

P.S. If you need a few more ideas head over to my Etsy art shop at http://lydiasdesigns.etsy.com or check out The Rising Tide Society's own gift guide here.

Friday, November 20, 2015

Cooler Coverings - Fall Fashions

Hello Friends!

This week has continued to be yet another crazy one.  I've been to doctor's visits and getting things done with Bryan while he's around.  And hopefully I'll be able to schedule a follow up for some of the tests next week too.  In any case I've been having trouble with my keyboard that's led me to several house of troubleshooting and very complicated systems of trying to work around it as I've written posts and anything else typed online.  I finally found that a separate keyboard fixes the problem, even though it's super awkward since I don't own a Mac keyboard.  My computer is apparently warped enough that the keyboard is having severe problems, and the trackpad is starting to as well.  At this point my laptop is over 6 years old, so it's done well to get this far, but another fix is probably too costly since it's almost to the point of being outdated technology.  (I had to stop updating my OS a couple years ago since if I moved to the next version I wouldn't be able to use Photoshop.  Of course now it's harder to do all the beautiful things I'd like to do with the tools I can find for Photoshop because they're all meant to use with newer editions, and I'm still running Creative Suite 3.)  But on to more fun subjects.

Poshmark

On another note I am loving selling on Poshmark!  I started selling most of my clothes that didn't make the cut for my capsules there.  I haven't even finished listing everything yet and have already had 7 sales totaling around $90.  If you haven't tried it yet go for it, and have a $10 off coupon on me by using my code to sign up - PYIHF at www.Poshmark.com and then just download the app.  You can buy on the site using any device, but selling and the $10 for signing up is only available by downloading the app.

Fall Fashions

Transitioning to Cooler Coverings

Fall is here in full force and North Carolina is finally nice and cool most days.  I woke up this past Sunday morning to frost covered grass and chickadees pecking at our backyard feeder.  I'm finally having to break out my jacket a couple times a week and we tested out our new home's heater too.  In terms of fashions I'm experimenting more to make the summery portions of my fall capsule wardrobe keep me warmer.  Here are some examples:


With this outfit I decided it was time to start pairing some of my fun tees with skirts.  this outfit is comprised of my Switchfoot shirt, bag from Target, skirt from Torrid, leggings from Target, and boots from Hushpuppies/Trendsetter.

 

For Halloween I wore this Doctor Who, 9th doctor inspired outfit.  Dress from Her Universe, bag from Amazon◊, leggings from ModCloth◊, boots from Hushpuppies/Trendsetter.


I'm really excited to get to reading our picks from Fight or Flight's Halloween sale.  And Miles Morales Spiderman is a new one for me, which so far I'm enjoying a lot!


I know I don't show my makeup looks often, because I don't wear as much.  But I have fun playing around with it and a couple weeks ago I donned a bit to go on a double date night with Bryan's parents.  I used Boe eyeshadow in Fun House, Face Stolkholm's Jeanann eyeliner, Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara, and Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Venizia.


This date night outfit is the Paige dress from Cherry Velvet, leggings from Target, and boots from Hushpuppies/Trendsetter.


Another thing I've been experimenting with is styling my dresses.  In this shot I paired my LuLaRoe "Nicole" dress (I'm hosting a LuLaRoe online party for the next 24 hours if any of you readers want to catch a sale with me! You can find it on Facebook here.) with my sweater from Target, plus leggings from Target, and flats from Payless/American Eagle.


I also threw in some Julep nail polish by using the color "Darby" with this outfit, well technically I'd been wearing it for 6 days before this picture was taken.  It just lasts so well!  As always you can try a free box from my affiliates at Julep by checking them out here:

Jingle Bells Welcome Box


I've been breaking out my jacket from Maurice's, and wore it with a top from Old Navy, skinny jeans from Torrid, and flats from Torrid.


And finally my last outfit I'll be sharing from my fall capsule includes the jacket from Maurice's, top from Target, zip ankle jeans from Torrid, and flats from Torrid.

