Make a Cedar-lined Wardrobe Trunk out of a Wine Crate

In an earlier post, I talked about the problems I ran into with the Silkstone Wardrobe Trunk and the ideas I came up with to solve them. This worked pretty well for a while but as my fashion collection grew, I ran into a new problem - the Silkstone wardrobe simply did not have enough hanging space. Not only that, but the width of the space was not enough for my "poofy dresses" and I cringed everytime I closed it, knowing that they were getting squished every which way.

That is when I thought that a wine crate would lend itself nicely to being a wardrobe trunk. Some of them already come with hinges and latches, eliminating half the work. At first I thought to line it with scrapbook paper but then decided to go with cedar veneer for several reasons.

Aromatic cedar gives off a scent that is a natural repellant of moths, silverfish, and other insects that cause damage to fabrics. It is resistant to bacteria and fungus. Wood in general also absorbs moisture yet allows contents to breathe. Given these properties, I thought a cedar-lined trunk would be the perfect place to store my growing vintage fashion collection. BUT, some websites have said that the oils from cedar are acidic and can cause fabric discoloration, so it's recommended that you hang a piece of acid-free tissue on either end of the pole to seperate your garments from the wood (which I haven't done yet. :-/ ) Cedar comes in red and white varieties. From what I understand, the red variety is more aromatic and is the type you'd want to pick if you are interested in it's bug repelling properties.

There are different types of cedar linings available. There are thin planks which are usually used to line a regular closet, and there are veneers. After determining the layout of my trunk, I decided to go with both - veneers for the side of the box and planks for the shelf. (Planks are expensive though - had I not already had some left over from my real closet, I probably would not have done the shelf. You can always go with other wood types for the shelf too.)

Wine crates also come in different shapes and sizes, and made from different woods or particle board. Some have rope handles, some have sliding tops instead of hinges and latches, etc. Most of the time they are inexpensive - I bought mine for $10 from eBay. Avoid shipping charges by trying to find one locally. I chose the particular box I got because of it's depth - it orignally held 6 wine bottles. But there are flatter ones that hold 3 bottles that would make great doll carriers. You might want to choose a box that has inserts oriented a certain way because the grooves can be used for shelves (once again, less work for you to do.)

Finally, choose your finishing touches. Woodworking stores sell decorative and functional hardware such as handles, corners, clamps, knobs, etc. I got my hardware as well as my veneer from Rockler Woodworking and Hardware.

Veneer can be applied two different ways - I used the simple method using wood glue to make an adhesive backing and an iron to adhere it. If you'd like to use the traditional method with contact cement, there are many places on the web that explain how to do it - I have not tried it myself. To make a trunk exactly like the one I did, you will need:

Materials:

• a wine crate with hinges and a latch
• aromatic red cedar veneer
• cedar closet liner plank
• Titebond II wood glue
• 3/16" wooden dowel
• varnish
• eight metal corners (match color with latch and hinges)
• handle

Tools:

• disposable sponge brush or roller brush to apply glue
• ruler
• pencil
• drill with 3/16" drill bit
• screwdriver (for handle)
• hammer (for corners)
• blade to cut veneer with (I used a drywall blade but I think you can use an X-acto #11 blade too)
• saw (to cut plank)
• iron (you will most likely get glue on the iron - if you have a really nice iron, you might want to consider getting an old used one for crafts.)
• sandpaper

1. Measure inside areas of the box and cut veneer to size. Label the back sides of the veneer so you don't forget where they go.

2. Measure width of box and add 2mm and cut dowel to that size. Varnish the dowel.

3. Cut cedar planks to fit grooves

4. Apply two coats of glue to the inside of the box AND on the back side of the veneer. Allow the first coat to dry fully. The second coat can be dry enough to be tacky to the touch to procede to the next step.

5. Set your iron setting to "Cotton". Align the veneer on the case and iron it until it adheres.

6. Measure and mark where you want the dowel. Drill only partway into the case, not all the way through. Carefully insert dowel into the holes - you may have to bend it slightly. You can apply wood glue if you'd like but I found that mine was pretty snug without it.

7. Sand edges of veneer until they are flush with the box.

8. Apply the rest of the hardware according their instructions.

And there you go! As you can see, I left the inside of the lid uncovered because I thought the text added character. But you can cover it veneer if you'd like, or put hooks to hang hats, belts, and purses, or glue a mirror on it - whatever you'd like!

