the :ninja blogs!

An Idea has Occurred...

2010-03-05T15:37:00.003-05:00

dangerous, i know.

since i seem to have some trouble remembering to post a weekly update EVERY WEEK and a ninja EVERY thursday, the idea has be posited that perhaps i should alternate them.

as in, 1 week, a weekly update, and then the next week, a ninja.

i think this is a pretty good idea, as it ~~promotes my laziness~~ gives me more time to do things.

so, (backdating the start of this newness to monday) there was no ninja this week because it will be next week!

and next week's will be awesome!
(and i'll be in a slightly better mood, as i'll have my music report done. [the one i haven't started yet. {that's due thursday.}...] ... )

Weekly Update

2010-03-01T13:53:00.003-05:00

so.
last week's never posted.
this is something i'm ok with, as it was lame and boring and there wasn't much happening in it.

hopefully, this week's is a little more exciting.

in the shop, there's only 2 new pieces, but that's ok.

in the portfolio, there's a weeks' worth of posts that never happened ::

Bailé Rojo Earrings
Tree Frog Earrings
3 Black Silk Ties
Lemon Points
A Black Tie Affair
Pulled Sugar Tabs

so, all in all, not a bad showing.
______________________
in extra news-y-ness, j-n.com may be going offline in a few days for a while. if it does, you'll be able to find the blog at yoboseiyo.blogspot.com , and the boutique will still be up, at yoboseiyo.etsy.com (if there's something you were planning on buying from the site, and the site goes down, you can convo me, or email me, and i'll be happy to list it for you in the boutique [or we can go under the table with it, if you don't want to pay etsy fees. {i understand, they're a pain.}.].).
[the reasoning behind the possible downtime? well to be perfectly honest, i'm having trouble paying my bills, and i might not be able to afford to keep the independant site for a little while. the realities of living in the real world, as it were.]

at any rate, we'll still be about, and you can always send us a message on facebook.
~ciao!

Series - Ninjas of their Craft(s)

2010-02-25T18:20:00.008-05:00

This week's ninja is giving me cavities!

British Cream Tea

oooooh, baby, i almost wish she made these in real-food-varieties!
(i say almost because i have terribly sensitive teeth, and can't even eat 3 bites of a milkyway without pain. [:x])

but, oh lord, i want Blackpool Rock candy sticks REALLY BAD now!

and do you guys remember those coke-bottle-shaped fizzy candies with the cream dipped tops?
i LOVED those things, ate 'em like they were going out of style!

*really wanting sweets now*

go and satisfy your sweet tooth (without the cavities!)! [link]

Series - Ninjas of their Craft(s)

2010-02-18T17:18:00.005-05:00

Today's ninja is a bright and cheery girl!

Red Panda Jewelry~!

now, chainmailling is pretty cool on it's own, and rainbows are pretty cool on their own.
Miss Panda, though, put them together and made herself into the ninja of the rainbow rings!
(a girl after my own heart, she is.)

and i just love this shot. it's pretty awesome. ^.^

she doesn't JUST do rainbows though! you'll have to visit her site to see everything else! [link]
and here's her etsy store :: [link]

Weekly Update - a little late

2010-02-16T18:54:00.004-05:00

so, since yesterday's update never posted, here's my best reconstruction thereof ::

shop updates!

portfolio updates!

ok, well, most of the portfolio updates were also updates to the shop, so i don't really think i need to show you pictures. i think just text links will do fine, don't you?

teklah's pendant
fishpearls - earrings
Keishi Pearls on Amethyst Briolettes

click on the titles for the portfolio page!

--yobo
(p.s., don't forget about the etsy shop's transition! [link])

News!

2010-02-16T17:31:00.003-05:00

and also a wtf? O.o

first :: the wtf? O.o

i scheduled a weekly update for yesterday. i remember doing it.
aaaaand it never posted. O.o
so.
after this post, i will be re-making that post as best i can, and posting it.

now :: news!

we're in process with transitioning the etsy shop to a boutique to sell old designs!
most of what will be there will be under the 30.00 price point, so if there's an older design that you loved but couldn't afford, keep an eye on the etsy shop for it to appear.
as for when things will be appearing there, i can't really give a timeframe, but i'll probably do a major clean out every 6 months or so.

what does a clean out mean?
well, that means that there'll be a big 'ol blog post showing what items are being moved, and giving dates for when.

