tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50734723725474019452024-03-15T18:09:22.360-07:00With Our Powers Combinedwithourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-38371263059347145552014-11-04T20:26:00.000-08:002014-11-06T05:30:53.086-08:00Supernatural Devil's Trap Rug<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHlshtqBg2jsUS1pEpRpofFbmxH0oUudqLUcHVt0NWFwmADH4yStPStm05a7uZnxiRsXQZZQBXIBIIUSgejmfwxvyqPoc4emOPOCWgcIgoqp1z-qaCQCXNpCcmt3e9Sqc6HxakOX8s0c/s1600/Devils+Trap+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHlshtqBg2jsUS1pEpRpofFbmxH0oUudqLUcHVt0NWFwmADH4yStPStm05a7uZnxiRsXQZZQBXIBIIUSgejmfwxvyqPoc4emOPOCWgcIgoqp1z-qaCQCXNpCcmt3e9Sqc6HxakOX8s0c/s1600/Devils+Trap+Cover.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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When it comes to demons, you have a number of options: you could line your doors with salt (but that's easy to disturb), you can ring the house with iron railroad ties (which your home owner's association would <em>love</em>), or you can tattoo every member of your family with anti-possession charms (which still leaves them vulnerable to getting all their parts broken). No, what you need is a good, old-fashioned devil's trap. Get one of those black-eyed buggers stuck in one of those and you have all kinds of time to figure out what to do next.<br />
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I should specify that I mean in <em>Supernatural</em>, right? Maybe I should have started with that. In any case, a devil's trap at your front door tells the world that you are a fan and tells demons that they <em>aren't</em> welcome. (Disclaimer: May not do anything about hellhounds. Shoulda thought about that before you sold your soul.)<br />
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<b>You'll Need:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>A door mat (Ours is double-sided for extra trickiness)</li>
<li>Posterboard</li>
<li>Spray paint</li>
<li>Acrylic paint</li>
<li><a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2012/10/silhouette-pillows.html" target="_blank">Fabric medium</a> for paint</li>
<li>Brushes, cutters, drawing stuff, etc.</li>
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You'll want to start with a good shot of the Devil's Trap. I borrowed one from the <a href="http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/index.php?title=Devil%27s_trap" target="_blank">Supernatural Wiki</a> (aaaaand there goes your afternoon) and dropped a grid onto it in <a href="http://www.gimp.org/" target="_blank">GIMP</a>. (The finished Devil's Trap reference is available <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_EEvwSOIRTlTlB3cE1ITUx6RzQ/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here</a>.) From there, I could use a grid drawn on my posterboard to sketch the lines and symbols in pencil and a string compass. If you're unfamiliar with the grid method I'm describing, check out <a href="http://www.art-is-fun.com/grid-method.html" target="_blank">this tutorial</a>. Once I got the sketches where I wanted them, I took a permanent marker and inked all the lines I wanted to keep.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYgakHSBMudeP4nghEz2a9byKdEs2waagnxDtdMMU8NmzZ7oCkV_BotBgA9UqKRJeEGi6wu-Nn_Dkwv2lBeyPvFQvP8xbPJ4BMbnT-rLAbmkHDIdgdMa9t_ozHYMBZJyp6mm8QX4jtKk/s1600/123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYgakHSBMudeP4nghEz2a9byKdEs2waagnxDtdMMU8NmzZ7oCkV_BotBgA9UqKRJeEGi6wu-Nn_Dkwv2lBeyPvFQvP8xbPJ4BMbnT-rLAbmkHDIdgdMa9t_ozHYMBZJyp6mm8QX4jtKk/s1600/123.jpg" height="238" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I call them cross, dagger, swirly doot, goat, and dude.</i></td></tr>
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From there, it was a lengthy effort with an Xacto knife to cut a stencil through the posterboard. Cut cut cut cut cut cut handcramp cut cut cut. With the template cut out, you can now apply your stencil to pretty much anything that needs a devil's trap (which is everything) and not have to worry about drawing all the wacky sigils all over again.</div>
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In the interest of full disclosure, it's pretty clear that the <i>Supernatural</i> art department takes a very liberal license with which symbols work and how they're drawn. A lot of examples use different ones, drawn weirdly, multi-point stars, multiple circles, the works. You kind of can't go wrong with this thing, so feel free to nudge stuff as needed. I anticipated selling these, and figured fans would point out that my Swirly Doot connected the bar or my Goat was all crooked. It seems like demons are a more forgiving lot with the intention of a devil's trap than fans are.</div>
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From here, it was a matter of measuring the rug and placing the template centered in all four directions. Tape it down, double and triple check, and then move on. Even with all my measuring, the trap is a little off center, top to bottom. I'm sure the one I'll make for your place will be perfectly centered, don't worry.</div>
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From here, it's a good idea to mask off all the remaining rug as well to protect against overspray.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizcXtNa97lrd6Yk-lr7riZjDU_rRhQujH0eKHIEQsMECzp79MLlKjHRRV2F0mWru1Ru5_G-GU3IfSKj7kA5lyPCoDXy8BKUshs-wkqk1Aaw4tPGF0IJJWy5DpDX6BRDcOqgffpmA8ghhs/s1600/222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizcXtNa97lrd6Yk-lr7riZjDU_rRhQujH0eKHIEQsMECzp79MLlKjHRRV2F0mWru1Ru5_G-GU3IfSKj7kA5lyPCoDXy8BKUshs-wkqk1Aaw4tPGF0IJJWy5DpDX6BRDcOqgffpmA8ghhs/s1600/222.jpg" height="238" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This somehow omits that the process took, like, fifteen minutes. I blame the rug.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5X1s60mLKERo2abEgifp9kKVBS2S5BuALK8DvjpaiRTPr99XySL3T989XQO3XAGaCaZ8FQRsZz6N58kXnXOUkkRILLk2Gfqdcx1II7dicox01Qo5PgeWzfkmG3HDaP04WlX0DFAtrcsc/s1600/224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5X1s60mLKERo2abEgifp9kKVBS2S5BuALK8DvjpaiRTPr99XySL3T989XQO3XAGaCaZ8FQRsZz6N58kXnXOUkkRILLk2Gfqdcx1II7dicox01Qo5PgeWzfkmG3HDaP04WlX0DFAtrcsc/s1600/224.jpg" height="238" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>You probably have extra newspaper from pumpkin carving or your dayjob as a fishmonger.</i></td></tr>
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A gentle spritz of spray paint all over will transfer all the marks to your rug. If the stencil doesn't lay flat to your rug, pinch the whole mess to the floor with a stick or other long implement to avoid the spray blurring through a loose opening. You want the stencil tight to the rug's surface. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWyu8l14STl9LtIz-eyheZTc1V0QjMHE82lzY0c_CN1lJjs6idwJmvTnU6pO45sTWjLyHh1JMOizbwTB-XCD87699BBwOJSNd41RqmHGONe_MT_jEhEVzCthEJQ3Ul-TPFuZ8eFdJUHo/s1600/227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWyu8l14STl9LtIz-eyheZTc1V0QjMHE82lzY0c_CN1lJjs6idwJmvTnU6pO45sTWjLyHh1JMOizbwTB-XCD87699BBwOJSNd41RqmHGONe_MT_jEhEVzCthEJQ3Ul-TPFuZ8eFdJUHo/s1600/227.jpg" height="238" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Still kind of blurry. I searched for a while to find a stick, too.</i></td></tr>
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From here, it's a matter of picking a good contrasting color for your trap. I went with white for maximum contrast, but we intend to offer them in a variety of colors on the Etsy shop and even letting folks know they can order custom colors. Basically any color that you can mix with the fabric medium paint additive will work (we use a Martha Stewart product, but others are available), since the additive makes the paint able to be heat-set with an iron like the paint on a t-shirt. Mix your paint and medium per the bottle's directions and get to painting! I found that the first coat took forever and was all about fighting the texture of the rug. The second coat let me focus on connecting the peaks in the fabric and really saturating the paint line.</div>
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I'm not going to lie, painting this had a sort of ritual calm to it. Even though the sigils are made up for a TV show, it activates the part of your brain that makes it feel like an important tradition. Maybe that's just me.</div>
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Two or three coats later, you have a custom welcome mat covered in demonology. Let it dry for the specified amount of time and heat set it the next day with a dry iron (no steam). So far the marks have held up well to foot traffic for our big Halloween party and flipping it upside down for a baby shower. All told, it's been crossed well over a hundred or more times just in the past week and still looks fresh like the first time we put it down. And it hasn't caught a single demon yet.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUoIGpvaTVrV0RiBXO-RJ85kYsykHR0Y1G8We5WF0zknCLtUwMbxsSLntoD7xZEHRi6tmFjSXOBZVakbvFrZcTwHVP_w4Ag-lpLeIRMN18FaYgJVTw7QAYYXOe50VxVy6iTyXtrop6Aw/s1600/062-square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUoIGpvaTVrV0RiBXO-RJ85kYsykHR0Y1G8We5WF0zknCLtUwMbxsSLntoD7xZEHRi6tmFjSXOBZVakbvFrZcTwHVP_w4Ag-lpLeIRMN18FaYgJVTw7QAYYXOe50VxVy6iTyXtrop6Aw/s1600/062-square.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Or has it?</i></td></tr>
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withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-32953353404086658162014-08-19T10:39:00.002-07:002014-08-19T19:42:10.038-07:00Social Crafting<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-OibDChvwKVdweK4VH76vtQp035iTIlWHQC7dFuP_XAD9LFHSpXnIxAykMKFxxXo-Sx4xRIeSvXLgwHLTt5CvfjNZ9KdVGV0AJyIg2V7x2yxRkJ6wvRLU6rOXZ7b_4S7tiAcxdMSclsJ/s1600/BTA+Kris+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-OibDChvwKVdweK4VH76vtQp035iTIlWHQC7dFuP_XAD9LFHSpXnIxAykMKFxxXo-Sx4xRIeSvXLgwHLTt5CvfjNZ9KdVGV0AJyIg2V7x2yxRkJ6wvRLU6rOXZ7b_4S7tiAcxdMSclsJ/s1600/BTA+Kris+Cover.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
A here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although I’ve been absent from the blog for a
while, making and creating has never been far from my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been working on commissioned projects
for friends and family and planning some bigger things for our new house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the major perks to having our own
place has been the ability we’ve had to expand our studio and share our space
with others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of my first goals once
in the new place was to host a craft day for the <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/01/cloth-continued.html" target="_blank">women of my family</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I set a date and promised myself that the new
house would be presentable in time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Deadlines are always a good motivator!<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
</div>
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For my family, coming together to craft isn’t a particularly
new idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several years ago, my mother
and aunt created a yearly celebration of my grandmother’s life called Barbara’s
Tea Arts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the women of our family
meet once a year to celebrate my late grandmother, socialize, drink tea and
swap art projects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The art projects each
year are themed around one of my grandmother’s paintings, photos, or other
items that represent her life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We each
work on our piece throughout the year (or the week before in my case) and bring
it to the tea to swap for another woman’s art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s a beautiful tradition and an excellent reason to see each other
outside of the stressful times like Christmas.</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIEEqwfYclVl2zKYWpPJeUoNGeTYw0nVDXVcbwrZdwbW9Y7laJ8pa5y5L9iyyQd-NP9CCYH4tRh_VgVtrac1jUc1rWKo4XU5F8Y6JCUnN3GmmKNIrX_fPT-MyBDfRya1qwFeI7rlgDu17/s1600/Barbara's+Tea+Arts+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIEEqwfYclVl2zKYWpPJeUoNGeTYw0nVDXVcbwrZdwbW9Y7laJ8pa5y5L9iyyQd-NP9CCYH4tRh_VgVtrac1jUc1rWKo4XU5F8Y6JCUnN3GmmKNIrX_fPT-MyBDfRya1qwFeI7rlgDu17/s1600/Barbara's%2BTea%2BArts%2B2010.jpg" height="356" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tea Arts Projects 2010, based on B.Anderson's Sunflower watercolor</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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After a few years of meeting to exchange artwork, we
realized that what we’d really love to try is getting together periodically to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">make</i> art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now we meet every couple of months at a
different house to spend an afternoon making something, anything, and sharing
tips and tricks of our various mediums.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’ve planted herbs in antique teacups, filled canvases with mixed
media, and this month I hosted everyone at our new home to make <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2012/12/comic-book-coasters.html" target="_blank">porcelain</a> and <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2012/11/stone-tile-coasters.html" target="_blank">stone tile</a> coasters.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMgHmMHeM_Hal7J4_x524_uaEAFjg7vABt6y3oaOlujfmGqE7dY-8QuGVcblWssj5IN-i2rJkdb8U91y5kK4wsU4OCuL0yM4hQfZQYDXCh-CTzY2ktGvee0Da_TuOtWabmhSGWe2qvUw6/s1600/Barbara's+Tea+Arts+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMgHmMHeM_Hal7J4_x524_uaEAFjg7vABt6y3oaOlujfmGqE7dY-8QuGVcblWssj5IN-i2rJkdb8U91y5kK4wsU4OCuL0yM4hQfZQYDXCh-CTzY2ktGvee0Da_TuOtWabmhSGWe2qvUw6/s1600/Barbara's%2BTea%2BArts%2B2014.jpg" height="378" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tea Arts Projects 2014, based on B.Anderson's jewelry</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here’s the best part about a craft party – it’s just like
any other party!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We socialize, eat,
drink and are quite merry!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a bonus,
we all go home with something creative and we all get to learn from one
another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also love that it allows me
to further our message of crafting a lifestyle.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This month’s project really brought out everyone’s
individuality, which you can see in the photos of the group’s projects
below.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all used the same medium to
create unique messages and designs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
supported one another and helped when one or another became frustrated with misbehaving
stamps or bubbles under our graphics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
also enjoyed eating party foods that led to shared recipes and appreciation of
seasonal foods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Overall, it was
thoroughly fulfilling, and almost everyone left the event discussing their
newly inspired motivation to keep creating when they got home.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbFcpKO6tMBS2t4mEPFL0I61CqIGsj4CjqexNZNpnD1hjOvyTNRT0gbYg9fejHuFT0KqiUehnotvnlCWAe99IMo8U1vKDX2bE38A6FDlZiDMk1SDjFpFM7M2pn4LGAtB098iRk59Xka3O/s1600/Coaster+Day+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbFcpKO6tMBS2t4mEPFL0I61CqIGsj4CjqexNZNpnD1hjOvyTNRT0gbYg9fejHuFT0KqiUehnotvnlCWAe99IMo8U1vKDX2bE38A6FDlZiDMk1SDjFpFM7M2pn4LGAtB098iRk59Xka3O/s1600/Coaster+Day+1.jpg" height="396" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Coasters 2014</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I guess the purpose of sharing this with all of you is to
encourage you to try socially crafting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Working together on separate projects leads to community building,
brainstorming, mutual learning experiences, and an increased appreciation for
individuality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hosting such an event in
your home is cheaper and more freeing than signing up for a wine and painting
night at a local shop or gallery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
also allows you to make something that caters to your interests and
abilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because, face it, some of us
are terrible with a brush and canvas!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Try it out, share the love of making something new in the world, and let
us know how it went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would love to
see similar images of your sea of creativity below.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyikd874mM5fi0JDxyW9i9AKEZ0kaBEKK-v7b4LYmqh3y_7i07b89gG05cxG985R_ZSbwaCkk_E16Wq6oQrn0JxVZQ3JwaVgViy4SzwLsdfDfRe7cmG-0ifRTfWKnKwhsUsr7Vuk5d4ads/s1600/Teacup+Herb+Garden+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyikd874mM5fi0JDxyW9i9AKEZ0kaBEKK-v7b4LYmqh3y_7i07b89gG05cxG985R_ZSbwaCkk_E16Wq6oQrn0JxVZQ3JwaVgViy4SzwLsdfDfRe7cmG-0ifRTfWKnKwhsUsr7Vuk5d4ads/s1600/Teacup+Herb+Garden+2014.jpg" height="350" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Teacup Herb Gardens 2014, using teacups, saucers and silver spoons from the family collectibles</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
jalindehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15732438836993819364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-73974485675156668632014-07-12T14:18:00.000-07:002014-07-12T14:18:53.323-07:00Resuming Transmission<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3SjXEp4hPfQUbF_n86lcYvR8GtgyVJTVvPowRwvlHaevh8wnYz7Rss7bffFlci1_kBlsG7R_hkao5-yhmYarnp54XVYKNAFNzL7mEzFAzdGHLxRpJrfHf5K-rmtqgJndtYmvRvjiA_4/s1600/Key.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3SjXEp4hPfQUbF_n86lcYvR8GtgyVJTVvPowRwvlHaevh8wnYz7Rss7bffFlci1_kBlsG7R_hkao5-yhmYarnp54XVYKNAFNzL7mEzFAzdGHLxRpJrfHf5K-rmtqgJndtYmvRvjiA_4/s1600/Key.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Preferred brand over Do-It-Acceptably.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Since last time, we've undertaken two completely new projects. One is completing our relocation from the desert of the American Southwest to the verdant meadows of the Midwest (West, as always, being very relative to how much you consider East). That move made the <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2014/02/diy-cardboard-spray-booth.html" target="_blank">spray booth project </a>necessary, as there were abruptly seasons and precipitation and humidity, oh my. That move has ultimately resolved itself into our first permanent base of operations, a converted bedroom in our new (to us) house. We have some posts lined up on a fun paint treatment...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJhluhUhnpQ3uaFh6_-tD0BYuUypvd-a_OlyN5k73WylHGBqnLZ5HMLTvW-e7VBklZfV9nLNwzYOzne-dgeV2CfBhfgLtS1x-vaVnZiJ-8bhnmDCjTnDO75wp2vwKif8tE6IEyMgl2PMk/s1600/Paint+Tease.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJhluhUhnpQ3uaFh6_-tD0BYuUypvd-a_OlyN5k73WylHGBqnLZ5HMLTvW-e7VBklZfV9nLNwzYOzne-dgeV2CfBhfgLtS1x-vaVnZiJ-8bhnmDCjTnDO75wp2vwKif8tE6IEyMgl2PMk/s1600/Paint+Tease.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
And some marvelous themed wedding attire...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM27hp_o2zvHaMXBr9k0Em4JOLZjcCWUu1S7FGSVLnUB1wgd_5hNGb3ptEhVtgNRYjwduylQbDZxKMjoEJat6Xrm2NFeaK3k0sFWl4GTwtSm2NO1oUtB2-del8b8OliX7-onVFEO27SrI/s1600/Clean+Bowtie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM27hp_o2zvHaMXBr9k0Em4JOLZjcCWUu1S7FGSVLnUB1wgd_5hNGb3ptEhVtgNRYjwduylQbDZxKMjoEJat6Xrm2NFeaK3k0sFWl4GTwtSm2NO1oUtB2-del8b8OliX7-onVFEO27SrI/s1600/Clean+Bowtie.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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And a surprise appearance of some Supernatural iconography that will help visitors to our home feel very welcome!<br />
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We also attended the local Maker Faire recently and have started a conversation with a nearby maker space which will help offer classes, open up fabrication options for us, and possibly lead to WoPC classes being taught in our neck of the woods! We'll let you know if that becomes a thing.<br />
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We should also note that in addition to some fun household projects for breaking in our new place (and maybe brightening up yours!) there will be some projects in the coming months, and likely the years beyond, on a collaboration that A and I have been working on for a little while. We'll have more news in the future but the project is assumed finished sometime in mid-January.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqIAu7kCMYwN27jIwpNqFVNzNGUuHqoRx1PlKdQoT7uRNURBZdz71B0ykMH3hB7QFaFA8MOZvi9SsEUm0XxggqTuaJaEpd0gfPyy4mmXKWrnF8Oe_mPHfUVIDmQfMbMBn7ZshL6tf2TE/s1600/Announcement.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqIAu7kCMYwN27jIwpNqFVNzNGUuHqoRx1PlKdQoT7uRNURBZdz71B0ykMH3hB7QFaFA8MOZvi9SsEUm0XxggqTuaJaEpd0gfPyy4mmXKWrnF8Oe_mPHfUVIDmQfMbMBn7ZshL6tf2TE/s1600/Announcement.png" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>We won't be providing a step-by-step tutorial on this one. Lots of sites cover this one in, uh, detail.</i></td></tr>
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Sorry for the delay, but we will be getting things back on track from here on out. We even have "Blog Post" as one of the weekly items on our new refrigerator printable. You know we'll get to it now that it's on a list!withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-79637317188445696722014-02-23T20:23:00.002-08:002014-02-23T20:24:19.235-08:00DIY Cardboard Spray Booth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFD8ATUCGLb3_Fn7CyS-AzTgBJcQYguF_JElrg9gK7kl4j40Gkk6z0bFXYuKg6z76etQrdLMjFHPlV-cwzWpJwYXJL2wRbxLavVRup4iRLKMWXa7OWLRp13lLTZoy2HpSYsw1fZhuO5zs/s1600/Spray+Booth+Cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFD8ATUCGLb3_Fn7CyS-AzTgBJcQYguF_JElrg9gK7kl4j40Gkk6z0bFXYuKg6z76etQrdLMjFHPlV-cwzWpJwYXJL2wRbxLavVRup4iRLKMWXa7OWLRp13lLTZoy2HpSYsw1fZhuO5zs/s1600/Spray+Booth+Cover.png" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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One of the biggest shocks of moving from the desert to the Midwest is a sudden change in everything outside your home: The air changes temperature, everything gets wet, it gets so not-warm that sometimes you have to dress differently... It's exhausting keeping up with this changing weather. We used to leave the cardboard box we spray-painted things on outside for weeks at a time and the worst that would happen is a small dust storm would move it a few feet. Now, we've been snowed in on the weekends and it simply isn't conducive to spray paint when everything is frozen under a few inches of what I am assured is water that fell from the sky. The sky! We needed something to let us spray paint more-or-less indoors. Maybe you do, too.<br />
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<b>You'll Need:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>A box fan</li>
<li>Furnace filters similar in size to your fan</li>
<li>A cardboard box at least as big as the fan/filters</li>
<li>Duct tape</li>
<li>Empty gift cards or other sheet plastic</li>
<li>Zip ties</li>
<li>Under-cabinet light source</li>
<li>Lazy Susan</li>
<li>Flexible dryer hose, plus some hardware (hose clamp, some kind of flange for vents)</li>
<li>Tools: Cutting tools, straightedge, measuring things, marker</li>
</ul>
<a name='more'></a><br />
Coincidentally, another big deal in the geek/maker sphere needed a spray booth for his shop, and provided <a href="http://www.volpinprops.com/diy-spray-booth/" target="_blank">some ideas</a>. Not everyone is in a position to spring for a custom sheet metal one, so I throw this one out there for folks who want a shot at this, too. Comparing the two feels a little like the <a href="http://craftfail.com/category/nailed-it-2/" target="_blank">"Nailed It!"</a> meme on Pinterest... Pressing on!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzwe8SvyKxh0ISuAxflwFJu2cBtWCUi_LNR42OeZI0qZFnAIfo7fuUgR5-1Glg0JFh9F0uoxljjtYtvzSDzVizGVBb01mI_kh9Jfh1GJFpd6qm86tfhyphenhyphenioKdvf_aQbBWFFQSP3INC29EM/s1600/048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzwe8SvyKxh0ISuAxflwFJu2cBtWCUi_LNR42OeZI0qZFnAIfo7fuUgR5-1Glg0JFh9F0uoxljjtYtvzSDzVizGVBb01mI_kh9Jfh1GJFpd6qm86tfhyphenhyphenioKdvf_aQbBWFFQSP3INC29EM/s1600/048.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dramatic lighting proves we're serious artists.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We sketched out what we were looking for and made our shopping list. I imagine most folks have or have access to an old box fan, so we designed it around that to begin with. Our model is 20" x 20", so all our measurements start from there. We lucked into finding a box 19" x 21.5" from the ones we moved with, and got to work. I knew that I had to accommodate a 4" flange at the back and didn't want corners in the back of the box where fumes could collect. I decided the easiest way to answer this issue was to cut the flaps of the box and taper them all down to a 6" or so plate at the back. Starting with the short side, I did some measuring and figured out the lengths involved, and then transferred those to the larger flap as well. Ignore my math problem in the picture, as I briefly considered making the back plate proportionally smaller than the box dimensions but realized that actually makes the construction way harder and less likely to line up.<br />
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The real math is came down to 19" flap - 6" opening = 13", which means 6.5" needed to get cut off either side in two big triangles. Doing the same on the other flaps meant the same angle, which means the same length, which means everything lines up how you want it to, leaving a back opening of 6" x 8.5". Your box and fan combo will be different, so just have a look at the picture and make sure you are doing something similar.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEev-u7oJ_tGYxuoqMhwk5VMDnbHcJKg4OEiibpFzKjuoJQMeBvAS-G46d2Umbtc7q72HMcvSBrLDdGAVKyY5pK1o4I1hFuSXZuMDEuHsCkt4EtlKK0c_-QGzW2W1dAgG1WCv0bovKr3I/s1600/051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEev-u7oJ_tGYxuoqMhwk5VMDnbHcJKg4OEiibpFzKjuoJQMeBvAS-G46d2Umbtc7q72HMcvSBrLDdGAVKyY5pK1o4I1hFuSXZuMDEuHsCkt4EtlKK0c_-QGzW2W1dAgG1WCv0bovKr3I/s1600/051.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRunRRYmRh1CQqVLhH0Bb-Aikljiatozh0exogwvjC0FQQcHjh_sleVllbQVJSGwJiQxxatyriXZLs2LWgIFiAbDa5qAQl2Ys-ilDya9nmKd2NKWS2i7MJWVoVJ37XPq4e9Ag0ZIShd28/s1600/052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRunRRYmRh1CQqVLhH0Bb-Aikljiatozh0exogwvjC0FQQcHjh_sleVllbQVJSGwJiQxxatyriXZLs2LWgIFiAbDa5qAQl2Ys-ilDya9nmKd2NKWS2i7MJWVoVJ37XPq4e9Ag0ZIShd28/s1600/052.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Same measurement, same angle. Ignore the math.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Once cut (being careful to only cut one flap at a time and not slash up the one underneath it), it was time to start taping it all together. My method for taping boxes is to use small squares of duct tape wrapped over the corners to hold everything in place to make sure you like it and then tear big pieces to cover seams. I taped seams inside and out to make sure I sealed up the box as well as I could, ignoring that it is, after all, just a cardboard box.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiC-_SjVsRZSSoG6RK9Vi3K6gLJd4vcrY88CnpTxNPCJj2nwteSX6BzBC14fNrHbf3XbOV_u9eELCZdQh1I3ZtDkeJfADjkaVjhHk2l1-TWorQ76ISCzNBXIsyqOMlcWrf4VOwgoU6HQg/s1600/056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiC-_SjVsRZSSoG6RK9Vi3K6gLJd4vcrY88CnpTxNPCJj2nwteSX6BzBC14fNrHbf3XbOV_u9eELCZdQh1I3ZtDkeJfADjkaVjhHk2l1-TWorQ76ISCzNBXIsyqOMlcWrf4VOwgoU6HQg/s1600/056.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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The plate at the back was made out of the off cuts from the flaps. I figured the back plate was getting most of the stress in this thing, so I built up some rectangles from my flap offcuts and taped them into a rectangle two layers of cardboard thick. Once taped together, I trimmed the rectangle to 6" x 8.5" to fill the back opening. I found center, traced the flange, and carefully cut the three inch circle into the back panel.<br />
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Once the hole was in there, I taped in the flange, inside and out, and taped the whole thing into the back of the spray booth.<br />
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With that accomplished, it was time to slip the fan and filters into
place. It was a little snug, but everyone made it. Make sure your fan
faces backwards (i.e. toward the flange in the back) or your wardrobe
will be whatever color you're spraying. It defeats the purpose of the
spray booth.<br />
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The inside of a box is hardly a good place to see what you're doing, so I took the under-cabinet LED light we bought for our last kitchen and wrapped it in clear packing tape to protect it from paint. Testing the light, I found where I wanted it to hang and marked that position on the top of the box. I punched those holes with a knife, marked similar holes on a pair of old gift cards, and holepunched those to match. Slipping zipties through the holes and around the light with the giftcards to reinforce the holes, I put the light in and zipped the ties tight to hold it in place.<br />
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The cords from the fan and light were taped securely down the inside of
the box and run out to the corner, where they plug into a $4 15-foot
extension cord so we can wander with this thing wherever we want to.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRaktis_2aD-wI1hyphenhyphenhi5NX4E2ZTh8fDKSx6D_QaRrbOhfMoNXGhp1gVHyEnUB1TJgTZp9yUjFswIMn3gQ8zb63ouBT5I7Qw4L9wG0SVhgMKdnQ69rVHG8mIt6HplovGeeozSod3xkIU_I/s1600/075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRaktis_2aD-wI1hyphenhyphenhi5NX4E2ZTh8fDKSx6D_QaRrbOhfMoNXGhp1gVHyEnUB1TJgTZp9yUjFswIMn3gQ8zb63ouBT5I7Qw4L9wG0SVhgMKdnQ69rVHG8mIt6HplovGeeozSod3xkIU_I/s1600/075.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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The last part is the dryer hose part. Ours was a reduction fitting, so we put the big side inside the box and the smaller side outside so I could use the hose clamp to put our hose on. I slipped the pipe on, tightened the crap out of it, and we had an exhaust port to point where we needed to. The trick here is to find a good place to vent the fumes. I set up by the basement door and hung the hose out the door, so I'm painting inside and the fumes go out there (mostly).<br />
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I ran the fan for a little while and found that air was blowing back at me from around the top and bottom, so I built up some cardboard baffles that sealed above and below the fan to keep the air moving away from my work space. Right now they're loosely taped in place, but there may be a more permanent solution to that part shortly in the form of another pyramidal tape-and-cardboard structure like the back.<br />
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The two proposed improvements are a slot to slide the filters in so we can by-pass the angled pieces inside, and a plywood plate with a vent hole cut in it that fills the bottom part of an open window so there's no chance of the fumes blowing back in through a doorway. We'll see how many improvements we can cram into a cardboard box before I break down and build something for real...<br />
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withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-20360784476479590702014-02-15T20:56:00.001-08:002014-02-16T08:50:22.391-08:00Creative Mending<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dhqd-egu3fzWxmRH7F-K689cvkCPB6aXjdIDTMqhX3OdoHxpT7VLmcfTkTwtBHgyOHwbwms_gTbw61ULWYmuwTd3PDvjupiVw3vGOM7E7Glbf8OhWmZgKZQdxLTGdhgcAI-ABym3Jxw/s1600/Creative+Mending.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dhqd-egu3fzWxmRH7F-K689cvkCPB6aXjdIDTMqhX3OdoHxpT7VLmcfTkTwtBHgyOHwbwms_gTbw61ULWYmuwTd3PDvjupiVw3vGOM7E7Glbf8OhWmZgKZQdxLTGdhgcAI-ABym3Jxw/s1600/Creative+Mending.png" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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As artists, J and I are both creative and inevitably broke. This means we do most of our shopping at thrift stores, and I spend a lot of time mending clothing to make it last past its use-by date. During this process, I often get bored of stitching things up and trying to make them look "like new." What if I could make them better than new? More interesting or unique? Cue this week's post, a story about what happens when A gets bored and won't let go of her prized gray sweatshirts.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The first shirt I decided to experiment on is a gem I found at a thrift store. It still had a lot of life left in it, and I loved the cowl neckline as opposed to a standard hood. Unfortunately, a year after I bought it, it had developed a couple small holes in the kanga pouch. Unwilling to give up my unique find, I decided to go the creative route and patch up the shirt with some interesting fabric. This is what the original garment looked like:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3w7Sy1jCWNZEjsrJGRP9SPNu5apBkobQk7AJqkcz_obvHFLyyMqUYWFOosFKVu3XOfQ_GdAYglOxY-KNLZ9qnZCpjLO_ETLDuVN2LoOCGNkLzSUKdLDpLVxUbich6VW7oAUBfzafNnC4/s1600/464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3w7Sy1jCWNZEjsrJGRP9SPNu5apBkobQk7AJqkcz_obvHFLyyMqUYWFOosFKVu3XOfQ_GdAYglOxY-KNLZ9qnZCpjLO_ETLDuVN2LoOCGNkLzSUKdLDpLVxUbich6VW7oAUBfzafNnC4/s1600/464.JPG" height="400" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My favorite sweatshirt EVER!</i></td></tr>
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My original plan was to remove the pocket and replace it with one made
out of a flannel print; however, the way the pocket was attached to the
shirt was so sturdy, I was afraid of damaging the garment. So, I
decided it would be just as easy to cover the entire existing pocket
with a second layer of fabric.<br />
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I started by laying a piece of tracing paper over the kanga pocket and tracing around the outside edge of the pocket to get an accurate shape. I then measured each side and recorded the measurements on my tracing paper "pattern." Then I carefully decided what section of my flannel I wanted visible for the pocket (the design was important to me and I was determined to include that red postage stamp). I pinned my fabric to my pattern and cut around it, leaving a 1/2" seam allowance.<br />
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Then I laid it over the existing pocket and attempted to center it on the pocket as best I could. This also gave me a moment to see what the pocket would look like in case I hated it. Luckily I didn't, so I proceeded to the next step. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFhbxje7twzBOwv0hywPwfx9rpTxsSdAxF7YrjdOst0yOV_ac-E5eg8TtJDHhb_Flo9qLphYiwA2zKXkIxW4_mrKZBCRzOARYxVE4ZM04K8Lrft65dOQ03LgWB_v6nxttqJqJjvWjI6JQ/s1600/465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFhbxje7twzBOwv0hywPwfx9rpTxsSdAxF7YrjdOst0yOV_ac-E5eg8TtJDHhb_Flo9qLphYiwA2zKXkIxW4_mrKZBCRzOARYxVE4ZM04K8Lrft65dOQ03LgWB_v6nxttqJqJjvWjI6JQ/s1600/465.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yes, I actually found Vespa fabric.</i></td></tr>
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Next I turned under all the edges that could be stitched though the front of the garment so that they lined up exactly with the previously sewn down edges of the kanga pocket. The two curved edges were turned under into the interior of the pocket and pinned into place. It was important that they were not pinned through the garment so I couldn't sew the pocket shut.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QWCpS1Tk8NBGIi4IN3OY9wGYxFT00fuuDJzFERENtXafCD3FEUcU-DXDiiyMW8zS9sw2k-DHLZ-9usR2szpL-5IPDLjJxFsL0_Swt0QLXnBaUiqeM1ANbl2WFs3c-MOlV2VwlBtaGok/s1600/467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QWCpS1Tk8NBGIi4IN3OY9wGYxFT00fuuDJzFERENtXafCD3FEUcU-DXDiiyMW8zS9sw2k-DHLZ-9usR2szpL-5IPDLjJxFsL0_Swt0QLXnBaUiqeM1ANbl2WFs3c-MOlV2VwlBtaGok/s1600/467.JPG" height="222" width="320" /></a></div>
