BUZZ LIGHTYEAR Costume DIY

   Thank you for the memories.

Lillian the Domestic Engineer

I'm enjoying arriving at a time when my kids have aged through the awkward stage and the opposition era.
A time when nothing I said, did or made was
 or would ever be considered remotely right or even possibly plausible!
Each, slowly arriving at a time when they are willing to acknowledge and even employ their talented Mother
(if I must say so myself) and dare I say,  if I don't toot my own horn who will?
 I jumped this year at the request to create a Buzz Light Year Costume for one of my boys.
For help with this Costume I must first  give credit where credit is do. http://mojoturbocostumes.wikispaces.com/Buzz+Lightyear+Costume

Thank you to Mojoturbocostumes for being patient enough to record detailed step by step instructions
for creating the BUZZ LIGHT YEAR Costume on their page. I referred to the pictures and notes there as I set about to built my own Buzz Light Year step by step. Altering and improvising as I worked along at creating a costume for a 180 pound 6 foot man!
Buzz+Lightyear+Costume

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The gloves were purchased at the dollar store and brushed with a coat of mixed Silicone, white acrylic paint and Modge Podge, a white pase like primer for painters.  Left to dry for 24 hours I then painted the green, purple and white acrylic paint on the glove. They are then outlined with a waterproof ink, fine tip Sharpie Pen.

 The Gauntlets are created from wrist protectors that I found in the front closet, initially purchased for working with barb wire fence. I glued a layer of white construction paper to the inside to lengthen them and then coated the entire thing with the same mixture used on the gloves above before painting the final coat of  green and white.

DIY @ Lillian the Domestic Engineer.Blogspot.ca

 The body Armour and the Jet pack were constructed from a thin, blue foam mat that I found in the garage. 

After drawing out the pieces I would need, I cut two of each and glued them to their mate using contact cement. On areas where the layered areas would be seen, I applied a strip of the blue foam that I had cut to exactly the same width as the two layers were wide. It gave a clean finish to the end product.   
As visible in the neck area on the Chest Armour above.
Once all the pieces were assembled I applied several coats of the mixed sealant mixture (as noted above) and left it all to dry over night. The purple, green, red and white paints as well as the Lightyear sign the exhaust area and the logo were painted. 
A cloth strap was glued onto the side of the front panel allowing them to be pulled back together and fastened using the strip of Velcro on each. The finished front and back pieces are finally connected at the shoulders with a cloth hinge that has been glued in place.

 The purple head piece was fashioned from the pattern of a bear costume I altered. 
I stitched the black bands into the elbow to represent the joints.  The black at the waist was stitched onto a quilted piece of material before being stitched into the shirt, creating the tubing effect seen on Buzz's waste.
The pants were cut at the knee and cardboard was glued to the inside of the pants to create the knee joints. The bolts were glued together and painted before being hot glued directly onto the pants. The bottom trim and the belt were made from the blue foam that had bee primed and painted before being attached with hot glue.

 Buzz Light Year Costume. DIY

  

 I come in peace... seeking candy!

DIY Mickey and Minnie Mouse Costume

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.

Tile Terrific

Tile Terrific                                       



 I'm excited to say that I have finally  finished the Garden Table I spent the summer working on, for my Sisters 50th Birthday!

  Last spring I dug this little wooden table out from the back corner of my yard where it had lived, unused and unwanted  for several summers.

 I don't recall from which driveway I rescued the table from
but I do recall having brought it home while touring the neighborhood on one of our annual fall "big dump" collection days. 
 I hosed it off and brought it to the front deck. As I sat there in the spring sun, sucking in the essence and aromas of a summer coming, I was again inspired by the tables overall design and durability.


I had gone a little Tile Wild in my bathroom the summer prior
so I had the balance of a bucket of grout, 6 green tiles my girlfriend had donated to the bathroom cause,  a couple of beautiful but (sadly) broken garden pieces from my sisters garden, some broken mirror from my sons room,(as a result of moving things out of our basement during the flooding we experienced in 2010-11) and I had the broken bits of a beautiful Zambuka bottle (believe it or not, that I had acquired from a friends wedding 28 years earlier!!)
I had as a rule kept dried flowers in it, so when I dropped and cracked it I just couldn't bare to throw it away.
 Finally I had glass bits and pieces that I had kept in a glass jar since last summer, when my sister gave them to me for use in the TD Summer Reading Program game board I created and constructed.
 I couldn't wait to get my bits in a pile.
 
Over the course of the summer I lovingly and most enjoyable
passed many a summer's eve tiling, grouting, sanding and painting.

