Clowning Around

As you can see, I have not been wasting my time since my last project, although it wouldn't be beside the truth to say that I have been clowning around.

All the yarn in my goody-bag was the inspiration for this colorful bank and even though I had a vision of what the finished product would look like, it came out better then I had thought and expected.

This little fellow has no destination yet. Well, he is not that little. He stands 10 inches tall, has a waste-line of 14 inches, and a total width of 10 inches from hand to hand.

The slot is covered by the hat. The hat is attached on one side to prevent loosing it, but it lifts up and is adorned with a flower. You will also find the option there to open up and empty the bank.

Simply widen the opening gently, pull it down and you can either pop open the lid or unscrew it entirely. After taking out the contents, pull the drawstrings together until only the slot is visible.

Tuck the strings under the hair, cover the opening with the hat, and he is ready to go again.

I am selling it on eBay for $14.99 and it comes with free shipping in the US. If you are interested, do a search for 'hand-made colorful clown bank' and it should pop right up!

The Betty Boop Project

After having crocheted the banks for our grandchildren, our youngest daughter put in a request to make her one as well.

I had no problem with that at all, as long as I knew what kind of bank to make her. I knew she likes the colors red and black and after ample consideration I thought she might enjoy a bank with the shapely forms of Betty Boop.

Since I had no clue how it was going to turn out, I didn't mention anything to her. I simply pulled down a picture of the subject of the Internet and went to work. It worked out well and Betty Boop was a smashing success.

Besides the fact that she turned out a little too shapely on top and the dress could have a little more heart-shape to it, I don't think it was bad for a first try. It sure was a lot of work. I had to come up ways to permanently curl her hair, make bracelets, earrings, and a garter.

I was able to create the curls by using glue and letting them dry in their desired form. They stay even after opening and closing the bank. That is done by widening the opening on top of her head.

Closing it is done with the drawstring which is tucked away under her hair. Gold colored ribbon is used for the jewelry and yes, she even has real nail polish to show off her nails.

It was fun to do and so is the project I am working on now. I am close to finishing it and will post a picture of it as soon as I am done. You can take that to the bank!

Shedding Light On Arts And Crafts

How creative can a person be? Very creative, as we already have discovered after looking at all the different art and craft projects made from the most unusual materials. One thing they all have in common though is that they require good lighting.

When you practice your hobby in your shed, you may have to run electricity to it. That is not a simple and cheap solution, but you can't feel your way around in the dark and expect your project to end up the way you had envisioned.

Don't worry; someone put his/her creativity to good use and solved the problem by coming up with instant light. It is an ingenious design on a dime.


By putting some chlorine in the water, you prevent the growth of algae. One water bottle is said to put out the same amount of light as a 60 watt light bulb.

This environmental friendly technology is already used all over the world in the normally dark living quarters of many, less fortunate people. The water bottles even light up a school in the Philippines.

Of course they don't work when darkness falls across the land, but at least they shed some free light on the task at hand during the day. That is already a major improvement. Imagine what installing a few in the roof of your shed will do.

It would instantly brighten up your day!

Micro Art

Who doesn't know the Mona Lisa? You may not have seen this famous painting up close and personal, but there is no doubt in my mind you have at least heard of and/or seen pictures of it.

When Leonardo da Vinci painted this portrait between 1503 and 1506, he could not even have come close imagining how world-famous it would become.

At present, it is 'the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world' and since recently also the smallest.

Scientists have managed to create the Mona Lisa as wide as a third of the width of a human hair. For the more scientifically orientated among you, that would equate to around 30 microns.

They did this by using a new process which is called ThermoChemical NanoLithography (TCNL). This process generates heat which, in combination with a special dye, produces a variety of shades of gray.

It actually boils down to a chemical reaction and even though the creation was not as sharp as the original, it still is quite artistic to say the least.

The expectations are that over time the process will be tweaked and refined and result in much clearer images. It will be interesting to see what all this method can be used for. I suspect there are options galore.

We will keep it under the microscope!

Where There's A Will There's A Way

Summer vacation is practically over and for most of us it is back to the order of the day. It may sound odd, but I could use a break. Our grandchildren spent their summer vacation with us and those little ones sure knew how to keep me busy and wear me out. My guess is that many (grand) parents can relate to the feeling.

I also could use a break from this terrible heat and even though I am not a big fan of skiing like Scott Gelbard, the thought of those pristine, white, cold slopes is very appealing at present.