New Album: Barbie Photography

I have added a new album at My Gallery - it's for my Barbie Photography. Read more about it in the album description. Here is a little sampler of what you'll find there:

Taking photos of Silkstone Barbies was somewhat challenging. With only 6 points of articulation and lack of ball joints, I had to get creative in other ways so the dolls wouldn't look like they were "just there". My goal was to make the dolls look alive, not like inanimate objects. What I found was that this was easier to do with some Silkies than others. With the right facepaint and limb structures, certain dolls lent themselves to a variety of good angles. And especially through facepaint, conveyed personality and attitudes when photographed from certain angles.

Silkstone Wardrobe for the Obsessive Compulsive

When I first got my Silkstone Wardrobe Case, I ran into a few issues regarding space and organization. In this blog, I list the problems I encountered and the solutions I came up with to fix them. I didn't do an indepth how-to like I usually do for my blogs, partly because it would be too long, and partly because I don't think anyone really wants to know. Of course, if you do have a question, you can leave a comment and I'd be glad to explain something in detail.

None of these ideas require you to make any modifications to the case itself, if you are worried about harming the collectability and value.

EDIT: If you are a BFC Member, I posted detailed instructions on how to make these at barbiecollector.com in the Doll Customization forum. I'll add them here later when I have time.

Lined Jewelry Drawer



Problem:
I didn't like the jewelry scratching against the wood bottom of the drawer, getting mixed up and tangled.

Solution:
The velvet fabric is actually glued to a thin piece of cardboard, cut to the size of the drawer, not glued to the drawer itself. The cardboard keeps the fabric from bunching up.



Sundries Organizer



Problem:
Stockings and gloves would get mismatched and sometimes it was hard to keep things from popping out of the drawer while closing it.

Solution:
I made this organizer out of balsa wood. It's made up of 2 large strips (they form an "X" from corner to corner) and 4 smaller strips which intersect each leg of the "X". I notched the strips so that they all interlock with each other. A Dremel is a good tool to have for this project.



Shoe Rack



This is what the shoe rack looks like out of the drawer


Problem:
I used to keep the shoes just standing in pairs in the drawer but I tended to knock them over when taking them out. When they got mixed up, it was hard to tell which pairs went with what, especially with the black shoes. I ended up having to dump them all out each time.

Solution:
These shoe racks are also made of balsa, and notched to interlock, similar to the sundries organizer. I was kind of experimenting with numbers which is why the drawer on the left holds six pairs of shoes and the one on the right holds eight. As you can see, the heel takes up less room than the front of the shoes, so I should have made these off center to make better use of space.



Extra Garment Rack and Shelf



Problem:
I ran out of space on the original rack, plain and simple.

Solution:
Since I only need one doll slot, I decided to turn the other one into more storage space. I made a structure that would fit the space exactly which would hold the pole, and the top could serve as a shelf. The structure is made of basswood and the pole is a 3/16" wooden dowel. Other tools you will need: a saw, wood glue, paint, drill, paper to line it with.

You can also make a tall structure which could hold two poles, or one with many shelves - whatever configuration you need. If you don't need to carry your doll in the case, you can convert both doll sections to storage. One thing to note is that the depth of that side is not as big as the left side of the case, so that side is not good for poofy dresses or skirts.




Hat Boxes



Babs, holding her hat boxes

Problem:

Like real hats, I wanted a way to store hats so they wouldn't get smashed, and without tossing them into a drawer or out in the open on a shelf

Solution:

I made these hat boxes from round paper mache boxes, eyelets, scrapbooking paper, acrylic paint, and yarn. Measure the circumference of your hat, buy the appropriate size box, and then use a Dremel or saw to cut it down to the right height. The yarn is woven through the eyelets in such a way so that it tightens on the lid when the handle is pulled.

Garment Bag

Can you believe there are four petticoats in this garment bag?

Problem:

Petticoats took up way too much room on the garment rack.

Solution:

After being frustrated with petticoats, I put them in a ziplock and hung them with a clip-style hanger. That worked out so well I decided to design a simple garment bag. It is made of one piece of fabric for the back, two for the front, and a zipper. You do not have to hang the petticoats on the hanger inside of the bag - just simply put them in the bag itself. If I were to do it over, I would make the bag longer (mine is 6.5") because then you can overlap the petticoats all the way down the bag. That will make the bag take up less room, width-wise.

