Chamomile

Oh. My. Gosh.

I said it in my last post, these chamomile soaks are working wonders. No doubt. No more red, itchy, inflamed bump on the back of my anti tragus. Now it's just an itty bitty bump that peels every now and then. I think I'll be able to change to a smaller post soon. I can live with that for a while, but I'm also ready for it to be a fully-healed piercing. (:

Look at this progress!

For anyone dealing with an angry cartilage piercing:  SOAK YOUR NEW PIERCING WITH  CHAMOMILE! I cannot stress how well this worked for me. Seriously, two weeks, soaking once or twice a day after cleaning it in the shower with warm water, and being hyper-aware of what was touching my new blingy ear, and the scarring is almost non existant. If you're going to spend all that money to get a piece of high-quality jewelry ripped through your tender flesh, the least you can do is do what you can to keep you piercing as healthy as it can be. Truth.

The magical, anti-inflammatory flower that has changed my outlook on healing times.

Also, something kind of cool happened to me today at work. I met someone else with an anti tragus piercing! She said hers was loud. Mine wasn't, but I do remember it being a little more painful than what I was expecting. It was a first for me and I was a little creepy about it. . .surprise? I don't care, I probably won't ever see this woman again in my life.

EDIT: Definitely saw that woman again. She was in my section at work this weekend and left me a killer $6 tip. Anti tragus buddies for life.

Paying People to Stab Me in the Ears

Okay. I think I have a problem.

Recently, I started getting into piercing my ears.

NeoMetal goodness

It started innocently enough, with a cute little white opal gracing my right anti tragus, but as soon as I walked out of the studio, I was ready for another one (as stated in my previous post - linked here.) I knew, however, my income as a server wasn't high enough to support two piercings with high-quality service and jewelry in the same day.

So, naturally, I waited a month to go back in and get things checked out, mostly because my new piercing was being a little pissy, probably from being bumped around and hair products. Mathieu, the piercer at Studio 51/50 and possibly the best in Nebraska, said I had some hypertrophic scarring going on & suggested chamomile soaks. Honestly, soaking my ear with a tea bag was not what I had expected. It's super soothing and it seems to be reducing the irritation.

Hypertrophic scarring on my anti tragus

I can hear the ocean!

Anyhow, chamomile's been working wonders. So, while I was in there, getting my month-old piercing checked, I decided it was a waste of being in there if I didn't get another one. I originally wanted a snug or an orbital helix, but Mathieu advised against it and suggested a faux snug: a conch piercing and an auricle piercing to give the illusion of a snug. I was all in, so I started with the conch.

This one was a little bit different than my anti tragus. For the anti tragus, it was a quick pain, me saying, "Oh, there it is," and the agony of putting in the jewelry. I'm being dramatic. It wasn't that bad. On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd say the pain was around a 6. For the conch, he used an o-needle. Needless to say, I wasn't expecting what happened. There was a loud crunch, me saying, "Oh, gross!" and that was it. It was like, CRRrrreeuuhngkggkgkh. Gross. It didn't really hurt, probably a 4/10. Naturally, more white opal.

Please excuse the blood. This is around 1 hour after I got it done on Saturday.

I can't wait to go back and finish the piece.

Imagine another white opal to finish that bad boy off.

Also, something else that's been happening that I love, my friends have been asking me to go with them to get their piercings. Yesterday, I went in with my friend, Jenni, while she got a cute little rook piercing. I think I'm too much of a wiener to get that one done. (: She took it like a champ and chose a beautiful curved barbell with light blue gems. I think we're going sometime next month to get another one. I can't decide if I want to finish my faux snug, get a daith piercing, or my second lobes. Also, I have a question: would it be too weird to get my second lobes done, and stretch them to around a 6g or so, and leave my first ones small? I like dangly earrings too much to stretch my first lobes. . .

Whatever. I'll figure it out. I think this is something I could get really passionate about.

Swiggity Swag, What's in the Bag?

Ooooh, man. I'm lazy. I promised the pattern to my ewok hoodie probably a month ago on instagram and twitter. I had it all written up, correct stitch count, materials used, everything. But I never got around to it. I am a piece of work. It's not like I've been too busy to post it, just lazy. Anyway, here it is.

EWOK INFINITY HOOD

Supplies Needed: 3 Skeins Main Color (I used Loops & Threads Impeccable in Pumpkin)

1 Skein Contrast Color (I used Loops & Threads Fabulous Fur in Wolf)

U.S. - K 6.5mm

Stitch markers

Gauge: 10 dc x 6 rows = 4 inches

Scarf

ch 175 (yarn held doubled), and connect to first chain

Row1: ch 2, skip 1st stitch, dc in every stitch to end. sl st to 2nd chain at beginning of the row.

Row2-7: ch 2, skip 1st stitch, dc in every stitch to end. sl st to 2nd chain at beginning of the row.

finish and weave in ends.

Hood

set place marker where you broke off yarn. count out 21 st from pm on both sides.

Row1: join (yarn held doubled) with sl st to outer marked st.  ch 2, dc in each stitch across. move center marker up to new center. end with a dc in last marked stitch. turn. [43 stitches]

Row2: ch 2, dc in each stitch to 1 before center, 2 dc in next stitch, dc in center, 2 dc in next stitch. dc across to end of hood. turn. [45 stitches]

Row3-10: repeat row 2. turn. [47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61]

Row11: ch 2, dc in each stitch to 2 before center, dc2tog, dc in center, dc2tog, dc in remaining stitch to end. [59 stitches]

Row12-17: repeat row 11. turn. [45 in last row]

fold in half and sl st closed. weave in ends.

Ears

ch 6, sl st through 1st stitch to form magic ring.

ch 3, dc 11 into center of ring, sl st into 3rd ch.

ch 3, 2dc into each stitch, sl st into 3rd ch.

ch 3, dc 1, ^dc1, 2dc. repeat from ^ around the circle. sl st into 3rd  ch.

finish and weave in ends.

fold the circles to make them look like ewok ears, and whip stitch onto hood.

weave in ends.

rock your new hood like a champ.

_____________________________________________

Really. A lot of new stuff is going on. Okay, not a lot. Two new things. One thing I've been planning for three years. Yes, since I was living in Maryland and I've been too much of a baby to actually do it. Can you handle the anticipation??

I finally got my anti-tragus pierced! I love it so much.

I won't lie to you guys, it hurt. Quite a bit. Just enough for me to say, "Oh, there it is," when the needle went through the cartilage. What really hurt the most was putting the earring in. I settled on a gorgeous white opal labret. It hasn't been too sore. The only thing that has set me back was sleeping. I get a little paranoid that I'll rip it out of my ear in the middle of the night, lose gallons of blood, and ruin my bedding.

I've been itching for another one ever since I walked out of Studio 51/50 in Kearney. I think maybe a snug or orbital helix is somewhere in my near future. Maybe when I go in three weeks from now when I get this one checked. I'll keep you posted.

Also, I dyed my hair blue.

It took me three freaking times.

And bleach.

But I love it.

I am an adult. Hire me.

And look at my new Giants shirt.

Love it.

Love them.

I'm so freaking vain.

Whatever.