I wasn't aware of how many different types of skis there are to choose from and I wouldn't even have a clue where to begin. I am sure Mr. Gelbard could help out making the best choice.

This very successful, independent business consultant has found a way to incorporate and balance skiing, playing sports, going to the gym, and coaching a youth sports team with his busy work life. He sure leads by example and if he can do it, so can we.

I am sure we can find at least 30 minutes each day to dedicate to exercise or sports. It is not just for staying in shape. It is health and healing for mind, body, and soul. It rejuvenates and revitalizes and offers an opportunity to escape the helter-skelter of daily life.

All things are possible. Just ask ScottGelbard. He will probably tell you where there's a will there's a way!

Maori Art - Weaving

When I would ask you what Maori art is, then I wouldn't be in the least surprised if the first thing that comes to your mind are intricate wood carvings and elaborate tattoos.

Even though most of the Maori art consists of those forms of creativity, what many may not know is that the Maori people are extraordinary weavers as well.

For lack of the written word, both wood carving and weaving were means to tell and preserve stories and legends for posterity and some works of art are several hundred years old.

Weaving and plaiting was initially brought to the Maori people by the Polynesians. The Maori quickly put their own spin to the techniques and used what was at hand the most: flax.

Over time, they learned which one of the 50 different varieties of flax which grows in New Zealand would lend itself best for the project at hand. Even nowadays, baskets, floor mats, skirts, cloaks, and more are still artfully crafted from flax.

Their weaving techniques didn't stop there though and they applied it to make very creative craft and hobby projects.

They sure turned it into a fine art and you can reap the benefits of that. If you are interested in trying the Maori weaving, you will be able to find all kinds of Maori weaving patters including tutorials online for free.

In case you like to make this your hobby, you might be interested in purchasing hobby books on Maori weaving. Those are readily available and will keep you pleasantly busy for hours on end!

Art We Take For Granted

It seems like there are so many things which we take for granted. We have grown so accustomed to them that we completely overlook the amount of time, effort, and creativity that go into them. Maybe we ought to stop on occasions and consider them. There is no doubt in my mind we would be able to gain back some appreciation for those things.

A good example is the fact that we don't question at all if there are luxurious and stylish apartments for rent when we plan on vacationing. We simply assume we will have no problems finding accommodations with a great view, every modern convenience, and catering to all our needs and desires.

The same goes as far as Holiday Houses are concerned. We simply expect them to be available and, luckily for us, they are. We have the tendency though to forget how much work went into being able to offer those abodes to us. That is an art by itself and takes quite some skill, ingenuity and creativity.

Speaking of ingenious, how did your children's teeth turn out? My suspicion is that they are in good shape and nicely lined up. I sincerely doubt anyone wonders who made that happen and how. Whether it is a dentist tauranga nz or a dentist elsewhere in the world, a lot of arty work went into that. We may want to give them some credit every time our children, or we for that matter, flash those pearly whites.

It is odd how one thing leads to another. Writing about our pearly whites, made me think about our recently departed dog. She used to chew on anything she could find and that included rocks. You can imagine how hard that was on her teeth and the ones in her lower jaw had dwindled to almost nothing. It didn't affect her appetite by any means though.

We got her when she was only 6 weeks old and that cute, little puppy grew into a very pretty, loyal, and good-tempered dog. We sure miss her and it may take a while before we will be looking for Puppies for Sale.

But I digress. The bottom line is not to take everything for granted and be grateful someone is more then happy and willing to put their skills and talent to good use and to our advantage!

Hal Lasko's Work

After Hal Lasko had made his acquaintance with Microsoft Paint, he quickly mastered the program and became addicted to this digital medium.

From there on out, he dedicated all his time to painting on the computer, creating masterpiece after masterpiece and making a name for himself as the 'pixel painter'.

Even the loss of some of his vision in 2005 due to wet macular degeneration, and his hearing afterwards, haven't been able to stop him from creating his art. The currently 97-year old still spends about 10 hours a day moving pixels around.

Hal's artwork soon caught the attention of director Josh Bogdon. He documented Hal's story of 'discovering a new career well into his 80s'.

In the mean time, Hal Lasko's work didn't go unnoticed either as far as the art world goes. His work is momentarily on display at a local art exhibition and can also be admired and bought online. And he is not done yet.

Hal Lasko is a true inspiration for those who always wanted to be creative, but haven't gotten around to it. It is never too late to start as you just found out.

You don't have to believe me. Simply ask Hal Lasko. He can tell you all about it. Better yet; take a look at his art.

That says more then enough!