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I sewed around the bottom three edges and the top edge with my machine, working to get the stitching as close to the edge of the fabric as possible. Then I hand stitched the two curved edges through the top layer and pocket layer only, leaving the pocket open on both sides for my hands.<br />
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Although the pocket was the only damaged part of the shirt, I wanted to incorporate the new fabric in one more area of the shirt to help it look more purposeful. This particular shirt has an interesting cowl-style collar where the inside is often visible. So I lined the interior of the collar with the flannel, making it warmer, softer, and more colorful than it was before.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5BAkgYWBjj8LD1w4manILoHAEBYRDc44GdJL8RpKnm61rGD3Zgp_3bMI2s7F2qXRlnxd0Q9c0NSvOEvfSZ0lkwxLHKCYZEtbi2mLn4w96_dz86fG02-2pVHo5s5eW12wg09Q16O7R2I/s1600/484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5BAkgYWBjj8LD1w4manILoHAEBYRDc44GdJL8RpKnm61rGD3Zgp_3bMI2s7F2qXRlnxd0Q9c0NSvOEvfSZ0lkwxLHKCYZEtbi2mLn4w96_dz86fG02-2pVHo5s5eW12wg09Q16O7R2I/s1600/484.JPG" height="400" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Before exterior</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_34FhSiUkLkFhHSkW8SMmT3bMjUXFz34ZkaJEO-T67D128JQp-RBFyHX7k1_9yPgZMhC3tgQW1zE62JtbPMMOPeTOibkULdNrhBXSJc98ATbVbXIViXL03dfPsEaP2Q7C3pmOcmLSPvk/s1600/480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_34FhSiUkLkFhHSkW8SMmT3bMjUXFz34ZkaJEO-T67D128JQp-RBFyHX7k1_9yPgZMhC3tgQW1zE62JtbPMMOPeTOibkULdNrhBXSJc98ATbVbXIViXL03dfPsEaP2Q7C3pmOcmLSPvk/s1600/480.JPG" height="227" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Before interior</i></td></tr>
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To manage this, I started by measuring the circumference and width of the original cowl piece, minus the edge pocket where the laces are strung. The cowl has a bit of a curve, making the width variable, so I cut the fabric to be equal to the widest part of the collar. I sewed the ends of my rectangular piece together and lined them up with the seam in the back of the collar before folding under the edges and pinning the whole thing into place. While pinning, I was careful to pin the top edge of the new fabric so that my stitches would run just under the pocket where the laces are strung. I didn't want to have to fight to keep the laces out of my stitching.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBHGyMOOAO4_6gd1p0piTRSs2EWt-gkYYO3xLp6SZgsYo7bd6aEHmJHP_ojNXRQS4ahTsu9RzjaEw4Pof1NnrQ3uJ0-GQZxf5PYooLo0Uir0m1_3ccNTtgqptTQNQzHQijdbVPtmXT0U/s1600/487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBHGyMOOAO4_6gd1p0piTRSs2EWt-gkYYO3xLp6SZgsYo7bd6aEHmJHP_ojNXRQS4ahTsu9RzjaEw4Pof1NnrQ3uJ0-GQZxf5PYooLo0Uir0m1_3ccNTtgqptTQNQzHQijdbVPtmXT0U/s1600/487.JPG" height="198" width="400" /></a></div>
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So that the stitches wouldn't show on the outside of the garment, I hand stitched the entire collar lining, working to catch only the inside of the laces pocket on the top edge and the seam where the collar was attached to the shirt on the bottom edge.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBqYNv_IQscNXn3bLiFmcvli37hjn7RMiKYoaossh6PR_YUZBV11IwDfXWT-ZxvzPLGrRd0vuA3OAkgBt4vZueihFDqdHD2SpU1d2WbfnLeT6ia0mmn1XPs9iu5LgwxYKlkrSSPItLqk/s1600/497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBqYNv_IQscNXn3bLiFmcvli37hjn7RMiKYoaossh6PR_YUZBV11IwDfXWT-ZxvzPLGrRd0vuA3OAkgBt4vZueihFDqdHD2SpU1d2WbfnLeT6ia0mmn1XPs9iu5LgwxYKlkrSSPItLqk/s1600/497.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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I hid my knots at the beginning and end as cleanly as possible since the lining is often visible. You can see the curve of the piece in the photo below.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhq9cS16sthsQVNb4PrCzLC-2dHmrmDQ3qWcyEt3H0uzENnA-zDlQWCFwfv13vVi0jPRNXqcEiQF0RZfKsenugaLD1mUQ2sBOW4XswmN-OKw0Uu3R474nqC95ylI5LF_K5vYYdRIOZpbs/s1600/489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhq9cS16sthsQVNb4PrCzLC-2dHmrmDQ3qWcyEt3H0uzENnA-zDlQWCFwfv13vVi0jPRNXqcEiQF0RZfKsenugaLD1mUQ2sBOW4XswmN-OKw0Uu3R474nqC95ylI5LF_K5vYYdRIOZpbs/s1600/489.JPG" height="198" width="400" /></a></div>
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After a lot of hand stitching (which I'm much improved in, thanks to this project), the final product is a fun and unique piece of clothing with the equivalent of a flannel scarf and handwarmer.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5g30rQiyiT4PrknS6wrel5urr6_J-iXlDB2GfZy2PaxWUVGqBdaWINnnyrcXCPUQbmuciCkYates1ahYipAezunQT-TiphMzza_Cvf3T2arUwMdnp7iwcvKgwjixmPKJ_dsvmgeewmg4/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5g30rQiyiT4PrknS6wrel5urr6_J-iXlDB2GfZy2PaxWUVGqBdaWINnnyrcXCPUQbmuciCkYates1ahYipAezunQT-TiphMzza_Cvf3T2arUwMdnp7iwcvKgwjixmPKJ_dsvmgeewmg4/s1600/010.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Just add a pop of collar.</i></td></tr>
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The second sweatshirt I decided to edit was a Christmas gift from my sister-in-law. The hoodie was purchased online off a wishlist, and I was excited to receive it; however, apparently my arms are longer than that of the average Korean woman. As you can see, there are thumb holes in the cuffs that don't come close to reaching my thumbs. Instead of sending the shirt back to Korea, I came up with a way to fix that.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHuaLJTK0lanBqQsgCgc1o1lWZOW9b8Lp-r6q0l9Pgfr1eHnNzrbYJfz2Zy1Htr8sg6uFZwUo03YMvbq1OozYten76ZwgHGjDYcoAkmgCBTGTA4IfOI8L5VcRxOcRHdWtnUj75bPttKlw/s1600/505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHuaLJTK0lanBqQsgCgc1o1lWZOW9b8Lp-r6q0l9Pgfr1eHnNzrbYJfz2Zy1Htr8sg6uFZwUo03YMvbq1OozYten76ZwgHGjDYcoAkmgCBTGTA4IfOI8L5VcRxOcRHdWtnUj75bPttKlw/s1600/505.JPG" height="400" width="355" /></a></div>
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The fix I devised involved adding a length of fabric to each sleeve at the elbow. I started by measuring the distance from the thumb holes to my actual thumbs, which was approximately 4 1/2". That gave me the width of fabric (before seam allowances) I would need to lengthen each sleeve appropriately.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJSjkfPDQ7fdapJjcthf5LF8TJ4uhzPtODiRyQNupegrcoq4RsUoV8kt11OdmWk-pWHPiM7-y85ESLvHl_tTwqyJzDh4cWRuQrc2kg-L6udTjRNKg5fRpeuPzkZ1FWQQQs4aInZBfFR5M/s1600/507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJSjkfPDQ7fdapJjcthf5LF8TJ4uhzPtODiRyQNupegrcoq4RsUoV8kt11OdmWk-pWHPiM7-y85ESLvHl_tTwqyJzDh4cWRuQrc2kg-L6udTjRNKg5fRpeuPzkZ1FWQQQs4aInZBfFR5M/s1600/507.JPG" height="400" width="400" /> </a></div>
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J then helped me mark a spot just above my elbow to chop off the existing sleeve on one side. After cutting, I measured the cut piece and made sure to cut the opposite sleeve the same length.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoEJ9ZptV3lqj1kwGeNo2igdpd4YrtxcM1OGrH79ljf62CqwdUCSC10PltDYv8JZAlKPLOk0SR7cROIGzLdzLLBEgi6YEsX_BrhiXtdXiceEQts9uF8GBdbOOjk9yWZr-W-z6fQ8_AH-M/s1600/510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoEJ9ZptV3lqj1kwGeNo2igdpd4YrtxcM1OGrH79ljf62CqwdUCSC10PltDYv8JZAlKPLOk0SR7cROIGzLdzLLBEgi6YEsX_BrhiXtdXiceEQts9uF8GBdbOOjk9yWZr-W-z6fQ8_AH-M/s1600/510.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
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For interest and contrast (I was never going to find the exact same color of fabric), I went with a dark heather gray for the elbow "patch." I measured the circumference of the cut sleeve at the cut and cut the dark gray to be the circumference plus 1/2" (for my serger's seam allowance) by the 4 1/2" measurement plus 1/2". Both strips were serged together on the short end with right sides facing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrRZX3QCN9a8q14RTAaT1PgZq5Ve2Q8S48bMd4baCAHmg2ViIPbbqUeWJid9GpVVqXRE6jfXvdqejRGhUJMETYsEAZAq1RdWy7pi5TgEQwwAw7ttQXn6BcAQiGXYDEWrJspi_yQY3cTs/s1600/512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrRZX3QCN9a8q14RTAaT1PgZq5Ve2Q8S48bMd4baCAHmg2ViIPbbqUeWJid9GpVVqXRE6jfXvdqejRGhUJMETYsEAZAq1RdWy7pi5TgEQwwAw7ttQXn6BcAQiGXYDEWrJspi_yQY3cTs/s1600/512.JPG" height="400" width="321" /></a></div>
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Now that I had created my new sleeve extensions, they needed to be attached to the garment. I placed one extension over the outside of a cut edge of sleeve. I made sure the right sides of the fabric were facing, that the cut edges lined up, and that the seams lined up to imply one continuous seam. The fabrics were pinned and the serged together.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bgtizMXe3bvGvwLUyGhk4NmzxMs8F0djNgIJ2q4yf_ay7_kSpn39xt3oQgpF5EL_0ZTFBW3HLX39nBsmjpNYngC4T8qfyJM26jCdO68wdA0lk6K1rzUFwJsPfGELdm8OAnefLJ5efJU/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bgtizMXe3bvGvwLUyGhk4NmzxMs8F0djNgIJ2q4yf_ay7_kSpn39xt3oQgpF5EL_0ZTFBW3HLX39nBsmjpNYngC4T8qfyJM26jCdO68wdA0lk6K1rzUFwJsPfGELdm8OAnefLJ5efJU/s1600/002.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Before serging</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7PC_pYPBsM9AK7TjdNxOcbbpghqaWadf0upXgKf7CNtXMioabuXsbjqW2d-ZDmIJ1bcR3Yv6rkO7rIYaqoBCBcmBrZgDrMn3gprZ9O80ee-IffFT6aMDRxPl2416gQNNiIXLv-GLQUs/s1600/003.JPG" height="280" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>After serging</i></td></tr>
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Then I needed to attach the leftover length of the original sleeve to the newly attached extension. This followed the same directions, only a little trickier because I had to make sure I sewed the left to the left and the right to the right. Otherwise, the thumb holes wouldn't be in the right place...and since the entire purpose of this project was getting to use those thumb holes, that was of primary importance!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEkKsTAQL78zDJ8Pnl6-W_zBadjhVwaT843WEe1KksXVhMS9YfqPXrRQYWzaIKNBKidHiKjlW91AKNzJTSO9ui6PQU_-AE_XRbY7e_qIDsaU7r4gXQhbWh2u4QVA8WTMGKw6Mi2pIe2o/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEkKsTAQL78zDJ8Pnl6-W_zBadjhVwaT843WEe1KksXVhMS9YfqPXrRQYWzaIKNBKidHiKjlW91AKNzJTSO9ui6PQU_-AE_XRbY7e_qIDsaU7r4gXQhbWh2u4QVA8WTMGKw6Mi2pIe2o/s1600/004.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Before serging</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-87mODAqciKlXHcUb5YKefptPwo_u8g0-D3UwsNyzAg471QHsXD0mmf1UnPPv9i5H0ssmGdaRdwQJ0CPmFinGw7AVQHWSNBZfcs74ItnfrpsMKVTm6QhU9Qx2y3ElImx7u9oo8ccgKOY/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-87mODAqciKlXHcUb5YKefptPwo_u8g0-D3UwsNyzAg471QHsXD0mmf1UnPPv9i5H0ssmGdaRdwQJ0CPmFinGw7AVQHWSNBZfcs74ItnfrpsMKVTm6QhU9Qx2y3ElImx7u9oo8ccgKOY/s1600/006.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>After serging</i></td></tr>
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Because I was so careful to line up my seams and I chose a heathered fabric, the sleeve extensions look original and intentional. I'll admit I look a bit like an 80's gym rat, but I like it nonetheless.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjknDizh0-prgj6nrkS_RBp9vvrNdpqUPYo0aUMDKTCyb7jh6wkyewAVjBkDi7fNsTjb_X7qg3tDAsvkDHFszSPiZruY18PzFgh6IBAnsMXW8UmJYDUcywOXP3AHQko0wm_HXVKccL4Q/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjknDizh0-prgj6nrkS_RBp9vvrNdpqUPYo0aUMDKTCyb7jh6wkyewAVjBkDi7fNsTjb_X7qg3tDAsvkDHFszSPiZruY18PzFgh6IBAnsMXW8UmJYDUcywOXP3AHQko0wm_HXVKccL4Q/s1600/001.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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More importantly, my thumbs fit in the aforementioned thumb holes. Mission accomplished!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5edmf76RLvANtPG5JKDkQ9bOq1u3kLqvOWNRKqafbJAxutzJtgrP421mIizK9SW6kdDneLaYjZWZgT0YdWFo8hx1lo8cmd7OsOQr9FsHAsMqIYwbKeJA-dMFxaAHiGPFLtW3ranqQfno/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5edmf76RLvANtPG5JKDkQ9bOq1u3kLqvOWNRKqafbJAxutzJtgrP421mIizK9SW6kdDneLaYjZWZgT0YdWFo8hx1lo8cmd7OsOQr9FsHAsMqIYwbKeJA-dMFxaAHiGPFLtW3ranqQfno/s1600/003.JPG" height="640" width="638" /></a></div>
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Although these projects are rather specific examples, I hope they give you a few ideas of ways you can edit, mend, fix, or alter existing pieces you love. Neither garments were purchased with the intent of making alterations, but I was excited for the opportunity to try something new. In fact, I enjoyed it so much I've picked up a few items at the thrift store recently for the express purpose of making creative alterations.</div>
withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-8460578835629824872014-02-10T12:18:00.001-08:002014-02-16T08:51:46.017-08:00Supernatural Hunter's Kit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1-Ud28ZiQa09CnYZJyh9SaQ3vM4I3DpzIt1lonaIXURPeC_dF7AT7IfMYfAs624V35nQ0PqaFpswrCyxltpj6PfcrNkV3uqV2GyR8-eZY-cTHofL5sHD_3IzuI4bpOlUnUDNN5aPCvHA/s1600/Hunter%2527s+Kit+Header.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1-Ud28ZiQa09CnYZJyh9SaQ3vM4I3DpzIt1lonaIXURPeC_dF7AT7IfMYfAs624V35nQ0PqaFpswrCyxltpj6PfcrNkV3uqV2GyR8-eZY-cTHofL5sHD_3IzuI4bpOlUnUDNN5aPCvHA/s1600/Hunter%2527s+Kit+Header.png" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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If I'm being honest with myself, this post really began about nine months ago when J finally convinced me to watch a few episodes of Supernatural with the sales pitch, "It's a show about two attractive brothers who cry and punch each other. Oh yeah, and they hunt monsters." So, J was out of town and I thought I'd give it a chance. A few days and seasons later, I was obviously incurably hooked. Although I arrived about 8 years late, Sam, Dean, Bobby and Castiel kept me company all summer and I was caught up before season 9 began. It's my guilty pleasure, and for those of you out there who understand my recent obsession, WOPC presents our homage to the Winchesters!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>To make your own hunter's kit, it helps to be a pack rat for certain strange objects. Much of this kit we already had in storage somehow. We began with a sexy cigar box I picked up at <a href="http://www.outlawcigar.com/Default.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1" target="_blank">The Outlaw Cigar Company</a>. Sometimes, when I go with someone who is purchasing cigars, they even let me take empty boxes for free! (I really should write them a nice note.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEGPCNDhm8jjy46f2aZBXofHvIm0SbfA3fxDTo_t26D9J4dHgkmjoEaKLYgS9u1MBz0uWupoAKkV4ofob8U690138-YaWgVgRCJT5Aws3WIUcAw-607ReoZsJGlfObOABO3Lvx5ztryA/s1600/045+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEGPCNDhm8jjy46f2aZBXofHvIm0SbfA3fxDTo_t26D9J4dHgkmjoEaKLYgS9u1MBz0uWupoAKkV4ofob8U690138-YaWgVgRCJT5Aws3WIUcAw-607ReoZsJGlfObOABO3Lvx5ztryA/s1600/045+%25287%2529.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
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The importance of this box was that it needed to be deep enough to hold a random assortment of bottles, relics and the like. I lined the bottom with a piece of black felt to cushion the bottles and add some class.<br />
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Next we made a list of all the different items we could possibly include in the kit. Some were crossed off for expense reasons, others for lack of interest. If you'd like to include a wooden stake, holy oil or a bottle of dead man's blood, be our guest. They just weren't our first choices. The final list sent us scouring through our stash for fun bottles and creepy elements. <br />
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Beginning with the bottled elements, you'll notice we have a penchant for fancy glass bottles. Two are alcohol minis with the labels soaked off; Lemoncello for the salt and Chambord for the holy water respectively. The salt is sea salt, so as to have some texture and look interesting. The small rosary around the holy water is a plastic detail used for scrapbooking. It was supposed to go on a scrapbook page about J's production of Nunsense, but seeing as how that was years ago and I still haven't created the page, I cannibalized the boring project for one more interesting. My favorite thing about this bottle is the lid. Who knew a Chambord bottle could look so religious?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfpdrgrChb-AEMBqI47PDrElDe2t5oHqR6Cio9TFYH-kjRRXp3GMow2l-T_33ZyZOPV3MqjjDK-0aLaTb19Sey2_-zc8Nt6CL8n1u0utpAP6QyJ9zVoZ9afzzUkwyPxgCDit8-LDM91w/s1600/522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfpdrgrChb-AEMBqI47PDrElDe2t5oHqR6Cio9TFYH-kjRRXp3GMow2l-T_33ZyZOPV3MqjjDK-0aLaTb19Sey2_-zc8Nt6CL8n1u0utpAP6QyJ9zVoZ9afzzUkwyPxgCDit8-LDM91w/s1600/522.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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The third bottle is very tiny and can be found at a craft store, usually in the jewelry section. It holds our phoenix ash. Although it only appeared in one episode, the episode was one of our favorites, so we had to include it. We created the ash by burning wood shavings from a large dowel. We used a makeshift "pan" made out of aluminum foil to make sure we didn't burn the house down and didn't lose any of the ash.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPeCJW1kBMBvvobYIEGTzgKvkQnbKSLz9-Uvue_Mn5W43mMFl1z66tnATQvq7bWsPD8o2l5wKmC-1KD1caemxuo_E-CnDeGv8M2Wj7v2bmdo7ZiuIY_M8A0ZMPYX5Kbksn8yh7vgHxz9Y/s1600/037+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPeCJW1kBMBvvobYIEGTzgKvkQnbKSLz9-Uvue_Mn5W43mMFl1z66tnATQvq7bWsPD8o2l5wKmC-1KD1caemxuo_E-CnDeGv8M2Wj7v2bmdo7ZiuIY_M8A0ZMPYX5Kbksn8yh7vgHxz9Y/s1600/037+%25287%2529.JPG" height="400" width="398" /></a></div>
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The top of the bottle is stopped by a small bead we had leftover from the <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-pick-of-destiny.html" target="_blank">Pick of Destiny</a> necklace project. It looks like pumice, so we felt it was indicative of the fire needed to create the ash. J made sure to superglue the bead such that the hole is useable if someone wanted to wear the bottle as a charm.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29mkfm0-r6Pjt6x7gHOZhpy_JvnRuVfQuyU6vb6Ox7OKQB1d6afF8vSrGxDwPEShnC6YfBJeLAN7vlgcOvQapvds6h9-1Bq1OLnibayQ53PHIEknb17fp3VOvoxRQmncv64_TDmbXS8s/s1600/039+%25289%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29mkfm0-r6Pjt6x7gHOZhpy_JvnRuVfQuyU6vb6Ox7OKQB1d6afF8vSrGxDwPEShnC6YfBJeLAN7vlgcOvQapvds6h9-1Bq1OLnibayQ53PHIEknb17fp3VOvoxRQmncv64_TDmbXS8s/s1600/039+%25289%2529.JPG" height="400" width="398" /></a></div>
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The next element we created was the hex bag. This involved using scraps of fabric and leather, dried sage, and chicken bones we keep on hand. That's right, I just said we keep cleaned and dried chicken bones on hand. We're not creepy at all! J used a chemical process he found online to clean bones from a rotisserie chicken a while back. The original idea was to cast the bones for use in jewelry projects, but this is the first time they've come in handy so far. We'll keep you updated if we do anything more with them.<br />
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J tattered the fabric, chose his bones carefully, and tied the contents up with a leather cord. Overall I am both impressed and terrified with his ability to make hex bags. I may need to keep a closer eye on his extracurriculars.</div>
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Our last major DIY for this box was the anti-possession charm. We used a store-bought blank charm designed to hold resin and used the product we had leftover from the <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/11/from-concept-to-completion-bottlecapped.html" target="_blank">Bottlecapped Sidebar</a> top. Anti-possession images are unbelievably easy to find online, but I did learn some things while editing the image for the charm. Lesson 1: DPI really matters. Lesson 2: Photo paper makes all the difference.<br />
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Once we got a clean and sexy image, I cut it out and glued it into the metal blank with my favorite Scotch glue. We gave it a day to dry and then filled the charm to the brim with resin using a disposable pipette. The pipette allowed us to carefully add resin until the surface tension was convex. We then used a lighter to heat the surface of the resin to clear the charm of bubbles. As you can see, it didn't remove all of them, but it's decent for a first try.<br />
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The rest of the items in the box were found/purchased for this specific project. The cross is from a Lutheran youth retreat I attended in high school. (No the humor of its use is not lost on me.) The .45 casings were purchased from Etsy shop, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/BallisticJewelry" target="_blank">Ballistic Jewelry</a>, for use in craft projects. Unfortunately, they aren't Winchester casings...though I'm sure if you searched hard enough you could find some. Although it's missing from the photos, we are also including a piece of chalk in the kit, and are currently toying with the idea of including a handwritten document of signs and sigils. </div>
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So, there you have it! We've pieced together our very own hunter's kit. It doesn't come close to equaling the trunk of the Impala, but it may work in a pinch until you can call the Winchesters for help. There's a lot of room for more items and as true fans of the show, we'd love to see what others think of this kit and what they've added to their own. We're also planning a few more Supernatural fandom posts in the future, so stay tuned!</div>
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<br />withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-39986535574813663132014-02-01T19:36:00.000-08:002014-02-01T20:23:02.950-08:00Painting Boardgame Miniatures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As game pieces come out of the box, sometimes they don't fit the story in your head. They're too boring or too badly painted. Sometimes you get confused because the red guy and the orange gal look too similar and the wrong piece gets moved for a few turns. For whatever reason, sometimes your board game bits need some classing up.<br />
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We're here to fix that. <br />
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<b>You'll need:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Acrylic paint. I use the craft acrylic tubes from various sources (Delta, Ceramcoat, FolkArt... Whatever's on special, essentially)</li>
<li>Small brushes. Like, impractically small. My largest common brush is an acrylic size 0. It goes down from there. I suggest a 0 for blocking out colors and a 10/0 or 20/0 for details.</li>
<li>Future Floor "Wax", now called Pledge Premium Finish with Future Shine. Clear acrylic for use on floors, thin like water, mildly fragranced. Does not taste good.</li>
<li>Paper towels.</li>
<li>Clean water.</li>
<li>OPTIONAL: Xacto knife for cleaning mold lines/details.</li>
<li>OPTIONAL: Palette for mixing. If you want to make your own, buy a picture frame at a dollar store and some duct tape. Instructions below.<a name='more'></a></li>
</ul>
I'm not, at the moment, going to start regular articles on painting miniatures. There are a number of fine sites out there that discuss precisely this concept, all of which are worth your times should you want to pursue it. Rather, I'm talking about the little plastic peoples that come with your board games, some of whom are sad little gray or pre-painted lumps that may or may not resemble human beings. Solving this problem can be as simple or dramatic as you want.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMjzmKT8GUGym4NPFjPR-x3APLiM37Il-s0q3tFx1_jpSFW3uukgwh8BsHJbAi3F449NUhtfLKcoJMMr__rvggFY2ENEl0Uei4d5q7YystOGnZjUMjM33s-lQ7vTe4dQmGBTQiNKckBQ/s1600/LNoE+Characters+James+Culshaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMjzmKT8GUGym4NPFjPR-x3APLiM37Il-s0q3tFx1_jpSFW3uukgwh8BsHJbAi3F449NUhtfLKcoJMMr__rvggFY2ENEl0Uei4d5q7YystOGnZjUMjM33s-lQ7vTe4dQmGBTQiNKckBQ/s1600/LNoE+Characters+James+Culshaw.jpg" height="171" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Unpainted Last Night on Earth heroes. Photo by James Culshaw.</i></td></tr>
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Basic miniature painting comes down to three key concepts: Miniature preparation, base color paint application, and finishing technique.<br />
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The first concept is miniature preparation. To help the miniatures slip out of their molds, they have usually been treated with a release agent. You may not feel it, but it will prevent paint from adhering. Also, by the time you decide to paint board game pieces, you've likely handled them a fair amount, coating them with a fine film of human filth. This is also not helpful to the paint process. Wash them in soapy water like <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/02/dinosaur-bookends.html" target="_blank">a dinosaur</a>, dry them off, and set them aside for a while to dry thoroughly. You may want to prime your miniatures with spray paint to provide a coat for paint to grab onto. I usually do for hard plastic and bare metal, but for these soft vinyl pieces for boardgames I don't. If you do, consider how the piece will be painted. For more contrast or a more realistic palette, prime dark and paint up. This leaves dark shadows at the edges and helps some finishing steps later. For cartoon color schemes or other brightness, prime white and paint down. Fewer coats will be needed to come up from black. Consider compromise with gray primer, but make sure you aren't using a sandable "filler" primer for cars or something, as it is thick enough to fill all your facial features. Light coats, gentle touch. There will be more info on spray paint and miniatures/models/terrain in the future. Until then, just be gentle.<br />
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Whether you based them or not, the next step is the hard one: Coming up with color schemes. For a wargame or some board games, you pick a combination of your favorite colors, described color schemes from source material, and so forth. For others, you can work from source material. I'll give examples of both.<br />
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For Betrayal at House on the Hill, you only get names, birthdays, and hobbies for the character. The portraits are ink drawings over a colored background, so there's no detail for their outfits. They do, however, come pre-painted. From a factory, by someone who has to paint a bunch of green dudes an hour with varying quality.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaytHNBcV9ZxzRP-3rBmXnoCPqg8JaosDOXFhoi7RtidKgXFtKJf2VynznxsWIuZl4-4woQtTB-K9Z5bTYe7kDjkLjzFDZTwWBy9aU0Di5d_PDTRvxVU8XNu6_je_VCbI-NjQ3gqS-gBc/s1600/Betrayal+Characters+Christopher+Beck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaytHNBcV9ZxzRP-3rBmXnoCPqg8JaosDOXFhoi7RtidKgXFtKJf2VynznxsWIuZl4-4woQtTB-K9Z5bTYe7kDjkLjzFDZTwWBy9aU0Di5d_PDTRvxVU8XNu6_je_VCbI-NjQ3gqS-gBc/s1600/Betrayal+Characters+Christopher+Beck.jpg" height="202" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Betrayal at House on the Hill original paint jobs. Photo by Christopher Beck.</i></td></tr>
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I took these figures, used poster putty to stick them to bottle caps and other objects on my work table, and basically painted my version of their original color scheme over the top. Nothing fancy, just red for red, blue for blue, etc. I changed most dramatically when it came to skin tone. All of the original figures were the same shade of Jersey Shore orange. When your character names range from Peter Akimoto to Madame Zostra and Darrin "Flash" Williams, one skin color simply won't do. Enter the Multicultural Super Friends! Together, they explore haunted houses.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQkwcdgtf-PWOx9Ywe5QvIGBXpB5uSvVvnESgaK0rMa9sPu2P-C3SHNYd8Pa-t4p9QzIb_p_IgsaxoQbV6UCef5MA6CznensCn5ExOx24QLCPUIAuGRdA1RiOErcEhz2xXXSyRvfVakU/s1600/1899.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQkwcdgtf-PWOx9Ywe5QvIGBXpB5uSvVvnESgaK0rMa9sPu2P-C3SHNYd8Pa-t4p9QzIb_p_IgsaxoQbV6UCef5MA6CznensCn5ExOx24QLCPUIAuGRdA1RiOErcEhz2xXXSyRvfVakU/s1600/1899.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIHk22Dwlb_pDnbNru1kZx4orNE_Syt3AobP7L-l-NTz6_w5nDN1oTydaQojC5F0uep5ZHmYBHbkVZQrJe8sbrAyvXveU5VE_7m7kiOqUjdocGTMEXp_WSP5QwzCkcEDxYIPXgYlrDts/s1600/1901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIHk22Dwlb_pDnbNru1kZx4orNE_Syt3AobP7L-l-NTz6_w5nDN1oTydaQojC5F0uep5ZHmYBHbkVZQrJe8sbrAyvXveU5VE_7m7kiOqUjdocGTMEXp_WSP5QwzCkcEDxYIPXgYlrDts/s1600/1901.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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I decided some time ago not to worry about painting "proper" eyes. There are artists who can get individual twinkles in the iris of a blue-eyed beauty, even at 28mm scale. (Jennifer Haley can do mascara and eyeshadow at that scale. I'm 96% certain she's a sorceress in real life) I am not one of those people. Mine get base coats, skin tones, a solid color in the eye socket to avoid the "staring wildly" vibe that usually happens when you do the black dot in the white eye and a couple of details for table top use. Remember, it's a board game and you want the pieces to read at a distance. Don't get too fussy and remember that most of your friends will pick up their piece, go "Cool, it's painted" and then ask how to play the game. Block color is your friend at this point.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXiHjt8_AHyKj5QtHKNGdK0uRmVT1CqumAkcJKMMotRExMp3R6uOJSCeBZkUAHknFIlJQh0x0IhU-abRzwY0k6-JF3ce9OJMI8MWvzaRsCf83r-VZDVUlU3H2sntBLv13nXWIluFHolQ/s1600/021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXiHjt8_AHyKj5QtHKNGdK0uRmVT1CqumAkcJKMMotRExMp3R6uOJSCeBZkUAHknFIlJQh0x0IhU-abRzwY0k6-JF3ce9OJMI8MWvzaRsCf83r-VZDVUlU3H2sntBLv13nXWIluFHolQ/s1600/021.jpg" height="400" width="398" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ox Bellows, Level 17 Bromaster/3rd Level Douchelord.</i></td></tr>
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The next step is a custom wash that provides most of your detail. A wash in paint terms is a thinned solution that carries translucent color. Game stores sell pre-mixed washes for something like $6 for a half-ounce pot of premixed wash. One color, one thing. Mixing your own with a full bottle of Future and half a dozen acrylic paints is basically a lifetime of washes for $12. Online, you'll hear Future-based washes called "Magic Washes" because so many painters (myself included) think they finish your models as if by magic.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYtQMi5lkmmYvYBlktMUW6H8CnyqOsbFeSm4Y8CIf_CsYOdvj4u0zZRkPm4JogsRfPxM0L6C7Xib_VVMvbyXL3OZ4jGK5xCeKIsid2UKfPaul1MR9TQvdw0U47a3oqQLtEB70YMsb9fw/s1600/025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYtQMi5lkmmYvYBlktMUW6H8CnyqOsbFeSm4Y8CIf_CsYOdvj4u0zZRkPm4JogsRfPxM0L6C7Xib_VVMvbyXL3OZ4jGK5xCeKIsid2UKfPaul1MR9TQvdw0U47a3oqQLtEB70YMsb9fw/s1600/025.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The secret of my power.</i></td></tr>
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The recipe for me varies a little bit, but is usually three parts water to one part Future and one part paint. I keep a bottle of the water and Future part on hand and just squeeze a few drops of it over a drop of paint when I need a small batch. If I were painting an army, I would just mix a bottle of each color washes and keep them on hand.<br />
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Let's compare the flat color version and the washed final version:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5DL5HbdlHiRXNpu9q7IXgl2WZKxF5ZYqhWWMGn4wfH73WtsECqkONxhgaBE92kzjdtGxnT0XDREA5FzYuMvjXm45pDy9m0xGQnNj9CZQz63eBhwedRWvmSxOQdM4Wq6JNTDaaASPWyE/s1600/015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5DL5HbdlHiRXNpu9q7IXgl2WZKxF5ZYqhWWMGn4wfH73WtsECqkONxhgaBE92kzjdtGxnT0XDREA5FzYuMvjXm45pDy9m0xGQnNj9CZQz63eBhwedRWvmSxOQdM4Wq6JNTDaaASPWyE/s1600/015.jpg" height="200" width="199" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzps5Y_phih_KVMot3IgqEFlKlm7Jg2fs7a1nXZdGGC7YTVRtIPqQg-Cfo9MMLIhYH0_aWTqdYR_NHI61KLqUkROV1RGN_5GRIYYsLMbFZj_RIaqRQhPFBelDpynbAYuDWbaAo1ZIp_kc/s1600/1902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzps5Y_phih_KVMot3IgqEFlKlm7Jg2fs7a1nXZdGGC7YTVRtIPqQg-Cfo9MMLIhYH0_aWTqdYR_NHI61KLqUkROV1RGN_5GRIYYsLMbFZj_RIaqRQhPFBelDpynbAYuDWbaAo1ZIp_kc/s1600/1902.jpg" height="200" width="199" /></a></div>
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On a good sculpt, the wash settles into ridges, defines edges and doesn't sit on top of flat spots. While it's wet you can push it around some with a damp brush and wick out any excess. Let it dry completely and then we can apply the last technique: the drybrush.<br />
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You might recall this from previous projects, but for the new folks it takes a brush you do not love, a paper towel, and paint. Wipe nearly all of the paint off your brush onto the paper towel until it only picks up the top of the texture of the paper towel ridges. Then, gently wipe this dry brush over areas of texture on your miniature, like hair, fur, chain mail, or ragged flesh. The paint will only pick up the edges of the surface and gradually highlight the surface. Keep rubbing for more paint (and thus a greater effect) and when you can't see changes any more you probably are out of paint. It is possible to brush too much and start wiping the paint off, so do it in stages.<br />
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I've got some zombies that were needed to fill out crowd scenes in some games I've run who were all literally four color paintjobs, some base and drybrush and done. It's a fast technique that provides somewhat generic results, but it gets the job done.<br />
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The other option for inspiration is photo reference. For Last Night on Earth, each character in the game is represented on the cards by an actor in costume. Throughout the dozens of shots of each actor you can chart their progress through a zombie film, finding and losing items, getting attacked, making their desperate last stand, and making out while zombies close in (or watch. I don't know what the zombies do for this part). I sorted all the cards by character and used the best shots of each element for the color scheme. For example, it became clear that the Sheriff's son was not carrying a revolver, but the game's most hilarious ranged weapon, the Signal Flare. Also, a can of Gasoline. Actually one of the best combos in the game for reasons which I hope are clear.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNq9xet3t5X6R-5tC1GzdzlyhLjMypPAdxPy-cryjKnS1FImOt7k2R7knZs6aL6sBjgWCCwdB43rvGUV6W_BNaADe3pyIk-YVA-kTQQx1FHWG31YlHS-LBxQ48mvxuCS1qlMujmagJ3s/s1600/pic651136_md.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNq9xet3t5X6R-5tC1GzdzlyhLjMypPAdxPy-cryjKnS1FImOt7k2R7knZs6aL6sBjgWCCwdB43rvGUV6W_BNaADe3pyIk-YVA-kTQQx1FHWG31YlHS-LBxQ48mvxuCS1qlMujmagJ3s/s1600/pic651136_md.jpg" height="370" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Exhibit A: The cards.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMOLlBLvTygsdVO9KQGhLr7NdYJQVwOzQs2wNsLYPz23imosfkn2xsd6-wLjYkZ6D4JDk_-WhwP2rbE0-6Wj7chJvpOMi-oxzUEEnG03rG08Idib9om26ciGMDD1o_4QzjuxyhMV7J5o/s1600/1885.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMOLlBLvTygsdVO9KQGhLr7NdYJQVwOzQs2wNsLYPz23imosfkn2xsd6-wLjYkZ6D4JDk_-WhwP2rbE0-6Wj7chJvpOMi-oxzUEEnG03rG08Idib9om26ciGMDD1o_4QzjuxyhMV7J5o/s1600/1885.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Exhibit B: The kid with a very, very good idea.</i></td></tr>