How to Make a Humidifier for Your Ukulele Case

These are instructions on how to make a tin humidifier for your ukulele (or other wood instrument) case. I designed this metal version after watching a Uke Minutes on Ukulele Underground on how to make a humidifier out of a Pez dispenser. The principles are the same so check out the Uke Minutes for more info, including the ideal humidity levels for your instrument.

NOTE: I don't have a hygrometer yet so I haven't tested how well this humidifier works. Once I get that that info, I will post it here.

My version is made from a 2 inch round tin, metal eyelets, and wet floral foam - all of which you can get at any craft store. Craft tins come in different shapes and sizes. If you are worried about the lid coming off of a round one, I'd recommend the rectangular hinged one, below. Eyelets also come in a variety of colors like silver, bronze, brass, and copper. The eyelets and eyelet setting tools I used are actually for scrapbooking - I bought them from my friend's Stampin' Up catalog.

The exact materials and tools I used here are:

• 2 inch round tin
• 13 silver colored eyelets
• wet floral foam
• drill with 1/8 general purpose drill bit
• eyelet setting kit
• sharpie or other marker
• a quarter coin
• cardboard box
• cutting mats
• knife
• water
• teaspoon

1. Remove the cover from the container. Use a marker to mark where the holes should be.





2. When I made the prototype, I had a problem with the drill bit slipping. So I added this step - using the eyelet setting tool and a hammer, hammer each marker spot so that the drill bit will have a starting point. Of course, if you are adept at handling a drill you can skip this step.





3. Put the lid on top of a hard cardboard box or other surface you don't mind getting holes in. You don't want to drill holes in your table when the drill bit bursts through the tin. Drill all holes.





4. You no longer need the box. On a flat surface, place an eyelet upside down, turn the lid upside down and align one of the holes over the eyelet. On my particular tin, there was a lip on the outer edge which means the eyelet will just go through when I try to hammer it. So I used a quarter as a sort of mini anvil that can get under that lip. Try finding a flat part of the coin to place the eyelet because patterns on the coin can leave dents in the eyelet.




5. Place the eyelet setting tool into the eyelet




6. Hammer the end of the setting tool until the eyelet mushrooms out.




7. Use the hammer to flatten out the mushroom all the way




8. Using the bottom of the container, mark the wet foam block so that it's slightly smaller than the width of the container. Slice the foam block with a knife.




10. Press the bottom of the container into the sliced foam piece like a cookie-cutter.




11. Remove the scrap foam pieces and press the foam all the way into the container. It should pop in easily.




12. Pour water one teaspoon at a time into the foam until it can't hold anymore water. Make sure to let the excess water drip out. Shake it a little too, if you want. Mine held about 8 teaspoons of water.





13. Cover it and place in your case. That's it!

I haven't done this yet but I would recommend using a piece of velcro to adhere the humidifier to the case.

"The Nutcracker" Handmade Greeting Cards

I have known of papercrafts such as stamping, cardmaking, and scrapbooking for a while but it wasn't until recently, when my good friend, Erica, became a Stampin' Up demonstrator, that I decided to try it. I'm forever hooked. :-)

For the 2008 holiday season, I made cards that were inspired by The Nutcracker Ballet, candy canes and puppet theaters. The image of Clara, the heroine of The Nutcracker, is my own design that I had made into a stamp. Normally you would hand stamp every card and color each one but I was running out of time in November so I cheated a little - I completed one picture with watercolors and colored pencils, then took a photo of it, printed it out on cotton paper, and sprayed with fixative. The fixative was so that the Crystal Effects glaze, a glue-like substance to give the image a 3D effect, wouldn't soak through the paper.

I used four different types of red paper for the stripes - I picked the pattern depending on who I was giving it to, for example my male friends got the diamond patterned one because it looked more masculine.

The puppet theater frame is made of polymer clay which I will go into more detail, below.

This is the list of materials I used - the ones marked with * can be bought at Erica's Stampin' Up Store:

• Very Vanilla Cardstock *
• Red Riding Hood DSP *
• Bella Rose DSP *
• Bella Toile Background Stamp *
• Chocolate Chip Classic Ink Pad *
• Gold Encore! Ink Pad *
• Cotton Paper
• Matte Fixative
• Winsor & Newton Watercolors
• Prismacolor Colored Pencils
• Crystal Effects *
• Sculpey Polymer Clay
• Dremel with Sanding Bit
• Florentine Gold Liquid Leaf
• my custom stamp

I really enjoyed this papercraft project and I hope to continue the Nutcracker theme by making a stamp of the other characters each year!