right now, during the transition, some items are going to go from the etsy store TO the main store, as either the collection dates or the price point is incorrect for the boutique.

when everything is transitioned i'll be doing a blog post about it saying basically 'yo! everything's now as it should be!' and have a few pictures of what's currently in the boutique.

sounds nice right?
i know you can't wait.
(i can't either. ¬.¬' )

--yobo

Series - Ninjas of their Craft(s)

2010-02-11T23:15:00.003-05:00

this weeks ninja is a totally awesome person all around. (i know, cause she's my friend.)

the ninja of the colors, miss Tina Carroll!

she makes some super awesome abstract paintings.

like these ::

aren't they freeking awesome?!

now go on and get yourself some awesome arts! :D
[link]

Weekly Update

2010-02-08T17:32:00.003-05:00

again with the short updates!
seems like just recently there were 8 and 10 things in both the shop and the portfolio to update about, ne?

and this week there's no shop updating, only portfolio ::

apparantly, i need to get on the ball about this (or something).

at any rate, see ya wednesday! :D
--yobo

last week was full of fail

2010-02-08T13:26:00.003-05:00

obviously.

since i forgot to post an almostery on sweet figments.
AND
i forgot to post a ninja.

hopefully this week won't be so full of fail.

i'm in between classes right now, but when i get home from school for the day, i plan on posting a weekly update. (reminding me wouldn't be a bad thing, though.)

despite the failing of last week, i did manage to write my arts paper for my civ class. ^.^
so there is that.

so, since i'm not posting the update for a few hours, how about you peruse the shop and tell me how much you like something? (or buy something, either or.) [link]
or, if you're feeling arty, and want some photos or graphic design, you could go look at kitty's shop. [link]

thanks, and have a good day! :D
yobo

Weekly Update

2010-02-01T18:14:00.006-05:00

what's this? 2 weeks in a row now? oh my! :O ;p

at any rate, i've got some interesting news:
i've loaded everything (save the last 4 items) into the portfolio, so there's no update for that this week! °.°

on the other hand, there's 4 new items in the shop, and i've got more on the way! (just waiting for the last of the supplies.)

so here's the 4 new items!

short update this week!
--yobo

Series - Ninjas of their Craft(s)

2010-01-28T17:58:00.005-05:00

this week's ninja will help you keep dry on a rainy day.

Umbrella Heaven

the awesome dudes behind the brollies (yes, dudes) make the frames from pre-coated tube and channels, and they've got extra hinges in there so that it doesn't break if the wind knocks it inside out!

lookit this cute ladybug one! it'd be perfect for a friend of mine.

there's just something cool about having a handmade umbrella.
MOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

^.^-b

now go and get an umbrella! [link]

Weekly Update

2010-01-25T10:20:00.008-05:00

oh my, what's this? yobo *shocked* on time?
no way, it can't be. that's totally not possible.

at any rate, there's so little new in the shop, that i'll just link it to you, because hopefully ill be finishing more of my items and loading them in there soon. (i'm lookin' at you, college classes. O.o )

so, here's the portfolio updatings that have been missed these last 2 weeks :

lots to see!
thanks for looking, and hopefully i'll have more to update next week! (and hopefully i'll be onTIME too. ;p )
--yobo

Series - Ninjas of their Craft(s)

2010-01-22T00:19:00.005-05:00

ok, so about 1/2 an hour late, but i haven't gone to sleep yet, so i still count this as Thursday!

Today's ninja works with paper in a whole new way:
Quilling!

MiniFolk

omg, i LOVE the little quilled people!
they are totally awesome!

and lookit this little group shot!

plus?
she started this shop after entering the minifolk into a contest over on etsy!
here's the video : [link]

now go get some quilled sta-choos! [link]

Paper Daisies - a new series

2010-01-19T18:08:00.006-05:00

now available in the shop! ^.^-b

the whole collection ::

clickie on the piccies to see the listings! :D
next week will be a(n ostensibly huge) update about the portfolio, since i have now missed 2 weeks running. also, i'll be starting to load in some of my newer designs, and i'll be posting about what will be happening to the etsy shop, so keep an eye on the shop! [link]

Series - Ninjas of their Craft(s)

2010-01-14T16:15:00.005-05:00

today's ninja works in a medium i don't think we've ninja'd before.
yarn!