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Working card by card, I could place a photo reference with every element of the game. Was this necessary? No. I liked the challenge. Also, it's fun that the miniature matches as close as I cared to get with each card you could play during the game. Oddly, only one such figure departs dramatically from her depiction on the cards: Nurse Becky.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDVIndjvhAnf2ejMA5iO1gqfebiRaOfy0cez9khX6k91CBwunbqyNUlZuFGCLUFMQpj3tyR9UI9Xu1c5FtvCLvU6hX9j76Kc5UMODmjnbHycSg7k2WdEmzAo5Qda8MIPvpAoIddtgNTo/s1600/pic819375_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDVIndjvhAnf2ejMA5iO1gqfebiRaOfy0cez9khX6k91CBwunbqyNUlZuFGCLUFMQpj3tyR9UI9Xu1c5FtvCLvU6hX9j76Kc5UMODmjnbHycSg7k2WdEmzAo5Qda8MIPvpAoIddtgNTo/s1600/pic819375_lg.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The nurse in question. Coincidentally, also the kid from above.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaiFY86y6f8zXnym8r36sepYN8LCQRg4jt1kMwfaSZfvetFqjdN2BHHM56tQIXxac6nmMOp8Qx3gI4-p43smb408Z40yWbJ-S_YWzU7zRIc7DVNCr5MH1Iie2lExSQxHEAgdYKmuUqwc/s1600/1879.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaiFY86y6f8zXnym8r36sepYN8LCQRg4jt1kMwfaSZfvetFqjdN2BHHM56tQIXxac6nmMOp8Qx3gI4-p43smb408Z40yWbJ-S_YWzU7zRIc7DVNCr5MH1Iie2lExSQxHEAgdYKmuUqwc/s1600/1879.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>In this picture, she looks a little like Taylor Swift on Halloween.</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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She doesn't wear a nametag, have jewelry, or carry a purse at any point in the game art. The sculptors kept it together for a dozen heroes and a handful of zombies and then went AWOL on the last one. Eh, can't win 'em all. So it was back to making up details like I normally do.<br />
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Once you've painted your minis, it's time for securing your work against future damage. You'll notice that final shots of my minis are fairly glossy. That's because the last step, after the paint is dry, the wash is applied, and the drybrushing is over, is a final coat of undiluted Future. It's designed to survive foot traffic, I imagine it can handle board gaming or falling off a scenic element some day. If you dislike the gloss effect, there are various matte sprays and paints that can be applied over it, but gloss sealants are harder than their matte equivalent in my experience, so I go for the durability and then tone it down after the fact if I need to. For game pieces, I think glossy suits them just fine.<br />
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We've provided all the shots you could want over on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WithOurPowersCombined" target="_blank">our Facebook page</a>. Check 'em out, give us a Like, and we'll see you next time.<br />
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<b>BONUS: </b>If you stuck around to find out how to make your own glass palette, pull the glass (it has to be real glass, not plastic!) out of your dollar store picture frame, and tear strips of duct tape in half, down to about an inch wide. Carefully apply them around the edges of the palette so that half the strip is on the front, wraps over the edge, and on to the back. Make sure you cover the corners! Once the whole thing is wrapped, you should be safe from the sharp edges of the glass and you can mix paint to your heart's content. Once too much crud has built up, scrape all the dry paint off with a razor or window scraper and you have a clean palette forever.<br />
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withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-89009641877784571742014-01-20T09:15:00.000-08:002014-01-20T09:15:17.995-08:00WoPC in Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheSxMXTn2gaOoyWSS82adEBoISgm1tVZGJra-a9tiT0h4rbjx7Q9or3De24sIvzuxxdtIQUms4hsJb8mz7ygMaZgrsjRyrTepeS25cHQkXa3SrtAoCCkpXSmBW6UBZgvTgUEK7KrFhjoA/s1600/WoPC+in+Review+Cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheSxMXTn2gaOoyWSS82adEBoISgm1tVZGJra-a9tiT0h4rbjx7Q9or3De24sIvzuxxdtIQUms4hsJb8mz7ygMaZgrsjRyrTepeS25cHQkXa3SrtAoCCkpXSmBW6UBZgvTgUEK7KrFhjoA/s1600/WoPC+in+Review+Cover.png" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span id="goog_1862387811">We're back! It's been a long hiatus...too long, really. Due to moving, job changes, and the holidays we've been unable to devote the time and attention we want on WoPC lately, but all that is about to change. Before we jump ahead into a new year of crafting, gaming, sharing and celebrating we want to take a quick look at some of the things that have made this venture successful and fun. Why do we keep blogging? Here are a couple reasons:</span><br />
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<span id="goog_1862387811">This year has been fantastic for us in terms of support from our fan base. So far the blog has garnered over 20,500 views spread over our 78 posts. People get here via Pinterest, Google, Facebook, and some fantastic sites that have been nice enough to share our projects with new audiences. This year brought cross references on <a href="http://geekcrafts.com/" target="_blank">Geek Crafts</a>, <a href="http://www.sparknotes.com/mindhut" target="_blank">The Mindhut</a>, <a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/" target="_blank">ThinkGeek</a> and a few others. And don't worry, it hasn't slipped by us that the cross references are all on geek-culture sites. We are so proud of our niche market that we've been planning ahead to expand into more fandoms and provide a little something for everyone.</span><br />
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<span id="goog_1862387811">For those of you who like countdowns, top 10 lists and the like, here are some stats:</span><br />
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<span id="goog_1862387811">Top 5 most viewed articles on WoPC:</span><br />
<span id="goog_1862387811">#1 Tea Wreath</span><br />
<span id="goog_1862387811">#2 Rustic Rag Quilt</span><br />
<span id="goog_1862387811">#3 TARDIS Tree Topper and Garland</span><br />
<span id="goog_1862387811">#4 Captain America Tree Skirt</span><br />
<span id="goog_1862387811">#5 Designing with Bleach: TARDIS Silhouette</span><span id="goog_1862387811"></span><br />
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<span id="goog_1862387811">Top 5 most viewed products on Etsy:</span><br />
<span id="goog_1862387811">#1 Legend of Zelda Popup Valentine</span><br />
<span id="goog_1862387811">#2 Tea Wreath - Blues</span><br />
<span id="goog_1862387811">#3 Mass Effect Coasters</span><br />
<span id="goog_1862387811">#4 Dinosaur Bookends</span><br />
<span id="goog_1862387811">#5 Dr. Who - TARDIS Bleach Apron</span><br />
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<span id="goog_1862387811">Speaking of Etsy, it's been a good year for the WoPC shop! We've garnered 1340 views, 102 favorites, and 34 orders. It may not sound like much, but for those of you who have sold via Etsy before, it's a tough market and we couldn't be more proud. Not to mention, the amount of sales directly relates to the amount of time we spend in line at the post office, so it's all relative.</span><br />
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<span id="goog_1862387811">In addition to selling our wares on Etsy, we participated in our first craft show this year as well. It was quite the experience, and even though we didn't sell as much as we'd hoped, we enjoyed it. Maybe next time we'll pick our venue more carefully. Something tells me that participating in a church craft sale doesn't reach our desired market.</span><br />
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<span id="goog_1862387811">Overall, it's been a fun year of milestones and many hours spent working together on creative endeavors. We'd like to thank those who have shared our Facebook statuses, pinned our items to Pinterest, commented on our posts, purchased our wares, and provided us with creative inspiration and support. Hopefully you enjoy WoPC at least a fraction of how much we do. It is truly our passion and we're lucky enough to get to share it with all of you.</span><br />
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<span id="goog_1862387811"> </span>withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-3026058960249745882013-11-20T23:17:00.000-08:002014-02-01T20:07:28.320-08:00Tetris Rag Quilt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3xrisBYyBZaRjLIsvdyUcoMEHdOAVmf1vvpxA9QWToft_PdEluDUGStiTYRDPsNd7sAgThxwxN4hwxZYda1R4Ky7TJkmcqN_cPwieHc9RVdtTksU6ejLqxtNudsbaOtP0glGhj8CYd38/s1600/Tetris+Cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3xrisBYyBZaRjLIsvdyUcoMEHdOAVmf1vvpxA9QWToft_PdEluDUGStiTYRDPsNd7sAgThxwxN4hwxZYda1R4Ky7TJkmcqN_cPwieHc9RVdtTksU6ejLqxtNudsbaOtP0glGhj8CYd38/s640/Tetris+Cover.png" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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We've been working harder than ever at WOPC to bring together our two fan bases: nerds and crafters. With that in mind, we set out to create a handmade nerd quilt just for that particular demographic. We've also realized that many nerd crafters are of the generation who are currently having children, settling down, starting families, etc. Thus, the crib-sized Tetris Rag Quilt was born! Made in much the same way as our ever so popular <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/09/rustic-rag-quilt.html" target="_blank">Rag Quilt</a>, this Tetris quilt is simple and soft enough for use in a nursery....as long as that nursery is full of bright colors!</div>
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To make this puzzling quilt you'll need:</div>
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2 1/4 yd. Black Flannel</div>
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1 1/2 yd. Gray Cotton</div>
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1/2 yd. Turquoise Cotton</div>
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1/4 yd. Orange, Purple, Red, Yellow, Green and Dark Blue Cotton</div>
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36"x54" of quilt batting (or a little less)</div>
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Black Thread</div>
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Once J and I decided to create a Tetris quilt, our first objective was to pick a design we found aesthetically pleasing yet accurate to a game of Tetris. We Google image searched and found something we liked enough to copy the structure. I worked to change some of the colors so that there was a better variety and contrast, but made sure not to do anything that would go against the mechanics of the game. We also decided to go with a black backing but gray front. There were two reasons for this: a black quilt is a bit much for a baby crib and the contrast of the "rag" style would imply the grid pattern Tetris is built on. Our final version looked something like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCxVkYYFEBk5I29ZC66kyc06HSmzQqFt58V2M9c8w11lnbCsUtDMVhXiT3rTeK_dxUrrzVnLQ5Tx1EjVqwgnXD4dtnGfptaPPGzTPTyAOxka2JEYBRU8HAPQ2wDV0DvZW7XxpTHVtvP4E/s1600/Scan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCxVkYYFEBk5I29ZC66kyc06HSmzQqFt58V2M9c8w11lnbCsUtDMVhXiT3rTeK_dxUrrzVnLQ5Tx1EjVqwgnXD4dtnGfptaPPGzTPTyAOxka2JEYBRU8HAPQ2wDV0DvZW7XxpTHVtvP4E/s640/Scan.jpg" height="416" width="640" /></a></div>
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As you can see, it required playing with colorful markers and a few calculations, but I wanted to make sure that I didn't make three trips to the fabric store this time. Once we'd gathered all our fabrics, we started the incessant process of cutting out squares. You can see our square count on the above diagram. This is very important, as you don't want to come up short but also don't want to spend your life cutting out unnecessary pieces. For every square of cotton the quilt requires a square of flannel and a slightly smaller square of batting. I usually cut my batting approximately an inch smaller than my fabric squares.</div>
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After lots of cutting, I laid out my basic design to make sure I was satisfied:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8X5XwnX0YuIENdDPLu21g-nGfMyLPOMcP6pXCfkvaQZujrrrgs3ek8GyU-EIWskQHKtBG7ZZ9nJjYPqRhbO9sSV63kcgZ3lV5RIiuMA3FTCg9oMvSdWbfWacKcXQk90_6jDrldT8YEw/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8X5XwnX0YuIENdDPLu21g-nGfMyLPOMcP6pXCfkvaQZujrrrgs3ek8GyU-EIWskQHKtBG7ZZ9nJjYPqRhbO9sSV63kcgZ3lV5RIiuMA3FTCg9oMvSdWbfWacKcXQk90_6jDrldT8YEw/s400/018.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
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Pleased with myself, I set out creating quilt sandwiches. The process for that, and for the rest of this quilt you can find in my previous <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/09/rustic-rag-quilt.html" target="_blank">Rag Quilting</a> post. The glory of a rag quilt is that the process is all machine based and very straight forward. As long as you plan ahead and pay attention, you can achieve many beautiful patterns without having to learn new techniques. Prior to snipping my seams to create the rag effect, this is what the quilt looked like:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukAkqr2q-kXTAIYZcdI6PWuvkYbhNXRveYaoPd2elRItZ2hiX8CXGg23acG8md9wRR9vXBmi86cCt3TAvXTWTInaubvONif4DQ76bCZ_FTVP6qPkflz4luYMNfTGIM6bg3W5MK4CFX2Y/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukAkqr2q-kXTAIYZcdI6PWuvkYbhNXRveYaoPd2elRItZ2hiX8CXGg23acG8md9wRR9vXBmi86cCt3TAvXTWTInaubvONif4DQ76bCZ_FTVP6qPkflz4luYMNfTGIM6bg3W5MK4CFX2Y/s400/009.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
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So, speaking of snipping seams, we learned a lot during our first rag quilting experience. The most important lesson, however, was that anyone planning on doing much rag quilting needs to invest in springloaded fabric scissors. Our last quilt left both of us with bruised thumbs and hand cramps. Thus, I jumped on Amazon and ordered a pair of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004E2TSAI/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">Fiskars</a> springloaded thread snippers. They're recommended by the Arthritis Foundation, and I can totally see why. No hand cramps or bruises this time!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpt_FXd5ETw3wmoeVHQx7YqvIVT03kq5iif-lEEOHyL4VltMZFzTl4-nYDWL5HwiTdfWTTSNzyqJR8b51cKdK81Vsba5m6kiHPe5oHByXtFSzPJuJ9EuDvGl3QtWtn8pf8Yx_pZaiRdLE/s1600/019+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpt_FXd5ETw3wmoeVHQx7YqvIVT03kq5iif-lEEOHyL4VltMZFzTl4-nYDWL5HwiTdfWTTSNzyqJR8b51cKdK81Vsba5m6kiHPe5oHByXtFSzPJuJ9EuDvGl3QtWtn8pf8Yx_pZaiRdLE/s400/019+%25282%2529.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pre-washed rag effect</i></td></tr>
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To get your rag quilt to look comfortable and rag-like, you will need to wash and dry it a few times. Lessons learned during this process include: not washing anything else with your quilt, cleaning out your lint trap every 45 minutes, running your washer and dryer without anything in them after you're done with the quilt, and possibly checking your dryer to see if the hose that goes back to the wall needs to be cleaned out as well. In other words, these quilts make a huge mess of things due to all the flannel and little threads that come out in the wash. I've been having to de-lint my clothes for weeks!</div>
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Overall, we're very pleased with the end product. I especially like the traditional T-shaped piece falling from above. While we were working on this project we also started making Perler bead creations and I quickly realized that anything I make on a square Perler grid could be turned into a rag quilt design. With that in mind, I have a feeling our next quilt will be something 8-bit themed. Stay tuned to see where we head with that idea!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-OcyRSAJneW4npnpGIJ6_4xIBCnpwFSa-fjyCgUac6KRp9d6xK54_D3kSOAzLp6uL6kU-npLtsepcZCGzyS-lH9nbwuLgtibpiQqRah10tXa7GQYnc6k0Bsyqz2PeqRWeqyJHQ8kGoQ/s1600/025+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-OcyRSAJneW4npnpGIJ6_4xIBCnpwFSa-fjyCgUac6KRp9d6xK54_D3kSOAzLp6uL6kU-npLtsepcZCGzyS-lH9nbwuLgtibpiQqRah10tXa7GQYnc6k0Bsyqz2PeqRWeqyJHQ8kGoQ/s640/025+%25282%2529.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My favorite thing about this picture is that Cat insisted on being in it.</i></td></tr>
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<br />withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-13413457635180758832013-11-15T08:34:00.000-08:002014-02-01T20:07:17.846-08:00From Concept to Completion: Bottlecapped Sidebar, Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTC-qu4giffBw4rrT5XrRdyd-RQfi1kueBQ85Kji5HEU6AxpgJn5yyRKuCDIezH8WuwSNtTX8w-33GgxJHXrVE6hq6thRjwKO1lhCWH6RkPqNY3fv6MjyWIm4233qz0wgN0NbuO0zCeE/s1600/Bottlecap+Cover+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTC-qu4giffBw4rrT5XrRdyd-RQfi1kueBQ85Kji5HEU6AxpgJn5yyRKuCDIezH8WuwSNtTX8w-33GgxJHXrVE6hq6thRjwKO1lhCWH6RkPqNY3fv6MjyWIm4233qz0wgN0NbuO0zCeE/s640/Bottlecap+Cover+2.png" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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It seems like just yesterday that we were discussing the woodworking for our minibar-- Wait, <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/07/from-concept-to-completion-bottlecapped.html">Part 1</a> was put out in July? Before the long darkness where we just wasted your time on budget costumes? Huh.<br />
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Well, we finished it a few weeks back but we were on a roll for Halloween, so you'll have to forgive us if it took a while to show you. We haven't gotten any messages about woodworkers sitting with an unassembled bar in the living rooms waiting on us, but that doesn't mean we don't owe you any closure. So here we go: staining, bottle caps, and resin. Let's build this thing.<br />
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<b>DISCLAIMER:</b> You may notice that throughout this write-up I haven't been as specific as usual about what we're using. This is intentional: I come from a theatre woodworking background, not fine carpentry. I am not an expert on stains and finishes, I've never boiled linseed anything and I don't know any ratios that involves exotic solvents. I come to this stuff the same way you will, by doing my research online, sucking it up and asking someone at the home store, and making mistakes. Do stains and the specific brand of water-based polyurethane we used get along? They sure do. But I can't guarantee your combo will, so please look into your specific needs for something like this.<br />
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<b>Back to the article:</b><br />
For a piece like this, stain is the way to go. Stain reveals a wood's inner beauty and classes up your home. There's nothing like the organic variations and subtle grain to stained wood, but it does mean that you have to be careful through the assembly process. Stain settles into the surface fibers of wood, which means there can't be anything in those fibers to begin with: glue, resin, oils of any kind. When applying adhesives, apply them carefully with a brush or good judgment instead of pouring it in there and squooshing it out onto everything. Be thorough, but stay clean. This is largely a matter of "feel", so best of luck.<br />
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Also, stain by its nature is translucent. You can see everything on the wood, which means overzealous marking of your project will also be there. Light pencil marks erase or sand away, but if you bear down (or have used Sharpie!) that "27-5/8" is there to stay. I advise painter's tape and Post-Its if you are doing a lot of marking.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBif1d3yTxuOkUKVeBc0aB542rwKT1VmY72YlOH2CcDHXYKcvs7FwtSBheN0DBnVN4LVX8h4HNRqxiAPBuTGszVDepAYrNIw-RpeTdNsR-nIGmCnRBJp_KFIKWNDE33I_HCN8Qtrn71Y/s1600/018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBif1d3yTxuOkUKVeBc0aB542rwKT1VmY72YlOH2CcDHXYKcvs7FwtSBheN0DBnVN4LVX8h4HNRqxiAPBuTGszVDepAYrNIw-RpeTdNsR-nIGmCnRBJp_KFIKWNDE33I_HCN8Qtrn71Y/s400/018.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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We avoided a lot of it by building the piece such that there were limited glue joints anyway. All of the top of the bar was glued as seen last time, but the outside edges were sanded within an inch of their life to blend the top and the lip together. For that matter, every piece of the bar was sanded on all four sides to a fine smoothness. Stain and clear coat won't fix furry pieces and will actually make surface differences more obvious.<br />
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Sanding, staining, and clear coating is always easier to do apart than once it's together. Imagine if you could paint the interior of your house by laying all the walls flat, no corners, no windows or anything put in yet. Easy, right? The same is true for furniture. You get more even results by treating everything equally. We assembled the large pieces and kept all the shelves and wine racks and whatnot separate so that there were far fewer little nooks and crannies.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSo7VYSAbCx7oAeP3_G6IL-j4GnP_kXtZ3CqsiYjg1rLvQidwypOvtSw28NBrb62M08kTnfSwvN535Pl66tMJxEKLmav2mhtkJrsf_oHceslKP1hk5Vxn3LbN8tEmVCbo_DC_1haIG5qE/s1600/018+(10).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSo7VYSAbCx7oAeP3_G6IL-j4GnP_kXtZ3CqsiYjg1rLvQidwypOvtSw28NBrb62M08kTnfSwvN535Pl66tMJxEKLmav2mhtkJrsf_oHceslKP1hk5Vxn3LbN8tEmVCbo_DC_1haIG5qE/s400/018+(10).JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
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So, everyone got taken outside one fine desert summer day and stained. The staining process involves wood stain (really?), cheap brushes, soft rags, and rubber gloves. Doing it without gloves means you end up Dark Walnut 2716. It does not wash off. It will eventually come off in a similar timeframe to permanent marker. You've been warned. If you are secretly envious of snow leopards, here's your chance.<br />
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Load up your brush and flood the piece in question. Too much stain is not really an option. Get it all over the surface you want, and then chase all the runs and drips around the sides. That will result in runs and drips all down the back side if you aren't careful, so sneak up on it. Once it's all good and covered in wet stain, leave it for a minute. Some areas will soak it up and look dryish. That means it wants more stain. Once the whole surface has stopped drinking it in, give it a little bit to really settle in there (We're talking a minute or two. Don't leave for a sandwich.) Ball up a soft rag that you no longer love and wipe the excess stain from the surface of the project. Keep doing this until the rag comes away clean-ish and set the board aside to fully dry. For small pieces, you can do the entire thing at once and set them on something with points. Some woodworkers have a board all full of nails like a carnival act, as each nail point will leave the barest trace in the project's finish, but I have a bag full of d4's from my Dungeons & Dragons days that works just as well. Three or four of those under a piece keeps it from sticking to the tarp and leaving marks where it was resting on something.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDapz5N8RufYLD63uGI_DzC3fBB6Hc4heexG-g4ngwW3G0JkVAhqKb6uyO8Z7c27wBl0W2hQ2VCkdAksKsVUAMsrS7Kn3kwhqBdwfHAzPsuWuzOxO0PkEe2mANOPCLxe6wWxchwE3nqiY/s1600/polyD4bottom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDapz5N8RufYLD63uGI_DzC3fBB6Hc4heexG-g4ngwW3G0JkVAhqKb6uyO8Z7c27wBl0W2hQ2VCkdAksKsVUAMsrS7Kn3kwhqBdwfHAzPsuWuzOxO0PkEe2mANOPCLxe6wWxchwE3nqiY/s400/polyD4bottom.jpg" height="291" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>If you thought we couldn't get geeky during this, you must be new here.</i></td></tr>
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Once everything has been stained and many rags have died to bring us this information, let it all dry overnight. In the desert, we were probably good around dinner time, but it rarely pays to rush anything involving a chemical process. Once it's all dry, it needs to be protected. That brings us to clear coats. There are oil-based finishes that are waterproof (and expensive, smelly, and hard to clean up) and there are water-based finishes that need a little more care, but are easier to apply and clean up after. We went with Option 2. Remember the disclaimer, your needs may vary (e.g. You want your bar outside and it may get rained on or dewy: go oil-based.)<br />
<br />
Brush on the clear coat with another chip brush or one of those foam ones. Let it dry, and then lightly sand it with a fine sanding block. Be gentle, as you don't want to break through the polyurethane and into the wood. Just give it a light sanding to knock off bubbles and weirdness. Wipe it down with a damp towel or rag to remove the dust and give it a second coat.<br />
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Final assembly happens next. The pocket holes from earlier should all be oriented down, so that you screw in from underneath each shelf. They may also want to "walk" a little on you since they go at an angle, so consider clamping a stop block above the shelf to keep your corners from getting weird.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWi8tx5TBEsmltYDjt2mqYEZBZ6NnFiypvd_HS0g_qtisGZXlfcDoupbVoN3k6a2qbd-D2FCnXoLsPQnTp-HTfu-N1XshpHoibb3k1QCPPNMZ4UFYL4PQpmZSTmGD1ZJLtsZDnnDX7_a4/s1600/019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWi8tx5TBEsmltYDjt2mqYEZBZ6NnFiypvd_HS0g_qtisGZXlfcDoupbVoN3k6a2qbd-D2FCnXoLsPQnTp-HTfu-N1XshpHoibb3k1QCPPNMZ4UFYL4PQpmZSTmGD1ZJLtsZDnnDX7_a4/s400/019.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing.</i></td></tr>
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In no time, you'll have the following:<br />
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Once assembled, stained and clear coated, we painted under the bottlecaps black. (The bottom of the top? The lowermost upper part? The recess the caps go in.) This will let the caps be their own thing and help distract from the only place you can see screws. If it really offends you, oversink the screws, fill the holes, sand them flush, and then paint.<br />
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The caps were an interesting challenge. We knew we wanted to do it and all the caps in our house had very similar dimensions, so I laid them out on the computer and figured out we need 216 caps to cover that bar top. Oy. So we had been collecting caps for a while, and helpful friends donated a bunch, and then we got impatient and got on Etsy and bought a sack full of weird indie soda caps to finish the set. These got a test fit in the bar to begin with:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitM2twnES9z2ebPTRH12HWhrd2MyZSDwmBOgTON_aYtJkMbZBWdnsL5XOU_rQJ-LQr8_jK30UDEzWH67omLwa4ZNzEGsMSirEpfc_MBQUfrwedZlnz60C6tXEFZuOm-gfRtmtvfjoKLH8/s1600/131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitM2twnES9z2ebPTRH12HWhrd2MyZSDwmBOgTON_aYtJkMbZBWdnsL5XOU_rQJ-LQr8_jK30UDEzWH67omLwa4ZNzEGsMSirEpfc_MBQUfrwedZlnz60C6tXEFZuOm-gfRtmtvfjoKLH8/s400/131.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My God, it's full of caps!</i></td></tr>
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And set aside on a piece of foamcore to await their installation. Somehow, our furry roommate decided these did not interest him at all and they survived all the way to their installation. Each cap was set in place and a few drops of superglue were applied around the outside edge. Periodically, we'd drop in a whole row and make sure things were still lining up and glue the intersections all at once. The glue doesn't need to make them secure against alien attack, just from shifting around a little when the resin is applied. If you go utterly nuts on glue, you will see it through the resin.<br />
<br />
Something to keep in mind: When you test half a dozen brands of caps and they all come out the same, don't assume that every cap you ever get will be the same. In our limited experience, all caps <i>are</i> the same, except for Kona Brewing Co. If you aren't a fan of Hawaiian microbrews like some of our friends, you'll do just fine. But do check and make sure that some aren't wider or taller than expected and make the entire process a weird race between pressure and setting glue waiting to go off like the Bottlecap Mine from <i>Fallout</i>. A product that will save a huge amount of time for you here is Zip-Kicker by ZAP, a superglue accelerator that cures superglue almost instantly. Apply the glue, press the parts together, spritz with Zip-Kicker and it's over. We could apply a dozen caps, drip glue on all the intersections and bam! They're done. On to the next ones.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>There will be casualties.</i></td></tr>
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Once it's all glued down, leave it near a window for about three months. Well, at least we did. You can cut right to the resin part. We weren't sure how much resin we would need. It's hard to estimate based on the shapes of the caps and the depth of the area and lots of little factors (like, How much stays in the cup and on the tools? How much goes under the caps?) so we slowly acquired a stock of resin, one big coupon at a time from hobby stores. We ended up using less than half of one container, so... there's that.<br />
<br />
What we used is a two-part epoxy resin. It's great for sealing wood forever, jewelry keepsakes, super-gloss coatings, and (if you're really amazing) 3D paintings of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVJOQG_bpQM">fish and octopi</a>. We bought a sleeve of clear plastic cups and tongue depressors for tools, and had on hand a tarp for drips in the apartment. Also, a deck of cards, not just because the process takes a long time, but also because it's on of the most precise ways you can level a piece of furniture. Resin finds its own level like water, so if your piece is tilted, your resin will tilt against it. We used a level and slipped a card under each foot until it was level side to side and front to back. A degree or two won't matter to a bar in use, but matters a lot to resin.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboB1IJVXZ-uSXh6fGp2LlU2qjf4I33OBY9HurfvybODdnUGTlaSRaH3oUMTThg3tUUzPl8ZAzvzOEilxzMwbrOSHhscaD7B_80sdwPtPFsaAPPilPOe-LBlOes-yrSyGb4A_PmH1DKrA/s1600/008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboB1IJVXZ-uSXh6fGp2LlU2qjf4I33OBY9HurfvybODdnUGTlaSRaH3oUMTThg3tUUzPl8ZAzvzOEilxzMwbrOSHhscaD7B_80sdwPtPFsaAPPilPOe-LBlOes-yrSyGb4A_PmH1DKrA/s400/008.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Playing card shims and the heat gun.</i></td></tr>
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We made a two-layer <a href="http://www.hirstarts.com/casting/advanced.html">measuring cup</a> using two plastic cups and precisely measured volumes of water. Dry out the cup and now you have a reusable "sleeve" for all the other times you pour resin. No scale, no graduated beaker, just plastic cups. Each cup used for mixing can only be used once, so marking each cup with the measurements is a waste of time.<br />
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Mask off the top and sides of your bar surface in case of spills. Mix and pour your first cup of resin all around the inside edge of the lip and let it set up for a couple hours or overnight. You don't want to find out that your top-to-lip edge has a small pinhole when the weight of the resin forces drips through the bottom of it. Once this initial pour has set up pretty good, you can begin assembly-lining your resin. A mixed while I poured and we got our timing down to where I was smoothing each layer down when she had the next ready. We used four or five cups of resin, but its better than mixing a large volume and only needing a little bit of it. And since you will have a little left over at times, maybe set aside a locket or two that you want to seal pictures into with the remainder.<br />
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The mixing and pouring of resin introduces bubbles. These will slowly work their way to the surface and can be broken by hot air causing them to expand and pop. A blow dryer is probably too much force, and I've seen DIY shows where folks set the table on fire with a blowtorch, so we used A's embossing heat gun. The output is a few hundred degrees, but no more forceful than blowing on the bubbles with your mouth. For us, it was the perfect middle ground. Professional bar installers use a propane or butane torch and briskly pass it over the surface. Hang out in one spot, the bar goes up in flames. You've been warned.<br />
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We encountered a unique problem at this point: The bubbles never stopped. Not the little pinhole bubbles, those broke the first time we heated the bar. Instead, large bubbles kept forming under the resin surface. Eventually I realized it was the air under the caps, heated until it expanded and bubbled out from underneath! There are two fixes for this: One, glue the caps down completely around their edge air-tight and leave no way for the air to escape. Two, pour a thin layer of resin to seal the bottoms of the caps, let it harden up for a few hours, then resin to your heart's content. If I had it to do over again, I'd definitely go that second route:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5_pb3HlIuwD_JUJOOQ770T_0hGkz6eznGFlqLCajd8lHGb6QXSmEZS62__huYss9vhy-dZjb9OPnjwzFqS1n7FXOML71-P0WshqLFTk_4vnPgdql9rQDi4Qc5GmwWuFgUF8ZP1ZdmZJQ/s1600/Resin.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5_pb3HlIuwD_JUJOOQ770T_0hGkz6eznGFlqLCajd8lHGb6QXSmEZS62__huYss9vhy-dZjb9OPnjwzFqS1n7FXOML71-P0WshqLFTk_4vnPgdql9rQDi4Qc5GmwWuFgUF8ZP1ZdmZJQ/s400/Resin.png" height="191" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ooh, perfessional.</i></td></tr>
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Resin sticks readily to itself and you can't see the layers later, so don't feel like the various steps are timed. Work in small batches, mix and pouring as you go, until you get to where you need to. Once you've poured all the resin, remove the tape and let it cure for a few days before you put anything on it. It will be cured enough to no longer be tacky after the first 12 or so hours, so it's critical to keep that area dust and hair free for at least that period. Once cured, hang some glasses, put in some bottles, and kick back with your new bar!<br />
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If you are interested in plans and a cut list for this project, or want to commission plans for a similar project, feel free to <a href="mailto:wopcblog@gmail.com">contact us</a>!</div>
withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-55808452824320026272013-11-03T13:54:00.000-08:002014-02-01T20:08:07.873-08:00Two-Face Costume<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We've talked a little bit about cheap options for <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/07/budget-robot-costume.html">robots</a> and <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/08/budget-superhero-cowl.html">superheroes</a>, but what if you want to go a little further? This year I was interested in a costume that involved some sewing and a decent makeup project, on a somewhat more limited budget than most years. From there, I started brainstorming a concept and made my way over to Jet Black from <i>Cowboy Bebop</i> or Two-Face from Batman's rogues gallery. I decided the choice would be made based on finding a light colored suit vs. a blue jumpsuit. One light gray suit later, there we have it. That's practically a coin toss, right?<br />
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<b>You'll Need (for the Suit):</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Light colored or white suit, natural fiber (wool, cotton, linen)</li>
<li>Two dress shirts, contrasting colors. Both should fit you.</li>
<li>2 bottles of Rit Die for color of choice (in this case, Scarlett)</li>
<li>Thread and buttons for matching the new suit color</li>
<li>Sewing machine, scissors, usual sewing stuff</li>
<li>(Optional) Serger</li>
</ul>
<b>...and for the Makeup:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Liquid Latex</li>
<li>Facial Tissue or other thin paper</li>
<li>Makeup in your skin tone, plus highlight and shadow a few shades up and down from there</li>
<li>Baby powder (not makeup powder, you'll need lots)</li>
<li>Hairspray</li>
<li>(Optional) Hair color, spray or bottled</li>
</ul>
<a name='more'></a><br />
Let's start by saying I don't own the rights to Two-Face and make no claim to the character, nor am I affiliated with the people who do. (Though I gladly would be, so email me, 'kay?)<br />
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<br />
