deerstalker

I’m a huge fan of granny squares. In fact, I might be slightly obsessed with them: I have a huge box of black and white granny squares that I have personally crocheted (they are waiting to be assembled into… something!). Awhile back, I started crocheting tiny little things with embroidery floss and a small steel crochet hook. I love crocheting with embroidery floss because it’s so inexpensive and comes in so many colors. You can get a handful of fun colored “yarn” for just a dollar or two. These tiny granny squares are about an inch and a half, and perfect for a fun little necklace that would make a great homemade gift!

Project Materials:

• 3 skeins of embroidery floss, on hand or about $1
• Size 12 (US) crochet hook, on hand or about $1
• Chain or thread to string, on hand
• (optional) Jump rings and hardware, if you are using a chain, on hand

Total: FREE and upIf you are a beginning crocheter, I recommend making a couple granny squares with regular yarn and hooks just to get the hang of it. After you make a few, you will memorize the pattern, and it will be the perfect thing to crochet on auto-pilot (and a great way to use up your small leftover balls of yarn.

Crocheting with embroidery floss is a little bit challenging. One, it’s small, so it’s a bit harder to work with, and to get a comfortable hand position and work flow. The good news is that it doesn’t take too long to adjust to the reduced scale. Two, the six strands of floss aren’t twisted together like yarn, so the individual strands can get caught in your work a lot more. You can combat this by slightly twisting the floss with your index finger and thumb as you go. You can also pull out the offending stitches as you go and redo them, or pull the loops through your work to hide them.

Hook: My crochet hook was a steel hook, size 12 US (.70mm/size 5 UK). A hook a couple sizes larger would probably be fine!

Pattern:I just used a classic granny square pattern. I don’t need to re-write it for you! If you want to learn how to crochet a granny square, here is an excellent visual tutorial at The Purl Bee: [how to crochet a granny square]

Homemade Simple Gifts

I have always been a huge fan of handmade gifts. As a crafter, it’s only natural, right? I am lucky to be part of a family that also appreciates handmade gifts and makes it a practice to exchange gifts that aren’t store-bought. I know, I’m so spoiled!

While not all handmade gifts exchanged in our family are smash hits, they are all appreciated and they somehow seem more meaningful than something purchased in the $10 or less aisle of a big box store.

The best handmade gifts I’ve given or received have been: duct tape wallets (for the guys), hand-roasted coffee (yum!), quilts, and special items decorated by my three boys (always a win for the mommies, right?).

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The post Make a Tiny Granny Square Necklace appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Will Smith hasn't been on Instagram for long, but he's already mastered the art of writing a caption to make all of social media swoon. Twenty years ago, on New Year's Eve, Smith and his wife, actress Jada Pinkett-Smith, exchanged vows and in honor of their 20th wedding anniversary, Smith shared a throwback wedding photo with the sweetest caption ever. He shared some marriage wisdom for the masses too. Smith broke down some of the most important lessons marriage has taught him over the years, and of course, they're major marriage gems. Smith revealed that he has learned that focusing on his wife's growth is far more important than demanding that she change anything to match his own needs. Gem! He goes on to discuss the importance of couples listening to one another and supporting and fueling each other's dreams. The post already has one-million likes and counting.     Smith doesn't speak about the intimate details of their marriage publicly very often, but when he does, he almost always drops a gem, or three to live by. In 2011, Will and Jada stopped by the ESSENCE offices and while he was waiting on her to finish a video taping, he shared some marriage advice with me -- I was a newlywed at the time. The one that stuck with me was about the importance of giving each other space when you get home from work. You can read the other gems he gave me here. Don't you just love their love?

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi, Patrick Gleason/ Artist: Sergio Davila, Vicente Cifuentes / DC Comics

Minor Spoilers for Teen Titans #15

This Super Sons of Tomorrow crossover has been exhilarating as it has been unrelenting. Last week in Teen Titans #15, Tomasi and Gleason gleefully showed Tim Drake’s transformation from the Batman of Tomorrow to Savior, and his personal crusade against Jon Kent will likely be the highlight of your pull list’s this week.

The continuity lock out that existed in Superman #37 served its purpose in setting the stage, and unburdened by the buildup, everything escalates beautifully. The Teen Titans race against time to find the Supers Sons in their new Fortress of Attitude before Savior finds his way there. And when they breach the doors, Jon and Damian give one hell of a grand entrance.

In an issue full of inter- and intra-team conflict and a timeline constantly in flux, Davila and Cifuentes really sell the emotive expressions of the increasingly large cast of characters. The tiniest details, whether the small curl of a smile, enlarged eyes, or gritted teeth, create a guttural reaction and you could still see what was happening in the story even if you removed the stellar dialog from Tomasi and Gleason.