Clara, from Concept to Custom Stamp

Clara was inspired by the super cute, super expensive ball-jointed dolls from Japan that I will never be able to afford. :-) I spent a lot of time on the Volks website for inspiration. Once I had the sketch I wanted, originally on a 8.5"x11" paper, I digitized it, edited it in Photoshop to get it black and white with no gradients, then uploaded it to RubberStamps.net . I was so happy with the results that I had several more stamps made to give to friends. In the second order, someone had tested the stamps and didn't bother to clean it before sending it to me. But RubberStamps.net sent me out replacements stamps at no extra cost.

There are other companies on the web that make rubber stamps. They basically work the same way - you just upload your artwork and place your order. I'm pretty happy with RubberStamps.net - especially the excellent quality of their stamps (I love that they laser engraved the image on the top of the wood block instead of making a clear sticker) but I do want to try other companies. Here are a couple that have caught my eye (remember, I have not tried these companies so use at your own risk)

• Wood Mounts Ink
• Stamp World Online
• The Stampin' Place
• Rubber Stamping Across America
• Juneau Rubber Stamp Company

Tips for Preparing Your Artwork

• Your first choice when digitizing should be to use a scanner. If you don't have a scanner, then take a photo in a brightly lit area with no flash
• Always take a scan or photo at a high resolution. It's easier to get rid of extra information than to make up information if there is too little.
• If you don't have Photoshop, you can use Gimp - it's free
• The artwork must be black and white with no gradients. Even if you used black ink on white paper, you might still have gradients especially if you took a photo instead of using a scanner. Every picture is different so I can't tell you exactly how to get rid of the gradients but it will probably be a combination of converting to Grayscale, Levels, and Brightness/Contrast. Just experiment with those settings. It also helps to outline your original drawing with a black pen if you did it in pencil.
• Every rubber stamp company is different - be sure to read their requirements for artwork. Keep your first digital copy high rez and use it to make the copy that you will send to each company according to their specs (use a different filename for each one.) That way, you will always have a high rez original to work from and you won't have to redo a lot of work.

Making the Puppet Theater Frame

To make the puppet theater frame, I first made a mockup of my card using regular printer paper. Since the top of the frame is curved, it's harder to gauge whether or not it will completely cover the edges of the paper, so a mockup made things a lot easier. I drew the outline of the frame right on the paper, and laid down a thin foundation layer of polymer clay. On top of the foundation layer, I arranged extruded pieces of clay to form columns and reliefs. I then baked it to create my original frame.

I then used the original frame to create a mold. The mold is used to make more frames at a faster speed, for example the original frame took about an hour to make. Frames made from the mold only took 5 minutes. To make a mold, simply roll out a piece of clay that is larger than your object and press the object into it. Remove the object and bake the mold.

After I made the rest of the frames using the mold, I used a Dremel with a sanding bit to even out the edges and also sanded the back to make the pieces thinner. I then painted them with the gold liquid leaf.

Tips:

• When making the original piece, make sure the details are deep, almost exaggerated because when you make a mold you will loose a some detail.
• When making something from a mold, powdering the mold with cornstarch first will help it to release the clay easier. I used an old paintbrush to apply the cornstarch.

More pics:

Four different kinds of red paper to suit the personality of the recipient :-)

Closeup of Clara. You can kind of see the Crystal Effects glaze which I only applied in strategic areas to give her a more 3D appearance.

On the top, stack of baked frames. On the left, the original frame and mold. On the tray, frames made from the mold ready to be baked.

Learning to Knit - Inspired by Gothic & Lolita Bible Pattern

Volume 4 of Gothic & Lolita Bible (US Version) was chock full of super cute stuff for winter and the holiday season. One pattern inspired me to learn how to knit - the Odekake Chocolat-Cat Kitty Muffler. My aunt taught me to crochet when I was little but no one I knew knew how to knit. I tried when I was little to learn from diagrams but either my newbie brain couldn't decipher it or the diagrams were crappy, who knows. So I've always had the belief that "knitting is hard". Nowadays, with the internet and youtube videos, learning to knit is MUCH easier. And turns out it's not hard at all!