<b>The Costume</b><br />
Finding the suit was the hard part. That took a few weeks of combing thrift shops throughout the city. And while we're on the topic, whose idea was it to start separating the pants from the jackets at thrift shops? Anyway, suit and some dress shirts in hand, it was time to pose for a mock-up. I buttoned the shirts together, clipped the collars at the back with a binder clip, and took some pictures. A little bit later in GIMP and we had the following:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1yRmLYciu5hcyrjBtABLrbSgpWtmY2RXAfRYSA4-ifJlvVP0dCt5fQ6ZttYVR9t0F2rT8V6kWV2dC_0XkUK9c22SG5afEY_6EZXZF1hCVjf00c2kf8NLBPkuMC90bdptGVFo6kZW_CU/s1600/Lapels+In-Mockup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1yRmLYciu5hcyrjBtABLrbSgpWtmY2RXAfRYSA4-ifJlvVP0dCt5fQ6ZttYVR9t0F2rT8V6kWV2dC_0XkUK9c22SG5afEY_6EZXZF1hCVjf00c2kf8NLBPkuMC90bdptGVFo6kZW_CU/s400/Lapels+In-Mockup.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It would be cool if I had thought to get this pose in the makeup later.</i></td></tr>
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This looked about right, so the next part got scary: unsewing the suit. My suit had a seam right up the middle of the back, so I ripped the whole thing with a seam ripper, careful not to cut up the suit halves. The liner was less lucky and got snipped up the middle with scissors. Pants got the same deal, being careful to leave the entire zipper on one half of the pants after carefully taking pictures of how it went together the first time. I cannot emphasize enough how much it helps to have reference photos partway through taking something apart and putting it back together what good pictures can do.<br />
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After cutting it in half, I stitched the liner to the back seam of the jacket to that there would be no frayed nightmare after they got dyed and washed. While there was some substantial damage done to the suit by the process to come, none of it occurred along that seam, so that works well enough in theory.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HGAdmTZCfIXhQBvYqVdS6k23_GnPs7QKx15aAL3UBXD7-hojQINn1DYuJBONCsRHq9LsctdiwOVh4Zt-VJolfkwHMNLrbySAaGKLytHfb0bv-_1szY2v5E3dL0Z9_ZmChxJYCWmmV_A/s1600/009.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HGAdmTZCfIXhQBvYqVdS6k23_GnPs7QKx15aAL3UBXD7-hojQINn1DYuJBONCsRHq9LsctdiwOVh4Zt-VJolfkwHMNLrbySAaGKLytHfb0bv-_1szY2v5E3dL0Z9_ZmChxJYCWmmV_A/s400/009.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now that you have a suit 50% off, time to get it the right color. For me that was Scarlet Rit dye to the rescue. We don't own the place we're staying, so that means the porcelain tub and sinks were right out, and limited the "just do it in the washing machine" method that I'm sure works really, really well. So it was a large plastic tub filled with the 120* water from the hot end of the tap, raised up toward the 160* that Rit prefers by boiling a few liters at a time in A's automatic tea boiler thing. I then filled the rest of the tub with the hottest water I could get from the tap to help insulate the tub from the surrounding environment, but not so full that the plastic tub floated away. I checked it regularly with our candy thermometer and we got close-ish, so I went with it. The stirring was provided by an extra PVC pipe from foam sword making.<br />
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Prepare the Rit dye according to the manufacturer's specs. for my suit, in wool and for as dark as I wanted, that meant a few gallons of very hot water with two bottles of Rit dye and some vinegar. You might need something different.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-hizHCkN75CvZwOWs0ggOMBmQ8gC3nKDBzndQxpDNR3k8ew1xGW8AKZOJbaJwT1BftbbbLpQGeiMk8X1VzbGsE2huEgc_lCrEsLIzpWmWqzyFW1ho7T2vzKAHhQeRJixKWWbJj8zx_Kc/s1600/011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-hizHCkN75CvZwOWs0ggOMBmQ8gC3nKDBzndQxpDNR3k8ew1xGW8AKZOJbaJwT1BftbbbLpQGeiMk8X1VzbGsE2huEgc_lCrEsLIzpWmWqzyFW1ho7T2vzKAHhQeRJixKWWbJj8zx_Kc/s400/011.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It's for Halloween, officer. Why do you ask?</i></td></tr>
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After the time limit, there was a harrowing process of dragging the tub filled with deep red dye down the hall to the stainless steel sink in the kitchen. Fun! After transferring the suit to the sink without spilling anything (via magic! And steady hands) comes the hour of rinsing and squeezing and rinsing and squeezing. Then into the washing machine to remove the last bit and set the dye. I would caution at this point to avoid the dryer. It will take longer, but the surface of my suit felted/pilled up a little and the lining was totally shot by all the vigorous flapping around. <br />
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Once dry, it was a matter of snipping and replacing all the buttons in black and stitching the suit back together. If you were expecting instructions on how to put it back together, I'm really sorry, as it will be unique to your suit. Maybe you shouldn't cut stuff in half without an exit strategy next time, okay?<br />
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The shirt was an interesting twist on this theme, as dress shirts lack a center seam. Which is good because the dress shirts I got were a 16.5/34-35 and a 17.5/36-37. (Hey, at least men's sizes sort of refer to something. Don't look at me like that.) Minor variation, but some key measurements were the same, namely the button spacing, depth of collar, that sort of thing. I measured both shirts, averaged the measurements, added a 1/4" seam allowance, and cut them in half, just off center of the midline in the back. Make double sure before you cut that you've added the seam allowance the right direction and make sure that you have the correct left and right sides of your shirt. I then pinned them together and serged the seam on A's serger. I got overzealous the first time and serged the whole length, including collar which left it inside out at the top. So I seam ripped back to where the shirt turned directions and folded it the other way. After some careful work to line the cuts up again, it was back the serger for what might now be one of my favorite shirts for going out:<br />
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<br />
<b>The Makeup</b><br />
Clothes make the man, but it's the two faces that make this guy something special. I nixed the headcast and sculpting route for two reasons: One, I didn't want my first trip down that road to be something so ambitious, and because none of that sentence comes cheaply. As such, it means building it right onto my face. I had intended to shave (and usually do for cosplay Halloweens) but decided at the last minute to keep the facial hair. It made some parts harder, but that's to be expected. Upside? Still have facial hair for travel and interviews and whatnot.<br />
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First step, Hair. Having it in the way for this is an issue and blowing around loosely during the makeup application would be bad. For Two-Face, that means one side slicked back and the other tall and crazy. AquaNet is your friend now just as it was to 80's rockers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnn4PwFIZunY5cvi45eFBOTsYv9vAk9Gc_eEvMe1L2JGIAHobRJAlUAhcT_AHHO-aL7BupRc00wsrdJafgk0kj0EjCwbY89gVXSEf6iJ8rhrX3zIeXBLc7gzzQ9dXUNqC310cqKWZYAk/s1600/Makeup+Hair.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnn4PwFIZunY5cvi45eFBOTsYv9vAk9Gc_eEvMe1L2JGIAHobRJAlUAhcT_AHHO-aL7BupRc00wsrdJafgk0kj0EjCwbY89gVXSEf6iJ8rhrX3zIeXBLc7gzzQ9dXUNqC310cqKWZYAk/s400/Makeup+Hair.png" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Could you at least </i>look<i> excited?</i></td></tr>
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Hair done, it was time to scar up my face. I knew from the beginning that I was going to avoid the animated series or Schumacher version in lieu of something a little more natural, in keeping with his comic book origin. I did some research on acid burns and got bummed out for the rest of the day. Seriously, it's upsetting. But folks documenting their struggles with whatever accident they faced make it easier to find that information. What I found was surprising on two levels: First, that acid burns are very, very smooth scars after the fact, with a glossy, almost plastic sheen. That would be very difficult to reproduce. Secondly, the coloration of acid burns are almost precisely the skin tone of the individual before the burn. Good news and bad news. I decided to deviate from nature and go for the rougher appearance he seems to favor in print media with a more natural color palette. That means latex wrinkles and fissures.</div>
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First up was spirit gum around my eyebrow and a patch cut from plastic bag over it. Latex, once cured, does not willingly leave hair and that would be not easy to get out of my eyes.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqzYIEuzcmMJeEbrKTgBsoFFs-e-Yv2RmrGHVlFfAz9V3-qKXpJDs4pbTzX-8C6SCZ8URT4ADcse3Ppbi2Fos30xXpQhEPJ8MZDgyv1yb0EMteHJOOHDyLjBiMhMsbH5kC6LA7EgpKEFw/s1600/005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqzYIEuzcmMJeEbrKTgBsoFFs-e-Yv2RmrGHVlFfAz9V3-qKXpJDs4pbTzX-8C6SCZ8URT4ADcse3Ppbi2Fos30xXpQhEPJ8MZDgyv1yb0EMteHJOOHDyLjBiMhMsbH5kC6LA7EgpKEFw/s400/005.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I'm a fashion-forward trendsetter.</i></td></tr>
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After the eyebrow was stuck on and dried with a blow dryer on low heat, it was time to exaggerate the wrinkling of my face. Stippling on a light layer of latex, I puffed up my cheeks, scrunched down my eyebrows, and craned my next to give myself the most stretch possible on my skin. A single ply of facial tissue with ragged, torn edges was applied and any excess that didn't stick in the latex layer was torn away. Over the top, more latex, careful to blend the edges into either my bare skin or the other tissues. I avoided hair (mostly) but there were casualties. Layer upon layer built up, with various facial contortions involved at each step. Once the latex is blown dry, it holds the surface area of the stretched skin, which sags on its own when the tension is released. Very little of the texture below is sculpted in. A little latex-soaked tissue to build up the nostril and we are good.<br />
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The eyebrow patch didn't blend in as well as I had hoped, but another few layers would have gotten it. As it stood, our party was going to start in a few minutes and time was of the essence. As you go, generously apply baby powder. It will stick to the latex and keep your eyelids from freezing open. Like mine did. If anything sticks where it isn't supposed to, gently roll the surfaces apart, save what you can of the makeup, and apply powder immediately.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepp8ObYQZa-YByGoawdIvGXIsclhrAlsJlNyGfSEr3hOsCDF0a_cy1Hkrm8YJbFzG53zJbGkMirowxb3j8ekaNE__AqQp7USE4YN70wgDwg-E3sdcdA9ZIONJ3OigI_qPZvR98FvljlM/s1600/006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepp8ObYQZa-YByGoawdIvGXIsclhrAlsJlNyGfSEr3hOsCDF0a_cy1Hkrm8YJbFzG53zJbGkMirowxb3j8ekaNE__AqQp7USE4YN70wgDwg-E3sdcdA9ZIONJ3OigI_qPZvR98FvljlM/s400/006.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Doubtful Harvey is doubtful.</i></td></tr>
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Once the texture is in, it's time for color. I went with a natural tone for me just on the light side of healthy. This was applied all over to ease the textured side into the healthy side. A little dark under the eyes for villainousness, accentuate some deep wrinkles with a brush, and a light wipe of the lightest shade over the surface of the wrinkles, similar to drybrushing, to bring them out. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgg4TZPBid5j4HVtQwHVW3D5gfe5TjVyddzEGtgOq-fCgaZKu9hEh-lzTilRrwSDfDlP1nFrYoAvE7hWuas30D75mNNOugqjHnk_oXmPS_u_GlTGPxpGOHsPXktgqPZQUb1A_MMyv6Tk/s1600/Makeup+Final.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgg4TZPBid5j4HVtQwHVW3D5gfe5TjVyddzEGtgOq-fCgaZKu9hEh-lzTilRrwSDfDlP1nFrYoAvE7hWuas30D75mNNOugqjHnk_oXmPS_u_GlTGPxpGOHsPXktgqPZQUb1A_MMyv6Tk/s400/Makeup+Final.png" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Makeup by me. Crooked nose courtesy of my high school girlfriend.</i></td></tr>
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Coloring the hair was the last step. Spray color goes the distance, just cover your makeup job if you don't want overspray. To get the edge of the hair line, spray the color into its own cap over the sink and use an old toothbrush or eyebrow brush to comb the color into your temples, eyebrows, and facial hair, if any. As it is a hairspray, you can also spike up your hair with it and muss your eyebrows or facial hair for a wilder appearance. I advise brushing it in against the grain of your hair for better coverage anyway.</div>
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A light powdering with a neutral powder followed by a thoroughly blast of hairspray all over everything that got makeup will help keep you from wiping it off throughout the night. You will rub off on stuff with enough effort, so be careful about snuggling, okay?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0t90lJN1qPfwSez1I0T6SaNqGJy_PSHVTE-z_bd8jLftTU6hH_VUFWobMFagebkW-TZiuQIemb79cHHDJXYnVXwEOhABL8s6Z2c3jtsDAYCup8PiMRZ09Izml_lJKNQLXx-ot7zBEtps/s1600/076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0t90lJN1qPfwSez1I0T6SaNqGJy_PSHVTE-z_bd8jLftTU6hH_VUFWobMFagebkW-TZiuQIemb79cHHDJXYnVXwEOhABL8s6Z2c3jtsDAYCup8PiMRZ09Izml_lJKNQLXx-ot7zBEtps/s400/076.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHqx4lFx45UxKZhI9L4sb_B8pygcIrnEfcS3Issd5VNDK7lSJjPawk-aMs0Yu1yFjSwlEOBfpXrBVp_3CrqdlgS5NPFqIzYC4pVqZnWbdDm8KDPOb-yBmfPNKl0bqQU2N9te8Z323UTk/s1600/078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHqx4lFx45UxKZhI9L4sb_B8pygcIrnEfcS3Issd5VNDK7lSJjPawk-aMs0Yu1yFjSwlEOBfpXrBVp_3CrqdlgS5NPFqIzYC4pVqZnWbdDm8KDPOb-yBmfPNKl0bqQU2N9te8Z323UTk/s640/078.JPG" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The logic doesn't hold up that he'd have facial hair if the eyebrow burned off, but... Comic books?</i></td></tr>
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Toss on the suit, grab a two-tone tie and get to the party! The addition of a dollar coin to help decide if you will be doing more shots is up to you.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TVoRYGO6HhE98nDqzrGOB8ScbBCqNjbWstb6oNrWbQ8jACes8stbnAP7OSo4lRcIQxuy-HxryhL9ZZBdJg-XsyZgCry9zrRC6HWCjuinee4IsiHMBj66X65DsOVum-2NkjoITsPfpds/s1600/072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TVoRYGO6HhE98nDqzrGOB8ScbBCqNjbWstb6oNrWbQ8jACes8stbnAP7OSo4lRcIQxuy-HxryhL9ZZBdJg-XsyZgCry9zrRC6HWCjuinee4IsiHMBj66X65DsOVum-2NkjoITsPfpds/s640/072.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-11153705700947521262013-10-22T12:18:00.000-07:002014-02-01T20:10:23.049-08:00Antique Mirror: Mirror Spray and Crackle Paint<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPouZTkpnBsjr5YUC6fyo8_Ct2jlkt4RjAN2cxuNt3to29LRhXWt_y6hSB3h2RCHY3q1sxlbnmzVJUhShrVndnFxZtJFKDTkqjVvMj3nGalaeDwYVJ9uFtBhYyIy3o_p1LQnhNAikF30/s1600/Antique+Mirror+Cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPouZTkpnBsjr5YUC6fyo8_Ct2jlkt4RjAN2cxuNt3to29LRhXWt_y6hSB3h2RCHY3q1sxlbnmzVJUhShrVndnFxZtJFKDTkqjVvMj3nGalaeDwYVJ9uFtBhYyIy3o_p1LQnhNAikF30/s640/Antique+Mirror+Cover.png" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Sometimes you need a nice antique mirror to finish off your mantelpiece or over your bed. For us, it's haunted parties. Whatever. With one specialized product (and a bunch of common household items) you can make your own tarnished silver antique mirror with a crackle-paint frame. Clear your afternoon, we're making antiques!<br />
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<b>You'll Need:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Picture frame with glass</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Krylon-K09033000-Looking-Mirror-Like-Aerosol/dp/B003971BAY">Krylon Looking Glass Mirror-Like Spray</a></li>
<li>Spray Bottle</li>
<li>White Vinegar</li>
<li>Paper Towels</li>
<li>Acrylic Paint</li>
<li>White Glue</li>
<li>Brushes, water, palette, etc.</li>
</ul>
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For a party we did a few years back, we had the mirror off a period dressing table that served as a backdrop for one of our decorative tableau. As it was family property, we felt bad about stealing it so we decided it was high time we made one for ourselves. I'd been reading about the faux mercury glass that has been making the rounds lately (In particular, <a href="http://www.aprilmoffattdesign.com/sewing-tutorials/mercury-glass-tutorial/"> this article</a> @ April Moffatt Design). It occurred to us that a dark background behind the mirror would sell the pitted tarnish of an old silver mirror.<br />
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First up, we needed a donor. We had a look through thrift stores and found a large America-themed motivational Bible verse, complete with soaring bald eagle. Because freedom. But best of all, it had real glass and a decent (if slightly bunged up) wooden frame. We brought it home, pulled the staples and reduced it to four vital components: glass, backing, frame, and hanging hardware. We held onto the hanging hardware in case we ever want this hung on a wall again. Each of the others got special treatment.<br />
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<b>The Glass</b><br />
Clean the back side of the glass thoroughly. The mirror spray seems to be pretty fragile, so you'll want it protected by the glass (plus the directions say so). I used regular glass cleaner and a coffee filter (which are lintless, great for cleaning glass). Then, I wrote myself a note on the back of a Post-It and attached it to the underside of the glass:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wKawb2KGYmmJmgUxomIXVkeOUUxf45seSv9Hj6Z7egYT542_C3tL_goo5EsgmDLSfEy_Bw6hfsIEdASuJAprhc3B8qyoKLSe1yHk9pp6dE8j5zcGFkzHhVG5WNVNWUfLUzlR7GVLtGg/s1600/004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wKawb2KGYmmJmgUxomIXVkeOUUxf45seSv9Hj6Z7egYT542_C3tL_goo5EsgmDLSfEy_Bw6hfsIEdASuJAprhc3B8qyoKLSe1yHk9pp6dE8j5zcGFkzHhVG5WNVNWUfLUzlR7GVLtGg/s400/004.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The futility of this note will be discussed later.</i></td></tr>
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We had ordered a can of mirror spray online and it arrived promptly. We'd already searched the city for the spray locally, but for us it was a no-go. I have attempted this technique with silver, even high chrome, spray paint and this stuff is a completely different beast. Trust me when I say this paint is amazing.<br />
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If you just wanted a mirror, just spray and spray and spray. But we didn't. The technique involves using vinegar's ability to inhibit the paint from drying properly. Mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle, give it a shake, and mist the mirror. Immediately spray your first layer of mirror over the top of this. Once you'd laid down a layer of mirror, spritz it with vinegar again. Once the mirror looks dry (it takes maybe thirty seconds), start blotting up the droplets of vinegar from under and over the mirror with a paper towel. I blot directly, some folks online give it a little twist to "rip" the texture more. I wanted the appearance of dark, tarnished water spots, so large and small irregular dots was my goal.<br />
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Give it a few minutes and repeat the vinegar and mirror spray pattern as above. You want super thin coats of mirror spray. It won't go all reflective in one pass. Expect to repeat the process maybe four or five times. After lots of vinegar, spraying and blotting, you get a piece of glass with a brilliant mirror finish on there:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8y25lafsNqnjbTRgohpo5-twd1TFiI6tDszFlKcB4kQl28r1BJ0gaWCHZmVg3Sb7giSCNbfZIo_pyvNhTI6qh7ZEyu9OWQXEKPDSZa0Ud8JD7XBS5aphT-hw4-ZsrbAch1S0lNRmtJmA/s1600/012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8y25lafsNqnjbTRgohpo5-twd1TFiI6tDszFlKcB4kQl28r1BJ0gaWCHZmVg3Sb7giSCNbfZIo_pyvNhTI6qh7ZEyu9OWQXEKPDSZa0Ud8JD7XBS5aphT-hw4-ZsrbAch1S0lNRmtJmA/s400/012.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Behold our glamorous ceiling.</i></td></tr>
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As a brief aside, you can just barely see the Post-It note from before on there. Later in the process, I removed that note, took some pictures, etc. Noticing the glass seemed really smudgy still, I sprayed some glass cleaner on a paper towel and wiped off the silver backing. Both sides of the mirror finish are highly reflective, so maybe put an X of masking tape across the "front" of your mirror for the entire process and remove it at the end. That way you can save yourself a nightmare of trying to blend more mirror onto your potentially ruined project. I salvaged the mirror at the expense of the rest of the mirror spray can.<br />
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My estimate is that under real world conditions, you could cover two projects of this size with one can of mirror, particularly if you avoid errors. The spray is not cheap (best price I could find was $10 a can, and it goes up from there) and is only 6 oz compared to the much larger standard spray size of 11-12 oz. </div>
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Protect the mirror before it goes into the frame, both because it's glass and because the spray is <i>very</i> susceptible to scratching.</div>
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<b>The Backing</b></div>
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The original image was sprayed with black paint so that the mirror didn't have any stray image peeking through. You could use black acrylic as well. This step doesn't warrant pictures. Imagine a black rectangle.</div>
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<b>The Frame</b></div>
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The frame needed a little TLC, and we were planning a sponge and wash thing to age the frame, but I've been interested in at-home solutions for crackle paint for some time. Looking around, people spoke highly of regular white glue as a crackle layer. The first step is the color underneath that you want the cracks to reveal. For me that was a charcoal gray, because it looks a little more natural than straight black:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFA9WEpiaLiDryNpWXe04A2UBj6d_QWEKWOsm-KpcPXCIs9me_Fil_T0i9-A8QGuQCsW-63kZzxueM-8y97gTAipXDMNp_BNSo4D1uG5uyl1Du9X9_kFyXDsjVkhkuD1o1Z-wQ6fP9BMI/s1600/005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFA9WEpiaLiDryNpWXe04A2UBj6d_QWEKWOsm-KpcPXCIs9me_Fil_T0i9-A8QGuQCsW-63kZzxueM-8y97gTAipXDMNp_BNSo4D1uG5uyl1Du9X9_kFyXDsjVkhkuD1o1Z-wQ6fP9BMI/s400/005.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Let this dry completely before the next part.</i></td></tr>
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The next bit is to coat the frame with glue. You could pour a bunch onto a palette or you could apply it directly to the frame. After the desert sun boiled off my vinegar in the last step while I was spraying it, I decided to eliminate steps on this one and applied glue directly to the frame. This is a weirdly stressful experience, in that on some level you know you aren't supposed to just glue all over a picture frame unless the next step involves seashells and a summer camp.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRLc7WJ_NqiAmCpiK-OwjJHSQ5s_pdAMTfL0eeazxUFHyr3ZgHhI1sawGCY2O1lt4hK7vuWT2BAYGn3GxLKQc8Lp17Amxe1o_xJTZu9iZZWL7HU4Estc02D8zMXN8cHIrmjH7N9VwOvg/s1600/007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRLc7WJ_NqiAmCpiK-OwjJHSQ5s_pdAMTfL0eeazxUFHyr3ZgHhI1sawGCY2O1lt4hK7vuWT2BAYGn3GxLKQc8Lp17Amxe1o_xJTZu9iZZWL7HU4Estc02D8zMXN8cHIrmjH7N9VwOvg/s400/007.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I might have gotten excited and started brushing before remembering you guys.</i></td></tr>
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Once glued, brush the glue all over the surface with a damp (but not wet) brush. You want glue on everything, but differing thicknesses of glue will vary the crack pattern later, so perfectly even actually looks a little unnatural. For the record, thicker glue means bigger cracks and thinner glue means finer ones. Paint your top color right over the tacky glue, being careful to apply the paint evenly without roughing up the glue too much with your brush. Too vigorous an application mixes the glue and the paint. What you want is a layer of paint on top of a layer of tacky white glue.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIQmkwQkUEu0-kVeOLu5Os3-1L9KoGjngx5Y1fwsqsbjPsdT3d0nxmFhmXKS9PYhWAGlFzvIKnF82m_sZMW-vPaCUX1hy-UB-dM5sDKidgzZV_Wzv4shNqUMalrv68oSM7ldlX2AF0Bc/s1600/009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIQmkwQkUEu0-kVeOLu5Os3-1L9KoGjngx5Y1fwsqsbjPsdT3d0nxmFhmXKS9PYhWAGlFzvIKnF82m_sZMW-vPaCUX1hy-UB-dM5sDKidgzZV_Wzv4shNqUMalrv68oSM7ldlX2AF0Bc/s400/009.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It starts cracking almost immediately. Click for bigger.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39ZssmK3LIGXpIGz0PBWl4LEZsXR1JIh6OpNrmVMBrKVe7Dzip916CEGrhzPnKIlwylZ3QHTL0E6Cr710flvCHuLSAZgWnB5VUHhuOm6nwTwECOhnHO5vzPjgSkufl3trsFgCNjom4Xk/s1600/010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39ZssmK3LIGXpIGz0PBWl4LEZsXR1JIh6OpNrmVMBrKVe7Dzip916CEGrhzPnKIlwylZ3QHTL0E6Cr710flvCHuLSAZgWnB5VUHhuOm6nwTwECOhnHO5vzPjgSkufl3trsFgCNjom4Xk/s400/010.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>These pictures are maybe 10 minutes apart. Click for bigger.</i></td></tr>
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Set your frame somewhere to dry thoroughly. The crackle process will continue without you. In fact, fussing with it will reduce the effect.<br />
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<b>The Assembly</b><br />
Take your mirror (glass side out!) and sandwich it with the black backing. Press both layers into the frame together and re-attach the backing into the frame however you prefer. Ours was originally stapled, but we lack a pneumatic stapler. Some folks swear by the framing tack pints. We just use tape and securely tape all four sides to the frame itself. Since our hanging hardware attaches to the frame directly, we don't need to be worried about the tape taking the weight of the mirror. Speaking of weight, this thing is way lighter than comparably sized mirrors. And for our purposes, the slight defects in the rolled glass texture of the frame actually helps sell the antique mirror look. With flatter glass, you'd have a custom mirror that is plenty clear enough to check your appearance as you leave in the morning.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9POPYEQZMeq7C4oNhwQy_QuazOmC5Q1JR3EN9O4je7jSRWvEye1KP0P7ivbg2I5C3zW5FYZeE1RZl8BVcPg1cKw82AIiu7n3mCCS1Fi9FYSLFCD4txy8XF8mO9fIVolV8epSw8xNT3GQ/s1600/013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9POPYEQZMeq7C4oNhwQy_QuazOmC5Q1JR3EN9O4je7jSRWvEye1KP0P7ivbg2I5C3zW5FYZeE1RZl8BVcPg1cKw82AIiu7n3mCCS1Fi9FYSLFCD4txy8XF8mO9fIVolV8epSw8xNT3GQ/s400/013.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Only shot of it pre-glass cleaning accident. Seems foggy because it's in backwards.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_8HFYgfGJ29-CPf77a6WcO-uBCBHTyYAlNHPyogLUJKbqZc8bjwlSiKqTP5Xa7_Jro7YlVB1BjCbPxTSYDc3qTwXVmcaQEjHWpVSorvBnUoyok65wRXDllEGfA_1pPilZpKA_YgwlNrA/s1600/018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_8HFYgfGJ29-CPf77a6WcO-uBCBHTyYAlNHPyogLUJKbqZc8bjwlSiKqTP5Xa7_Jro7YlVB1BjCbPxTSYDc3qTwXVmcaQEjHWpVSorvBnUoyok65wRXDllEGfA_1pPilZpKA_YgwlNrA/s640/018.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hi everybody!</i></td></tr>
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The options for this mirror spray are very exciting. A few layers would make for a decent one-way mirror for a haunted house. Examples abound of folks mirroring pretty much any glass object from inside, just pick a vase or what-have-you that you can get your hand and the paint inside easily.withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-63632950056550181912013-10-14T10:46:00.000-07:002013-10-14T11:20:04.851-07:00ANNIVERSARY!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One year today! About this time last year, A and I were in The Container Store discussing baskets or something. I laughed and said I had come up with the name for a blog and she said we had to do it. A day or so later, she'd gotten everything registered and we haven't looked back. Until today, when we look back on what this year has been for us.<br />
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72 posts, not including this one, which account for over 9,550 views on the blog itself. People who search for us come looking for "TARDIS bleach shirt", "Jack Harkness Vortex Manipulator", and on at least two occasions, <span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">шаблоны силуэт тардис (which apparently means "silhouette template TARDIS"). Lot of Whovians on the internet. I just hope they all find each other.</span><br />
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In one year, we've amassed 107 Likes on Facebook. (One of them is likely you. And if it isn't, might we direct you to Like us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WithOurPowersCombined">this page</a>?)<br />
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Our Etsy shop has 1,045 views, with over 70 favorites of various items and the shop itself. We've sold 28 items in the past year, with about half of those being our <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/02/zelda-pop-up-valentine.html">Zelda Valentines</a>. We didn't start the blog to make money, but we're glad that the folks who want comic book coasters, TARDIS bleach aprons, and pop-up Valentines can get them. On Etsy, they come looking for "Mass Effect" coasters, with the Zelda Valentine being our most viewed item. We've shipped WOPC product to 26 people in 20 states (We're huge in Ohio), only one of whom have we known before. (Hey, Derek!) We've had custom orders and even have two commissions on our tables right now for Halloween and Christmas, respectively. So, if you see something you want, <a href="mailto:wopcblog(at)gmail(dot)com">email us</a> and we'll get started on it.<br />
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Our most viewed post is <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/09/rustic-rag-quilt.html">Rustic Rag Quilt</a> (1,208 views and rapidly counting) which it did in only 5 weeks. (It's also been pinned on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/occasionowl/wopc/">Pinterest</a>, no joke, nearly 400 times.) For the first six months of the blog, <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2012/10/toilet-paper-pumpkins.html">Toilet Paper Pumpkins </a>was the juggernaut but things evened out. Our least viewed article is the recent <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/09/side-table-graveyard.html">Side Table Graveyard</a> at 7 views, but be nice, he's new.<br />
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<strong>WOPC Anniversary Top 10</strong><br />
1. Rustic Rag Quilt - 1,208<br />
2. <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2012/11/tea-wreath.html">Tea Wreath</a> - 494<br />
3. <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2012/12/tardis-tree-topper-garland.html">TARDIS Tree Topper & Garland</a> - 349<br />
4. <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/05/designing-with-bleach-tardis-silhouette.html">TARDIS Silhouette Shirt</a> - 329<br />
5. <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2012/10/vortex-manipulator-part-1.html">Vortex Manipulator, Pt. 1</a> - 294<br />
6. <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/02/walmart-hack-3-shelf-bookcase.html">Wal-Mart Hack: 3-Shelf Bookcase</a> - 171<br />
7. <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2012/12/tardis-build-document.html">TARDIS Build Document</a> - 160<br />
8. <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-pick-of-destiny.html">The Pick of Destiny</a> - 151<br />
9. <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2012/12/scrabble-shadow-box-bookmarks.html">Scrabble Shadow Box & Bookmarks</a> - 139<br />
10. <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2012/11/hirst-arts-castlemolds.html">HirstArts Castlemolds</a> - 130<br />
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Over the year, we've posted over a dozen Halloween projects, eight Christmas projects, four or five recipes (depends on how you feel about <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2012/10/skittle-vodka.html">Skittle vodka</a>), 15 housewares and gifts, and projects that represent eight different fandoms. (Don't worry, Supernatural fans and Browncoats, your time will come)<br />
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In the hall of shame, we've got a couple ideas that we started and never got around to doing anything with. <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/04/project-mad-lib.html">Project Mad-Lib</a> never really bore fruit, and <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/03/dresden-files-personal-effects-part-1.html">Dresden Files Personal Effects</a> is languishing in obscurity. The <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2012/11/wopc-grab-bag-challenge-1.html">Halloween Grab Bag</a> was going really well, until Cat knocked it off the table and shattered it. Twice. And we super promise to finish the <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/07/from-concept-to-completion-bottlecapped.html">Bottlecap Bar</a> project (It got resin on there and looks amazing!) just a soon as we stain the wine racks.<br />
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The <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/01/new-years-resolutions-2013-shared-build.html">Shared Build</a> is ongoing and some folks have received their stuff already. Our friends and family have been receiving homemade projects for a number of gift-giving holidays and to date we haven't received any complaints that they keep getting crappy nerd crafts. Next Christmas, all Perler beads all the time. We'll see if they call our bluff then...<br />
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We've done a lot of projects. We've learned a lot and have done our best to spread our love of making things. Some of you have contacted us with questions, and those are the highlights of our day, knowing that we're helping folks make the things they want to see in the world. That's why we started this blog a year ago, and it's still true today. Thank you so much for being a part of this.<br />
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From A, from J, and from Cat, keep learning and crafting the lifestyle you want to be living. We did, and we've never been happier.<br />
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Thanks. Here's to more years of With Our Powers Combined.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiohrIrkmSC9MStcz3Ikr2q7L7KwgsJgaeSmDfZfkN7qUkTiFGIN9inAwUBuVydpOKylwjIbhDMXFbLqCpMegN89b1XPpAIo5W0lghZ-TXBIHz6SsVdJZ87HYtW7aXasArTtwFWxoE__bI/s1600/WOPC+YouTube.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiohrIrkmSC9MStcz3Ikr2q7L7KwgsJgaeSmDfZfkN7qUkTiFGIN9inAwUBuVydpOKylwjIbhDMXFbLqCpMegN89b1XPpAIo5W0lghZ-TXBIHz6SsVdJZ87HYtW7aXasArTtwFWxoE__bI/s640/WOPC+YouTube.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-12301997046460167292013-10-12T10:24:00.001-07:002014-02-01T20:10:07.019-08:00Lighting (Your Pumpkin) wth Arduino<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLotKGGs3Tfdet2i2_zme9fk_QLCcDoMF7o9wN0zKnAU4rvBCEvUHJS-sSg3Ru5aqWDlLREipIOsZR4NGgp-HwYTEkuQ66c-pyHCl4888rMPVN-MGz-xgp1EUTde5bIaIgYaT38z0Uof4/s1600/Lighting+with+Arduino.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLotKGGs3Tfdet2i2_zme9fk_QLCcDoMF7o9wN0zKnAU4rvBCEvUHJS-sSg3Ru5aqWDlLREipIOsZR4NGgp-HwYTEkuQ66c-pyHCl4888rMPVN-MGz-xgp1EUTde5bIaIgYaT38z0Uof4/s640/Lighting+with+Arduino.png" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Earlier this week, we showed you how to make your own <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/10/papier-mache-pumpkin.html">eternal jack-o-lantern</a>. You could toss some LED candles in there or you could jack that thing up to 11...<br />