This fall capsule has gone well, better than I thought it would when I was panicking that first week about how to style things.  Now I'm thinking ahead to winter and the next capsule.  However I'm going to be doing a mini capsule for December as I adjust when my seasons change.  I've found that grouping the months of October-December would have been a better choice with less need for both summer and winter items.  So next year my capsules will run from January-March, April-June, July-September, and October-December.  I'll tall you more about what I'm planning for December in my next fashion post around December 4th.  I'll be taking a break from writing next Friday for the holiday and so I can focus on filling orders from my Etsy art shop at http://LydiasDesigns.etsy.com where you can find art like that in this picture below:


I'll see you all Monday!

Love,
Lydia

Monday, November 2, 2015

16 Knits For Geeks

Hey everyone,

So being sick last week caused me to neglect writing, but I'm excited to be feeling better (finally!)  And to make up for it I'm going to be sharing an extra post with you all this week, in which I'll be doing an unboxing comparison of October's beauty and lifestyle subscription boxes.  My new format for reviewing them will be all together in one post, in a more simplified form.  That way if you like hearing about beauty it'll be together in one place, and if it's not your thing it'll be easier to avoid.

Announcement!

Another more exciting development this week, that you may have already noticed, is that my blog now has it's own domain!  So you can find me just by typing in LydiaDickson.com into your toolbar!  I'm very excited for this development because it will open new doors for partnerships, since it's seen as a signifier of a serious blogger versus someone who blogs as a hobby.  I hope you all will enjoy the journey with me as I make Lydia's Designs, soon to be Love, Lydia Dickson my full time job.  If you're wondering what to expect, know that it will be more of the same great content with graphics and overall quality that I'm dedicating to constantly improving.  Now, on to today's subject:

16 Knits For Geeks



I've picked 8 categories and and am sharing both an easy and a hard pattern in each.  For those of you thinking ahead, you should be able to complete any of these knits in time for Christmas!  There're no blankets or other huge projects in this post, though if you're set on one scroll all the way down.

Hats

1. Jayne Hat

image from Firefly Wiki

Everyone who loves Firefly knows and loves this iconic hat.  And what's great is it's a fairly easy one to knit.  What you need to know: knitting in the round, basic colorwork
Find the pattern here on Ravelry.

2. Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit - Gimli Inspired Dwarven Helmet and Beard


This hearty dwarven covering will make your look battle ready, or just keep your face warm during the winter.  Either way you'll look awesome.  This pattern isn't free, but it's too beautifully detailed for me not to include.  It's a little more complex requiring: knitting in the round, snap closures, tapestry crochet, and what looks like either color work or double knitting.
You can see more information here on Ravelry.

Stuffed Animals Creations

3. Pocket Sized BMO


This guy is adorable.  This pattern only costs $3, or if you feel adventurous you could even try making your own pattern since BMO is essentially a box with noodle limbs.  Techniques required: i-cord, seaming, cutting and gluing felt, and maybe a touch of colorwork.
Found here on Ravelry.

4. Little Cthulhu


This little guy is crocheted, so it's perfect for branching out from knitting to something new.  He's adorably scary and while complex, not that difficult overall.  Making him requires: crocheting in the round, single crochet stitch, increasing single crochet stitch, decreasing single crochet stitch, double crochet stitch, and chain stitch.
Found here on Ravelry.

Scarves

5. Doctor Who

Another great iconic piece of knitwear, and one that's perfect for the beginner with a bit of patience.  The scarf manages to keep a tediously long strip on knitting interesting with changing colors and widths as you work each stripe.  Requires: changing colors, fringe.
Find it here on Ravelry.

6. Katniss' Cowl


I've been eyeballing this beautiful cowl for a long time, but I think I need to practice more before I'm ready to tackle it.  It's not terribly hard though, and could be modified for a beginner fairly easily so long as close attention is paid to the various sections.  Requires: crochet details, learning interesting stitches like herringbone, and seaming.
Here's a link to the Ravelry page.

