A Chat with the Focus Group

by Melissa // August 1, 2009 // 1 Comment

Obviously, any time I design a toy it’s with my boys in mind. Once it’s finished, I get various levels of feedback from them (generally just whether they like to play with it past the first day it’s done or not), but they’re getting to the point where they have things to say that are not only amusing but interesting as well. So, when I finished a little project today, I sat down with my mini-focus group for a chat and a game of lion-ball catch.

A picture without daylight is the bane of the well-lit blog...

Basically, this is a ball with a tail and some comically alarmed facial features (since this poor little lion’s purpose is to be a projectile). We tossed it back and forth, and as we did, I conducted the following interview.

Me: So, you like the lion?

Charlie: I like the eyes.

Me: The eyes?

Charlie (stopping to poke them): Yeah, they’re black and white. And the pretty pink nose. Oh, look at the brown hair!

Me: Yeah, it’s nice hair, isn’t it.

Charlie: Yeah. Catch!

See? There's more than just a pretty face.

(The tail makes a better-than-anticipated launching handle for people with small hands.)

Me: What about you, Max? What do you like?

Max: I like about the pink nose. Hey, Mommy, let’s play again!

(Game resumes briefly)

Charlie: Look, his brown tail!

Me: His tail?

Charlie: Yes, ’cause he’s a ball!

This was an attempt to get a shot without flashing...

Charlie (after a few more tosses back and forth): Look, he has ears!

Max (to Charlie): Do you like his ears, bub?

Charlie: Oh, yeah, and his pink nose. I like his pink nose.

Max: I like his pink nose!

Charlie: No, I like his pink nose!

Me: Boys!

(Squabble forgotten in giggles as the lion gets tossed around again)

Charlie (to me): You have to make a elephant.

How to Make a Necklace Holder

by Melissa // July 27, 2009 // 6 Comments

I was poking around the internet the other day when I ran across this homemade necklace organizer. It looked neat, simple, useful . . . well within my carpentry and crafting skills…and I decided to give it a go.

I assembled my materials: a nice bamboo silverware organizer, seven carefully assorted drawer pulls, a roll of contact paper, and a large picture hanger.

Step 1: Drill holes.

Step 2: Tentatively insert first strip of contact paper.

Step 3: Realize that the contact paper really looks like nothing more than contact paper, and that there’s not any reason to cover the pretty, pretty bamboo backing.

Step 4: Ditch contact paper.

Step 5: Insert first drawer pull.

Step 6: Realize that the screws for the pulls are far, far too long to be useful in such a thin material.

Step 7: Begin grinding off the ends of screws with a gutless battery-operated Dremel that was not charged after last use. Be sure to hold the screws with your bare fingers and scrounge a pair of sunglasses for eye protection from the powdered shrapnel.

Step 8: Stop to briefly charge battery.

Step 9: Grind through the screw another fraction of an inch.

Steps 10-17: Repeat steps 8 and 9 alternately.

Step 18: Make it through the first screw.

Step 19: Plug battery back into charger and find something else to do.

Step 20: Wait three hours.

Step 21: With the power of electricity, rapidly grind through five more screws.

Step 22: Grind the final screw too short to be useful.

Step 23: Cry.

Step 24: Poke through the garage until you find the gallon ziplock of “assorted hardware” that you know is in there.

Step 25: Spend ten minutes trying to fit various screws into the pull.

Step 26: Find a suitable screw! Attach final pull to holder.

Step 27: Gently tap nails for picture hanger into back of necklace organizer.

Step 28: Split ~~wood~~ bamboo, whatever.

Step 29: Find and consume chocolate.

Step 30: Carefully clamp split back together with tape. Yes. Tape.

Step 31: With power drill and tiny bit, slowly predrill holes for nails.

Step 32: Successfully affixÂ hanger to back.

(Please notice it is now night.)

Step 33: Hammer nail into bedroom wall.

Step 34: Hang necklace holder and adorn with jewelry.

Step 35: Swear off any project involving power tools for at least six months.

…At least it looks nice with all the light wood in my bedroom.

All That Glitters is Not Gold

by Melissa // July 26, 2009 // 2 Comments

…but this is.

I thought – since I was wearing it to church today anyway – I’d share some new jewelry that I made a week or so ago. Hmm. You know what’s harder than taking a picture of a hat you’re wearing? Trying to get a good shot of the jewelry you have on. Let’s try again:

Right. Well, as you can see this is a necklace-and-earringÂ set; chains and findings are gold-plated (cheaper but still nice, shiny, and hypoallergenic) and all the beads are amber. Here’s a shot of one of the earrings:

Amber beads are attached to the 5-loop hoop finding with good ol’ headpins. Of course, the necklace is the piece I’m most excited about, and I finally had to take it off to get a decent shot of it.

Not a great shot, (the sun is not shining on us today) but a decent shot. This it the first piece I’ve ever made with chain and I think it looks great; it was also much easier to make this style of necklace than I’d thought it would be. You just stick an eyepin (or, in my case, a decapitated headpin with one end looped) through a bead and round the other end with your handy-dandy round-nosed pliers: ta-da! You have a beaded link to attach to your chain segments. The two strands were joined withÂ jump rings, which were then threaded through the loops of the lovely toggle closure. A bit time-consuming, but not difficult.

I’m really pleased with the set; I wanted something formal enough to wear with dresses but casual enough to wear with jeans and a nicer casual shirt.Â Bingo! Plus, the colors go really well with brown….and I wear so much brown that Greg makes fun of me for it. Whatever. I think I look nice in warm browns and golds.

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