The two writers need to be commended for creating one of the most believable young superhero dynamics I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Jon and Damian aren’t just Super Sons, they’re kids trying to make sense of the world and are brave enough to look past themselves and keep each other safe. They fight like brothers. They banter like the best of them. They remind you of that one childhood rival that became your dearest friend because they pushed you to the limit.

And counterpoint to that comradery and the comradery between the Teen Titans and Titans of Tomorrow, we have Tim Drake as Savior. That scrawled S on his belt a tantalizing question. He truly believes what he is doing is right and has such flare following through, he is one of the finest antagonist a miniseries could ask for.

The penultimate issue of the Super Sons of Tomorrow event weaves together all of the disparate elements that led up to it. Much like Tim Drake, it has evolved into something else entirely than what its start seemed to indicate and has this reviewer more hyped than ever for the finale.

9.2 “Dramatic Entrances” out of 10

Reading Superman? Find BNP’s coverage of the Man of Steel here.

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The post Superman #38 Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.

So…2017 was a hell of a year. Both eventful and in some respects…hellish. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t some high points. We had a series of favorites, so check out the other posts if you’re interested in the other genres.

SHOKUGEKI NO SOMA

There are two types of people in this world: those that have discovered this godly perfection and those that are suffering.

Tired of your shōnen protagonist winning their battles through bad writing and sheer luck rather than relying on skills they’ve honed for years? Sick of girls and women in these series constantly shoved to the background with shallow story arcs and laughable skill sets? My g, do you like food?!

Rarely has there been anime outside of the classic canon (e.g. Sailor Moon or Dragon Ball Z) that I have not only watched consistently, but hooked as many of my friends on as possible because it’s so good. Main character Yukihira Soma is just the right amount of stubborn and knowledgable to feel relatable, and every single member of the supporting cast is lovable with their own quirks and cooking styles. Because the story is grounded in reality the stakes actually feel much higher than your run-of-the-mill fighting narrative. I’m talking whole ass plot twists that aren’t some sudden magical BS but still leave you with your jaw agape. Also, the food shots? Gorgeous. The smallest catch is there’s equal opportunity fanservice, but we’re all mature here, right? – Lauren

BLOOD BLOCKADE BATTLEFRONT BEYOND

For me, there’s no feeling that matches the buzz I get when I blindly take a chance on an anime and find out it’s straight flames. There aren’t any standards placed on it and I get to just sit back and escape into a completely new world. My latest venture into a fictional universe came through Blood Blockade Battlefront.

The series is in its second season as it follows the adventures of a secret organization full of monster hunters in a city that’s three years removed from a cataclysmic shift that brought Otherworld entities to the surface. Every character gets their moment to shine as the action is incredibly entertaining and rewatchable. Oh, and the soundtrack is awesome with jazzy, R&B undertones. – Keith

MY HERO ACADEMIA

Listen. Do you know how many “high school tournaments where the protagonist has to prove themselves” story arcs I’ve seen in all my time watching anime? Do you know how hard it is to get hyped when a series does the ‘if you want to succeed, here is a series of tasks that will push you to the limit’ slow burn reveal at the start of the season? My Hero Academia‘s sophomore season had all of the framework of your classic shōnen series and then some, but damnit if it wasn’t the most fun I had watching any show in quite some time.

The show is quirky (pun very much intended) and vibrant. The premise is one that is instantly familiar, but My Hero Academia separates itself with its unique character designs and the fascinating journey of Izuku Midoriya, hero name: Deku. The animation is fluid and gorgeous, the fight sequences are clever and kinetic, the music always gets me hype. It’s a love letter to superheroes. It’s a love letter to the fans of superheroes. It walks a delicate line between silly and serious, and it’s a series that truly goes beyond, PLUS ULTRA. – Mikkel

BLACKOUT 2022 (anime short)

If you knew how much I liked Blade Runner 2049, you’d understand that I’d seek out anything and everything having to do with that universe that I could get my hands on. And that’s how I found Blackout 2022.

It’s an anime short directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, who I hear is a pretty big deal. It follows Iggy and Trixie, two replicants that cause the infamous blackout that restructured the entire landscape of the Blade Runner universe. It’s only mentioned in exposition in the actual film, so watching this short provided some much needed context.

It’s so well done it left me wanting to order the series the second it ended. It’s beautifully shot and perfectly captures the look and feel of this world. Neon signs? Dark alleys? Existential themes? All of the above and so much more.

And have I talked about Iggy? He’s a black replicant with freeform dreads. And he’s got that silky smooth Kevin Michael Richardson-esque voice. He also kicks ass. Need I say more?

Take. My. Money. – Morgan

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The post BNP Staff Favorites for 2017: Anime appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.