Rwwaaarrrr! A dinosaur at my table.

A DIY from Three Little Monkeys

T-Rex might want to eat some cookies, but he can't reach them with his tiny little arms.  If plain white isn't your style, try paint in a neon or metallic.  The paint may not be food-safe, so put some paper down first.  I haven't tried this tutorial myself, but I can imagine finding the balancing point would be the only tricky part. There are some really cute, crafty ideas of what to do with plastic dinosaurs and other animals.  Fridge magnets, pots for small plants, book ends, toothbrush holders....but first, here is one from a cute blog called Three Little Monkeys:

Materials:

• Hard plastic dinosaur toy (it needs to be sturdy and balanced).
• Small melamine plate
• Sand paper
• Adhesive 
• Spray paint 
• Hand held saw

Directions

1. Use the handsaw to cut off your dinosaur’s head just above the shoulders. Use firm but steady strokes to keep your cut level. Use the sandpaper to smooth the edges of your cut.
2. Use the sandpaper to lightly sand the surface on the bottom and top of the plate where you will be adhering the dinosaur. No need to sand the entire surface.
3. Apply your adhesive to the body and plate. My adhesive recommends applying to both items you want to glue together, and allow them to set for 5-10 minutes BEFORE adhering. When ready, attach the plate to the body. Touch ups can be done around the glue site with a damp paper towel. Allow to cure for 24 hours.
4. Once the body and plate have dried and cured, prep the dinosaur’s head and attach to the plate. You will need to eyeball it from the side and front before attaching to make sure it is in the right spot. Perform any touch ups and allow to cure for 24 hours.
5. Once completely dried, you can start painting. Spray paint from all angles and underneath. I like to spray one coat at a time every 20 minutes or so to avoid drips and get the best coverage.

I swallowed a bug.....

Insects glued onto a headband and sprayed gold.
I found this photo at www.trendhunter.com

Do you like this shiny planter?

A DIY planter from
www.thethrillzofhillz.blogspot.no

How to create your own galaxies....

Go where no fingernails or t-shirt has gone before:

Find the full tutorial here:  Galaxy Fingernail Tutorial

How about a shirt you can really feel spaced-out in?

Using a t-shirt, bleach and fabric paints

  Brilliant tutorial.  I like her technique here, but I could see using more colours.

another demo using more colours:  

Here is some inspiration:  

(images from http://www.fanpop.com)

When Christmas crafting and science collide....

Or... when cellular biologist get creative.

This stunning image was made by Dr. Donna Stoltz of the University of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.  She took mammalian cells and stained them and arranged them into this lovely, holiday image.  To see more:     Nikon's small world photography competition

Overdue for a post, I KNOW!

Sorry, sorry.  It wasn't my fault.  Really.  It was friendship's fault.  
This past week I was helping a friend with writing a document in English.  She does a damn fine job herself, but she needed me to just do some bits of editing for her.  I admire anyone who can write well in a language that wasn't their mother-tongue, and she writes well in THREE languages.  We had to hurry and get it done so it literally took up every free waking minute, as well as displaced some of my sleep.  It really did remind me of how much I miss school and writing.  Maybe there will be more writing in my future, who knows? 

Side table from 'Twisted' now at Pryd

Lille Design with super sweet things for
any kid and anyone who is a kid at heart

Today, I spent the day with the group at Pryd in Trondheim.  We welcomed new members and moved around the whole store and freshened up bits and pieces.  The place looks great with some fresh new faces and the wonderfully creative pieces they make.
Here are just two of examples.  I'll take more pictures and you can keep up to date with what is going on at the store at http://prydbutikken.blogg.no/  


I found my nålbinding needle, finally.  I was in quite a bit of panic about it.  You see, it is made from mammoth tusk.  It is rare and very precious to me.  I plan on doing a bit of filming of a tutorial, so watch this space.  
Don't forget about Venus' transit on the 5 of June and I hope you all watched the Space X / NASA mission that got the first private cargo to the International Space Station.  If not, here's to make up for missing my science instalment this weekend.  I am thinking that you all forgive me because it has been a 3 day weekend.  
Youtube videos below show the full launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 and then the Dragon capture by the International Space Station.  We were so excited.  

Recycling old vinyl LPs......

Respect the Music

The first rule of recycling old vinyl is :  Respect the music.  Make sure they are scratched and unwanted by anyone else who may want them for their music.  I say the same thing about ripping apart old books, but...um.. not the music bit, obviously.  You would read books, wouldn't you...ermmm, but you understand what I am getting at.  I would feel mortally wounded if someone ripped apart a book of Shakespeare's works, or poems by Emily Dickinson.  There are people who walk among us who feel the same about Pink Floyd or Nirvana on vinyl.  Tread lightly.  Check the internet.  You don't want to destroy a collector's item.  That being said.....