Malon B

she does super cute amigurumi. .... don't know what amigurumi is? here's a link: [link]

miss Malon B does crochet and felt stuffies of the nerdly variety, mostly. she's got several sets of mario-shroom-chains (mushroom keychains), and even a babomb! :D

look at what a cute little line of mushrooms!

and omgoodness, totoros! :D

*wants a totoro*
go on and get some cute amigurumi! [link]

do you know what i did? v 2.0

2010-01-12T15:41:00.004-05:00

i forgot to post a weekly update yesterday.

silly school, getting in the way of updating.
(also apparantly imparing my ability to read a calendar.....)

anyway, tell you what?
i'll tell you a little about my new series, and then you'll get to see them all at once in next week's update. sound good? good.

so, the new series:
it's a lovely suite of items using (slightly) glittered scrapbook embellishments.
i'm calling the series 'Paper Daisies' because that's what the embellishments are. (creative, i know.)
what do the daisies look like, you're asking?
well, like this:

those are the rings in the series.
aren't they cute?

i'll do a full on 'new series' post when they're all up (by saturday? i think.) so you'll be able to see the listings. that picture takes you to flickr. but! they're super cute, and super spring-y (which is nicer to think about than the sub O temps outside right now. >.<-p ).
there's a necklace, 3 rings, a pair of bobbypins, 2 brooches, and 3 barrettes in 2 sizes.
some of the items have green felt leaves, others don't, but they all use the little flowers and have silver findings.

so, again, my apologies for not being able to read a calendar, i promise, there will be an update next week. ^^;
have a good week though, and don't forget to come back here on thursday for a new ninja! :D

New Series!

2010-01-08T19:42:00.004-05:00

This one is The Wars of The Roses, rendered in pressed glass and wire.

want infos on the wars?
wiki links: york, lancaster, tudor, the wars themselves

basically, the houses of york and lancaster both said they had the best claim to the throne of england, and since neither would listen to reason, they had a series of civil wars about it.
the wars finally ended when the Earl of Richmond, Henry Tudor, won over both houses.
He said he was descended from BOTH families, and therefore, he should rule, because it ended the feud. he married elizabeth of york, and started all that lovely Tudor drama.

i think they must have listened to him because he was the only one with any troops left after 30 some odd years of fighting amongst themselves. also, it's said that the Tudors were very persuasive public speakers. (also they could have you killed.)

i took the flags from each house ( here, here, and here) and rendered them in pressed glass leaves, roses, and goldfill/sterling silver wire.
to look at the pieces individually: [link] [link] [link]

as a warm-up to this project, i rendered Martin Luther's Seal in the same fashion.
here's a wiki link about Martin Luther: [link]
and here's his seal: [link]

his seal was designed by Lazarus Spengler, while Luther was at the Fortress of Coburg, during the Diet of Augsburg. more on the seal here: [link]

i now have it in my head to do more historic seals as pendants, though i've not decided which ones yet. if you have any seals that you'd like to see, please, comment! :D

Series - Ninjas of their Craft(s)

2010-01-07T18:11:00.005-05:00

Today's ninja works with BONE!

well, bone china, at least. :p

Ricochet Studo

all that coolness?
is made of Bone China!

don't know what Bone China is? here's a wiki link: [link]
basically, it's super fine, fairly fragile, china, that was originally invented to compete with china FROM China in the 1700s. it's got ground up cattlebone in it, apparantly. hence the name.
funny then, that they've made milk cartons:

go get yourself some awesome china! [link]

Weekly Update

2010-01-04T23:21:00.006-05:00

week 10! :D :OOO :D
wow, yobo's doing so good lately!
she updated a whole college quarter full!
i wonder what her gpa is? let's find out!
she only missed 1! so she has a 90%, which is an A- !
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

now, on with week 10!

the shop: again, slowness.

in the portfolio:

that's it for this week!
stay tuned for next week! :D

Series - Ninjas of their Craft(s)

2009-12-31T23:44:00.004-05:00

Today's ninja comes to us from California and Japan! :D

Atelier Kanawa

they make really awesome traditional-style japanese hair doo-dads, but they also have lots that are modernly-styled. ^.^

the craftsmanship on these things are amazing! i mean, look at this white swan:

it'd be awesome for a bride, or really just for anyone who wants to be special that day.

and this cute little plum-blossom one is just awesome! :D

you know you need some hair doo-dads! [link]

so, 9 hours later

2009-12-30T23:48:00.004-05:00

my computer is fixed and working again.

lets go back a bit:

my computer is less than a year old. (not a lot less, but whatevers.)
occasionally, the touchpad doesn't like to work.
as in, it fails completely to be recognized by the motherboard, doesn't work.
it's apparantly a fairly common problem with my computer. (i have a compaq presario CQ60-210US, came with vista, now has xp.)
there's any number of solutions, most of them are software, but software was NOT my problem.
my drivers were fine.

so what my sister and i did was this:

we started to take the damn thing apart.

