Driven to Font

I am fascinated by new ways of doing old things, and incorporating macro-engineering into micro results. This project has both.
Pondering the Gutenberg press and then watching this new way of creating symbols for language. Cool Beans!



Thanks to Lynn Viehl for sharing this before me.

Caine and His Arcade

Sorry about missing Poetry Tuesday, I will try again next week.

My Sis-in-love Lynnie showed me this video.
You can read more about Caine here  (there is a second video.. off to watch it now)

I'm a Winner! (and a link to a fun website)

You may have noticed that I have a collection of links to blogs I favor. I change it up every now and then but I try and visit a few times a week. One of my favorite places to go for a cheer-up is Mochimochi Land. It is a special place created by Anna Hrachovec, designer of cuteness extraordinaire. Last week she had a caption contest and I was one of five winners! (details are in today's post at the Mochimochi link above). She also has a website (link on her name above) featuring artistic photos created from her installations of tiny fun critters, as well as some animations that ALWAYS brighten my day.
For my caption, I won a pdf pattern of Plinky and Plunky! (all images from Mochimochi Land, link to Ravelry pattern page)

One of my favorite patterns by Anna is the itty bitty gnome from Tiny Collections 3 (and there appears to be a Jumbo Gnome on the horizon, too) but then there are the Flap Jack Frogs pattern and the darling (and FREE!) Hearts pattern, but another of my favorites has to be Tubby.

Thanks Anna!!!

"...of the month club"

Sparked by a recent Yarn Harlot post, I have become curious about clubs which, for a set amount of money, will send you a new item within a general category once each month for a year. In at least some cases, the cost per item is more than if you shopped and bought the same item for yourself.
I guess in part it is about the surprise (although some clubs tell you exactly what item you will receive when).
I had heard about such things as Fruit of the Month clubs or Jelly/Jam of the Month clubs and that seemed to make a bit of sense. After all a family of 4 might go through a jar of jam in a month, and not knowing what will show up might make it pleasant to receive those boxes in the mail. It also makes a nice holiday gift, that reminds the person gifted each month that you cared enough to choose this subscription for them.  That of course supposes that the giftee enjoys the items that arrive.
My mom likes a certain publisher imprint of romance books, and pays to have about 6 of them per month sent to her. They are often in series, which she and I both enjoy. I like following characters after the happy ending, and they often have appearances in later books.
All that sounds kind of fun. In fact it would be really fun to shop one year by matching the people in my life up with an ' of the month' club that they may enjoy. And finding those extra quirky deals would be entertaining as well.
For example, you'd have to choose just the right person to get the Pickle of the Month Club.
Perhaps Don's birds would enjoy the Parrot 'Polly Wanna Pinata' of the Month club. There are more birdy month clubs found here (including a birdy diaper of the month club)
The Jigsaw Puzzle of the Month club sounds like quite a bit of fun, too.
I am pretty sure our friend Chris would enjoy the Astronaut Autgraph of the Month club, he made a special trip to Florida to watch the final shuttle launch.
Oscar would enjoy a Beer, Jerky, Olive Oil, or Salsa club, I think.
Perhaps even a Bacon of the Month club. (Though we eat bacon more like twice a year :-}
Perhaps the most interesting information on the topic I found HERE. It's all about unique, limited edition hand made craft 'of the month' clubs. Squid paintings, a new one every month. Or perhaps a hand made doll.
Some of them sound extra charming, like a Painting of the Month Club where the artist not only sends you a painting each month but also (quoting the above article) "You also get a t-shirt, a magazine subscription, first dibs on any of his paintings, entry into a raffle, and (my favorite part) a free portrait of you and your pet. All for $133. Can’t beat that with a paint stick."
(image from Dreamstime)

My Favorite (so far) bit of yarn graffiti

I have no information about where or by whom this was done, but I love it! If I had the energy and time, I would consider doing something like this to one of my own trees. And if I had smaller trees.

Since this post a friend on Ravelry has found the tree! It is in Hungary! Details Here

Steampunk MAC

For this, I would switch from PC to Mac in a millisecond.
FULL STORY HERE

Great Swedish Commercial

A Truly Beloved Bug

Thanks to Alison who posted the link. This person must really love their Volkswagon Beetle.
Link is to the flickr photo below, not sure who owns the car.