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This will be the first of (hopefully) multiple posts on using the Arduino logic control platform for various home uses. I'm not a brilliant programmer, and that's kind of the point: I'm learning the system by looking at the world, deciding what I need to happen, and figure out how to get there. As I go along, I'll discuss my thought process in here. Feel free to jump in if there's something glaringly obvious that I'm missing.<br />
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<b>What You'll Need:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Arduino board (I use an Uno)</li>
<li>LEDs, preferably high intensity</li>
<li>Assorted resistors</li>
<li>Wires, soldering iron, electronics tools, etc.</li>
</ul>
<a name='more'></a><br />
The first thing you might be asking is "What the hell's an Arduino?" An excellent question. Arduino is the programmable platform that has been made a big deal in the past few years in the hobbyist community. It's essentially a programmable circuit board with multiple outputs for lights, buzzers, sensors, whatever. There's a variety of versions, including ones you can build yourself, small versions for attaching to model airplanes or stitching into clothing, stuff like that. In a lot of ways, it bridges programming a computer and using an electronics kit. Electronics as its own field is interesting but very, very complicated. There's a lot of math, specialized skills to assemble it, that sort of thing. While I like it, there's a massive distance between "Wouldn't it be cool if" and final product. And since the logic part of the Arduino is programmable, you can upload new commands to the Arduino in seconds and fix mistakes. Not always the case with electronics. Way more information on the Arduino concept is available <a href="http://www.arduino.cc/">here</a>.<br />
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So here's what I needed the Arduino to do for me. I originally conceived of this project as an interactive "screamer" prop, triggered by breaking a laser beam aimed at a sensor to trigger a recordable sound module I bought at Radio Shack. That would output to computer speakers which had a microphone attached, which would translate the volume of the message into the brightness of the lights in the object (so the lights would automatically flash during the message). Then a countdown would start so that you can't just stand there and keep triggering the damn thing. Few things are as annoying as that screamer at the front door freaking out every few seconds at a party. So I made my own. But better.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUBNfNY-7_eNrsy1i1hXdJ83bubWn2KCKF8MBXVqUg4J3mcuV69imw-bAhxMjCHzDh8EePnTUSfXnljcp7i1xWVLNv98TTlD5ywk4n7k-ZPUK2BGIVjQ3ia3fpP0rJRmeMNlP3H8OSlg/s1600/Screamer+Setup.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUBNfNY-7_eNrsy1i1hXdJ83bubWn2KCKF8MBXVqUg4J3mcuV69imw-bAhxMjCHzDh8EePnTUSfXnljcp7i1xWVLNv98TTlD5ywk4n7k-ZPUK2BGIVjQ3ia3fpP0rJRmeMNlP3H8OSlg/s400/Screamer+Setup.png" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I never knew what grades I was getting, but this had better been an A.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
That's all a bit much for a Halloween prop, and we're just getting started. So let's start at the beginning. I want a convincing candle flicker, which I've found is best represented by three LEDs, one white and two yellow, all super bright, flickering independently of each other. I figured it out by watching a commercial LED candle flicker and comparing it to actual candles. Also, pulsing red glowing eyeballs, because that's creepy.<br />
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I usually write this out longhand on a dry erase board and start replacing the words in English with programming terms. So the first version I wrote reads: "Check and see if the flicker duration is up. If it is, randomly select a new brightness and duration for the flicker. Repeat this process for the other two LEDs. Also, the eyes fade up to full brightness and then back down."<br />
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This, when translated, starts to look like: "If [time's up], then [new brightness] and [new duration]." By the end, it reads as:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">if (time>length)<br /> {brightness = random(32,255);<br /> length = time + random(flickerLow,flickerHigh);}</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Similarly, the LED eyes should fade smoothly up and back down. Longhand, we get "Brightness should get higher, but when it reaches its maximum it should start counting back down and vice versa" Not gonna lie, totally based this one off the standard 'Fade' sketch that comes packaged with the Arduino program.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">if (time>length4)<br /> {bright4 = bright4 + fadeAmount;<br /> length4 = time + fadeLength;}<br /> <br />if (bright4 <= 0 || bright4 >= 255)<br /> {fadeAmount = -fadeAmount;}</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">bright4 = constrain(bright4, 0, 255);</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Translated into English, that reads "If the current time is higher than the defined amount since you last checked, change the brightness for the eyes by the defined amount. Then set the next time to check by adding a defined amount of time to the current clock. If the brightness of the eyes is equal to or greater than 0 or equal to or greater than the highest setting, change the fade amount to either positive or negative for next time. Make sure that the brightness of the eyes doesn't ever go below 0 or above the maximum." That guarantees that the brightness will decline if it's at max, or count up if the eyes are dark. The last line fixes a problem where the eye brightness would flicker if it tried to define a value above 255 or below zero, which the Arduino just starts over counting at the top or bottom, so it would go 252 to 254 to 256 (which it sees as 0...) and then down, so it would flicker offer for an instant. Same thing would happen at the bottom. Last statement stops that, and lets you use a fadeAmount that isn't 1 or 5 or any even factor in there.</span><br />
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The sketch I designed is available for<a href="http://tehnameless.com/rpg/Candle_Flicker.pde"> download here</a>. The conversation is about to go deeper down the technical rabbit hole. If you have no interest in running the program or following along, skip to the end, where there is more building shots and maybe a video.<br />
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All, right, it should just be us. Let me lay out some assumptions in the program:<br />
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First up, I use the <a href="http://arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/PWM">Pulse Width Modulation</a> pins on the Arduino. These pins can do the fading of the LED like an analog light bulb by rapidly flicking the LED on and off for fractions of a second. They're marked on the board with (in the Uno's case) a ~ sign. So next I define the flicker range as between 1/40 and 1/10 of a second. I found that letting the range be 0 to 100 ms let the LEDs flutter too erratically and it looked "digital". Last of my constants, I define the length of each step in the red LED fade process. A step of fadeAmount 1 every .01 seconds means I go from 0 to 255 in just over 2.5 seconds. Slow enough to be spooky and somewhat subtle. Play with fadeLength and fadeAmount to fine tune the speed of the fade.<br />
<br />
Each pass through the loop writes the brightness of the LEDs to its corresponding pin. Then it checks each LED to make sure if the timeline for its flicker has passed. If so, it sets a new duration and brightness. If not, on to the next one. Once through the first three, we check in on the fade and if appropriate, set new variables for the next couple passes through. A program this small means that each pass is happening very, very fast. As such, we don't need to worry about latency or load-times for any of this. At least, not on this scale.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4EddRwGnE0dBHSQdtyIN3Mbxs6wxBgkFDCfYRLeJMFpiAC5cpKAO1HoIeKE9s7hW1IjpNfQMhFb-XhFN7UbbQTrIZqwyuHiy-DOTWDV-WM3tYbjrEgeIfjLsXaWobfB9nb8MonzhNs8/s1600/086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4EddRwGnE0dBHSQdtyIN3Mbxs6wxBgkFDCfYRLeJMFpiAC5cpKAO1HoIeKE9s7hW1IjpNfQMhFb-XhFN7UbbQTrIZqwyuHiy-DOTWDV-WM3tYbjrEgeIfjLsXaWobfB9nb8MonzhNs8/s400/086.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It seems complicated, but that's only because it's tiny.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The final hurdle is actually wiring it! Each output pin goes to its own track on a project board. I don't solder complete circuit boards for things like this, it just changes too quickly. Feel free to do so if you know you'll use it the same way each time. I've re-written mine a bunch, so there you go. The Arduino outputs 5V through each pin (as would be expected from a digital device) so make your LED calculations from there. For example, the bright yellow LEDs have a forward voltage of 2.2, so you need (5-2.2)V/20mA=140 Ohm resistor. All those specs can be found on your LED package. Next highest I had was a 150 Ohm resistor, so that's what got installed. The red eyes are in series (because that's easier to solder) so it comes out to (5-4.8)V/20mA=10 Ohm resistor. I may not install a resistor at that point and just let the eyeballs heat up a little. It's only on for a couple hours a year, so I'm not worried.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fp-ayl187o-HHmjbHU_Odnn0HywsTQv8stzARfm_tdFLDkfP_GcmpPGv1iRBvAMol9LUBkpzKyw9o1B-gYFwtdBkF7OdBgeN9nv3t9cjMFrnX2kMmz3sQQXkNFfcREWooM-g-aTkvXA/s1600/017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fp-ayl187o-HHmjbHU_Odnn0HywsTQv8stzARfm_tdFLDkfP_GcmpPGv1iRBvAMol9LUBkpzKyw9o1B-gYFwtdBkF7OdBgeN9nv3t9cjMFrnX2kMmz3sQQXkNFfcREWooM-g-aTkvXA/s400/017.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>They know, and they are judging me for it.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">TECHNICAL STUFF IS OVER!</span></b></div>
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Welcome back. Cut a hole the size of your lights into your ping pong balls and hot glue them into place. Solder all your wiring (because wirenuts don't really work this small) and give the whole set-up a good few runs before you cram it into your pumpkin. I drilled a small hole down on one side where I could feed all the wires through it and got it all hooked up. Straight out the back works, too. A small stand or box to contain all the pieces directly underneath could also work. You have options.<br />
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Tape the eye balls in place and test it all again. The hot spot of the LED looks good as "pupils", so adjust a little to make sure it isn't wall-eyed. Or is, if that's your thing. Once in place, drip a little glue along the bottom "eyelid" to secure it in place. Now your eyes can't roll up into your head unexpectedly. Set all the other components inside the pumpkin. Depending on how your pumpkin is carved, drape the LED structure with some torn up white plastic bag or tissue paper. It gives the light something to bounce off and conceals the electronic gubbins from view.<br />
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All of this could be simplified by hot gluing some bright white Christmas lights into the ping pong balls and coiling the rest in the bottom of the pumpkin (though they will heat that sucker up quickly), but then you don't get as much control or science. And who wants less of those two things in their life?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OXvS4K9oko270ZBzu7letYQYLKwSyndrvK8_HsxBKbOtDPQ9eLMTmNEcF4gGcVUPFpv94MIqxZEdInfw-pMHBI51Sw880txgS9-VZlrinSid7A1FoZ5Jgn2fD981q9tzzCW5U_clZ3o/s1600/Lit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OXvS4K9oko270ZBzu7letYQYLKwSyndrvK8_HsxBKbOtDPQ9eLMTmNEcF4gGcVUPFpv94MIqxZEdInfw-pMHBI51Sw880txgS9-VZlrinSid7A1FoZ5Jgn2fD981q9tzzCW5U_clZ3o/s640/Lit.png" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ah, who am I kidding, you're here for the video. So here it is:<br />
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<b>[Video won't embed. As soon as we're smart enough to figure it out, it'll go right here. Until then, <a href="http://youtu.be/t3G8n1nkSMo">go watch it</a>!]</b></div>
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Any other Arduino projects you want us to tackle? Hate the amount of technical jargon? Love the amount of same? Let us know below!withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-36113509637769930492013-10-07T11:58:00.001-07:002014-02-01T20:11:06.344-08:00Papier Mache Pumpkin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifaMiezaVf2h0moUZAmEp5IN53325bgczeI40pVAntyngb2k9cL1svyFnThPUKXP-g0q-jUsKT-k14PP31EIeIDj_koMDpXMOJ1-x3FEC2EP-te9NSHUWKjR8O7R-PvB_ahyphenhyphen1JEjIgFMk/s1600/Papier+Pumpkin+Cover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifaMiezaVf2h0moUZAmEp5IN53325bgczeI40pVAntyngb2k9cL1svyFnThPUKXP-g0q-jUsKT-k14PP31EIeIDj_koMDpXMOJ1-x3FEC2EP-te9NSHUWKjR8O7R-PvB_ahyphenhyphen1JEjIgFMk/s640/Papier+Pumpkin+Cover.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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We're all about saving a buck on home décor, especially seasonal stuff where you only have it out for all of October and part of September. Or, uh, a week or two for other holidays.<br />
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But one thing you don't want to skimp on is jack-o-lanterns. These are a Halloween decorating classic, but it can get frustrating to find just the right pumpkins every year and painstakingly craft a new spooky face or pop culture reference. So why not make a permanent one? Yes, you could go nab one of those foam carver's pumpkins at a hobby store, but what if I told you that you can get awesome permanent pumpkins for almost nothing? It takes a little creativity, a little time, and a lot of getting your hands messy. Let's get started.<br />
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<b>You'll Need:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Empty plastic bags (lots of them)</li>
<li>Masking tape</li>
<li>A permanent marker</li>
<li>Flour</li>
<li>White glue</li>
<li>Liquid starch</li>
<li>Newspaper</li>
<li>Thin cardboard</li>
<li>Hot glue gun</li>
<li>(Optional) Cellulose fiber insulation</li>
<li>(Optional) Drywall joint compound, pre-mixed</li>
<li>(Optional) Dedicated craft blender</li>
</ul>
<a name='more'></a>This early bit of the project is lacking in some explanatory pictures, but if you check some of my sources you should find some. I was out of town visiting A while I made this first pumpkin, and my hands were glue-y through the whole process. Apologies. It's basically the papier mache you grew up with. If you didn't grow up papier mache-ing anything, I'm so sorry. Moving on!<br />
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My approach to papier mache is largely inspired by Greg Stoll's work at <a href="http://www.stolloween.com/?page_id=209">Stolloween</a>. Start with making your pumpkin form: Grab a plastic bag and start stuffing it with other plastic bags. You want a large, lumpy, firm mass to start with. Tie off the handles and grab your masking tape. You want to wrap strips of tape around the pumpkin, top to bottom, to help define the lobes of the pumpkin. Some folks use string for this part to make the lobe definitions sharper, but I'm fine with refining the curves later in the process.<br />
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Mix up some paste. You'll want to experiment a little, but it's basically 6 parts flour to one part liquid fabric starch to one part white glue. Snatch up those big bottles at back-to-school prices or just nab it all at the dollar store. It does come in jugs at craft stores, so make whatever is your most efficient purchase. Thin this mess with warm water until you have a runny pancake batter thickness. Mix and mix and mix. The suggestion at Stolloween is to do this with a mixer, but you'll want to clean your beaters very thoroughly on this one so your next batch of cupcakes isn't half glue and the wrong kind of starch.<br />
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Tear pieces of newspaper for the initial paper layers. I use the phone book, because you don't really need it anymore. Also, I can alternate yellow and white pages as I go so that I can tell where still needs a fresh layer. Torn edges blend better than cut, so settle in for an episode of something while you just tear that book apart. For my pumpkin I made a stem out of thin cardboard, rolled into a tube or cone. Cut the stem at a few spots and masking tape the crap out of it to get the shape you want. Tape it to the top of the pumpkin and paper it all over. Dredge your newspaper with the glue mixture, and then squeegee it between your fingers to remove excess glue. Too much glue is kind of a bigger problem than not enough. If something looks dry, wet your fingers in paste and pet it into place.<br />
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The first layer will want to slide around on the plastic some, but it will get easier and easier to branch out from your initial patch. Once you have a layer on everything, switch to the other color of newsprint (or not, if you are just using boring old newspaper) and layer again. And again. At least three layers is the way to go here. Pretty soon, you'll have this bad guy:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEK38qn2Og0nJFxDMS-E6B83mAr3JkHm6wrMCIPjtji0UXArB3c1UExM8-UaKpZdljvihCkwtumEFvrNz1VbtDhyphenhyphencbL4d7tI3AsN8wvvKl6S2eY9lbxUwu9HR-Ho6nEDfKvZNpN4ZePw/s1600/063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEK38qn2Og0nJFxDMS-E6B83mAr3JkHm6wrMCIPjtji0UXArB3c1UExM8-UaKpZdljvihCkwtumEFvrNz1VbtDhyphenhyphencbL4d7tI3AsN8wvvKl6S2eY9lbxUwu9HR-Ho6nEDfKvZNpN4ZePw/s400/063.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I added a face to make him more friendly. Did it help?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Once it is dry, sketch out a face for yourself. I knew from the beginning I would lace part of his mouth closed, so I drew it accordingly. Play with the features until you like the look. It's way easier to change now than it will be later in the process.<br />
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Cut out the top like you would for a real pumpkin with a razor knife or box cutter. Pull out the innards and set them aside for a different project. (NOTE: These are not delicious when roasted. Do not roast.) Take a knife to the face you just drew and get rid of anything that doesn't look like a face.<br />
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From here, you'll notice that this paper pumpkin is somewhat thinner than your normal pumpkin. You could add all that thickness in paper clay later, but it's easier and safer to build up your edges with cardboard first. Start cutting pieces of cardboard to shape. Cut, hold it in place, decide if you like it, trim some off, compare, etc. Once you like your cardboard bits, you can attach them with a combination of masking tape and hot glue. To give the illusion of thickness, have your cardboard extend into your pumpkin by a little bit and it will trick folks into thinking your entire pumpkin is 3/4" thick. Have it extend forward to give yourself something to buttress against when you add the paper clay. I think the smoothness of the cardboard helps sell the freshly-cut pumpkin flesh, but feel free to texture it later if you want something a little more grotesque/natural gourd-y.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDAwg83rv566pPAFXqxSvf-axxaxbkvN_Lbelb4dxUwOgKmmjpmV2lIIVIAa6as-KELoSi_YBMaQ7oYLfFh8a4uvg7P2TknDzsxqyvHY60ibon6zVRvHtzI0buE_9DZW1rWdF66wU3-R8/s1600/Cardboard+Pumpkin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDAwg83rv566pPAFXqxSvf-axxaxbkvN_Lbelb4dxUwOgKmmjpmV2lIIVIAa6as-KELoSi_YBMaQ7oYLfFh8a4uvg7P2TknDzsxqyvHY60ibon6zVRvHtzI0buE_9DZW1rWdF66wU3-R8/s400/Cardboard+Pumpkin.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I yam what I yam.</i></td></tr>
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You could keep building layers of papier mache over this and blend all the cardboard in, but the faster approach is paper clay. Paper clay can be bought in stores, but it is way more efficient to buy the fixings yourself and make it. This requires the optional ingredients found above. Mix six parts the paste you already made to one part ready-mixed joint compound. Sift in cellulose fiber insulation or finely shredded newspaper. (Fun fact: A bale of cellulose insulation is under $12 and is more shredded paper than you will ever use.) I tried making this stuff by hand the first time, and after a lot of gross noises, I ended up with this:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNB6vLpl5BSXwoov-BUyTu292LyQ9t_CnGquDw7I4YejG6vyBLleOIQPLu8DD4X2Wr7fyAT-N2LNN5QZhriguM273EHiSYKtVUJEwFJZArRWyBdYFojHWwITFiNevP92P-B2hSNcz48rI/s1600/078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNB6vLpl5BSXwoov-BUyTu292LyQ9t_CnGquDw7I4YejG6vyBLleOIQPLu8DD4X2Wr7fyAT-N2LNN5QZhriguM273EHiSYKtVUJEwFJZArRWyBdYFojHWwITFiNevP92P-B2hSNcz48rI/s400/078.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cat owners may be having flashbacks right now.</i></td></tr>
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I applied it to my pumpkin and the result was... interesting. The cellulose insulation kind of pilled on me as I mixed it by hand and the resulting texture was very pebbled. If you want a rough gargoyle look, maybe this is helpful, but I, uh, didn't want that. The answer to that, of course, is a dedicated craft blender. You do not want to try to clean this thing well enough to make smoothies in it again, so snap one up at a thrift store or literally the cheapest blender you can find locally. (I also have a dedicated craft blow dryer, too, so this stuff starts to accumulate.) Upside is you can now throw paper in the paste mix and blend it, and the blades break up the pills of paper until you get a creamy clay consistency. In hindsight, the stuff in the picture is maybe too wet and that might explain my later issues.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwspSIVAUtYByke_o8DBBAtjXVFcdkNBaRHFoRJglhwjzjz3QtmNYwk7ynUQ-sRsVmty_0wlTB6vrT1kD5boFjJ0O2eyWcPK1xQmRVL0IoidneYPiwyA4kHKzIrntTWGmBSaSbxPYkd0/s1600/077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwspSIVAUtYByke_o8DBBAtjXVFcdkNBaRHFoRJglhwjzjz3QtmNYwk7ynUQ-sRsVmty_0wlTB6vrT1kD5boFjJ0O2eyWcPK1xQmRVL0IoidneYPiwyA4kHKzIrntTWGmBSaSbxPYkd0/s400/077.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This is... good, right? This is what good looks like?</i></td></tr>
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So I took the new, thinner celluclay and spread it over the entire pumpkin surface, evening out the weird pebbled texture. You'll notice that some of my previous pictures feature blank, staring eyes. Those are ping pong balls. I wrapped them in plastic wrap and held them into place from behind with tape to build my pumpkin right up to the edges of the eye balls. If you want the perfect fit, fill the cavity with clay, wrap the piece in plastic wrap and press it into place. This is also how I adjusted my pumpkin stem opening. The celluclay covering deserves its own before and after:<br />
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This was all well and good, but I was running out of time. To help speed the process along, I set the oven for maybe 250 and jammed the pumpkin in there. Make sure you've removed all the excess plastic! Also, ping pong balls are crazy combustible as well. But damp newspaper? Not gonna burn for another few hundred degrees (Thanks, Ray Bradbury!) I just wanted to speed the drying process a little. And I did... Sorta.<br />
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The edges got a little crispy and the thicker portions of clay shrank considerably in the process. In the end, I kind of like the pulled back dried corpse effect, but maybe that's not what you want. I'd advise a more robust paper clay, less water, thinner layers that dry naturally, and you should get the results you want.<br />
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I took my oven-dried pumpkin out back and hung it over a garden stake and sprayed the whole thing dark red. Then it got a walnut brown in the seams between the lobes, shadowed under the features, and the stem. Once those were dry-ish, it got orange sprayed down from above, leaving the brown in the recesses. Since light spray paints are somewhat translucent, the shadows in between the bulges of the pumpkin remain underneath. Let it dry, then drybrush and detail paint with craft acrylics to your heart's content.<br />
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Tape or glue the eyes (if you have any) into place from the inside and drop some LED candles in the bottom and call it a day. For mine, I used a screw driver as an awl of sorts (actual drills were ripping it up and blowing out the back) and punched some holes along the mouth and laced his smirk shut with black shoelace. These days, I'd likely replace it with old twine or leather cord, but it worked for the project at hand.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqVqlR7eN7Q25dV6B81H7EG_YQZK3DwLxu_2oyY4fQY7nPMXXoADpF4OeXq56TKuJ9X-NHJPMuwLR4wiSdCq31UamzLYrq77w2CL5HO-QhmTH9Xt3fKmhTJ2xzc-a3Z01-OUyvg5pG3L0/s1600/Butt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqVqlR7eN7Q25dV6B81H7EG_YQZK3DwLxu_2oyY4fQY7nPMXXoADpF4OeXq56TKuJ9X-NHJPMuwLR4wiSdCq31UamzLYrq77w2CL5HO-QhmTH9Xt3fKmhTJ2xzc-a3Z01-OUyvg5pG3L0/s320/Butt.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>How very cheeky.</i></td></tr>
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Knowing us, we can't leave very well alone with just making a pumpkin that's lasted for three years. Keep an eye out later this week for some great ideas about how to kick this project <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/10/lighting-your-pumpkin-wth-arduino.html">up a notch</a>! Let us know what you think of the pumpkin, share some ideas of new papier mache projects you'd like to try this year, and we'll see you later!withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-87341603959164566362013-09-30T15:09:00.003-07:002014-02-01T20:11:45.321-08:00Side Table Graveyard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjgxSL5sSCvIfUeJO0lEyu43f0pAifLNKeHvi5XAV0szv3xpBLOG6dMPMxk-qJc_FsC9Fh1bAemiMRdisuQR3pwQ0DtG03-9yQJpH84o9nHEyEqgLkxgI042qlImyto0J2mrxsHUBA0A/s1600/Side+Table+Graveyard+I.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjgxSL5sSCvIfUeJO0lEyu43f0pAifLNKeHvi5XAV0szv3xpBLOG6dMPMxk-qJc_FsC9Fh1bAemiMRdisuQR3pwQ0DtG03-9yQJpH84o9nHEyEqgLkxgI042qlImyto0J2mrxsHUBA0A/s640/Side+Table+Graveyard+I.png" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Halloween season, folks. Some will say that there's only a month until Halloween, but purists know that it's 13 months until next Halloween, so plan early. If you aren't on the "But next year..." schedule like we are, now's as good a time as any to get started. For the next month, we'll be providing photos of projects, décor ideas, and DIY costume inspiration.<br />
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First up is a bit about upgrading dollar store finds to make a classy centerpiece or end table display, the Side Table Graveyard. Making use of those little novelty grave stones so popular in craft stores and dollar joints this time of year, why not have a group of them be something spookier than the sum of its parts? It might even make a good companion to some <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2012/10/styrofoam-headstones.html">full-size gravestones</a> in your collection.<br />
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<b>You'll Need:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Little gravestones. Cheap and ugly is fine.</li>
<li>Acrylic paint. The tubes at a craft store will work great.</li>
<li>Some brushes, particularly one biggish one you don't like.</li>
<li>String of lights (blue or purple are ideal)</li>
<li>Bag of fake spider webs</li>
</ul>
<a name='more'></a><br />
We'll start with the resin or papier mache headstones. Odds are, they're gross or cheaply painted by somebody in the gravestone factory. We can do a little better. Grab your acrylic tubes (greys and greens with a dark gray or black for contrast) and some water and meet me by the first example.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSjsVOlYvD9aTOMg1uOdjresphEK6-m4sXVTvLNLRQS-CAYIlktaLVJG_1H-wnxhs-m-5cmz6LTplupb0I7anyDMg3uQu7kwNFcz5hBisAphWIkK5_hIBbLUwF8ujf3iHpiaHCcnPpZI/s1600/064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSjsVOlYvD9aTOMg1uOdjresphEK6-m4sXVTvLNLRQS-CAYIlktaLVJG_1H-wnxhs-m-5cmz6LTplupb0I7anyDMg3uQu7kwNFcz5hBisAphWIkK5_hIBbLUwF8ujf3iHpiaHCcnPpZI/s400/064.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ew.</i></td></tr>
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That thing is not the most exciting, is it? There's some sculptural detail on that, but it's just kind of dry brushed and forced out the door. We can do better. We can start by adding any detail if we wanted to: These are pretty soft, and take paint well, so if you have any beads or notions lying around to glue on at this point, do it now. We can paint them all in together if we do that. I like this one just fine as it is, detail-wise, so I'll start with a base coat. I like my gravestones white and quartzy to better show the details and so they show up a little better in the dark. There's a mix in our graveyard, so variation is good.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xnCfjavE_cGh7ASP2NwShSz4frBbt_Ko-2VX5W34d8zPjJ46qW5rJMwDy0M5FgZNvUog7dNCiqrAIxHkL9_kia6qHwO5mgmK5yo7uT8G7iG_ulOwvbxscpjab9HVJiFsx_PHM68-pyc/s1600/067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xnCfjavE_cGh7ASP2NwShSz4frBbt_Ko-2VX5W34d8zPjJ46qW5rJMwDy0M5FgZNvUog7dNCiqrAIxHkL9_kia6qHwO5mgmK5yo7uT8G7iG_ulOwvbxscpjab9HVJiFsx_PHM68-pyc/s400/067.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Better?</i></td></tr>
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A few coats of ivory paint leaves us with a blank canvas to start from. A three dimensional object looks better with the 3D nature accented. That means some dark gray washes in the cracks to highlight the relief of the sculpture. Going a little nuts at this stage is fine, as there's some more drybrushing and layering later. The base also gets a healthy wash of some greens, letting it pool and puddle like stains in the stone or growing moss. You could go all out and paint some watered down white glue and dust some green flock or sand on there for growing bits, but these are going to be viewed in a group, so individual little headaches aren't necessary.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67zQL7nJyur7ifCOI53tl4kBt_IaJc1FKs3kVAgag3dJQMmR-5P7S83F1RzNwNuwjZsg8pq3CE6j_pvWiYhY6Jn0kEPL4qqPgoYAItwqTWJzbGH1X0Hdvt84g-AYJqvzFuIucbRtH5nM/s1600/068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67zQL7nJyur7ifCOI53tl4kBt_IaJc1FKs3kVAgag3dJQMmR-5P7S83F1RzNwNuwjZsg8pq3CE6j_pvWiYhY6Jn0kEPL4qqPgoYAItwqTWJzbGH1X0Hdvt84g-AYJqvzFuIucbRtH5nM/s400/068.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Better.</i></td></tr>
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That big crack in the middle needs some attention, so grab a small brush and some diluted charcoal gray or black paint and get down in that crack. Anywhere else that needs a serious shadow (maybe along the top of those stones or the equivalent on your gravestone) should get some now, too. For this stage, it sometimes helps to paint it on its back so that the washes don't run down the face of the sculpture, but a little of that is fine, too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYEoNcrawDaFPUuIAQefhOVFaoc2fyx8AbQ3gDdBcXDLeSx1N9bPvAhiegaKxn_sFlzf16Zlu9CyqjKJzagr-dCr7-RXNuR9_FePBj4b1oBVvqWgMza4jQWdaLkI3Y3Pmsp6SmgM3IlY/s1600/070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYEoNcrawDaFPUuIAQefhOVFaoc2fyx8AbQ3gDdBcXDLeSx1N9bPvAhiegaKxn_sFlzf16Zlu9CyqjKJzagr-dCr7-RXNuR9_FePBj4b1oBVvqWgMza4jQWdaLkI3Y3Pmsp6SmgM3IlY/s320/070.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Messy is still progress.</i></td></tr>
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By this point, the paint party will have gotten outside the lines. Washes will have run, freehand cracks will be all cracked out. We'll corral that stuff a touch with a quick drybrush of the original ivory. Load up that brush you don't like anymore (or are shortly about to not like anymore) and wipe most of the paint off the bristles onto a paper towel or something. Run this dry brush over the surface of the sculpture, focusing on edges and highlights, and the paint should only come off on the highest points of the piece itself. Bring the highest edges back up to the base color and you're finished!</div>
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Now do it ten more times. Maybe less. Some of ours still have their factory paintjob. The really ugly ones get re-painted.<br />
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Now you have a small collection of gravestones. Our preferred display method is to arrange them on a table top or end table in a pleasing little clump of creepy. Winding along the bases of the gravestones is a string of blue or purple lights. These will get covered, so sometimes to help convince them not to wander off we'll tape them in place for the next step.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQrgRoS7oSD2LLtgC23FBgXVRh093UTdqux3PWoZS4h8JH8HnVImkj_7V6iK212QhHBN6rzUf2pSZjZFuLkAlMg9MO5qO4zyIQmDRNAGWHu3HPWOiQ1__OynUbdpZRe7osFCCEvGFBUvY/s1600/038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQrgRoS7oSD2LLtgC23FBgXVRh093UTdqux3PWoZS4h8JH8HnVImkj_7V6iK212QhHBN6rzUf2pSZjZFuLkAlMg9MO5qO4zyIQmDRNAGWHu3HPWOiQ1__OynUbdpZRe7osFCCEvGFBUvY/s400/038.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>You know that one along the back. The ghost in the front also got repainted.</i></td></tr>
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Grab that bag of fake spider webs. Cheap is fine, as we won't be stretching them out superfine for their intended purpose this time. These will stand in for your graveyard fog. Memorize or take a quick digital pic or sketch of your layout. Stretch out a mass of webs about the size of your graveyard (it takes about one bag for a table this size) and tuck it around the lights. Once in place, "tear" some holes in the web so the stones are resting directly on the table top. Sometimes they're light enough that the webs are enough to put them off balance and fall over. If they give you a lot of trouble, use sticky poster tack under the corners and stick 'em down.<br />
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We don't always use them this way: some years, the gravestone tableau is lit with candles and electric tealights. Just tuck the battery operated tealights behind each of the gravestones and the faces of the rest are lit with the little LED flicker.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7crPxSsbGiaXbdiy28nvdQSdAGPVYeo0SNUUX8OYOcax5el2kH469IP8Ayan5L_R9J3AgRwXU-eY2VlX_8vRXUcyXyNzr_GnTP6JSJ9L47F6BSN0k4jGcvk5Xi2HuRPVfo-2kFqVg2eE/s1600/083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7crPxSsbGiaXbdiy28nvdQSdAGPVYeo0SNUUX8OYOcax5el2kH469IP8Ayan5L_R9J3AgRwXU-eY2VlX_8vRXUcyXyNzr_GnTP6JSJ9L47F6BSN0k4jGcvk5Xi2HuRPVfo-2kFqVg2eE/s400/083.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Thrift store candlesticks, quilt remnant fabric tablecloth, borrowed old farmhouse.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The best thing about these clumps or collections of decorations is that the overall impact is greater together than it is apart. A couple cheap gravestones here and there is nothing, but as a single image they have some impact. Let us know if there are any such Halloween décor clusters that work for you.withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-45853363126013593932013-09-21T12:32:00.001-07:002014-02-01T20:12:16.577-08:00Game Day Mango Salsa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJr8vOVxzquNSlR1YQcAYVE6hDFMoDL77VRmqB9SD5CYnpuRN77l0vE8xNpD6d58C93jfYHKX-I6OWlI5HEPmTOr65Ua4T6Eje4VT-4HgLsV41oSWMruneiF6w3VZy_6Rm_43OfoQFNcE/s1600/Mango+Salsa+Cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJr8vOVxzquNSlR1YQcAYVE6hDFMoDL77VRmqB9SD5CYnpuRN77l0vE8xNpD6d58C93jfYHKX-I6OWlI5HEPmTOr65Ua4T6Eje4VT-4HgLsV41oSWMruneiF6w3VZy_6Rm_43OfoQFNcE/s640/Mango+Salsa+Cover.png" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Last Saturday was game day for the WOPC household, and by game day I mean board game day! We are lucky enough to have met some folks with a love of board games that nearly equals our own and host a potluck-style brunch whenever we get the chance. In addition to treating ourselves to several hours of gaming therapy, it also gives us a chance to try out new recipes on daring guinea pig guests. This month, it was J's favorite: Mango Salsa.<br />