Be supercreative by knowing your material

There are some really neat things that can be made from old vinyl records.  You may know by now, or you will learn soon, following my blog, that I don't always just give out tutorials that are brief and full of pictures and demonstrations when there is some 'science learnin' to be done.  I assume people want to know WHY it works and why the material does that, so I find out and tell you.  The more we know about the materials we work with, the better we can master them and create really cool stuff, and be safer from injury and harming the environment.
Vinyl records are polyvinyl chloride, more commonly known as PVC. Yes, just like the pipes around your house.  PVC is a very inert plastic, meaning it doesn't react or degrade with fluids or other things it comes into contact with.  When burned, though, it gives off dioxins.  Dioxins are a serious health hazard, so do not burn the LPs.  Heating to a low melting point is OK, but catching on fire is not.  If you are throwing away LPs, ask your local authority if your trash is burned.  You don't want to have your LPs burned and add dioxin into our atmosphere, so be informed about your garbage and where it ends up.  Remember, there is no 'away'.  'Away' is your back yard or someone else's.  
PVC will start to melt and deform at 250F or 121C.  Pouring boiling water over a thin vinyl record is enough to make it bend.  Dropping an LP in a big pot of boiling water will also melt it, but then you have boiling water and steam to deal with and that seems slightly more injurious than being careful about melting PVC in the oven.  As long as you don't go over 200C or catch the LPs on fire, you don't have to worry about toxic fumes.  It was around 1948 when LP's were being made from PVC for the commercial market, but they were much thicker.  The ones people craft with are the thinner ones from more recent history, so look for music from the late 70's onward that should be a safe bet for the right material.  (Anything disco, IMHO)

Techniques

Set your oven between 150C and 200C.  WARNING: Do not exceed 200C or you risk getting nasty fumes.  

photo from craftbits.com

For a simple bowl, you can set the LP on top of an upturned, oven proof bowl.  As the LP melts, it will fall over the bowl, taking that shape.  You can pull it out early, after about 5 minutes, and have it less formed with large bulges around the edges, or you can leave it in for a few more minutes and the PVC will actually shrink around the form of the upturned bowl, forming a more even, but not perfect by any means, lip around the edge.  Pull it out with hot pad holders.  Let it cool and it should pull right off the upturned bowl.
For a fancier bowl or to create a more free form shape, set the LP on a cookie sheet, covered in aluminium foil.  Set it in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes.  Set it inside a bowl or another shaped dish form and press the middle to the bottom and shape the sides how you want them.  If it gets stiff before you are finished, set it back in the oven for a minute or so to soften.  You can form the LP over the side of a table, making a 90 degree angle and make bookends. You can form the LP over a really thick book or books covered in baking paper and make it into a form that could be used as a napkin/serviette/letter holder.
   

Picture from buygreen.com

For bracelets or to cut the LP into strips, put it on the covered cookie sheet and set in an oven no hotter than 200C, again, for about 5 minutes.  You have to cut it really fast when it comes out, so take it out on the cookie sheet, and put the cookie sheet on a heat resistant surface.  Use a roller cutter to cut the LP into the size strips or pieces you want and let them cool.  Don't worry if they are a little wavy around the sides because to form them into bracelets and/or cuffs, you are going to heat them up again and shape them when they come out.  Find glasses or glass jars that about the diameter of a bracelet that will fit your wrist, or whom ever they are going to end up on.  Put the pieces, or piece back on the cookie sheet and melt again. If you are working alone, you will want to do one bracelet at a time. When you pull it out, work fast, with silicone gloves or oven mitts on, and mould the bracelet around the glass.  You can embellish them, paint them, make holes in them with a dremel and attach charms or chains.  (Just an aside, a Dremel is on Nerdy Girl's birthday wish list) 

Painted with acrylics first and sealed with a
semigloss polyurethane to finish and
protect the paint and make the bowl food safe.
Available from Eye Pop Art at her Etsy shop. 

If using it for food or snacks, I would line the bowl with a paper towel or serviette.  You don't want to wash these bowls because of the paper label on them.  Just wipe them clean.  


Here is a link to find some inspiration:  cleverly recycled vinyl records  (my personal favourite is the squid.)


As always, leave a comment or question below and thanks so much for reading.

We are looking for a few good creators.  Make stuff?  Have passion for what you create and want to share it with others? Show it in a space with others with the same passion.
Contact us.  prydbutikken@gmail.com   web:  www.pryd.no

A crafty tute with a superhero twist.

It helps that I also have a crush on the website.  It's called madartlab.com and it bills itself as 'a group blog about the intersection of science, skepticism, and art.'  Give them a look and tell them I sent you.  
Yes, it is superhero shoes.  Bling out an old boring pair of shoes.  Why not?

Full tutorial from madartlab.com

and because I missed Science Saturday yesterday, here is some space candy....

Space.  The real thing.  Not CGI

or... why I love science.

goosbumps.

Gin and Tonic, Nerdy Girl Style

Summer's coming.... 

Why not build your own soda maker?
http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/how-tuesday-build-your-own-seltzer-maker/



Nerdy science tip:  Use refrigerated water.  Cold water absorbs more CO2.  
From Howcast.com a recipe for tonic syrup.  I haven't tried this, but it looks good.  Add gin and a beautiful view and sunshine and you are set for summer.