Cosplay Items

7. Companion Cube

This little companion cube is perfect for cosplay or your desk.  You could easily size it up too.  The pattern is very simple, but does take: some sewing and seaming by hand to finish.
Find it here on Ravelry.

8. Walking Dead Inspired Zombie Head


I know this pattern isn't intended to be specific to The Walking Dead, but is would work great as a decapitated zombie head, just make the skin green and add blood.  There are lots of different versions of this shown on the pattern page including one modeled after Jack Sparrow.  And the head doubles as a bag, so it's perfect for conventions.  To make this you'll want to know: knitting in the round, i-cord, a bit of hand sewing, and felting.
Take a peek at the pictures here on Ravelry.

Bags

9.  D4 Dice Bag


If you play tabletop games or card games like Magic the Gathering having dice is essential.  This bag is the perfect storage solution that's easy to make.  It requires: hand sewing, seaming, and recommends a zipper closure.
Details here on Ravelry.

10.  Space Invaders Tote

This fun bag takes you back to arcade fun.  You could even alter the pattern a bit to make the bag wider so it could be used for groceries.  Requires: colorwork, reading a chart, and stranding.
It's here on Ravelry.

Kids Items

11. Ninja Turtle Mittens

Wear your favorite Ninja Turtles on your hands, or make them for your friend's kids.  Either way they're perfect for cold weather!  Requires: shaping, hand sewing, and knitting in the round.
Pattern found on Ravelry.

12. Star Wars Knitsabers


These lightsabers are perfect for kids (or grownups) who love to swordfight, but don't want to get in trouble for getting too rough about it.  I love how detailed this pattern is, showing you how to make 4 different authentic lightsabers.  The pattern as written makes 10" lightsabers but you could easily make a longer version to suit your tastes.  Requires: knitting in the round, sewn details, and decreasing.
Find it on Ravelry.

Accessories

13. Iron Man Gauntlets


I love these gauntlets, I'm sure if I had a pair I'd be pretending I could fly all the time!  Perfect for a Tony Stark or Pepper Potts cosplay, or just cooler weather.  Requires: stranding, embroidered details, and seaming.
Find it here on Ravelry.

14. Star Trek Socks

These socks are a more complex project, but perfect for keeping your toes toasty.  It looks like the creator has put a lot of love into making sure everyone can understand their pattern too.  Requires: shaping, stranding, and probably working in the round.
Found on Ravelry.

Sweaters

15. Weasley Monogram Sweater


After reading Harry Potter if you were like me you wanted to wake up to one of these sweaters at the foot of your bed Christmas morning.  It may be a bit more work, but if you get started now you can make this dream a reality for someone you love.  It's not too hard either, I promise!  Requires: intarsia, seaming, duplicate stitch, taking body measurements.
Find it on Ravelry.

16. Wonder Woman Sweater

This pattern takes some dedication to chartwork, but the end product is beautiful.  If you want to feel like an Amazonian warrior just put on this sweater.  Requires: taking body measurements, seaming, colorwork, stranding, and reading charts.
Found here on Ravelry.

Honorary Mention

Afghan Squares

So you really want to make a blanket?  Ok then try this Geek-A-Long with science, math, and many more fandom themed squares too.  Requires: seaming and colorwork.
Science patterns can be found through Ravelry, click through for other patterns.

If you read through this post and don't know what Ravelry is, it's a site to keep track of your past, current, and future knitting projects.  It's been around for quite a while and had built up a great database of patterns found on the internet as well as from books.  They also allow you to give feedback if a project was difficult and in some cases you can even get help from a pattern's creator if you get stumped.  It's a great resource for a beginning or advanced knitter.

If you have a hankering for projects that are less involved or need to get rid of some small bits of yarn you may want to check out my post from last year featuring 70 different no knit/crochet yarn crafts.  There are some great little gifts plus ideas for holiday decor!

That's all for this post, I'll see you again soon.

Love,
Lydia