4 stripped out screws later, everything that can be taken out/off has been.

i lift off the keyboard, which i've done 1x before.
there's this little (like, the width of my pinkie little) pci cable that goes from the touchpad to the motherboard. it was *slightly* loose.
so i pushed it back in.

it's working fine now.

it took me 9 HOURS to figure that out.

ò.ó

i am not pleased.

but at least i know how to fix it next time.

little fucker.

*off to try and get the designing mojo that she lost back*
yobo

Weekly Update

2009-12-28T21:10:00.005-05:00

week 9?! wow! yobo's done a whole grading period! :D
we're so proud of her. ^.^

ok, it was a super slow week in the shop, with only 1 update:

but the portfolio was chugging right along:

stay tuned in the next week for the house of lancaster pendant!
(in case you weren't paying attentions: last week's pendants were part of a new series.)

Dear Santa ~

2009-12-24T16:12:00.003-05:00

i want what she wants:
from top left to bottom right:
mysaturnalia, flandersfield, elleven11
MontanaArts, HeavenlyCreaturesArt, Jordanbenshea
ImagineStudio, mistflowerstudio, sknights
sknights, studiojb, bbrunophotography

i promise santa, i'm a good girl!
--yobo
p.s., no ninja today, too busy! ;D

Stained Glass Cooooookies! :D

2009-12-22T18:39:00.004-05:00

so today, my little sister and i made cookies.
i decided to totally bite a friend's idea, and make stained glass cookies.

with jolly rancher centers.

i know, you're totally drooling, aren't you?

for the dough, we just used a regular sugar cookie dough.

Sugar Cookie Dough:
2/3 C of shortening
3/4 C of sugar
1 t vanilla
1 egg
1 T milk (i think i needed 2)
2 C AP flour
1 1/2 t baking powderr
1/4 t salt
jolly ranchers, crushed up (you can use a rolling pin, but we used a 2lb sledge.)

cream the shortening, sugar, and vanilla. add the egg, and beat until fluffy. stir in the milk.
sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. blend this into the creamed mixture.
divide dough in half, and chill for 1 hour.

on a lightly floured surface, roll out to about 1/8" thick. (exact is not necessary!)
cut out the shapes! don't forget the centers where the candy will go.

bake at 375° on a GREASED(or parchment lined) cookie sheet. (that's important!)
bake for about 6 minutes, then take them out, and put a bit of the candy in the center. i used a big pinch, and it worked out pretty good. put them back in for another minute or two. watch out though, because if they cook too long, the sugar will bubble up and get EVERYWHERE.

just remember: if you don't line the cookie sheets with parchment paper, spray them with cooking spray, and let the cookies sit a couple minutes before you try and remove them from the sheets.

if you do use parchment, you can just lift the paper out! :D

don't they look so cute? my first few were cooked a little long, so the sugar went everywhere, but the rest are pretty good!

they aren't the prettiest cookies i've ever made, and i think my dough was a little dry (the cookies cracked before they were baked.), but they taste pretty darn good. and i have 80-hundred pounds of crushed jolly ranchers left over to try again with! :D

also, i've been told that you can use life savers candies instead of jolly ranchers, and the effect is about the same, just a lighter taste, and slightly lighter colors.

interesting note:
the green apple jolly ranchers set the fastest. then the grape, then cherry, watermelon, and blue raspberry was last. not sure why that is, but it's kind of interesting anyway.

Weekly Update

2009-12-21T17:27:00.009-05:00

week 8! (because 7 was a flop and a half)
(but we won't mention that, will we? [no, no we won't.])

on to the updates!
on the main site, it was a slooow week, with only a couple items.

the portfolio, on the other hand, has a nifty auto-update feature (that i think i need to re-stock soon), so the past [2] week[s] went smooth as silk. (^.^)

and now yobo is never ever EVER allowed to forget that ever again. EVER.
*flops over ded*