Tonic Syrup

You Will Need

• 4 c. water
• 3 tbsp. cinchona
• 6 tbsp. citric acid
• 3 limes
• 3 stalks of chopped lemongrass
• 3 c. sugar
• A bottle or container
• Soda water
• Large saucepan
• Mixing spoon
• Strainer
• Coffee filter
• Allspice berries (optional)
• Salt (optional)
• Coriander (optional)
• Orange peel (optional)
• Bitters (optional)
• Lemons or limes (optional)

1. Step 1

   Combine ingredients

   Put all of the ingredients except the sugar in the saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil.
2. Step 2

   Simmer

   Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Tip
   Spice to your taste with allspice berries, salt, coriander, orange peel, bitters, and lemons or limes.
4. Step 3

   Strain

   Remove the mixture from the heat and strain out all the solids with a fine strainer.
5. Step 4

   Repeat straining

   Strain the mixture again, this time through a coffee filter.
6. Step 5

   Add sugar

   Put the strained mixture back into the pan, bring it to a simmer, and add the sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
7. Step 6

   Refrigerate

   Pour the syrup into a bottle or container that can be tightly sealed and refrigerate.
8. Step 7

   Add syrup and serve

   Add syrup to soda water to taste. Serve over ice, or use in cocktails.
9. Fact
   Cinchona bark contains quinine, which for centuries was the most common anti-malarial remedy in the world.

I got a boo boo.

Man Down!  Man Down!  Medic!

Well, there will be more soapy goodness and craft-tacular wonderment coming very soon.  I have been slowed down this morning by a rather nasty cut on my left index finger. In the meantime, have a gander at some wonderful blogs I have been viewing....

http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/

http://www.notmartha.org

http://craftgawker.com/

I will be doing more looking than doing until my finger heals, and I wish it was a more exciting story, but I cut the skin off the tip of my finger cleaning the inside of the dishwasher.  Nothing to do with sword fighting, or cliff diving or other extreme sport, unless you can call extreme cleaning a sport.  THAT I would like to see in the London Olympics...  

At least, yesterday, I got salt scrubs done for the store.  Jasmine for summer and more Pomegranate because you all asked for more.  

Introducing Nidelva Soapmakers & Crafts blog

French green clay added to an olive oil soap turns a
soap into a deep-cleaning facial mask.

(above)Soap with silk proteins dissolved in it
makes an amazing difference to the texture
of the suds. (below) Salt scrub ready for
summer with the smell of jasmine.  

Welcome!

to all things soapmaking and crafts that catch my eye.


I live near the beautiful medieval Norwegian city of Trondheim, so there may be the occasional post or link in Norwegian, but essentially, this blog will be in English.


This year, I joined forces with the creative and inspiring group at Pryd in the historical Bakklandet area of Trondheim.  www.prydbutikken.blogg.no

It isn't my intention to make this blog one big advertisement for my products, but, as it happens, I am rather passionate about and proud of them.  Soapmaking has become something of an obsession with me, especially on the organic chemistry side of things.  I can literally go on and on about long-chain fatty acids and saponifiable fats and gel phase vs non-gel phase soap..... *see... I knew your eyes would glaze over...*  For those of you interested in the chemistry behind the soap, there will be plenty of that here and if I can work it out, I may even get a Q & A system up and running connected to this blog.  All that being said, you should hear a bit about who I am and what I do and what has led me to write this blog that will be bursting with crafts and all-things soap.


My name is Carol Benoit and for the past 5 years or so I have made natural body care products.  I keep things very simple and pure, making things from scratch and avoiding recipes that call for preservatives or colourings.  I combine my interest in science with making the best soap and body care products I can and making them lovely with fragrances and packaging.


As well as soap, I make salt scrubs, shea butter creams and solid lotion bars.  During the dry, cold winters here in Norway, our skin requires some TLC with loads of moisturisers and all my products are made without petroleum products or parabens.  The salt scrubs were formulated with a special store in mind here in Trondheim, but, sadly, it no longer exists.  She sold hundreds of my scrubs.  The good news is that they are still available through a new store, Pryd, in Bakklandet here in Trondheim, or you can contact me through this blog or my etsy store if you want to enquire about any of my products.  


I love simple and natural when it comes to the products I clean with and use on my body.  When I moved to Norway, almost 10 years ago now, I could not find epsom salt anywhere.  After many-a-confused phone call, it turned out, not many people had heard of epsom salts here, so I started importing it from England.  I've been spreading the good word about epsom salt soaks for aches and pains.  If you want to read up on epsom salt and its uses, here is a handy link.  http://www.epsomsaltcouncil.org/beauty/  


Link to my shop at esty:  www.nidelva.etsy.com


So, watch this space for interesting links to thrifty & essentially cool crafts, as well as learning about soapmaking.  I'll share some good formulas for making your own bath and body products and demystify soapmaking and some other crafts that might be sitting in your 'too hard' basket.