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To make my version of this deliciousness you'll need:<br />
<ul>
<li>8 oz. canned Dole Tropical Fruit, drained</li>
<li>1/2 tsp. dried cilantro</li>
<li>1 tsp. lemon juice</li>
<li>3 tsp. lime juice</li>
<li>1 chipotle pepper</li>
<li>1/4 medium red onion</li>
<li>1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper</li>
</ul>
<a name='more'></a>Grab your handy-dandy food processor and all your ingredients. This one is easy! I use the Dole Tropical Fruit can, which is more than 8 oz., but I spoon out my fruit and tend to leave the majority of the pineapples and juice in the bottom of the can (we use those for smoothies in the morning).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWApOhY-VLSKyJP5z1bJ5gOEvrNJIFtQkYCy2_JOynJ3pzvoyHRqclmAH3UwWf_YDPgONssxRBdH-x5_apOpn5a4rhoiXfm4U2i9miHXsdrBbYdeqlnYjlGASwwuiw53wweMpqjVjDicE/s1600/091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWApOhY-VLSKyJP5z1bJ5gOEvrNJIFtQkYCy2_JOynJ3pzvoyHRqclmAH3UwWf_YDPgONssxRBdH-x5_apOpn5a4rhoiXfm4U2i9miHXsdrBbYdeqlnYjlGASwwuiw53wweMpqjVjDicE/s400/091.JPG" height="253" width="400" /></a></div>
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Once I've got my chosen fruits in the processor, everything else goes in on top of them. The processor does most of the work, although I've found that making sure the onion and bell pepper are coarsely chopped first does help. We have a really small food processor. Too small really to make a jar of salsa. Instead, I make it in two smaller batches and then stir them together in the jar. Works just as well.<br />
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Speaking of the jar, we've taken to enjoying the salsa out of an old Tostito's salsa jar. This recipe makes an appropriate amount to fill the jar and I think we like the humor of it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryjmJEsendRU6RpfkihXyOV7Bo5SZoTYNgOWXIelGwNzMcENqVnrpCy_dPAUX4mPIX7Es13Cf-_Ez5KN9RZl6S3Q87ogEbGeglU0XiofwoqwwngSYCN2cvtLBwNGaz24qZbpOFIVsMAY/s1600/092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryjmJEsendRU6RpfkihXyOV7Bo5SZoTYNgOWXIelGwNzMcENqVnrpCy_dPAUX4mPIX7Es13Cf-_Ez5KN9RZl6S3Q87ogEbGeglU0XiofwoqwwngSYCN2cvtLBwNGaz24qZbpOFIVsMAY/s400/092.JPG" height="400" width="343" /></a></div>
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We've tried the recipe a few different ways, but this has been J's favorite. Prior to buying the chipotle peppers, we were using Sriracha for heat. The nice thing about the Sriracha is you can easily adjust the amount of heat you get. The chipotle pepper offered better flavor, but the heat factor wasn't quite there. I dare you to try your favorite spicy elements and let us know how it goes. If you come up with a tasty variation, please share your recipe below. J likes the spicy stuff but I can't handle it, so he has to put up with weaker salsa if he's in the sharing mood. I'm sure he'd appreciate a couple other options to try out!</div>
withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-26405980880904113732013-09-11T16:48:00.005-07:002014-02-01T20:13:13.851-08:00Making a Board Game, Part II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JHq9ZbzKoW_lR7ECOw9RANvDA0RSEYgyVGbN_2_aVBW5pqoP3mE8J-gDkCkIZt36DdYGF4tpbddT9E4xjBXCAPWEeeTDTzvN7weywLHN8zVpHflOTdVttTdaW_6DuXAZ36RTlRryEwQ/s1600/Making+Board+Cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JHq9ZbzKoW_lR7ECOw9RANvDA0RSEYgyVGbN_2_aVBW5pqoP3mE8J-gDkCkIZt36DdYGF4tpbddT9E4xjBXCAPWEeeTDTzvN7weywLHN8zVpHflOTdVttTdaW_6DuXAZ36RTlRryEwQ/s640/Making+Board+Cover.png" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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In our <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/03/making-board-game-part-i.html">previous installment</a>, I discussed material choices and card printing. I discussed some assembly of parts as well. This time, we're going to discuss a subject a little closer to restoration than original production. Today, we're replacing pieces.<br />
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<b>You'll Need:</b> <br />
<ul>
<li>A game in need of new parts</li>
<li>A graphic manipulation program. (I use <a href="http://www.gimp.org/">GIMP</a>)</li>
<li>Source images</li>
<li>Printer, cardstock, spray adhesive, cutters, etc.</li>
</ul>
<b>NOTE: With Our Powers Combined does not condone using the following methods to re-produce someone else's material for the purposes of getting things "for free." Creators deserve to be paid for their work. The techniques are offered to create new components or replace existing ones of a game you already own.</b><br />
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In my particular case, the game in question is a Games Workshop war game from 1985, <i><a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1143/warrior-knights">Warrior Knights</a></i>. I bought the game at a flea market last year and inspected the components. The board was in good shape, lots of plastic baggies filled with chips and tokens and file cards for nobles, all that good stuff. I looked it up on BoardGameGeek and saw that it was similarly rated to Kingmaker, a laboriously long-winded medieval thing about the War of the Roses a friend had shown me not long before. The price was right, so I forked over some money and bought the game.<br />
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But not the rules.<br />
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Yes, in my haste to inspect the contents, I somehow failed to notice that the box I bought contained no rules. No matter, the instruction booklets for everything from retro video games to programmable remotes are available as pdfs literally anywhere so it should be easy, right? Skip ahead a calendar year, and I've finally negotiated a copy from a German board game enthusiast who sent me a pdf of a photocopy of his set of the original rulebook. Victory! Or so it seemed at the time: The rules make reference to over a hundred components that were missing from the box I had. Well, I'm not one to let that stop me, nor should it stop you!<br />
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A lot of what I'm going to talk about today is equally applicable for writing and producing your own expansion material. Games like Heroquest or Descent benefit from user-generated content, but the hard part is always making those bits look like part of the original. The following techniques should help.<br />
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First, get a good sense of what you are missing. In my case, it was 78 copies of the "Vote" tokens, over a hundred coins, a bunch of little status markers, and the chips that show when in the turn you are. Also, one noble card out of 24. Altogether, not the worst news. In the long run, I decided not to make the coins, as keeping track of your wealth on a notecard makes just as much sense, and the missing noble will get done sometime in the future. I doubt I'll have a six-player game of Warrior Knights anytime soon, so that should be fine.<br />
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Two of the tokens appear in the rulebook, the "End of Line"/Reaper token and the Fleet token. I was able to zoom in on the page in the pdf and take a screen shot (That <b>PrntScr</b> button you never use? Actually pretty useful). From there it was a matter of straightening the angle of the tokens and cleaning up the image in GIMP. I'll describe that process in a little bit.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhthzSDkCTfYOjAXaBJjENTF5UKb2HvZRkWuX78idveSAonOEd5TjHzUDf0Fs3uhrxyPzkWJq4t337AneTYXTqPJzJ-libauTrit80u4O3iR764LiwI_ibNqS75kWR4QSZNAAkveICM8w/s1600/Book+Counters.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhthzSDkCTfYOjAXaBJjENTF5UKb2HvZRkWuX78idveSAonOEd5TjHzUDf0Fs3uhrxyPzkWJq4t337AneTYXTqPJzJ-libauTrit80u4O3iR764LiwI_ibNqS75kWR4QSZNAAkveICM8w/s400/Book+Counters.png" height="296" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Where I come from, this is a very, very cool thing.</i></td></tr>
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The rest of the tiles ("Royal Pretender"? "Razed City token"?) I had never seen or heard of. They do not appear in the rulebook and my plastic baggies didn't feature a single one to compare it to. To the internet! Among its other delightful features, Board Game Geek features pictures of users playing the game. You get to see the game set up, decide if the art style is cool, or at the very least make sure that other gamers don't have nicer kitchen tables than you do. A couple close-up shots of tokens gave me what I needed to get started.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdIDfvNVrlGY0DPuvlXUiiEMkiVmmtfwvdO4zsSkT7uPIvklNbeIrCJksWzgQRmMslhUp1M9dHHQzUrfNST1B7s0iO9V-GofvP3gNZVAmft8A_vGIv11jSt2lIYxAjAXWLjBPTGp4UhXc/s1600/WK+Tokens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdIDfvNVrlGY0DPuvlXUiiEMkiVmmtfwvdO4zsSkT7uPIvklNbeIrCJksWzgQRmMslhUp1M9dHHQzUrfNST1B7s0iO9V-GofvP3gNZVAmft8A_vGIv11jSt2lIYxAjAXWLjBPTGp4UhXc/s400/WK+Tokens.jpg" height="256" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Not mine. But very, very helpful.</i></td></tr>
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This was huge, a Rosetta Stone of board gaming. From here I could take measurements of something I knew (i.e. the Vote Token) and compare it to the missing pieces. It became clear that nearly all the missing pieces are 1/2" squares and the Razed city is 1" square. For a project like this, I could have just made up new pieces, but I wanted to recreate the game as exactly as I could. I matched the font on an existing piece to one on my computer and made new Vote tokens (20mm square, the only piece apparently in metric)</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkV27Xt2jxELG7_lAYMJUMIkU4Z6AuGxo_j0n14AiuPLCaSraxPWedXN_plSH_6MNtnEleMT7WQsbe_lgnh05HU9U4N4HOgVbZ2SjPkFaMYFESLZv30y6s1SBpFZQzv-E0sGblph83nM/s1600/Vote+Comparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkV27Xt2jxELG7_lAYMJUMIkU4Z6AuGxo_j0n14AiuPLCaSraxPWedXN_plSH_6MNtnEleMT7WQsbe_lgnh05HU9U4N4HOgVbZ2SjPkFaMYFESLZv30y6s1SBpFZQzv-E0sGblph83nM/s400/Vote+Comparison.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Their's is on the left, mine's on the right. If anything, mine are centered better.</i></td></tr>
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Unfortunately, I'm not a CSI computer wizard, and spending the afternoon shouting "Enhance!" at the screen did little to improve the quality of the scan of the photocopy of the thirty-year-old rulebook or blow up someone's 800x600 digital snapshot of their kitchen gaming set up. I was going to need new information to fix some of these.</div>
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The next breakthrough was an eBay seller who wanted 85 pounds for a complete copy of the game seven years ago. As I already had most of it, that's not what I wanted from them. However, to prove the condition of the game they had taken excellent closeups of the components!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yXT6OrvMoWVXLmg5-uEkZytqRPSqEcSnMwBNkfafJEp7o8DheQDG6qAWAlpnc9zjLlo1K3bhHV2SO-hPIQzDFn9oy8TjTIlamKkEV9FZZ1ezmACeN3AjD3lDy5JjdZMzO1AlU7WOmZA/s1600/WK+Razed+Tokens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yXT6OrvMoWVXLmg5-uEkZytqRPSqEcSnMwBNkfafJEp7o8DheQDG6qAWAlpnc9zjLlo1K3bhHV2SO-hPIQzDFn9oy8TjTIlamKkEV9FZZ1ezmACeN3AjD3lDy5JjdZMzO1AlU7WOmZA/s400/WK+Razed+Tokens.jpg" height="288" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The detail on this made my previous pull from BGG look like butt.</i></td></tr>
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So, what are the steps to making something like this work for you? Well, follow along. Any of what I'm describing should also work in Photoshop, but my pockets aren't that deep these days. Open your image and crop out everything but what you need. It's pointless during the rotating and adjusting levels to let extraneous info bog down your computer.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNISp3R02qBa6BJthicjlWNgsecjSf9vu743MrmRI28wyRJZulZzDXvEzgSt4vX_FWgCGBPEY6UET4f-NJktS38kt8UWpMy8JPiM2-ewP-vI4CcVtVMVBJCOvpgumkAVRqcOxhegBKkSM/s1600/Source-Crop.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNISp3R02qBa6BJthicjlWNgsecjSf9vu743MrmRI28wyRJZulZzDXvEzgSt4vX_FWgCGBPEY6UET4f-NJktS38kt8UWpMy8JPiM2-ewP-vI4CcVtVMVBJCOvpgumkAVRqcOxhegBKkSM/s400/Source-Crop.png" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Snip.</i></td></tr>
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From there, rotate your image so that you have to do the least amount of stretching possible. There's a tape measure tool in GIMP (Shift+M) that lets you select two points and find the distance and angle between them. I use this to double check the straightest part of the image and rotate to match. Once you've done that, set the canvas to a square (as the piece, ultimately, will need to be square) and fire up the Perspective tool. Normally we would use this to make a sign or something fade into the distance, but for this we're using it the opposite way, to correct for perspective from the original photo.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb8V5uDUkjUWpr9NgzrtDvXxX2A-7W5g09rqpM-eFWNL4eJDj2UaPRnaJmZXf2J9WpfqDG5nXefExBgpvSZdPa7cZAMrs_OjkqiYpmQC0AR0Tr2mv_ZKprgRtLC27wDOl4pGN_ax4m18Q/s1600/Source-Perspective.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb8V5uDUkjUWpr9NgzrtDvXxX2A-7W5g09rqpM-eFWNL4eJDj2UaPRnaJmZXf2J9WpfqDG5nXefExBgpvSZdPa7cZAMrs_OjkqiYpmQC0AR0Tr2mv_ZKprgRtLC27wDOl4pGN_ax4m18Q/s400/Source-Perspective.png" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hip to be square, I guess.</i></td></tr>
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Once you've got a square image, there's some cleanup that is required. Desaturate the image so you are working in pure black and white, and then erase the fuzzy edges around the outside of the token. I use a white pencil setting to blank out the rim of the piece. Next, correcting the contrast. While it's tempting to use Brightness-Contrast for this, I prefer to use the Curves tool as I have better fine control. The white of your adjusted image might be slightly gray and the black is likely not a true black. We can fix that:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxoZ50Dwe5VgfcWq8I1bnPLCKG9XTdVJFJbTM4H6f8QBUnQnU4kOas7DKV9pcFob0nHvhuhGmgKmnhNi8nZ_jN9yjykq_t09neGdGdXqfDWZF3kxvmDA4I-fdbcDfvpej6uPTlpObjaX8/s1600/Source-Cleanup.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxoZ50Dwe5VgfcWq8I1bnPLCKG9XTdVJFJbTM4H6f8QBUnQnU4kOas7DKV9pcFob0nHvhuhGmgKmnhNi8nZ_jN9yjykq_t09neGdGdXqfDWZF3kxvmDA4I-fdbcDfvpej6uPTlpObjaX8/s400/Source-Cleanup.png" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This is the most subjective bit. Guess what the original wanted and do that.</i></td></tr>
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We could call it quits here, but the fuzzy text is an issue for me. When this is printed out at a 1/2" square size, I don't want to guess what it used to read. In the case of the Razed City token, I had to do enough stretching that the white text was grossly fuzzy and distorted. In that case, grab the text tool and a matching font (Oddly, the font I used was Aparajita Bold, a font normally used to render Hindi. However, the English character set is a holdover from a much older font, which matched the 1985-era font almost exactly! Lucky break) and lay your new text over the original. Play with the size of the letters, the leading (space between lines), and tracking (space between letters) to match the original as closely as possible. Once you have new, suitable text, erase or paint over the old stuff.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5Zrc_upx1xgSodi0fIoel-EJDXPEbCL98KRI3aedamO6jf-mdCFTmNoKLYSdjvqxQCF1zLSL0GLuqCaqoSIOooJNPFaF24u4_D7syD6wJTHJtmH11LxWaSbIDZX1tSIKEMgwPMq3i5s/s1600/Source-Text.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5Zrc_upx1xgSodi0fIoel-EJDXPEbCL98KRI3aedamO6jf-mdCFTmNoKLYSdjvqxQCF1zLSL0GLuqCaqoSIOooJNPFaF24u4_D7syD6wJTHJtmH11LxWaSbIDZX1tSIKEMgwPMq3i5s/s400/Source-Text.png" height="223" width="400" /></i></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Having read the phrase so many times, I'm inclined to name a band after this.</i></td></tr>
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After you've cleaned up the token, move on to the next. Naturally, if you are creating new pieces, it may become necessary to go find new information. The Fleet token is a good example of this for me. The rulebook and internet images just didn't give me a clean enough image to enhance well. The original token, so far as I can tell, had some fairly subtle line work in the water and the rigging of the ship, all of which gets washed out by anything but drawing it by hand. Not going to happen.</div>
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Knowing that the original art was inspired by medieval woodblock art, it was a matter of finding a suitable ship! You can do this the proper way by going to your stock image website and paying for the rights for an image (which is precisely how it's done in the real world and the method we'll be using on my actual board game, Cabal) or you can admit that it's a half inch ship on a DIY-repaired board game that will get played a few times a year. I grabbed that junk off Google image search. Also, mad respect for the folks who made woodcuts back in the day. There's a real skill to that. I merely trimmed and stretched their hard work to fit my 100-pixel frame.</div>
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The final tokens got a light gray single-pixel stripe on all four sides and were arranged on a larger image to print out on card stock. The printout and cardboard got a light coat of spray adhesive and the pieces were glued and cut apart as described in the previous article. A new, super-sharp pair of scissors dedicated to paper makes this a lot less strenuous. Particularly when you are cutting out almost a hundred bits.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivMJhqBiD0N7KFw_XSO5MjrgrQghSczSmFXZq6QPmfylbTEYfrbwsIkBnq8fFtFV998RtymiJF1XpXzAY3AbXzfxXigk6btt65ahVAP93eaUCU5pt0dNv7Udt8RjL3dVpkrNSBE7-wKU/s1600/Tokens.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivMJhqBiD0N7KFw_XSO5MjrgrQghSczSmFXZq6QPmfylbTEYfrbwsIkBnq8fFtFV998RtymiJF1XpXzAY3AbXzfxXigk6btt65ahVAP93eaUCU5pt0dNv7Udt8RjL3dVpkrNSBE7-wKU/s640/Tokens.png" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The new ship matches the crown and reaper pretty well. Ooh, the Crown and Reaper would be a great pub.</i></td></tr>
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That does it for this installment of <b>Making a Board Game</b>! If you have any questions about how to do something like this for yourself (or you have something you'd like us to take a crack at), comment below or track us down via email. Also, the playtest process for my own game <b><span style="color: #660000;">CABAL</span></b> is going on right now! If you want an excuse to build your own boardgame and want me to send you all the pieces and parts to print your own, send us an email and we will hook you right up.</div>
withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-69621186110989702972013-09-07T17:30:00.001-07:002014-02-16T08:54:59.582-08:00Rustic Rag Quilt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDx9c7toey1R09TzC4n5wuET0vnLfhFoO-g6fNuTn8laVE63SvI41QW_IGxmIMqWe97lgmIFufgvdo057HS31zsizZridx_e9sivIfTmxrenT4B2Y6ATKdrDi_aTV-WOy94ZJQ_qLPH-c/s1600/Raq+Quilt+Cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDx9c7toey1R09TzC4n5wuET0vnLfhFoO-g6fNuTn8laVE63SvI41QW_IGxmIMqWe97lgmIFufgvdo057HS31zsizZridx_e9sivIfTmxrenT4B2Y6ATKdrDi_aTV-WOy94ZJQ_qLPH-c/s640/Raq+Quilt+Cover.png" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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As I've expressed before, I am continually inspired by my crafty family. Everything I know about the art of making, I learned from those I love. This week's post is no different. Earlier this summer, at a family baby shower, I fell in love with a baby quilt crafted by my mother. It was soft, bright, and looked like home. As my cousins and I oooh'd and aaaah'd over the thing, my mom and my aunt were quick to mention how easy it was to make rag quilts. So easy, in fact, that all three of us cousins took notes that very day. Three months later (because of procrastination and lack of planning) I have my very own soft, homey quilt! Cat loves it, J loves it, and it keeps my toes warm while we watch Supernatural!<br />
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To make your own quilt you will need:<br />
<ul>
<li>Various amounts of cotton quilting fabrics (math comes in handy on this one)</li>
<li>An expanse of flannel equal to the total amount of square footage of cotton fabric you intend to use</li>
<li>Quilt batting (I used "Nature's Touch Cotton Batting" 1/4" loft)</li>
<li>Lots of thread, I suggest buying a new spool of your chosen color</li>
<li>Cutting implements (mat, rotary cutter, quilting square or sturdy straight edge)</li>
<li>Sewing implements (machine, scissors, pins, bobbin, etc.)</li>
</ul>
<a name='more'></a>J and I began by planning the quilt out on graph paper. We decided we wanted the finished size to be appropriate for use on the couch, but not large enough to cover a bed. It's a total of 120 squares, each of which started at 6", but after sewing it together with a 5/8" seam allowance, the approximate size of the finished quilt is 57" x 47.5". <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOykwZuGlD-OnDNOFx5lEYUK6srJGsHxprnn53Rt7OUHxX7wtKqr-pM9R8bP4ypBQuR-hlbmPukXxH7WGhh_RKbzP1L9Le-aSq6G_MG_b1iqPeYiZNDBMTe6Lom3tgLtSJXNMxlQEPcqI/s1600/Scan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOykwZuGlD-OnDNOFx5lEYUK6srJGsHxprnn53Rt7OUHxX7wtKqr-pM9R8bP4ypBQuR-hlbmPukXxH7WGhh_RKbzP1L9Le-aSq6G_MG_b1iqPeYiZNDBMTe6Lom3tgLtSJXNMxlQEPcqI/s640/Scan.jpg" height="640" width="458" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Plan #1 is rarely the end result.</i></td></tr>
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I had some fabric gifted to me by my aunt that I wanted to include, but knew there wasn't enough for the full quilt. So, I started by cutting as many 6" squares out of the gifted fabric as I could get, playing with the layout based on that, and deciding how much additional fabric I would need. Armed with my initial fabrics and lots of chicken scratch about yards and colors, I marched into the fabric store and picked up various fat quarters to fill out my stash. With everything back home and cut out, I realized something had gone wrong. There weren't 120 squares, I was out of fabric, and I was displeased with how a few of my fabric choices fit in with the overall quilt.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJooOsTuBrwIZR9zYezLCxVPuawjjzit_4wyDTNJ07JhE_MtGbiRmbXLlcCfJcXI-B_ywspgwYAf6hsSKJk__gK0hDtyzmnjadoWW2nCPR-tlogJa0UiezoneKX21wwYCKiR1bWT-nvE/s1600/002+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJooOsTuBrwIZR9zYezLCxVPuawjjzit_4wyDTNJ07JhE_MtGbiRmbXLlcCfJcXI-B_ywspgwYAf6hsSKJk__gK0hDtyzmnjadoWW2nCPR-tlogJa0UiezoneKX21wwYCKiR1bWT-nvE/s640/002+%25282%2529.jpg" height="352" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Flanked by the couch pillows that were my design inspiration.</i></td></tr>
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Hard to tell on the carpet, but there are some definite "bald" spots in that layout. Not to mention, J and I agreed that the "gradual fade" fabric was just strange. So, back to the store for more and better options!<br />
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During the first trip I had also picked up a gray flannel for the backing fabric and my batting. To back a rag quilt, you cut an equal number of 6" flannel squares as you cut cotton squares. Now, I'm terrible at math, which means I cut all my flannel and counted my squares, only to realize there were nowhere near 120. That meant picking up additional flannel on the second fabric store trip. But wait, there's more! I ran out of flannel a second time and had to go back to the fabric store a third time. Moral of the story, do your homework! You would think that multiplying 6" x 6" x 120 and comparing that to how much fabric comes in a yard of flannel would have been easy. Apparently I thought three trips to the store was easier. Fail.<br />
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Once you've got 120 cotton squares and 120 flannel squares, you also need 120 batting squares. These need to be smaller than the completed size of a quilt square. For my purposes this meant approximately 4.5" square. They don't have to be as precise as the other squares as they will be hidden in the quilt sandwich.<br />
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Lay each square out as a three part sandwich: flannel (right side down) on bottom, batting centered in the middle, cotton (right side up) on top. Put a couple pins in each square along two opposing sides. You don't want them near the corners or the center, as that's where you will be quilting.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy42lzSuDyG_46l-BMk4jMTsO97p4Hz2MIVdj6JjRgjL1XVF9xOmlBYxsWY8zCRsjCTDWeRGGVkEMkdnJcdXRF-ySpfEeerAixpFl5QJlv1d7tWfYLuthhgFcS4CRUU39uyY_IruNxUC4/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy42lzSuDyG_46l-BMk4jMTsO97p4Hz2MIVdj6JjRgjL1XVF9xOmlBYxsWY8zCRsjCTDWeRGGVkEMkdnJcdXRF-ySpfEeerAixpFl5QJlv1d7tWfYLuthhgFcS4CRUU39uyY_IruNxUC4/s400/001.JPG" height="400" width="345" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"I'm going to need a bigger mouth!"</i></td></tr>
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Sew an X into each quilt sandwich from corner to corner across the center of the square. You don't need to backstitch the ends as they will end up trapped in seams later on. Once I'd completed all 120 squares, I laid out my pieces to determine the exact placement and pattern. It was starting to look like a finished quilt!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgje5EaDPCj18Xtd2LlQsMDCGXMMIoiZwrYEd6Wf-LavobSZnrG3xcze-aSzommZ-EXjs04TxEGI6WIKS7Q7kZzn6OBi7hoIDI1RcoaNm37ryrs51A8YSAKh8sY555CMY-j5-tf52Vj0xA/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgje5EaDPCj18Xtd2LlQsMDCGXMMIoiZwrYEd6Wf-LavobSZnrG3xcze-aSzommZ-EXjs04TxEGI6WIKS7Q7kZzn6OBi7hoIDI1RcoaNm37ryrs51A8YSAKh8sY555CMY-j5-tf52Vj0xA/s400/011.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
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Satisfied with my layout, I began stacking my pieces in rows. I was careful to always stack in the same direction and mark the top square with what order the pieces needed to be sewn in. The process for me involved post-it notes, pins and rubberbands. It may look different for you depending on how your brain works.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWRvVma2y3GP4z1lNtq8wDVn4JQKn0ZDtD1OX1JZgUFAjwuC99HsMnL0RhIaZ5En1C83NuQ_hp8J-hV855ScK0BwIX-k2w-PXmTdOkGh6GoQkt5-9mixsHPaiIhCW3CK6WFRxsB26Qp0/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWRvVma2y3GP4z1lNtq8wDVn4JQKn0ZDtD1OX1JZgUFAjwuC99HsMnL0RhIaZ5En1C83NuQ_hp8J-hV855ScK0BwIX-k2w-PXmTdOkGh6GoQkt5-9mixsHPaiIhCW3CK6WFRxsB26Qp0/s400/023.JPG" height="332" width="400" /></a></div>
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I then began sewing a trillion 6" seams. Rag quilts are unique, in that you want to sew each square together by placing the backings (flannel) together and sewing such that the exposed seam faces the top of the quilt. I did this piece by piece to make long skinny rows, then went back to sew the rows together. As I laid it out (to make sure everything was still in order), Cat became very interested and forced me to take a snack break.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwIzoIDtvDrpTbMEXcJQ2vrHuvtohmmUwujlwQNYXnhBLQglRN9GcJYv2v-YcMLEBmPuF2nEiarM6VlHiY2mkLQHPadg_Ep4-lz8GmNvrt_IQ9vnv5w9fUuqH8CHd27lL4du0zoacBxM/s1600/027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwIzoIDtvDrpTbMEXcJQ2vrHuvtohmmUwujlwQNYXnhBLQglRN9GcJYv2v-YcMLEBmPuF2nEiarM6VlHiY2mkLQHPadg_Ep4-lz8GmNvrt_IQ9vnv5w9fUuqH8CHd27lL4du0zoacBxM/s400/027.JPG" height="365" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here is a close up of the quilt once I'd finished all the seams. Little did I know, I still had a tedious step ahead of me.<br />
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After the quilt is pieced, all of the top seams need to be snipped to make the seams fray and give it it's unique "rag" quality. This process is tedious, especially if you don't have springloaded scissors, which I don't. J snipped half the quilt, as I had developed a bruise on my thumb from the scissors after finishing only about 25% of the process. Cat also felt bad for me apparently, as he forced me to take another break by climbing into the quilt on my lap as I tried to snip seams.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pvr0_u_23-NC_nRti5P9itYgdpwmDLN-Rd-RAMZsZH21GbuoxT0OGkGuw1yKIzbOhcb0E3BVsSfe12vR7GmpP9gW-lEw7QPLbiaTHlpzx8b1HxgOpDtmsM8NSJGFpu_8jZyvlpHoXjQ/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pvr0_u_23-NC_nRti5P9itYgdpwmDLN-Rd-RAMZsZH21GbuoxT0OGkGuw1yKIzbOhcb0E3BVsSfe12vR7GmpP9gW-lEw7QPLbiaTHlpzx8b1HxgOpDtmsM8NSJGFpu_8jZyvlpHoXjQ/s400/035.JPG" height="255" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>At least we know he likes it.</i></td></tr>
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I recommend taking your time with the snipping. It's exhausting and tedious work. Also, if you get in a rush, you're likely to snip through the seam, creating a hole in your beautifully constructed masterpiece. We made snips about every 3/8" or so, but don't feel like you have to measure it out. It's a rag quilt, it's supposed to look handmade.<br />
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Last but not least, the thing needs a couple rounds in a washer and dryer. Make sure your lint trap is good and cleaned out before you begin, and that you clean it thoroughly in between as well. Between the snipped seams, flannel, extra threads and fraying, it makes a huge mess of things. But after the second bout with the dryer, the quilt came out soft, sweet smelling, and wonderfully warm. I immediately wrapped myself up in my hard work and curled up on the couch for some R&R.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjCXUYrjso21dWo96wzqPKEpbG8N1eIOZbnQWzKHgf-rNXLUjJ4nq4k-wO7RwPlLtwVuopwPfA_ZfTO-UWa3AldkdhPWNUjkF11EM-euKOU5xvxdvyJoQcRWgotu6Jjnjf-4uiDBhC0c/s1600/053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjCXUYrjso21dWo96wzqPKEpbG8N1eIOZbnQWzKHgf-rNXLUjJ4nq4k-wO7RwPlLtwVuopwPfA_ZfTO-UWa3AldkdhPWNUjkF11EM-euKOU5xvxdvyJoQcRWgotu6Jjnjf-4uiDBhC0c/s640/053.JPG" height="640" width="548" /></a></div>
withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-34781501365246698942013-09-01T19:03:00.000-07:002014-02-01T20:14:39.874-08:00Meowlnir, the Hammer of Thor<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriImkC-UrO297V4kWpYHaa1xE6CdvhWwy9qQPB8M-IT4h1isXocyEygfuVi81j1wsrDoUdtMumNOom1OkjDooOui9xWZjmQzAswehPXR5m0CP3Q316XhIvH9EASqa1QNcXTuY9vaR-cQ/s1600/Meowlnir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriImkC-UrO297V4kWpYHaa1xE6CdvhWwy9qQPB8M-IT4h1isXocyEygfuVi81j1wsrDoUdtMumNOom1OkjDooOui9xWZjmQzAswehPXR5m0CP3Q316XhIvH9EASqa1QNcXTuY9vaR-cQ/s640/Meowlnir.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Object may not be actual size.</i></td></tr>
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It's time for us to pull the curtain back a little. Our stripey little friend who has been so helpful through many of our projects (<a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/02/computer-wrist-rests.html">Computer Wrist Rests</a>, <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2012/11/paper-holiday-wreath.html">Paper Holiday Wreath</a>) is named Thor. Apparently he was an energetic little cuss who was "as fast as lightning" at the shelter and was affectionately nicknamed before we took custody of him. We liked him, kept the name, and Thor became a member of the family. (As an aside, a member of my gaming group/regular reader of the site adopted a Loki the same week. Total coincidence.) He enjoys throwing his toys, and it occurred to me: I have a Thor who hurls objects down the hallway. Get this cat a hammer of the gods! Meowlnir would be forged here in Midgard!</div>
<br />
<b>You'll Need:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Felt. I used a heather gray and a brown.</li>
<li>Pipe cleaners. Mine are brown, but technically any color works.</li>
<li>Polyfill stuffing</li>
<li>Needle and thread. I used a light silvery gray.</li>
<li>Fabric glue</li>
<li>Graph paper</li>
<li>Marking and cutting implements</li>
</ul>
<a name='more'></a><br />
I started by searching out some version of Mjolnir that folks have built for cosplay purposes to get a sense of scale. Going from some existing numbers (6" x 10" head on an 18" handle) I sketched out a 1:5 size hammer out of paper and taped it all together. Much too tiny. Bumping it up to 1:4 was the right size. After drawing out my template, I cut everything out and got my materials together.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_aFocXJJ891kpA_7JjrR7ONxoZPYB5NWrB1zqebMm6WjAXyCWt2BS2lUtBCKSMV4AnNRDwXMHSFtBqL73arfiPD7bSuY1PcSy92JGIYRZkxesfZVT_O1MHQ2q5P8vaoBfIBegjYGf3E/s1600/015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_aFocXJJ891kpA_7JjrR7ONxoZPYB5NWrB1zqebMm6WjAXyCWt2BS2lUtBCKSMV4AnNRDwXMHSFtBqL73arfiPD7bSuY1PcSy92JGIYRZkxesfZVT_O1MHQ2q5P8vaoBfIBegjYGf3E/s400/015.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>1/4" seam allowance, drawn on standard American graph paper.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tracing the bits onto my gray felt meant I I cut off everything with ink on it. Cut carefully with scissors and you should get what you need pretty easily. Trim the little interior corners in a bit with scissors, being careful not to cut too far in, and go ahead and mark your sewing lines as well. I cut a strip of cardboard 1/4" wide by maybe 3" long and traced it to find my seam lines on the inside. From here on out, I knew the edge of the Sharpie line was always my mark.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjye_G-nDMfRDyK0ky_2-hCVAgxh9qFt74KHry7NYOiPOosY_7i7iz2owC46S9Wj5ISeVa9s2gYTWU-FVXOI5I4pXwJg5sm8sg635nX0FPt8H9-xSCx5pt5IqAydAsgK071jANebF0oqsg/s1600/008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjye_G-nDMfRDyK0ky_2-hCVAgxh9qFt74KHry7NYOiPOosY_7i7iz2owC46S9Wj5ISeVa9s2gYTWU-FVXOI5I4pXwJg5sm8sg635nX0FPt8H9-xSCx5pt5IqAydAsgK071jANebF0oqsg/s400/008.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cut off everything that doesn't look like a hammer.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I added some details so it wasn't just a rectangle with a handle. The ends of the hammer taper slightly to the striking ends, so I cut those two squares at 1-1/4" for the striking surfaces to step in slightly. Those were sewn on either end of the hammer, with the "cap" circle lined up in the center and stitched down. Make sure if there's any marker lines that they face the interior of the unit. With the details sewn on, it was time to make the hammer head.<br />
<br />
This is pretty much my first stuffed anything, so I made some of it up as I went along. I folded the head along a 45 degree angle and pinned the edges together so that I could stitch down each edge confident that I wasn't building a rhombus or something. Each side got sewn down, and then the bottom was stitched on, one side at a time, pinning and stitching. Before I did something silly like sew it completely shut inside out, I paused and worked on the handle.<br />
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<br />
The handle is a doubled length of pipe cleaner with an "eye" left open at the bend. After twisting it together, I snipped it to length with wire clippers. Two quarter inch strips of felt a foot long made up my wrapping for the hilt. I borrowed the look from <a href="http://blindsquirrelprops.com/thor-comic-book-mjolnir/">Blind Squirrel Props'</a> Mjolnir. It took a bit of doing, figuring out which bits went over what, but in the end I had braided the felt down the length of the handle. I didn't bother doing the whole thing since an inch and a half was inside the hammer. I opened the end of the wire, pulled the ends of the felt through, and twisted it tight to hold them. Once the handle was made, it got stitched through both layers of the hammer, body and circular cap part. This keeps the handle from pulling through the single layer of felt on the top of the hammer.<br />
