Alack

Spotted a big kid wearing a big shirt sporting the motto "DOING IT".

Not as far as this observer could see, and that was okay.




This civilization is going to Hell in a handbasket, people.

Alas

Overheard in passing:

"I used to respect your mother%#(&!^* a**".

We all know how that sad, sad song goes.

I'm probably partly so amused because I got a piece of spam a day or so ago advising me that my own a** was appearing in a video at a particular online destination. Familiarity breeds lack of interest, so I did not click.

Sarah Palin as a wooden block (sculpture)

And the second one...to quote Neil Innes, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I've suffered for my art, now it's your turn". Andrew, it's yours if you want it - just don't use it on top of paper, way too lightweight.

Donald Trump as a Walnut (sculpture)

Another one to follow later today, if you read Andrew Sullivan you will guess who it is. As for the above, I feel I have revealed Donald Trump's inner angry bird.

Yet more art

Excuses

In the neighborhood,

In the neighborhood.

In the neighborhood.

   - Tom Waits

Hip or whipped?

Have now opened a second etsy store with vintage stuff, stovetop experiments and just wierd stuff for peoples' projects.

The title refers to this Evel Knievel figure, whose head sags forward alarmingly - if you turn it to the side, though, he looks as if he is deliberately slouching and smirking.

Every picture...

Sometimes I find things in the same thrift store that seem to belong together. In the background are two chesspieces, one of them a rook which is broken in quite a dramatic way, as if it had been knocked over by a Spring-maddened ram.Another photo on my flickr site if you are curious.

Character, tarnish and dirt

A little patina adds a certain something for fans of vintage, but not I think for this particular item, in fact its state makes it a bit horrific. I have just put it in to soak (one part bleach to 10 parts water), will take a photo in an hour and post here - I should add that I have a more or less knackered paintbrush I am using to encourage the dirt to leave. This is quite a nice color, I will not be overdyeing it.

Yup. If I had only been cleaning the plastic, I would have made a first attempt with white vinegar, But the crochet has lightened up quite a bit. I'm going to try leaving a little sink product with bleach on the little discolored areas which are left to see if that takes care of the remaining problem areas.

Kitchen Sink Alchemy #2

 Another thing you can do on your stove top...dye plastic stuff*. I am thinking of opening a second etsy store,just for fun, partly with normal vintage stuff and partly with Frankensteinian experiments.

This is just regular old Rit Dye.

Some of the things melt in the boiling water.

After this was taken out, I noted there was a tiny light bulb under the plastic flames. I wondered if there was (and still is) a battery inside, but Mina tells me probably not because otherwise it would have exploded (her sister , who is now an engineer, did this when she was 11). 

So, if you want to try this at home, with or without small children, check for batteries first.

And that's my advice for the day!

*Results will vary, buttons are easy,ditto artificial pearls, but otherwise rubbery stuff dyes better than hard plastic. But not knowing is part of the fun.

Kitchen Sink Alchemy

So I went to this link and found out you can do this cool thing with tarnished silver- just put it in a receptacle lined with aluminum foil with the silver bits touching the aluminum, then boil water, put baking soda in the water, and pour over the stuff in the container - big foamy action, you can see the tarnish in the water. I think this might be fun to do with kids on a rainy day. Above, before - below, after. Alot easier than polishing, and you don't end up with bits of polish enmeshed with the silver. I'll be showing some more kitchen sink action here soon. Did I mention my father was a chemist?

Tubular Peyote

It's not what you think

Regrettably, the photo above is of no help in understanding the concept, you will have to click the link. The author of this blog assumes no responsibility if you wish to try this at home.

Needles to say, I wish my name was tubular peyote.