Makes me wanna shop at Home Depot

(image is a screen capture, to see the video click the link below)

Home Depot in Bangor, Maine has great customer service

June Already

This year seems to be so disjointed and moving so very quickly. I spent the first three months sick most of the time then the next month scrambling to try and catch up. Then Oscar's job disappeared and we've been busting our butts to get some Ebay sales rolling in (all the while I was still trying to catch up with designing and reviewing). Now it is June, the first half of the year is almost gone and life looks so different now than it did in January. We are still busting butt on Ebay and I have had even more patterns ideas join the queue waiting to be born while working to finish the Kaleidoscope shawl.
The biggest thing to happen this week was the arrival of a long-awaited book co-written by my friend Deb Robson. I had to wait until I could find it on sale and used the proceeds from yarn sales to cover the cost. I normally would not have spent the money while things are in such flux but this is a treasure I will refer to for years to come. As things go, by next year the book may be less available and cost quite a bit more (although I hope for Deb and Carole Ekarious' sake sales demand a reprint). It is a book unlike any other in the fiber arena that compares and contrasts fibers from several different types and breeds of animal with meticulous information on using that fiber in many types of hand and machine work.  It is brilliant, comprehensive and gorgeously designed. What is this treasure? The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook from Storey Publishing (the link says coming soon but it is available right now). I am only a fraction of the way through it but already I am caught by the desire to do something to help the endangered fiber breeds, perhaps adding some information on what type of scarce fiber would work for some of my existing patterns or perhaps reviewing some of the yarn produced by the small-business crafters from those yarns. I am still mulling over ideas. I have plenty of time to think because it will likely be a year before I can put any plans into the implementation stage.
Anyhow, this month will be much like last month except that Oscar will be gone more and the ebay stuff will depend more on me. And I plan by this time next month to have the Kaleidoscope pattern out for testing and to be working on some other patterns. Just a short incomplete mental count gives me a list 8 items long of patterns already partially completed.
Reviewing is going quite well, I have already submitted 12 reviews in June. I hope to keep up the pace as there are more waiting on the shelf and a few more arriving soon. Good thing I like staying busy!
Now it's time to close. Amanda, Sean, Isabella Rose and Scott are arriving for a small cookout in a few hours  and we are not even CLOSE to ready.

The Movie The Boat that Rocked / Pirate Radio

Highly Recommended. Best movie I've seen in years. Watch it.

The Boat That Rocked / Pirate Radio

Bra Supports Japan on the Two-Month Anniversary of the Quake

From CNET's Leslie Katz:

Triumph International Japan model Hikaru Kawai, who's from Sendai, joins a mannequin to model a "Support Japan Bra" and matching wraparound skirt in Tokyo today, the two-month anniversary of the quake and tsunami.

(Credit: AFP Photos/Yoshikazu Tsuno)

We have uplifting news from Triumph International, the company that brought us the solar-panel bra, the husband-hunter bra, and the environmentally minded No Plastic Shopping Bag Bra, among other novelty lingerie.
Today, on the two-month anniversary of the Japanese quake and tsunami, the company unclasped the "Support Japan Bra", a strapless bustier and matching skirt covered in encouraging messages to disaster victims delivered from around the world.
Now, it's probably safe to assume novelty lingerie isn't a priority for the many people still reeling from the epic natural disasters. Still, encouraging words from the global community, be they delivered by disaster relief agencies, social media, or brassieres, will hopefully remind victims that they're still very much in hearts and minds around the world.
The bra delivers 54 encouraging messages from 36 countries, and if you look closely at the picture above (hey, hey, not that closely!), you'll notice a range of languages scrawled on the undergarment alongside images of flags from countries including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Israel, Argentina, Switzerland, and Germany.
"Japan, with you 100%" reads a message from France. Reads another from China, "Those who have already left us let us know life is so fragile, and those who are alive let us know life is so strong." The Support Japan Bra is not for sale--yet, at least.
Hikaru Kawai, a Triumph representative from hard-hit Sendai who modeled the ensemble at today's unveiling in Tokyo, said she read every message herself.
We're not sure who, exactly, penned these messages (it looks to be staff from Triumph affiliates and not foreign ministry representatives), and it's clearly a PR stunt. Still, we have to credit Triumph International Japan for donating 62,000 units of women's underwear (regular ol' undies, not the kind covered in international messages) for distribution to Japanese women in need.