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<br />
With the handle attached, cut a small X in the center of the bottom of the hammer and turn everything inside out. Pull the handle through the X and stuff the hammer with a few pinches of polyfill, careful to pack it tightly but evenly. If you want to add catnip to the fluff to guarantee that you just made their favorite toy, you certainly can. I chose not to since I've seen the heartbreak of catnip addiction, but hey, maybe your cat can stop anytime s/he wants. Tuck the remaining seam allowance into the hammer, pin it into place, and carefully blindstitch the hole you turned through.<br />
<br />
I was going to just dip the end of the handle in glue to hold everything together, but decided that something more was needed. Using some of the bits remaining from wrapping the handle, I looped one end up and over to the other side of the handle and wrapped a second strip around the loop. Satisfied everything would reach, everything got a healthy coat of glue and put into place. I wrapped the handle with some thread to keep the pieces in place while everything dried.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjkn89paNsdHBLNDby-MB_8MOzpikMdGQXSaF7eKnCW_y0IDFXuhvSWNYQn5hvL6yTDQm7cFxxmJLhFiWOp7JvT3UB4JaM9a1MK76rcg0unNW5_YZ9V7IFfjEiHGz72VLwy-MV5nyulM/s1600/014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjkn89paNsdHBLNDby-MB_8MOzpikMdGQXSaF7eKnCW_y0IDFXuhvSWNYQn5hvL6yTDQm7cFxxmJLhFiWOp7JvT3UB4JaM9a1MK76rcg0unNW5_YZ9V7IFfjEiHGz72VLwy-MV5nyulM/s400/014.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This is prior to the thread being applied. Note how it seems like it needs it.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Once everything is good and dry, carefully remove the thread from the glued handle and swing it around with sound effects. However you normally introduce a new toy, go about it. We took turns bopping him with a hammer to get his attention and then throwing it down the hallway. Sometimes, he'll even pose for photo.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHkA39hMzM65jMybSCz81lDz6hInAMDxt-0eLJ4zzWXMEZn-mnzgFGz4NiyGYT-2iwhLI4pRpbABpX-uREMc4i3izgaNMewz4Ps4yzNOdD73qxvho6xn26CQMdPdmufhVnOgAy0n4Y0M/s1600/UnamusedCatIs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHkA39hMzM65jMybSCz81lDz6hInAMDxt-0eLJ4zzWXMEZn-mnzgFGz4NiyGYT-2iwhLI4pRpbABpX-uREMc4i3izgaNMewz4Ps4yzNOdD73qxvho6xn26CQMdPdmufhVnOgAy0n4Y0M/s640/UnamusedCatIs.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Unamused Cat is... Well, you can see.</i></td></tr>
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Let us know if your cat likes their own hammer of the gods, and feel free to suggest additional toys for us to build. Who knows, maybe he'll get an entire arsenal. Happy Labor Day, everyone!withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-84134609718837763732013-08-24T19:23:00.001-07:002014-02-23T20:24:41.955-08:00Budget Superhero Cowl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A few years ago, I was invited to a themed costume party, "Favorite Fictional Character." I was out of town, living out of a suitcase for three months, and the expectation was I would arrive to the party as Batman. This would have been impossible if I held to any reasonable standard of construction, so I built the entire outfit from a store-bought black t-shirt, a roll of black duct tape, electrical tape, and the cardboard from a Diet Coke box. The only tools used were a Sharpie and my Leatherman. The night before the party.<br />
<br />
To make your own superhero/luchador cowl on the cheap, you'll need:<br />
<ul>
<li>Trash bag</li>
<li>Duct tape: Cheapest silver you can find and the main color or colors of your character</li>
<li>Electrical tape for details (Optional)</li>
<li>Shoelaces, at least 45"</li>
<li>Pair of scissors</li>
<li>Permanent marker</li>
<li>A trustworthy assistant</li>
</ul>
<a name='more'></a>Start by discussing the entire project with your trustworthy assistant. Once things get seriously underway, your ability to communicate will be compromised. In fact, have them read this. You're just along for the ride once this part gets started:<br />
<br />
Find a comfy chair, play some music your model likes, and say good bye to your model's snappy hair do. Fit the trash bag over their head and down over their shoulders. Figure out where the nose goes and snip a hole for them to breath through. Don't. Snip. Your nose. Laya few pieces of duct tape to set the dimensions through the rest of this process. The first should go around their entire head like a headband. The next ought to go around their jaws vertically like Jacob Marley's bandanna thing. This establishes the general dimensions of your model's skull and keeps the bag from shifting. Once blocked out, lay short (6-8") strips overlapping all over their head. To fit the skull, pull them tight. To preserve details like your eye sockets and nose, don't stretch a footlong piece of tape across their snout. Rip small pieces and tuck them into those hollow parts and up over protrusions like the nose. Pull too tight and the mask won't fit to their eyesockets and stand proud of their nose.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnh2v-4t7KcckTtVEHQvAb9iW2ipHD3d_6KWUeIU5Tl_f0CDQmBp8Cnl0WA9E4y6hECYrZjQxf2netj-uyjFL-s0U16asazRhMt56EW-ftZHEzmdwCsu0jCF9PCtWJ-TTDj6nRxmvCYCs/s1600/Step+One.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnh2v-4t7KcckTtVEHQvAb9iW2ipHD3d_6KWUeIU5Tl_f0CDQmBp8Cnl0WA9E4y6hECYrZjQxf2netj-uyjFL-s0U16asazRhMt56EW-ftZHEzmdwCsu0jCF9PCtWJ-TTDj6nRxmvCYCs/s320/Step+One.JPG" height="320" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A liiiitle too tight across the eyes.</i></td></tr>
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Keep going and adding layers. You want at least two layers of silver before you switch to color. In my experience, duct tape sticks to other tapes just fine and the cheap stuff to build up base layers is plenty strong to save the more expensive colored stuff for the final pass. Over all, you want at least three layers everywhere to keep its shape. My assistant was ready to move on after two layers, so I did the color layer myself after we removed the mask, but it's much easier to do it all in one go on the model.<br />
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Bring the tape down around the throat and out onto the shoulders a few inches. For most heroes, you can easily get a T-shirt with their logo on it, or use a long-sleeved garment as the base if you want to get more involved with recreating the costume. You'll want your mask to extend at least a few inches under the garment so there's no "seam" at the neck exposing skin. I tend to go overboard on how far down the chest and out onto the shoulder I need, but you can trim some off later.<br />
<br />
Hand the model the permanent marker and have them feel around on their face for their eyelids: It's surprisingly easy to mark your own eyeholes with a marker using both hands from inside the tape. Otherwise, the assistant can draw them on the model from the outside. To remove the mask, carefully snip up the back of the cowl from the bottom with your scissors. Round ended scissors make a lot of sense for this. WARNING: You will snip a little bit of hair, but the cut is vertical and is impossible to notice once you fluff your hair back into position. I've never had someone with long hair use this method, so I'm not sure what the effect is for them... but I'm sure you can't see it afterward.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1g-_Sum4R7mDPh5il5RpDGleAq5OFQCR27SYVGDvgSk075URGshCQsjyaE0hPL06FUKB-KQ5gwgGeC_Usl4jmG25covxEJjUg-6gUMpkfULMgj9A2b0HVUfsZePjm3GxNHJCicHoSMY/s1600/Back+Cut.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1g-_Sum4R7mDPh5il5RpDGleAq5OFQCR27SYVGDvgSk075URGshCQsjyaE0hPL06FUKB-KQ5gwgGeC_Usl4jmG25covxEJjUg-6gUMpkfULMgj9A2b0HVUfsZePjm3GxNHJCicHoSMY/s400/Back+Cut.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It may not look like much, but its got it where it counts.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Once the mask is off, cut out the eyeholes where you drew them. If you cut too small, you can cut off more. If you cut off too much, slap some tape on both the inside and outside and cut again. The tape makes it easy to work both ways, so don't stress too much.<br />
<br />
I usually do the mouth opening for the cowl myself, looking through the new eyeholes in front of a mirror. If your assistant has steadier hands and a good eye for symmetry, have them draw it. I'll periodically fold the mask in half and make sure the eye holes and mouth area are the same on both sides, left to right. On my example, the eyeholes were too small, but opening them up to the right size would cut into the original mouth area. Crap. So I put the mask on, slapped some fresh strips of silver tape across my cheekbones and drew a new mouth hole in. I got lucky and could just fold the silver on the drawn line and cover the sticky inner part that way. Otherwise, you'll need to add some tape inside and cover the stickum, unless you like it attaching to your skin and bunching weirdly when you move your head.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKF6c2xNT9X1XgSHmiiZNsMODC3rNpKOxd6w9QY7Fd2FS6bzEKxXOsgOm0rrtyyNxfWJ4FZxyro4iWU8BViPUMoCA8IrSWNW_rETxF8pkODJHf9cQ08r4V4ielUUDB1j82Qs5iir9cHIk/s1600/009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKF6c2xNT9X1XgSHmiiZNsMODC3rNpKOxd6w9QY7Fd2FS6bzEKxXOsgOm0rrtyyNxfWJ4FZxyro4iWU8BViPUMoCA8IrSWNW_rETxF8pkODJHf9cQ08r4V4ielUUDB1j82Qs5iir9cHIk/s400/009.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Practice your haunted expression for maximum effect.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
From here, it will depend on the hero in question as to how to proceed. For Batman, I cut triangular ears and folded them down the center to stiffen them, covered them inside and out in tape, and attached them to the top of the cowl with more duct tape to blend them into the headpiece. The nose needed some shape, so I cut the mask up to the bridge of my nose and made a cardboard nose that got taped into place to give me the classic "pointed nose" cowl from the comics. I also made cardboard braces that fit around my wrists that got the scalloped spikes, all made from one master template. Once I had one that fit, I traced it onto the rest of the cardboard and made a mirror-image duplicate. (This was years ago on my first camera phone and I was working through the night to finish the outfit for the party. There may not have been process shots.) A hole punch along the inside of the wrist gave me places to thread the shoelaces and secure the bracers. SuperCowl v1.0 got taped shut with me inside for the party after I used a couple bucks of cheap eyeliner to black out my eyeholes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNfpI_6Z3MiZc4Ny1nwk03UTQgze3fdqJ5it4l4PPCtixOk2cUCICVIHs0UT2wAsefwyx80aZLzpZgeXCnwtV1AXyaaCMnDxZTmHoIxcmlqjrY3K7SbxyaodM8t1ek8qQnM9wJa7-7sVM/s1600/BudgetBat-Full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNfpI_6Z3MiZc4Ny1nwk03UTQgze3fdqJ5it4l4PPCtixOk2cUCICVIHs0UT2wAsefwyx80aZLzpZgeXCnwtV1AXyaaCMnDxZTmHoIxcmlqjrY3K7SbxyaodM8t1ek8qQnM9wJa7-7sVM/s640/BudgetBat-Full.jpg" height="640" width="346" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The shirt is a spraypaint stencil; the utility belt is everyone's tools.</i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6J67fe_QokjAOdJhoSVkcJr-1gmyVzjcX8ZDHb-wd3FyH5wQNZiC6tVLVcD4aVuwXcEseMYOFByLco1IGVt-jl52r3x2veowtZTRBE0GoHBEIkzMS4RDiZo0RcNi-gY_zgf_aBs3JgZ0/s1600/048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6J67fe_QokjAOdJhoSVkcJr-1gmyVzjcX8ZDHb-wd3FyH5wQNZiC6tVLVcD4aVuwXcEseMYOFByLco1IGVt-jl52r3x2veowtZTRBE0GoHBEIkzMS4RDiZo0RcNi-gY_zgf_aBs3JgZ0/s400/048.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WQf52JXJGt-Cmdyi7FLcMQWXewpPBhiHUDVn1C8HmdJLqN8Py2Mq_kLfsNNp9e3XLaoo6DgIWtFei0YJ5PDDQBxs8YqY_psQCcfsmS_w8Eq4EkuZ5nW98d_alnEChMk69JU2361yZUQ/s1600/051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WQf52JXJGt-Cmdyi7FLcMQWXewpPBhiHUDVn1C8HmdJLqN8Py2Mq_kLfsNNp9e3XLaoo6DgIWtFei0YJ5PDDQBxs8YqY_psQCcfsmS_w8Eq4EkuZ5nW98d_alnEChMk69JU2361yZUQ/s400/051.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The original laces were black. Those ended up in Converse years ago.</i></td></tr>
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For Captain America, more attention was paid to making the blue layer as smooth as possible. Shorter pieces rather than long pieces make this easier, because you have fewer complex curves that arise in a 2" x 2" square. To make the mask a little easier to take on and off, I reinforced the inside edge of the slit up the back with more thin cardboard and taped it both from the inside and wrapping blue tape from the outside to seal it in. Mark evenly spaced holes (I used a tailor's tape) and punch them with a hole punch to lace up the cowl luchador-style with matching shoelaces. For this one, a matching electrical tape couldn't be found, so all the edges were taped over with blue duct tape, then slit from the inside and folded into the mask. Eye and earholes as well as the mouth edge were done this way, with an extra layer of silver strips laid on the inside to hold all the little tabs down.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApPHv1XP9fGY1z8UEG2KYywZzsaTB-ulFwUYIIZgyDUvg2kGdpRpHizoUqzvK2zlR-idgn1lL2o6OGufRE_VrpLysVufgdVatOvlzqWrA3xjN72iiFqZqGBEeCodJJNIiVZj3R54qnfo/s1600/Hole-Before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApPHv1XP9fGY1z8UEG2KYywZzsaTB-ulFwUYIIZgyDUvg2kGdpRpHizoUqzvK2zlR-idgn1lL2o6OGufRE_VrpLysVufgdVatOvlzqWrA3xjN72iiFqZqGBEeCodJJNIiVZj3R54qnfo/s400/Hole-Before.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbnhrRXJm5H39ul25Bhonll_a42MM-zyQaBuKnRN6hcjJi72SQj26dAgOb2yqdVNU9CsTCj-YZtiDCunZwbpyMdnWGM5n6hsQFXaLdsaQpQDNNnReJ98NxXDKx_kjAONR-HTovepjNBA8/s1600/Hole-After.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbnhrRXJm5H39ul25Bhonll_a42MM-zyQaBuKnRN6hcjJi72SQj26dAgOb2yqdVNU9CsTCj-YZtiDCunZwbpyMdnWGM5n6hsQFXaLdsaQpQDNNnReJ98NxXDKx_kjAONR-HTovepjNBA8/s400/Hole-After.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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The wing-a-lings (is there an official term?) were made from cereal box cardboard, covered with electrical tape. Once again, a template was made, this time on graph paper, to keep the wing-a-lings even. I also used the graph paper to design a 3" square block letter A. A sheet of clear plastic (from the <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/05/designing-with-bleach-tardis-silhouette.html">TARDIS template</a> package) was taped over it and the letter formed out of electrical tape. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsJK5IctD1oh7PmP_-z9ONWBGtuHfJRCw47J3G-70XTY_xL-1jAiQfQD2WocmlDdhYkH6GgofABwjnU7InSsnOTzjX70aKRb44FfkKiKlobMnkAvezyENPzRshxhIfIiFHJMm3hxBQUU/s1600/A-Before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsJK5IctD1oh7PmP_-z9ONWBGtuHfJRCw47J3G-70XTY_xL-1jAiQfQD2WocmlDdhYkH6GgofABwjnU7InSsnOTzjX70aKRb44FfkKiKlobMnkAvezyENPzRshxhIfIiFHJMm3hxBQUU/s400/A-Before.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The A is for his middle name, Agnew.</i></td></tr>
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From here, I borrowed a trick from vinyl graphics installers and covered the letter in a couple strips of painter's masking tape, sticking it firmly to the letter part. Using something thin like one of those fake credit cards that come in the mail (Save them! Free plastic! Also good for prop wallets) or a single-edge razor (Good for scraping glass palettes clean), carefully lift the two taped layers together. The paper tape keeps the pieces of the A together and keeps the vinyl tape from stretching and distorting the straight lines. Any logo made up of smaller pieces of tape for a project like this could be transferred with this technique.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoiq1ijDh-6bR40yG7DuOn1fuunAlkuoBozf_pcyZAYRxp60B1rq_T53FRLhRNmpR5eqq3zdcSGJec2sNTplq13nY9w27T661x64pKOWfsFoM3OHIVyUJVKKLvP5uzWyjYAyneKucsYC4/s1600/A-After.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoiq1ijDh-6bR40yG7DuOn1fuunAlkuoBozf_pcyZAYRxp60B1rq_T53FRLhRNmpR5eqq3zdcSGJec2sNTplq13nY9w27T661x64pKOWfsFoM3OHIVyUJVKKLvP5uzWyjYAyneKucsYC4/s400/A-After.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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While wearing the cowl, I carefully positioned the two-tape applique in the middle of my forehead as straight as I could. Smoothing out any wrinkles, I worked from the center and stuck down the e-tape insignia until it was all down. Peel off the paper tape and burnish down the white stripes until it is firmly in place.<br />
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Laying a few strips of electrical tape on the plastic over my gridded cutting mat meant I could use a compass to trace circles for the wing-a-ling bases. Once those were attached, Captain America was essentially done.<br />
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As I was covering and edging Cap, the shoulder parts of the cowl got a little bunchy and weird. Once I got laced into it for the photos here, we snipped along the top of the shoulder to the base of my neck and smoothed it into place, overlapping the excess. A few pieces of duct tape later and the final piece was custom fit to lie smoothly under my t-shirt.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-WWgd9Iz0QDk1lzXhX-wAVNxzraCMWbMdnLQSwAxglpA3myGQj0cOYeabEv2pUVLDGdyQlDQ-n2LOmVuFgJhgOK0IHyzKGrTTL4622sVqRX577aeBjL6A30KzrSwqYIIXK9P0R1SUOEU/s1600/Cap-Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-WWgd9Iz0QDk1lzXhX-wAVNxzraCMWbMdnLQSwAxglpA3myGQj0cOYeabEv2pUVLDGdyQlDQ-n2LOmVuFgJhgOK0IHyzKGrTTL4622sVqRX577aeBjL6A30KzrSwqYIIXK9P0R1SUOEU/s640/Cap-Front.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Until you make one with earholes, you don't know what you're missing.</i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrMLsBwupBypdsWFZX0x3BonMi3E9vQBp1YlPrVwslMWleKBUDZu6kYklQCxo1WfA8jwt9WKqu_V0adZv-CO4Is36o0vQye4wikUmeNF5osmZBWYfFGZIqqCxYzRWQiEd73e8M431Mcw/s1600/Cap-Side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrMLsBwupBypdsWFZX0x3BonMi3E9vQBp1YlPrVwslMWleKBUDZu6kYklQCxo1WfA8jwt9WKqu_V0adZv-CO4Is36o0vQye4wikUmeNF5osmZBWYfFGZIqqCxYzRWQiEd73e8M431Mcw/s400/Cap-Side.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwl6I2WRhN4oQRK0TX0ORYTReZTXi0EearoY3PpGBSeDbth6n6isEdaMYZS5cEMsBCUTshxoYdpKmPCyJ4vEUC7Yrm47bGA2JYUWEDLl4mMV3NnO2l46-nTtu79tqZO2VcRMpCAn9SuJY/s1600/Cap-Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwl6I2WRhN4oQRK0TX0ORYTReZTXi0EearoY3PpGBSeDbth6n6isEdaMYZS5cEMsBCUTshxoYdpKmPCyJ4vEUC7Yrm47bGA2JYUWEDLl4mMV3NnO2l46-nTtu79tqZO2VcRMpCAn9SuJY/s400/Cap-Back.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The dainty little bow really adds something.</i></td></tr>
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Various heroes and costumes benefit from this style of duct tape model. Red for the Flash, blue for Cap, black for Batman. Get the camouflage duct tape for a Duck Dynasty/Deadpool crossover. Go nuts and let us know in the comments which projects come to mind for this style! Have fun, and don't forget to snip the nose hole.</div>
withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-82797490746673601492013-07-21T12:29:00.001-07:002014-02-01T20:16:08.654-08:00Budget Robot Costume<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLiSqKHz4QSthPGxYLxAzKmS3WuEotOmhAXPA7SR5fJDm3ULfmp_XpKuiRFAd4K_lioF7WkdvJvfC5FmcRBge0LaQ2M8NfwjOwIBPNAD5dZR1aRxojc9z4MAQGXEmm5E1KeV-0RmO8iPY/s1600/Robot+Stroll+Mod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLiSqKHz4QSthPGxYLxAzKmS3WuEotOmhAXPA7SR5fJDm3ULfmp_XpKuiRFAd4K_lioF7WkdvJvfC5FmcRBge0LaQ2M8NfwjOwIBPNAD5dZR1aRxojc9z4MAQGXEmm5E1KeV-0RmO8iPY/s640/Robot+Stroll+Mod.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"The survivors of the nuclear fire called the war Judgment Day..."</i></td></tr>
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You may have heard that I (J) was out of town for a few weeks. One highlight from that adventure was <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-pick-of-destiny.html">my brother</a> asking me if I was interested in serving as a robot back-up dancer for a show he was doing while I was in town. "Sure!" says I, because it sounds like fun. "Cool! You won't mind building the robot suits while I'm at work, will you?" "Sure..." says I, because a show with robots > show without robots. Who am I to deny him that happiness? With a budget of under $30, here's how you make two or three robots of your own.</div>
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<b>You'll Need:</b></div>
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Cardboard boxes, two per robot. Our heads were about a foot square on the ends, and around 16" wide. Bodies were bigger, but make sure that it fits over your torso.</div>
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Roll of aluminum foil. We used the 12" kind, but if you want to drop hella coin on the 18" stuff, you could probably get away from seams.</div>
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Scotch tape</div>
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Duct tape (silver, natch)</div>
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Dryer vent hose</div>
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Zip ties, 6 per robot. We used white, they blend in pretty well.</div>
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Bike helmets, one per robot. You can substitute dollar store helmets here, but my hosts had bike helmets, and the chin strap is vital to having a working robot head.</div>
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Assorted tools: Cutting implements, measuring stuff, wire cutters. I did these without rulers or measurements of any kind, and my main cutting tool was a bread knife. Feel free to substitute better implements, but necessity is the mother of invention.</div>
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Regardless of your personal feelings regarding our eventual subjugation under the cruel metal heel of the robots that we equipped almost perfectly to destroy us, few things (currently) delight like robots. A robot costume, even one comically designed to feel low-budget, immediately grants you an R2D2-like status as ambassador from the mechanical doom of the human race. Everybody loves robots. Remember saying that when you end up in the mines of Chiron Beta Prime. (Heck, this outfit might even buy you a few seconds when they come for you!)<br />
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To make these outfits for yourself, start with drawing your robot face. Luckily, there are a lot of options here as robots have a variety of faces throughout fiction and reality. After a chat with my brother and he pulled up some videos of robot performers he liked, I drew the following face:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8wMaP3mlqC_zdTO8rH9Jq4ms4gyPHCFs5_Wj5KFHXcVsJnt52ITFdp_T7yEVN78WIWIXGPu367CgX7C39CMNasWdDBsEbS91crWITXMVXDB6UYhjaOyzV_sJbeC92LQQVeqgrk2JlJA/s1600/Head+Lines+Mod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8wMaP3mlqC_zdTO8rH9Jq4ms4gyPHCFs5_Wj5KFHXcVsJnt52ITFdp_T7yEVN78WIWIXGPu367CgX7C39CMNasWdDBsEbS91crWITXMVXDB6UYhjaOyzV_sJbeC92LQQVeqgrk2JlJA/s400/Head+Lines+Mod.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts.</i></td></tr>
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Throughout, you'll be putting the mask on and off. Cut out the bottom of the box, leaving a 2" or so rim all around the bottom hole. That will help the head not get hung up on the corners of your robot body and help strengthen the head. And these will probably take some abuse, so stronger is good.<br />
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Notice the smaller pen marks in the eye holes. That is the center-point of my human eyes. The process was built around my head, rather than the other way around. First, I checked and made sure that my head with the bike helmet would even fit in the box. Yay, my enormous noggin fit! From there, I stood in front of a mirror and measured down from the top of the helmet to right in front of my eyes. That's the height from the top of the box for where those eyeholes got marked. Then I measured from the center of one eye to the other, and that was the width between those dots.<br />
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I grabbed a roll of duct tape and traced it around the eye holes, pushing the robot's eyes up and out from the center. With such a large head, the robot eyes would have looked squished and beady if they centered on my eyes. To make sure it would work, I stabbed two holes through the box with a pen where my eyes would be. NOT WHILE IT WAS ON MY HEAD! (I learned that one while making a similarly low-budget Batman mask... I might talk about that one later.) Put the box back on, balanced on the bike helmet, and make sure you can see straight out the holes. If that positioning works (mine worked the first time!), then draw your eye holes and go from there.<br />
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The mouth was something I sketched while thinking about robots. My brother asked from something grill-like, and I was thinking about teeth, or the mouth stitched shut (an image I use a lot), but I wanted it to be very simple and geometric. All the dimensions here were eye-balled or based on the widths of DVD cases and the aluminum foil box. My brother's apartment was not ideally suited to robot manufacture... Which leads us to the serrated bread knife I used to cut it all out. Work slow, and only cut on the pull and you can get very smooth cuts. Work fast and it gets crooked, and crooked doesn't look good on a robot.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLAfqCgTPNBNK_LYC-lbRJaXU4ThNbkQig2I8IR1OLmvQMjPhsK57RjQIeET9Agc8gbDfWMBbvPGdRFRviz7JVKIGp1DwfLQm1z41s8b_uowM7k576ruBMPkWRZ1q7alHa9IZF4W7NSA/s1600/Test+Fit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLAfqCgTPNBNK_LYC-lbRJaXU4ThNbkQig2I8IR1OLmvQMjPhsK57RjQIeET9Agc8gbDfWMBbvPGdRFRviz7JVKIGp1DwfLQm1z41s8b_uowM7k576ruBMPkWRZ1q7alHa9IZF4W7NSA/s400/Test+Fit.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Robot MySpace angle.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFp_PDcUtgNrVBhoT-UH63kO1TPe7qmL5GDehmXw90cohxLvdufivY4AYOkEFKoZtfOqnLroVHXOPfoc81p0gur6F4Jd7bIEJJJ-Y4J6jpyP97dic8uvi1WNkWtXJKPPC5ojRXekIb80/s1600/Robot+Head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFp_PDcUtgNrVBhoT-UH63kO1TPe7qmL5GDehmXw90cohxLvdufivY4AYOkEFKoZtfOqnLroVHXOPfoc81p0gur6F4Jd7bIEJJJ-Y4J6jpyP97dic8uvi1WNkWtXJKPPC5ojRXekIb80/s640/Robot+Head.jpg" height="500" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course I have a computer version... <a href="http://tehnameless.com/rpg/Robot_Head.pdf">Downloadable.</a></td></tr>
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If you are doing multiple robots, feel free to experiment with multiple looks. My brother intends the robots to be a staple of his live shows moving forward, so I've been working on some more designs, including one I drew up for this show with more of a gas-mask/rebreather mouth that was a little more sinister. Ultimately, we decided to match the robots (which is easily done by placing the boxes face-to-face and tracing the one you've already cut out), but this is the proof I texted him before cutting out my sister-in-law's robot:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPrF-WLwuX9OX4uc170-0DJytyCkR3JUNlCcgPQj069F_mtX89i5arEATVpI91KyyeYH_H7jwbUhrwcNWBNY4F9JXxqZ5b0yvCmEC92YjuQ_HdqM04GM1l8vaSRAwBYsvEDh-aHZPnEj4/s1600/Two+Styles+Mod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPrF-WLwuX9OX4uc170-0DJytyCkR3JUNlCcgPQj069F_mtX89i5arEATVpI91KyyeYH_H7jwbUhrwcNWBNY4F9JXxqZ5b0yvCmEC92YjuQ_HdqM04GM1l8vaSRAwBYsvEDh-aHZPnEj4/s400/Two+Styles+Mod.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The table is backlit by the sun. I had a deadline, not a photo studio.</i></td></tr>
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So, heads were done. I'll jump ahead and discuss building the body before we get to the skinning of the robot. For the body, you'll want to cut out the bottom where your legs will stick out, leaving the 2" rim like on the head to keep the body square. For the head hole, trace the bike helmet and cut out a too-large hole for your head. Comfort is pretty key, and the entire neck hole is covered by the robot head, so don't get stingy about it. Try it on, make sure you fit, and mark on the outsides where your shoulders are in the box. We can then move on to the arms. <br />
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The arms on our robot are the most expensive portion: Dryer vent hose. Few things scream cheap robot like dryer hose, but the package of dryer hose was around $21. More than enough for two robots, but still pricy. As it was the only expense for this, really, we went for it. Having marked where your arms are in the body, trace the dryer hose centered on the arm mark, leaving at least an inch of torso box above the arm hole. Once marked, cut out the holes. Try it on again. If you are satisfied with the fit, you can move on to covering the robot.<br />
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Some folks would spray paint their cheap-ass robots at this point, but I have two points against that: One is cost, the other is time. A robot costume has about 20 square feet of surface area. That's two to three cans of spray paint per robot. Meanwhile, a roll of aluminum foil (about $6) can cover half a dozen robots. Also, you have to factor in drying time and the fact that people are in there... Sam and I would have been high as kites in sticky, still-drying robots if we wore them as fast as we needed to for the gig that night. All things considered, it was foil or nothing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwQeC-FPVTtWmr7t9hFJ80luCU9Rbs2f6GUBV_x1HCKoTEhrf8ONhRhfe80MZzi3yGzD0t8mxgEyr_kyIHNzHy5SyGbciYmwykzPvLOaUvR8VlSY4SRtzwHoMq2yqnr9RbsdJGnwbyZU/s1600/Body+Angel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwQeC-FPVTtWmr7t9hFJ80luCU9Rbs2f6GUBV_x1HCKoTEhrf8ONhRhfe80MZzi3yGzD0t8mxgEyr_kyIHNzHy5SyGbciYmwykzPvLOaUvR8VlSY4SRtzwHoMq2yqnr9RbsdJGnwbyZU/s400/Body+Angel.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>And the final effect is downright luminous.</i></td></tr>
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The method for covering robots is simple. Tear pieces of aluminum foil that reach from one edge to the other of your box and scotch tape them in place. If the pieces don't meet perfectly, that's fine. Stretch out wrinkles as best you can, and stick down the rest. Cover the face and body holes with a single sheet. We'll cut them out later. For the bottom of the head and torso, don't both with foil on the 2" little edges. Once you've got foil up to each edge on all five sides of the box, cut strips of silver duct tape and cover the seams on the edges. Half on one face, half on the other. It adds a decorative element, and also protects the insanely fragile foil from bumps and dings along the edges.<br />
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Once it's all duct taped in place, you can cut out the various holes. Rectangles need to be cut out to the corners, so you have foil to wrap the edges and conceal the cardboard. Circles need to be cut into lots of little wedges so you can turn the corners over each shorter curve. Cut, they'll look like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5wvTJLMD6MEgIaO8Y2dJwqpGkyq_AkpMOC9Q90zOqedmDKQSOHNh20qaLCE4gvYpO4J6xV2AB9L1A-hY3l_WC3d2rwvI_fp0o248k69NXHfWGZ1A5xlY58qrZvCNMUAX23IVJtKHvKgA/s1600/Slit+Foil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5wvTJLMD6MEgIaO8Y2dJwqpGkyq_AkpMOC9Q90zOqedmDKQSOHNh20qaLCE4gvYpO4J6xV2AB9L1A-hY3l_WC3d2rwvI_fp0o248k69NXHfWGZ1A5xlY58qrZvCNMUAX23IVJtKHvKgA/s320/Slit+Foil.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MJntx5VdIB_1mqrRvGT-t9wCHhPlIHChY1ooyWzH5qZUwsH0WcaqlOoF3ll74dW1GIKMg0pmoceG0dVFJhG0fqZI_F08D6o0XJ0FYO4m156j3BWOKPtm708oPDqwUd8QIblflwccv44/s1600/Circle+Cuts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MJntx5VdIB_1mqrRvGT-t9wCHhPlIHChY1ooyWzH5qZUwsH0WcaqlOoF3ll74dW1GIKMg0pmoceG0dVFJhG0fqZI_F08D6o0XJ0FYO4m156j3BWOKPtm708oPDqwUd8QIblflwccv44/s320/Circle+Cuts.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Take each petal of foil and fold it back and into the box. Once they're all folded back, grab your scotch tape and tape all the petals down on the interior of the box. Smooth the foil to the edge each time and give it a gentle tug before taping it down to keep everything taut around the edges.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTrCgY5h79u4y1Ne06hSu63mPJOjVT5G4uWYiaY_sBbnxfP9TBTFl1oNsuYX7KfozhOff_dnfZv8amZaYwZxYJpXFa-8dBjbWxLcxfhzEA_Womx8BfG0UXGdOSlUtuQ6D_0dnxj48A_Nk/s1600/Finished+Hole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTrCgY5h79u4y1Ne06hSu63mPJOjVT5G4uWYiaY_sBbnxfP9TBTFl1oNsuYX7KfozhOff_dnfZv8amZaYwZxYJpXFa-8dBjbWxLcxfhzEA_Womx8BfG0UXGdOSlUtuQ6D_0dnxj48A_Nk/s320/Finished+Hole.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>*Examples may not contain actual robot.</i></td></tr>
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The last thing you'll need is arms. Measure the length of dryer vent needed for each arm and slit the heavy-duty foil they make them out of. We measured ours to cover our hands, but if you are fine with hands or will be wearing gloves or something, then feel free to modify to suit. The wire that coils down the length is one long spiral, so bring the slit around to one point on the wire and snip with wire cutters. Failing wire cutters, bend it back and forth at that point until it snaps. On your torso, use a pen or screwdriver to punch three holes evenly spaced around your armhole, at least half an inch from the edge. Stab matching holes in the vent. For the zip tie closest to the cut end of the wire, stab your hole one loop of wire in from the end, so that you aren't putting stress on the loose end of the wire. Thread your zip ties through the arm and the box. Don't tighten them all down until you've got all three started. Once it's all snugged up, your torso is completed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDpCYfDdSH-sSGTof1gbyQZosNNzeFbvMxb4434cewgCPZdiKrezlHdYphAHU0_quAVK5_7koEDswLVhG6AMqM8rm0hpzo6AK-Q4Sly6nvL59rAFWVEFQZb4MWLwGfKvdKZqmMILNMZg/s1600/Body+Angle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDpCYfDdSH-sSGTof1gbyQZosNNzeFbvMxb4434cewgCPZdiKrezlHdYphAHU0_quAVK5_7koEDswLVhG6AMqM8rm0hpzo6AK-Q4Sly6nvL59rAFWVEFQZb4MWLwGfKvdKZqmMILNMZg/s400/Body+Angle.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Note the vertical seams where we cheaped out on the wider foil.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikka0SZP92Kjl_2fAyBVrX5rGvYviQrGy5owWmIY-FV3EPE8Kl0CbcK-LRc-sdQNeY_Q2oGnRWtQzDhkAkYSaMfWc6MEknMIXM0pJYtNaSTTAdQ4Yn9FiaMEghyphenhyphen8PZKIAxXnzXaFyugPk/s1600/Arm+Joint+Detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikka0SZP92Kjl_2fAyBVrX5rGvYviQrGy5owWmIY-FV3EPE8Kl0CbcK-LRc-sdQNeY_Q2oGnRWtQzDhkAkYSaMfWc6MEknMIXM0pJYtNaSTTAdQ4Yn9FiaMEghyphenhyphen8PZKIAxXnzXaFyugPk/s400/Arm+Joint+Detail.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Snip the tails on the zip ties, unless you like pokey shoulder whiskers.</i></td></tr>
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If you want, you can cut pieces of black pantyhose to stretch along the inside of the face and tape them down. It will help obscure the head inside, but does reduce visibility a bit. You'll have to decide how much of a trade you're willing to make.<br />
