***Just for the record, "butt" is NOT a word my Momma lets me use. Not sure where I picked it up. So. That said, here we go:
Mark: "Momma, when somebody is driving and doesn't use their blinker, they are paint in the butt!"
Momma: "What???!"
Mark: "Well, Momma, *sigh* you know, if they not use their blinker, they have car ax-dident, and get paint in their butt. Then the doctor have to take the paint back out."
There we go. A 2-year-old's interpretation of an everyday saying.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
...so you want a picture of me?
...WELL, you get 10!
This one (the last one my Momma took) is the best. But just for fun my Momma is including the other 9 that lead up to this one!
PS: What you don't see is that in ALL of these my Momma is holding me down with her foot, tickling my tummy with her toes as she waves that darn camera in my face.
This one (the last one my Momma took) is the best. But just for fun my Momma is including the other 9 that lead up to this one!
PS: What you don't see is that in ALL of these my Momma is holding me down with her foot, tickling my tummy with her toes as she waves that darn camera in my face.
Introducing "Miss Bunny, Mrs Mouse & Me"
The book my Momma illustrated is all done being printed! We received the first 10 copies via FedEx today.
Here it is, folks. It will still be a few weeks before it is available on Amazon.
.JPG)
This is Miss Bunny.
.JPG)
This is Mrs. Mouse.
.JPG)
And this is Mr. Man. To see more of the illustrations, you'll just have to read the book.
PS: there WILL be pictures of me (Mark) in the next blog post, I promise!
Here it is, folks. It will still be a few weeks before it is available on Amazon..JPG)
This is Miss Bunny..JPG)
This is Mrs. Mouse..JPG)
And this is Mr. Man. To see more of the illustrations, you'll just have to read the book.PS: there WILL be pictures of me (Mark) in the next blog post, I promise!
Monday, June 01, 2009
How to make custom Cookie cutters out of a tin can
We made custom cookie cutters today!
This is a great project that uses recycled materials.
Since it was a ton of fun, here are directions so you can, too.
You will need:
- A tin can (we like the large peach cans, since they don't stink like tuna cans do, and they are nice and big...)
- A small hack saw or other very sharp saw
- A small, rough rock (or a file)
- Needle nose plyers
- A pen
- an idea, or a picture of something you want to shape a cookie cutter after
Step 1: Open the can; take out the contents (eat them); open the bottom, too; wash the can; peel off the label.
Step 2: Use the saw to cut the can all the way 'round, using the first groove of the ridged part of the can as a guide. You might as well cut off the other end, too, while you're at it. Each can will yield two cookie cutters. Each cutter will have one dull/rounded edge (from the end) and one sharp edge (where you just cut). The little saw you see in the picture worked just fine. Make sure you clean up the metal dust, as it can scratch your countertop, and hurts if it gets in your eye. Be careful: the freshly cut edge is VERY sharp!
Step 3: Use a small, rough stone to file down the jagged edges of the sharp side of your cutter (this is a lot easier BEFORE you shape it). Be careful not to cut yourself in the process. Remember, you are not trying to SHARPEN the edge, but rather, to dull it a little.
Step 4: Choose an image of which you want to shape the outline with the cookie cutter. Trace the edge, if you want to. I actually just pull it up on the computer screen, then close one eye, and hold the soon-to-be-cookie-cutter in front of it, and start shaping it. It takes a little bit of practise to get the size right.
I read that some people use a string to measure around the traced edge, and resize the image until the circumference of the edge of the image is the same as the circumference of the can. I prefer trial and error, but hey. Whichever you prefer. By request, I made two chinchilla-cookie cutters today.
Step 5: Using the needle nose plyers, carefully bend the can to the shape you want. You may want to start with simple shapes such as hearts, flowers, or cars... making a chinchilla, like we did, takes a little bit of practise.
Tip: first bend the "dull" edge, then the "sharp" edge, since the dull edge is harder to bend. Avoid sharp turns, since this sometimes breaks the dull edge. Also, if you make too small appendages in your shape, the cookie will often break there. Remember, you don't have to make the shape too detailed, since it is, afterall, a cookie cutter... you can always paint more detail in with frosting after baking!
Step 6: Wash the finished cookie cutter in warm soapy water.
Step 7: Make cookies! Paint them, and enjoy! If you are giving the cookie cutters as a gift, you might consider either baking a few "sample" cookies to include with the cutter, or to trace the outline of the cutter as seen here, and then coloring it in. That way the recipient can see how you envisioned the different shapes to "belong"...
Feel free to contact me with questions, or if you would like me to make you a custom cookie cutter... that can definitely be negotiated!
This is a great project that uses recycled materials.
Since it was a ton of fun, here are directions so you can, too.
You will need:
- A tin can (we like the large peach cans, since they don't stink like tuna cans do, and they are nice and big...)
- A small hack saw or other very sharp saw
- A small, rough rock (or a file)
- Needle nose plyers
- A pen
- an idea, or a picture of something you want to shape a cookie cutter after
Step 1: Open the can; take out the contents (eat them); open the bottom, too; wash the can; peel off the label.
Step 2: Use the saw to cut the can all the way 'round, using the first groove of the ridged part of the can as a guide. You might as well cut off the other end, too, while you're at it. Each can will yield two cookie cutters. Each cutter will have one dull/rounded edge (from the end) and one sharp edge (where you just cut). The little saw you see in the picture worked just fine. Make sure you clean up the metal dust, as it can scratch your countertop, and hurts if it gets in your eye. Be careful: the freshly cut edge is VERY sharp!
Step 3: Use a small, rough stone to file down the jagged edges of the sharp side of your cutter (this is a lot easier BEFORE you shape it). Be careful not to cut yourself in the process. Remember, you are not trying to SHARPEN the edge, but rather, to dull it a little.
Step 4: Choose an image of which you want to shape the outline with the cookie cutter. Trace the edge, if you want to. I actually just pull it up on the computer screen, then close one eye, and hold the soon-to-be-cookie-cutter in front of it, and start shaping it. It takes a little bit of practise to get the size right.
I read that some people use a string to measure around the traced edge, and resize the image until the circumference of the edge of the image is the same as the circumference of the can. I prefer trial and error, but hey. Whichever you prefer. By request, I made two chinchilla-cookie cutters today.
Step 5: Using the needle nose plyers, carefully bend the can to the shape you want. You may want to start with simple shapes such as hearts, flowers, or cars... making a chinchilla, like we did, takes a little bit of practise.
Tip: first bend the "dull" edge, then the "sharp" edge, since the dull edge is harder to bend. Avoid sharp turns, since this sometimes breaks the dull edge. Also, if you make too small appendages in your shape, the cookie will often break there. Remember, you don't have to make the shape too detailed, since it is, afterall, a cookie cutter... you can always paint more detail in with frosting after baking!
Step 6: Wash the finished cookie cutter in warm soapy water.
Step 7: Make cookies! Paint them, and enjoy! If you are giving the cookie cutters as a gift, you might consider either baking a few "sample" cookies to include with the cutter, or to trace the outline of the cutter as seen here, and then coloring it in. That way the recipient can see how you envisioned the different shapes to "belong"...
Feel free to contact me with questions, or if you would like me to make you a custom cookie cutter... that can definitely be negotiated!
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