      The design seemed to form itself into a blue river with a red glass heart at center. The sky was a mix of white tile bits, broken mirror and pieces of a grey and silver plate I took out of the 2nd hand store garbage  at back (while I waited for my car repairs)
     The garden under the river was largely the Zambuka bottle, already covered with great garden,floral colors, I added in the glass pieces and  three butterflies I has salvaged from the broken porcelain garden vases  I had gotten from my sister.
  I used acrylic paint to spruce up the sides and Fabric paint to give the gold paint another dimension. I gave it a final light spray of acrylic finish and it was good to go!

My Sister loved it 

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Go on and give it a go!
Start with something small like a Mirror or a Clay Pot.

 

Creating Mosaic Mirrors

By: Laura Evans

Would you like to dress up a room or two without spending a lot of money? Creating unique mosaic mirrors might be right up your alley.
Mosaic Art Supplies
An essential supply when creating this piece of art is a mirror. The only requirement is that the mirror has a flat surface. The mirror itself can be any shape that you like, including round, square, oval, etc.
Choose your tiles. You may prefer to stay within one color range, using complementary colors or picking contrasting colors. You can also use old ceramic plates if you like and break them into irregular pieces using a tile or glass nipper. In fact, you can create irregular shapes using this tool on your tile pieces as well.
You will need a bonding agent like a ceramic tile adhesive, silicone or regular glue. Check labels before you purchase your bonding agent to make sure that your tiles, whether glass or ceramic, will adhere to your mirror.
You will also need grout to fill between your tiles. Grout comes in different colors, so pick the one that you think would look best on your mosaic. You may also be able to find pre-mixed grout if you don't want to fuss with mixing it yourself.
Creating Mosaic Mirrors
If you want your mirror to have a specific pattern, draw the pattern on the mirror using a pencil. Make sure that you keep track of where your different colors will be placed, particularly if your pattern is complex.
You can apply your bonding agent in two ways. If you are using a random pattern, lay your glue in small areas, using a spatula or putty knife. If you are following a pattern, it might be easier to glue your tile piece by piece.
After your project is complete, let it dry according to your bonding agent's instructions.

Mix your grout according to its instructions. Fill in all of the cracks between your tiles. Gently wipe away any excess grout with a clean, damp sponge. Rinse out the sponge. Let the grout sit for about 20 minutes and wipe the mosaic down again to remove any chalky residue. Let your mosaic dry completely based on your grout's instructions.

You now have a mosaic masterpiece that you created yourself.

Creating a Mosaic Mirror

When Ducks Squawk?

Lillian the Domestic Engineer

This Ducky Craft is as easy to make
 as he is to love.
               
  I was hoping to find yellow cups for this Spring project 
but could only find red cups in the Dollar Store. 

  Red Ducky Cup, so he be!
                            
  
A great Craft for Kids of all ages!

Because these cups were fairly flimsy, a second cup was glued and inserted inside the first after gluing the feet (in this case) to the inside of the outside cup.

 We used Fun Foam to cut and create the feet and the beak. There are all sorts of pre cut shapes that you can purchase. Have fun. Seasonalize! 
The Bows and the eyes were purchased in a package. All were glued on using White Glue.

Most of the Kids in this craft class were less than 5 yrs. old 
so we didn't get too elaborate but you could certainly be as fancy as you want to be....
Stick a feather in a hat and add a wool mustache!  Add eyes that bounce and move when your duck squawks? Write all over him Squawk Squawk Squawk..

A hole is poked at top and center, going through both of the cups.
 A pointed pair of scissors and adult assistance may be required. 

You will need (approx 18 inches) of cotton string. The string that seems to sing the best is the white string the butcher's use. 
Feed one end of the string up through the hole in the cups.
More adult assistance may be required here. 


 Tie a knot in the string on the outside, top of the cup. This knot must be big enough to keep the string from being pulled back through the hole. Good tension is also required to make the Duck Squawk.
 Your now ready to make your duck squawk! 

First you must dampen the string. Hold the cup upside down and drop the entire string into a bowl of water. Pinch and squeeze out excess water.
 Turn the Duck right side up and hold the cup out in a steady position. Pinch the dampened string at the top between your thumb and Peter pointer and gently pinch as you drag down the with the string between your finger and thumb.
                                                         That's it!     
              Did your Duck squawk?        Did you giggle? 
 Remember that practice makes perfect so if your Duck didn't squawk the first time, try it again.
You know I saw an adult version of exactly the same thing on a Discovery Television Program not too long ago. (Proof kids of all ages will enjoy this project )
 He had made his with a large size coffee can and was traipsing about the frozen north country in Alaska somewhere with his wet string, canny thing, calling Moose! I kid you not. It actually sounded like a Moose.
 A great Craft for Kids of all ages!!!


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