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The final task is attaching your helmet inside the robot head. Center it and test fit to see the angle you want, and then start duct-taping that thing in place. This is one of those times where more is better. If you have extra-long zip ties, you can even try punching holes through the top of the head and loop them through the vents in your bike helmet. The first version of robot heads I helped someone with was a copy of the Daft Bodies robot last Halloween. For that one, my friend's head fit a children's dollar store fireman helmet, so we trimmed off the bill and punched holes in it to thread it directly to the box, with additional shoe laces punched into the plastic itself to create a chin strap.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU21dtKX_ZT5ofu0p36urpzG662yLkDvhNR8ljTTjyX0XXLAxsbmKmWkwdWJySVauNnRZ6ZGpkLT0iu-gfcruJpZdQkjP12UiPTKX2yuysgyp6ARA54W2oatYZkOawe90py9HsnuGUykA/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU21dtKX_ZT5ofu0p36urpzG662yLkDvhNR8ljTTjyX0XXLAxsbmKmWkwdWJySVauNnRZ6ZGpkLT0iu-gfcruJpZdQkjP12UiPTKX2yuysgyp6ARA54W2oatYZkOawe90py9HsnuGUykA/s400/016.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Despite the low-budget attachment, it worked for the whole party...</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzMMDwYfOGw4vn6ZWii4PcpoC8Yrg8zVXykfmAEQCMTLZ07-SxPYjIceTnDHejB9jQN1t42xxpIiv_VAKms4-_dX4uHyD4P88qQ-ImLU3SODIRU7ylDarh4lWVcGWUWeiaFUasDTsiDo/s1600/031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzMMDwYfOGw4vn6ZWii4PcpoC8Yrg8zVXykfmAEQCMTLZ07-SxPYjIceTnDHejB9jQN1t42xxpIiv_VAKms4-_dX4uHyD4P88qQ-ImLU3SODIRU7ylDarh4lWVcGWUWeiaFUasDTsiDo/s320/031.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>And stayed on well through a variety of actions.</i></td></tr>
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Make sure that you've wrapped duct tape over each edge that your robot operator's body will come in contact with, as cardboard paper cuts are some of the messiest injuries I've sustained as a crafter (parallel paper cuts with everything in the middle just shredded by the corrugation), keep a long straw on hand to help re-fuel your robots through the mouth-hole, and get out there! If there's any worry that the robots are limited in their mobility, allow me to assure you that <a href="http://vimeo.com/70294092#" target="_blank">they are not...</a><br />
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Have fun!withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-85270227301742443972013-07-05T23:55:00.000-07:002014-02-01T20:17:00.642-08:00From Concept to Completion: Bottlecapped Sidebar, Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIN4vBjKteiKMIbxzI27MtfBudDtDKHXqtUJ5Vt1tzm3dqFGaAXbGkVeOZMZLlFy8qrqAZvj4IfWg_t2AY-wtQXqKvTANjSANERHKSPUgWowedqTuUjJWgatgqdb-mouSqFlB9zSN99AI/s1600/1012817_637318412369_289090056_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIN4vBjKteiKMIbxzI27MtfBudDtDKHXqtUJ5Vt1tzm3dqFGaAXbGkVeOZMZLlFy8qrqAZvj4IfWg_t2AY-wtQXqKvTANjSANERHKSPUgWowedqTuUjJWgatgqdb-mouSqFlB9zSN99AI/s640/1012817_637318412369_289090056_n.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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A and I were talking through a need for a space by the window for some herbs and maybe a tomato plant. By the end of the night, we'd decided to build a sidebar with liquor and wine storage, a resin and bottlecap top, and a wine glass rack. You know how it goes.</div>
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It started on paper, a few quick sketches of a rectangular unit with slices of black PVC pipe to hold wine bottles. Once that got transferred to my CAD setup, though, it became clear we didn't need wine storage for 30-something bottles. We're lucky if two bottles makes it a week in our house, so less would be better. So that got broken into a few smaller areas, though we were still designing it with the PVC in mind.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15XbXUZru4xv345-ZuzQIz3oQOy8iSX3ULWVYjuZvvUs-t0v8z7ThPxMO3j9v7gb_nZ5G2LB6hctyfOTMz-cW9jt_US8THCjuNu7TUUgY26vthpAkGF6sVQczvYsBz3FeBcPYYJLPlX4/s1600/Bar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15XbXUZru4xv345-ZuzQIz3oQOy8iSX3ULWVYjuZvvUs-t0v8z7ThPxMO3j9v7gb_nZ5G2LB6hctyfOTMz-cW9jt_US8THCjuNu7TUUgY26vthpAkGF6sVQczvYsBz3FeBcPYYJLPlX4/s640/Bar.jpg" height="404" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This is how we spend a lazy night in.</i></td></tr>
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Two versions are on display above: The model to the right is more in keeping with our initial sketches: Lots of wine storage, little corner drop downs for liquor and utensil storage. That eventually evolved into the version on the left. 13 bottles, stored in PVC, with two shelves for liquor, a space for wine glasses, and a basket full of implements (wine key, knife, jigger, etc.) The little slot above is for a cutting board.</div>
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The original idea was bottle caps and PVC pipe, very shabby chic. As we worked up plans and a cut list, it got somewhat more complicated. A trip to the lumber yard provided everything we needed out of poplar (nice hardish wood with minimal grain and readily available) and we headed over to my shop at work to cut all our pieces. There are some tricks to all of it: Most everything is obvious rectangles, but there's a subtle curve at the bottom of either side (because units like these usually go against walls, and floors are rarely flat across 8" along a wall) and there's a small lip around the top edge that's only 3/8" high and an inch wide. That's a problem.</div>
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[Follow along: Most wood is sold in what is called "One By", as in 1x6 ("one-by-six"). Now, to keep things fun, a 1x6 is actually 3/4" x 5-1/2". You'll notice I wrote 1x6, not 1" x 6" which indicates a different dimension of board entirely. (Something 1" thick in a lumberyard is called "five-quarter", just to keep you on your toes.) I say all that not to muddy the waters of this discussion, but to let you know before you come down this road that there's some work you have to do in advance.]</div>
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This 1x issue means that something 3/8" thick and 1" wide is difficult. Lacking a planer (the machine that makes boards thinner) and the board stretcher still being mythical, it means you have to cut those pieces the hard way... It's a series of difficult cuts with a table saw that unnerve laymen and mid-level carpenters alike. My advice? Find someone with a planer. Rent it, pay them in beer, whatever. The things we had to do to get our cuts are the first half of a "So, funny story about my missing fingers" sort of tale. As always, safety first. Work at your skill level. And plan ahead. Once all those cuts were done, it was still a question of gluing it all up to make the top for our bottle caps:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>However many clamps you have, you don't have enough.</i></td></tr>
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Let me take this moment to sing you the glories of one of my favorite tools in the modern wood shop: the Kreg jig. (Friends may have expected "router" just then, but we're not there yet.) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LnhMFNqRZ4" target="_blank">This thing</a> literally changed how I think about building. Knowing which pieces butt into others, I was able to drill all the holes in advance for the Kreg joints and make all my messes in advance in someone else's shop. No other fastener has the flexibility and strength that I've found with the Kreg line of products. I've built whole professional shows where nearly every board has a pocket hole drilled out. This bar is no exception: All horizontal members were pocketed in, meaning no hardware is visible from the usual angles one sees furniture. No corner brackets or screws from the outside.</div>
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Not that it's all cut lists and numbers and dry and boring! Not by a long shot. We had gotten everything cut and sanded when we went to the hardware store for our screws and stain and everything else and found out that the PVC pipe was going to be $30 just in pipe. For what was now one of our least favorite elements of the design. But we'd already cut our shelves, so the amount of space we left ourselves was pretty well fixed. And we'd bought our "drawer", so that dimension was set as well.<i></i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bt6-nON08Nc-G8knBSbSE8bKUnzKYQPX-x_4_zwahR-_JD7KpGRDkpoJyy18xt3mrsNujt7LMvRJvdq-DB4sRLVDq3-fCJ7m0fwvwNOT5JbA0nBC3nsa_0LqpRZmg3qYNrgBvxqSYvU/s1600/Bar+Layout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bt6-nON08Nc-G8knBSbSE8bKUnzKYQPX-x_4_zwahR-_JD7KpGRDkpoJyy18xt3mrsNujt7LMvRJvdq-DB4sRLVDq3-fCJ7m0fwvwNOT5JbA0nBC3nsa_0LqpRZmg3qYNrgBvxqSYvU/s400/Bar+Layout.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></i></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Always dry fit. If something's an inch off, find out now.</i></td></tr>
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<i></i>Luckily, that is enough information to design from. So I drew up some new X-shaped wine racks out of crossing wooden plates with slots cut in them and got those cut out as well. Everything gets a good sanding, and then it's time to think about stain and paint and resin and... Other things we'll discuss next time.</div>
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<a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/11/from-concept-to-completion-bottlecapped.html">Stay tuned</a> for the final shots, downloadable build plans, and all the tips you might need to get building your own sidebars, bookshelves, media racks... Pro tip: Basically all of these rectangular storage deals are the same thing.</div>
withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-8121533813445755772013-06-30T19:44:00.003-07:002014-02-16T08:52:59.852-08:00Jewelry Box from Repurposed Cigar Box<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFCAW9Kk5SUe88Ji6M7g5KVQPO_-kw4LFInNr1XRowoKVvsVrludKKZ7X1P9OkdWOjt8RXsM8FeBa1XVzjphaMgApXyCBHiSwlNosU7bAuQEyatZx_umfBvUqaCXgvJNVlYYOdiFNevM/s1600/173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFCAW9Kk5SUe88Ji6M7g5KVQPO_-kw4LFInNr1XRowoKVvsVrludKKZ7X1P9OkdWOjt8RXsM8FeBa1XVzjphaMgApXyCBHiSwlNosU7bAuQEyatZx_umfBvUqaCXgvJNVlYYOdiFNevM/s640/173.JPG" height="550" width="640" /></a></div>
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We don't always make housewares that are un-geek-related, but when we do, they are classy as can be. This is the end result of having procured some cigar boxes at a yard sale (and another few for free at a cigar store!) and planning a jewelry box with the stated goal of keeping the design as related to the box as possible with minimal flourishes. We started with such a handsome box that it seemed a shame to decoupage crap all over it or cover it with Ninja Turtle stickers. Sometimes, we surprise ourselves with our restraint.<br />
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<b>What You'll Need:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Classy cigar box. This is a gloss black Cohiba Behike BHK box knock-off</li>
<li>Small wooden feet</li>
<li>Decorative jewelry chain (maybe 10")</li>
<li>Ornate mirror</li>
<li>Gold leather fabric</li>
<li>Spade bit to match small wooden feet</li>
<li>Small brass screws</li>
<li><a href="http://www.xacto.com/products/cutting-solutions/tools-accessories/tools-accessories/Razor-Saw-Set.aspx" target="_blank">Razor saw</a> (that's my brand, get whatever you like)</li>
<li>Pin vise</li>
<li>The usual suspects: Drill bits, Xacto blade, spray adhesive, hot glue, wood glue</li>
</ul>
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NOTE: It has come to our attention that the box we are using did <i>not </i>contain Cigar Aficionado's 2010 Cigar of the Year. Apparently, there is a robust market in fakes and ours is most definitely a fake. But we didn't buy the couple hundred dollar's worth of counterfeit cigars, just the box. For a few bucks. At a yard sale. Still looks really nice.<br />
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So you have this nice (fake) cigar box and you want to make something classy. We wanted to lift it up a little on wooden feet, but a really secure connection would have to be step one. We accomplished this by a lengthy but accurate process. Rather than screw through the bottom of the box (which is quite thin), we opted to drill out a hole for the entire stem of the foot to come through the bottom of the box. We carefully measured the hole centers and used a spade bit to cut out the hole. <b>Pro tip for cutting out clean, large holes with either a spade bit or a hole saw:</b> Start from the side you measured from, and go as straight vertical as you can. A straight hole means straight legs. Go until the tip of the bit just pokes through the other side. Flip your project over and use the hole from the center of the bit as the new mark to drill from the other side. This way, both faces of the project have the drill cut the hole cleanly rather than starting from one side and having a ragged exit wound on the other. If anything blows out, it's the middle of the hole and you can sand it smooth.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFyAoMceISVNDmsV5dpp5sIvYwubL8XSUQUxZg1Wuqi5IVRyYJoysij7xOFEYsseT0Ub-eOODWlZHO5N1Sp2YcBnsit7tKUIvA7vihepr30U2QqL-bS7QcJyoRIzWuPXHorPYVrlVKoE/s1600/20130505_111424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFyAoMceISVNDmsV5dpp5sIvYwubL8XSUQUxZg1Wuqi5IVRyYJoysij7xOFEYsseT0Ub-eOODWlZHO5N1Sp2YcBnsit7tKUIvA7vihepr30U2QqL-bS7QcJyoRIzWuPXHorPYVrlVKoE/s400/20130505_111424.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Start from here...</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20lEpVwYuN8Xr89acKb-8aFe1O8lVBmF_6nYzHi9iR5jpRHGxSFgHEiZKTPQeVqEABHHm2qf3yCGo2i6HpDSVfOq-BMIcVi8LWiRLiZn-93ctxrcuQhUwgUVMObWBUZBBKqyURhU3cLE/s1600/20130505_111436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20lEpVwYuN8Xr89acKb-8aFe1O8lVBmF_6nYzHi9iR5jpRHGxSFgHEiZKTPQeVqEABHHm2qf3yCGo2i6HpDSVfOq-BMIcVi8LWiRLiZn-93ctxrcuQhUwgUVMObWBUZBBKqyURhU3cLE/s400/20130505_111436.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>End over here.</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Once those holes are in, test fit your legs. The hole should be snug enough that the feet mostly stay in from the pressure of the hole. Otherwise, you ask a lot of your glue joint to make up the difference. Using your razor blade, hold it flat to the bottom of the box (like you're going to shave the inside of the cigar box) and bring the blade to the edge of the foot. Spin the foot and use the razor to mark how much of the stem you need to cut off. Imagine my other hand spinning the foot to make the mark in the following photo.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzJA0-f6csOQPT59I_BznheQiWHLM24evpJFSpKbRCi1gdIun0D2itut7kkcN_ElwMzn6MobzlhG3eUkkNgYdb8e_bxW4hYtzvOWroT829iEglPWRsKmVA7WIhcO16PReWjZukf3_-_I/s1600/036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzJA0-f6csOQPT59I_BznheQiWHLM24evpJFSpKbRCi1gdIun0D2itut7kkcN_ElwMzn6MobzlhG3eUkkNgYdb8e_bxW4hYtzvOWroT829iEglPWRsKmVA7WIhcO16PReWjZukf3_-_I/s400/036.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sorry, no animated gif of this one.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBFhU6oRC7kicwDLewbHttRY8Ff9kcfBgQmz-LFgVjn0nq4iKftM6bLwf0htboCLKgpNdoJdMY5CEfGx88iH-yIrlhBNQBetkOtSlwFWDz5UG9eZR9xStC-zTLzmt1j7X9NDF71eJwZvc/s1600/20130505_112637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBFhU6oRC7kicwDLewbHttRY8Ff9kcfBgQmz-LFgVjn0nq4iKftM6bLwf0htboCLKgpNdoJdMY5CEfGx88iH-yIrlhBNQBetkOtSlwFWDz5UG9eZR9xStC-zTLzmt1j7X9NDF71eJwZvc/s400/20130505_112637.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Very clean marks. Your pen leaves a much wider margin of error.</i></td></tr>
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Once you've marked all the feet (and maybe wrote down on the bottom of each foot which corner it was cut to fit, in case they're different) grab the razor saw and give a shallow cut all along the line you cut with the Xacto earlier. Once you've started the whole line with the razor saw, keep gradually deepening the cut until the end pops off. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmW6SD3Ims5m5_YOWRscCTMJ0k4fBWJRx7tSIyY7y238Tu6Z0LZHTRSMEWJ1-L160KUvPESl_Ox9qEPlx9KAByWhyphenhyphenu0CzVuiAbrBbECJZ5BWbO6dT6ipCIB3mjsrJkU1FM3oD1iDYKKW8/s1600/041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmW6SD3Ims5m5_YOWRscCTMJ0k4fBWJRx7tSIyY7y238Tu6Z0LZHTRSMEWJ1-L160KUvPESl_Ox9qEPlx9KAByWhyphenhyphenu0CzVuiAbrBbECJZ5BWbO6dT6ipCIB3mjsrJkU1FM3oD1iDYKKW8/s400/041.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Still no animated gif.</i></td></tr>
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We did our paint job with a gentle sanding of the feet (they were glossy and glossy=no good paint grip) and then attached them through a piece of cardboard with thumbtacks so they would stay upright and together. I pinned them to a piece of foamcore and sprayed them with a can of primer, let it dry, and then two coats of gloss black. Let it all dry, and then run a bit of wood <br />
glue along the edge of the leg and twist it into place. Clean up and excess glue that squeezes out and make sure it all works. If the nub of the leg sits up a little from the bottom, gently sand it down flush to the bottom interior once it's dry.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7sTDEqyKoiq93wrw7qt52rNddKzFQVa3FRCIu_s_QjC9Y6hhjv7v0ck2zs3L1LHrtaFvmd_Y8GJ0GRFtTF_85_JmdVjIGPxrF2Smurrtam0oBtVkn-pxFmsTVueBAse2Ku1gi4lCAnQ/s1600/20130505_114459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7sTDEqyKoiq93wrw7qt52rNddKzFQVa3FRCIu_s_QjC9Y6hhjv7v0ck2zs3L1LHrtaFvmd_Y8GJ0GRFtTF_85_JmdVjIGPxrF2Smurrtam0oBtVkn-pxFmsTVueBAse2Ku1gi4lCAnQ/s400/20130505_114459.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhBYRgU4Sr_BvHq3UZ5uBqvrTNvBn3AL-92HT-pYtF-SG1s3guLFxilnZ-wZAGEw8jDVhg3wrw6yYlErn39UsLCV3DduvbiSpsxy7g42Su-F5BPvAwvz6kcSHf1g4eoqdSha13VEMUvM/s1600/050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhBYRgU4Sr_BvHq3UZ5uBqvrTNvBn3AL-92HT-pYtF-SG1s3guLFxilnZ-wZAGEw8jDVhg3wrw6yYlErn39UsLCV3DduvbiSpsxy7g42Su-F5BPvAwvz6kcSHf1g4eoqdSha13VEMUvM/s400/050.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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Meanwhile, A was cutting the gold leather to fit the interior of the box. Careful measurements of the upper and lower lids let her cut little rectangular pieces of gold leather to lay smoothly along the inside of the box. The gold leather for the bottom of the box was a simple rectangle, cut precisely, dry fit, and spray glued into place. The upper piece was harder, because of our mirror. A laid the mirror on top, and traced the back of the mirror onto the leather. Careful razor work cut out a hollow for the mirror so that we could glue the mirror directly to the wooden lid and not sag from the leather, slowly peeling it down.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIZeIHn6YCAxfpl-Bf_H-C4JLf1OBNBC5kYaSk_NbUQQa7xMvRulLeKvpH8HxQ8CeIEV_7GqmJhQdXduPxpsgJIjUbYF2MeXuKW7jtWidbPqUlmUWXRYmVHAoR5cKuwAP8jg67Nwdq_4/s1600/045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIZeIHn6YCAxfpl-Bf_H-C4JLf1OBNBC5kYaSk_NbUQQa7xMvRulLeKvpH8HxQ8CeIEV_7GqmJhQdXduPxpsgJIjUbYF2MeXuKW7jtWidbPqUlmUWXRYmVHAoR5cKuwAP8jg67Nwdq_4/s400/045.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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Trace, cut, check, trim, check, nudge, trim, check, groan, trim, and eventually it fits. Glue to the upper fabric into place. We next turned to the question of holding the lid open. The teeny cigar hinges are enough for the lid, but not with the additional weight of the mirror, so we need to hold it open like the lid of a toy chest. This is where the pin vise and drill bits come in. Measure a short length of jewelry chain that will do the job but not get in the way of using the box. Mark the two points on the inside of the box, drill out a pilot hole, and screw the small brass screws through the jewelry chain to hold it open. We found that our edge of the cigar box interacted with the screws holding the chain, and so used a Dremel sanding drum to open a round hole in the lip to let the lid close all the way. Marking that was easy: Close the box, press the lid down and see where the screw marked the inside edge. Sand there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7IAxPkdIyIo8eKfIp2n213SLZUPf5s2eViTeZT0pnebEYMzt-L6C9VFkPeFop7JigLZk4b0Dh3J1lHBAAvKnze8qH0MQ_Cw3wcA6De9hWDwX8gILMCgQqyA599QlN961mCLfwNynNZNA/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7IAxPkdIyIo8eKfIp2n213SLZUPf5s2eViTeZT0pnebEYMzt-L6C9VFkPeFop7JigLZk4b0Dh3J1lHBAAvKnze8qH0MQ_Cw3wcA6De9hWDwX8gILMCgQqyA599QlN961mCLfwNynNZNA/s320/002.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPsXZ9xtFr7mWGplK3wzE5zNJKr6Mkc4HkVp_0z9MEygAquRV8f7LQbXxcJs0AxsmKyO-H3G_LZiBnWxDGE65Z0wM1VuhnpG2Nq7G800jUgMfA1cWpVPZTakoOKnHbuD5y4JrB6a5FhXQ/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPsXZ9xtFr7mWGplK3wzE5zNJKr6Mkc4HkVp_0z9MEygAquRV8f7LQbXxcJs0AxsmKyO-H3G_LZiBnWxDGE65Z0wM1VuhnpG2Nq7G800jUgMfA1cWpVPZTakoOKnHbuD5y4JrB6a5FhXQ/s320/005.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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Once all this interior stuff with tools and screw drivers is done, then glue the mirror in. Hot glue is enough for our purposes, just don't drop it down a flight of stairs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9lurzi91uBnyNwP68L3AqvlCmct-ByapZMTxxI1GLVJ4I9h42yhxxkts9HECBoXfMk8HvLXM6K4ezbaWwpDN2miLoOQI9lHUZkTQkZc-jbFRFC48PBfOCKCfWURNn2gcGZQyJt2_0cw/s1600/168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9lurzi91uBnyNwP68L3AqvlCmct-ByapZMTxxI1GLVJ4I9h42yhxxkts9HECBoXfMk8HvLXM6K4ezbaWwpDN2miLoOQI9lHUZkTQkZc-jbFRFC48PBfOCKCfWURNn2gcGZQyJt2_0cw/s400/168.JPG" height="295" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMCXpEnaMeav7iglevoEXkMzZ3OXrHwaaE71lvQnex8RDaxlMmBxJrWEPolr07K9sZ1zfIsfsw6o3aYzkN7i8JzUasVu3Rsqvjq8WNUM4Ciz7hW8u2qoz92G-V3K0iMCHSq3E_krct5Y/s1600/174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMCXpEnaMeav7iglevoEXkMzZ3OXrHwaaE71lvQnex8RDaxlMmBxJrWEPolr07K9sZ1zfIsfsw6o3aYzkN7i8JzUasVu3Rsqvjq8WNUM4Ciz7hW8u2qoz92G-V3K0iMCHSq3E_krct5Y/s640/174.JPG" height="552" width="640" /></a></div>
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While we will offer as much advice as we can on making one of these for yourself (as always), if it all seems a bit much I will add that this item is available on <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/155426333/jewelry-box-from-repurposed-cigar-box" target="_blank">our Etsy shop</a>.<br />
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhBYRgU4Sr_BvHq3UZ5uBqvrTNvBn3AL-92HT-pYtF-SG1s3guLFxilnZ-wZAGEw8jDVhg3wrw6yYlErn39UsLCV3DduvbiSpsxy7g42Su-F5BPvAwvz6kcSHf1g4eoqdSha13VEMUvM/s320/050.JPG" height="71" style="left: 427px; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 3764px;" width="96" />withourpowerscombinedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00365958766596847177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5073472372547401945.post-11815690746219893152013-06-26T09:48:00.001-07:002014-02-16T08:53:40.607-08:00Quilting 101: A Beginner's Experience, Pt. 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD79j-8WNqIXNH2Ngeba5svl6jb-fhoaJbOx52l6u91sw796GBk77TsGKFGfiNR9vY-aiimGLuZZltSZbL-knEY_PdC6uM1v_CqBpW9r9g2NTKuB1m8k4d05VhkrH-IHq1C2eOTkjG678/s1600/037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD79j-8WNqIXNH2Ngeba5svl6jb-fhoaJbOx52l6u91sw796GBk77TsGKFGfiNR9vY-aiimGLuZZltSZbL-knEY_PdC6uM1v_CqBpW9r9g2NTKuB1m8k4d05VhkrH-IHq1C2eOTkjG678/s640/037.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
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Assuming you read my <a href="http://withourpowers.blogspot.com/2013/04/quilting-101-beginners-experience.html" target="_blank">previous quilting post</a>, when we left our intrepid seamstress, she had triumphantly completed piecing the front of her very first quilt! Then, as these things often do, the project stalled out due to a lack of patience in trying to figure out the rest of the process. With J's promise to help and the project's deadline fast approaching (how <i>dare</i> my friend have her baby <i>early</i>!), I finally scrubbed the kitchen floor and turned it into quilt-making central!</div>
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To make the quilt sandwich, I started by taping the quilt backing to the floor, right side down. I made sure it was good and flat, but worked not to stretch it in any particular direction. This process is harder than it looks.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOoMC4LdkGFQJtMVsMyxGMxwMP6R5Ter2ghAtWfeDMxlvyFF8MYL864jxDfH17Iyjscf5krehKe4jnInFvbd8cyS-gjHGfK_rK5y4E5LJ0VR98KkOI0JAmI_AcuWgqKUhJNZhg1Sp630g/s1600/129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOoMC4LdkGFQJtMVsMyxGMxwMP6R5Ter2ghAtWfeDMxlvyFF8MYL864jxDfH17Iyjscf5krehKe4jnInFvbd8cyS-gjHGfK_rK5y4E5LJ0VR98KkOI0JAmI_AcuWgqKUhJNZhg1Sp630g/s320/129.JPG" height="310" width="320" /></a></div>
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Once the backing was down, I laid the next layer, the batting, on top of it, making sure that there was enough overlapping all of the edges to trim back later. Then I folded the quilt top in quarters, centered the fold on the sandwich, and carefully unfolded it to finish the sandwich. The most important part of this process is making sure the backing and batting are both larger than all edges of the quilt top.</div>
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In the picture below, you can see a pattern of safety pins holding the whole thing together. I started in the middle and placed pins no more than 6" apart. The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/First-Time-Quiltmaking-Learning-Quilt-Lessons/dp/1935726234/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372265102&sr=1-1&keywords=first+time+quiltmaking" target="_blank">book I was using</a> suggested 4", but I'm lazy and stubborn. For the small size of the quilt, 6" worked just fine. As you can see, I used more around the edges to keep anything from stretching or shifting awkwardly. The pins keep everything properly together while the quilt is being tied.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_MNYx_6FRLuT6Vsp5VyzUappyAEEa7m4kKX6jB-jkt5oZ7JKnD3PKqXiNwiE2P3A-9VU63m_ke0S5XLLngJ1ZyobOu30YWFmGTPl5WGUZ_DOER0HJH8trKRUWi9ya4Pqu_-91kQONz4/s1600/132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_MNYx_6FRLuT6Vsp5VyzUappyAEEa7m4kKX6jB-jkt5oZ7JKnD3PKqXiNwiE2P3A-9VU63m_ke0S5XLLngJ1ZyobOu30YWFmGTPl5WGUZ_DOER0HJH8trKRUWi9ya4Pqu_-91kQONz4/s400/132.JPG" height="400" width="388" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Full quilt view</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTp-dpd0sz3BzsimQ-ykyJcuOrDSPBQi8fedLlMsbOaAlMRhpnGp1wytNRvRjFV66mF67eN1D3uGz-Jmg3fLfqSJbyTB_e0T-_uJ_l6hU6bQhn94wan-tyoxFzsIgj8A2yHez69AHqjLo/s1600/134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTp-dpd0sz3BzsimQ-ykyJcuOrDSPBQi8fedLlMsbOaAlMRhpnGp1wytNRvRjFV66mF67eN1D3uGz-Jmg3fLfqSJbyTB_e0T-_uJ_l6hU6bQhn94wan-tyoxFzsIgj8A2yHez69AHqjLo/s400/134.JPG" height="400" width="323" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Up close and personal</i></td></tr>
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The book I used directed me to work my ties from the center and spiral out from there. Once again, stubborn as I am, I didn't do as directed. I wanted two different colors of ties; therefore, I tied across the quilt diagonally to keep my organized color pattern. Once again, this worked for me, but I don't know if that was luck or because the other process is unnecessary.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn81iZMHL8GzCbAqMjBahyOGONx9_xBJrK-ODyvCTDvVloZfI8eVTJ1QrvBhR7ub3QxcPQA0l076aBvUbrYFHVUw-LNGOSKG4QEIsHc86J-O2gBKIqWwRfiIMYn86YCyTBZhMF43m88tg/s1600/136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn81iZMHL8GzCbAqMjBahyOGONx9_xBJrK-ODyvCTDvVloZfI8eVTJ1QrvBhR7ub3QxcPQA0l076aBvUbrYFHVUw-LNGOSKG4QEIsHc86J-O2gBKIqWwRfiIMYn86YCyTBZhMF43m88tg/s400/136.JPG" height="400" width="323" /></a></div>
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For each tie I used embroidery floss and a basting stitch in the corner where several pieced areas met. I left long, non-taught spans between stitches which I cut later in order to tie the knots. These spans made sure I had enough tail on each stitch to tie a proper square knot. Honestly, tying the quilt was the easiest part of the process, save for the fact that my knees don't like my tile kitchen floor.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_nKccQCVQGMa6XkyIZseuXzUyHkqzKCLL0NiSjfy0vqJdviU7PzNAtZ31-dUv3C2Van5pMEqXGPVS35puKkUIJyHPnYhErpX6TgBRirSqID3pe3E0Z55lF8I2CUNNhJRIWdaxxc8Mq6k/s1600/137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_nKccQCVQGMa6XkyIZseuXzUyHkqzKCLL0NiSjfy0vqJdviU7PzNAtZ31-dUv3C2Van5pMEqXGPVS35puKkUIJyHPnYhErpX6TgBRirSqID3pe3E0Z55lF8I2CUNNhJRIWdaxxc8Mq6k/s400/137.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
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Once the basting stitches were complete, I cut each stitch leaving long tails on either side. The tails were tied in square knots and then snipped to approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inch. This is what it looked like after the ties, but before I had removed the safety pins.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxHr-ca9LG-kqNLMHpzHeEXpEY4jgRftiKl9BKnOLCoiNjok_E2YYNW3K30aaU8q-MGdscRBSQcIO-zvHfIpWjknTOHbGNxZgwbzOX2RrqLZJZi1wB92p-db1eOjMdaXeJIX6Dcz5yi8/s1600/138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxHr-ca9LG-kqNLMHpzHeEXpEY4jgRftiKl9BKnOLCoiNjok_E2YYNW3K30aaU8q-MGdscRBSQcIO-zvHfIpWjknTOHbGNxZgwbzOX2RrqLZJZi1wB92p-db1eOjMdaXeJIX6Dcz5yi8/s400/138.JPG" height="400" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Full quilt view</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTb4tUpl7TK7u5F5gvj652Htw73pMSkS4jHOs4RR9cSuZo4beg5APGZC6T98AGRmQ6nLFx8OwpG1wJVg-KgiB5sQgORQuxsEyd6753VHVqg_b-d4OQN22tjId2RE6ClS8eVr_1h7VFwcI/s1600/141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTb4tUpl7TK7u5F5gvj652Htw73pMSkS4jHOs4RR9cSuZo4beg5APGZC6T98AGRmQ6nLFx8OwpG1wJVg-KgiB5sQgORQuxsEyd6753VHVqg_b-d4OQN22tjId2RE6ClS8eVr_1h7VFwcI/s400/141.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Up close and personal</i></td></tr>
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With the tying process finished, I could move the quilt off the floor and away from Cat, who was very angry with the amount of water we had used to spray him for walking on the quilt while I worked. It was time to create my own binding, yet another process I had never attempted! Being instructionally challenged, as those who know me have heard me explain many times, J helped me decipher the 2-D instructions into 3-D language. The short answer for this process is that it's much easier than it looks. Also, now that I've learned how to make binding, I plan to use creative fabrics to bind future projects instead of settling for boring bias tapes and such for edging.<br />
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The only tips I have for making binding are to pick a fabric that you really like, since it will encircle your quilt, and to carefully measure, cut and press everything. If your edges are straight and your folds even it will make the actual binding process much simpler and quicker. For a step by step on making binding, check out the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/First-Time-Quiltmaking-Learning-Quilt-Lessons/dp/1935726234/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372265102&sr=1-1&keywords=first+time+quiltmaking" target="_blank">book I was using</a>. It, with J's help, was a pretty good teacher.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwC0Hta-SqN8Bf-e3SBC56Xx40FzOWHN-6UFrO4Z6uk8F1FLF20ORMYPllWbyjDWu8rWDd1Vc5UYWD9MfITLsXNGdTwnphvi2nOPqyTayvkBCD6o_XsUYA8XeC1v185gohj9qCbR-dbtQ/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwC0Hta-SqN8Bf-e3SBC56Xx40FzOWHN-6UFrO4Z6uk8F1FLF20ORMYPllWbyjDWu8rWDd1Vc5UYWD9MfITLsXNGdTwnphvi2nOPqyTayvkBCD6o_XsUYA8XeC1v185gohj9qCbR-dbtQ/s640/002.JPG" height="640" width="276" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A little more binding than I needed for a baby quilt, <br />but only by a little</i></td></tr>
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The importance of the photo below is that this pointed tail is the end you start with when you attach the binding to the quilt. Make sure to start with this end about 1/3 the way down one of the long sides of the quilt. This will be important as you come back around with the other end and want to tuck it into the opening made by the diagonal fold.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieio9BuALXq3eOd4kt9NYrHjftaduG5HGt871Ct6HzRLVlkv6qm-uQ3eupFV0TYWXjKoLL9J_J5nBJh2SjjGLFWZuRVkiDn7B0wL9-Rj3ct-tojnmytFUwzMQFX70cwla40M5YYCpTYyE/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieio9BuALXq3eOd4kt9NYrHjftaduG5HGt871Ct6HzRLVlkv6qm-uQ3eupFV0TYWXjKoLL9J_J5nBJh2SjjGLFWZuRVkiDn7B0wL9-Rj3ct-tojnmytFUwzMQFX70cwla40M5YYCpTYyE/s320/003.JPG" height="320" width="270" /></a></div>
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So, as you can see below, sew the binding's raw edge to the edge of the quilt top. If you're like me, your quilt top may not be perfectly squared with straight edges. The reason you see some quilt top coming out from under the binding is that I had to use tailor's chalk and mark where the edge <i>should've</i> been, to ensure the quilt will look right after it's bound. So, I guess I should say sew the raw edge to where the edge of your quilt top <i>should've</i> been.<br />
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When you get to a corner, fold the binding to make the 90 degree turn and crease all excess corner fabric upward so that it won't get caught in the stitching. That excess will be needed to turn the corners when you roll the binding to the back of the quilt.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69FQ1KMsqlzO1pIm6H7iYYKcv7f_ienwaDT8M1uZbMBFMuqfiBtLwBouq0pNC_B_uvwUq5iJJbsEeTdhnZKmKnrWpX4dAPh0uYxUNREXU15sxpZHR_HmZtKmBitGkWGOHC9PY9eiaiiw/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69FQ1KMsqlzO1pIm6H7iYYKcv7f_ienwaDT8M1uZbMBFMuqfiBtLwBouq0pNC_B_uvwUq5iJJbsEeTdhnZKmKnrWpX4dAPh0uYxUNREXU15sxpZHR_HmZtKmBitGkWGOHC9PY9eiaiiw/s400/015.JPG" height="400" width="285" /></a></div>
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Here's where it really starts to get exciting! Or at least it did for me. The binding has been stitched through all layers and trimming the excess fabric and batting makes it really look like a quilt! Trim through all layers by using a rotary cutter and straight edge laid exactly on the raw edge of the binding.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6KWQ-mTtTbtyfGmSMJkwIbQdVVjHpswkQBS4lmP14DRt3QVB4pJauhGas0OMsbnduzsdvBhZngMRNXL7YYkFG53VDt3ShNYwfNbiPGJ7yb-ALyVOw-F-ZpXavS_gvqVej_q3r4C9zck/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6KWQ-mTtTbtyfGmSMJkwIbQdVVjHpswkQBS4lmP14DRt3QVB4pJauhGas0OMsbnduzsdvBhZngMRNXL7YYkFG53VDt3ShNYwfNbiPGJ7yb-ALyVOw-F-ZpXavS_gvqVej_q3r4C9zck/s640/020.JPG" height="640" width="464" /></a></div>
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From here on out it's just you, a needle and a lot of thread. As for myself, it also included a television and a couple episodes of Covert Affairs. Episodes I'd already seen, since I wasn't able to actually watch much, just listen and focus on not pricking myself.<br />
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Roll the binding to the back of the quilt and attempt to do it evenly so that it covers all previous edge stitching and layers. Then handsew it down with a million tiny stitches. When you get to the corners, you should be able to origami them to cover the corner while hiding excess fabric. If you can't figure it out (because I struggled, honestly) check the instructions in the book or online. Once again, if you can figure it out once, it's really not that difficult.<br />
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At this point I'm going to apologize that this wasn't really a tutorial in quiltmaking. As this was my first quilt, I have no business in trying to teach others how to make something so complex, especially via blog. My hope, in all of this, is that by reading my quilting experience you might be inspired to tackle a quilt of your own. I'm already planning my second, and contrary to my expectations, making this quilt did not in fact scare me off of quilting forever. The accomplishment I felt upon finishing it, and the joy I felt when I gave it to my friends and their newborn was more than worth the time and effort. In fact, quilting may be one of the most rewarding projects I've attempted to date.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9oR_tHfazunMPHNMgxQwMas8HieJY31PNRkUxZij8vQuh82K2GggUPaA4GTALKVYolgbkTFTko_fvEJ_8PKM-uVVrNFEkXk465JKrYYrWxNRi_1AsK0MvHEiZoAJxWMSb5kFxxhlOrE/s1600/042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9oR_tHfazunMPHNMgxQwMas8HieJY31PNRkUxZij8vQuh82K2GggUPaA4GTALKVYolgbkTFTko_fvEJ_8PKM-uVVrNFEkXk465JKrYYrWxNRi_1AsK0MvHEiZoAJxWMSb5kFxxhlOrE/s640/042.JPG" height="640" width="510" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Happy Birthday, Baby Q!</i></td></tr>
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