Read more

Fabric Strips to Rag Rug, Combination of Fabric and Knitting

I read a blog named The Pea Pink Rose Garden, or a ervilha cor de rosa  in the author's native Portuguese.
Her March 4th post is very cool. (link is to an English translated page). She showed photos in enough detail to teach the making of a rag rug using strips of fabric and knitting. (Please note the technique used for knitting is the type where the yarn is held around the back of the neck. To emulate, simply add the strips when working the purl side of the fabric in whatever technique of knitting (Continental, English, Combination etc) you prefer.
The knitted rag rugs I am familiar with consist of making strips of fabric then sewing them together to create a fabric yarn, which is then knitted with standard techniques. These rag rugs are very different. The strips are cut into equal lengths and perhaps half inch wide widths (the text says 3 cm) (I'm guessing the fabric is torn to separate the widths). then as you knit along, from the back of the work you wrap a strip of fabric around the yarn in a similar way you would snug a bead up close to the work, then you continue knitting until it feels like the right time to add another strip. It gives a very cool shaggy appearance to the created fabric.

From the english translation and the photos provided, it appears you knit some stitches to get in from the edge, then place a strip of fabric between the needles so that it lies on the knitted work from front to back. Take the next (purled) stitch as usual which traps the fabric strip. Then take the back part of the fabric strip and flip it forward between the needles and take another purl stitch to secure it.
I encourage you to visit Rosa's blog yourself, the photos very clearly show the steps involved.
(Photo above was taken from a Postcard published by the Association of Ethnographic Montemuro, which Rosa shared via Flickr)

Beautiful Underwater

A beautiful partnership between artist and the sculpting power of ocean life.

See the entire installation here:

http://www.underwatersculpture.com/

Cool Food Court Surprise

With thanks to Don!

"http://www.AlphabetPhotography.com - On Nov.13 2010 unsuspecting shoppers got a big surprise while enjoying their lunch. Over 100 participants in this awesome Christmas Flash Mob. This is a must see!

This flash mob was organized by http://www.AlphabetPhotography.com to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Special thanks to Robert Cooper and Chorus Niagara, The Welland Seaway Mall, and Fagan Media Group."

Pretty Car (and cool environmental steps)

Sorry for the absence, we're fighting chest colds this week.

In the meantime, here's a pretty car to look at :-}

It' the G Oil ORECA FLM09 LMPC car run by the Green Earth Team Gunnar in the American Le Mans series) It's the first Series car to use the environmentally safer G Oil.

Rug Weaving- Communally

Maker Faire Folk

There were some interesting people at Maker Faire, as you can imagine. In an earlier post I shared an image of a fellow using two phones to make video, here I share Inspector Gadget, Red Green made from duct tape, and a Jules Verne fan. And yep, I have more Maker Faire to share this week, although I didn't see any technology directly suited for handicap adaptability. Maybe next year. I am already looking forward to that adventure, and plan to go for both days.

Voltek A2, the Wind Assisted Car

One of the coolest things we came across at Maker Faire was the area containing new car concepts.

I was flagging by that time and didn't grab info on everything. My brother works for a company called Voltek, so this particular car stood out to me. When I did a bit of research today, I found an Italian article that I translated using the 'translate this page' function of Google.

The English is a bit odd, but I think you can get the salient points. Besides, reading the translation adds a certain flavor :-}

A2 Voltek the American who travels to wind turbines

Produced by Douglas Amick, drawings of her father James aeronautical engineer, the car has two seats and even a motor batteries. A big arc back to work and takes the wind turbine

In other words, the A2, which was originally built by the late father of Douglas Amick, James, an aeronautical engineer and inventor. Besides having originally an aluminum engine battery was designed with a bow on the rear aerodynamic aerodynamic arc This helps to propel the vehicle through the wind flow through it.

How does Voltek A2? the airflow that reaches the vehicle from any angle when it passes through the arc produces a kind of turbine effect and applies a force on the back of the A2, giving him the impetus that causes the movement. It seems that the speed achieved by this vehicle is a wind of 150 mph. But the data does not need to swear.

PHOTO GALLERY

Funny Cars

There were lots of forms of transportation featured at the Maker Faire; not unexpected seeing as it was held at the Henry Ford Museum parking lot. Today I'm sharing photos of a beautiful old truck, and a few cars people spent a HUGE amount of time on. The fishy car gave concerts, too.

Tomorrow, a few cars of the future (wow, they were SO cool.)