This pattern was rated "intermediate" but I'm a beginner and I was able to complete it - here is what you need to know (hint - these are keywords you can search for if you are learning to knit):

• How to read a knitting chart (in this case, a Japanese simplified knitting chart)


• Japanese needle size conversion


• How to knit and purl, the building blocks of knitting stitches


• How to combine knit and purl to make do Stockinette Stitch and Rib Stitch


• How to cast on, how to cast off


• How to increase and decrease


• How to join knitted pieces together
  
  

Here are a list of videos and sites that helped me put this together:

• Reading a Japanese knitting chart
  http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/graphchart/e-index.html#index
• Knitting Needle Sizes
  http://www.knitting-and.com/wiki/Knitting_Needle_Sizes
• Casting On with No Tail
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKcPvdDcgxY
• Stockinette, Rib, and other stitches
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kjTWHWkJn4
• Casting Off / Binding Off
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEGsf99ep1k
• Four ways to do a Join (see the user's videos for other tutorials)
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3rvJx3-9Xs
• And this is the best site for hardcore analysis of the mechanics of knitting - things like why certain left-leaning or right-leaning increases and decreases are better than others. This is for people that are very meticulous and want every bump and imperfection out of their knitting.
  http://techknitting.blogspot.com/


• EDITED 1/15 - I recently found this excellent video on Continental Knitting which is the method of holding the yarn in your left hand instead of your right. It's much faster that way, and also makes more sense to people who are coming from a crochet background
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuRLFl36tDY

About My Kitty Scarf

I used Bernat Cashmere Natural Blends in Petal - a bday gift from a friend (thanks Ed!) The yarn in the pattern, as far as I can tell, is not readily available in the US. My yarn called for a US Size 8 needle but I used 10 instead. The pattern said to use a Japanese Size 12 which falls between US 9 and 10. My scarf ended up slightly bigger than the pattern but that was fine with me - I used all the same stitch and row counts except for the length of the body of the cat. I made mine shorter since I'm a small person.

:-)

I made my own eyes from polymer clay, acrylic paint, and glossy varnish. I didn't put all the bling the pattern asked for - just a personal preference. Maybe I would if I dressed in loli more. My scarf is far from perfect - I could use help with finishing techniques -the back looks terrible.

Sorry, but I'm not going to post the pattern here since G&LB vol 4 is still in print. If you are interested in making this scarf pick one up at Amazon - they have the best prices.

Florist Bow Tree Toppers, Take 2

This entry comes a little late but I figure I'd post it anyway. Last year I posted a blog about How to Make Florist Bow Tree Toppers. This year is my first year since I've gotten my own place that I've had anything bigger than a 3-foot tree. I now have a pre-lit, hypoallergenic (read "fake") 6-foot tree. I mentioned in my original post that I didn't have the measurements of the ribbon for a big tree, and now I do. So here it is (see original post for the complete instructions):


6-foot Tree Instruction Mods:

• One spool of 30 ft wired ribbon, 6 inches wide, makes one bow with two tails
• Measure 6 to 7 ft of ribbon, then start making your loops. I made 16 loops total on mine. You should then have 6 to 7 ft of ribbon left over for the other tail. You can trim the excess and make them even now or after tying the ribbon to your tree,
• Instead of an empty toilet paper roll to shape, use an empty paper towel roll
• Since the ribbon is so heavy, it doesn't keep it's shape as well as the 3-inch wide variety. After I made the waves I wanted by curling the ribbon under the roll, I also used the open end of the roll to push the waves into the branches. The branches act like barbs to help hold the ribbon's shape. It takes patience!
  
  

You can also use 3-inch wide ribbon. I just decided to do something different this year and make only one bow that was really wide because I like things big and gaudy like that. :-) But you can also make 2 3-inch wide ribbon bows with 4 tails just like I did on my smaller tree.

I should also mention that I'm not a ribbon-making pro. There are people who have been doing this for years, and for a living, that say you don't need multiple ribbons to have the same effect. There is a woman on ebay who makes beautiful, gorgeous handmade bows so you can do a search for "bow topper" there if you don't want to make your own. They will run you about 40 bucks though.

As far as my old bows from the 3-foot tree - they didn't go to waste. I used them to decorate wreaths I got on sale last year.

Pics: Difference Engine; CA Academy of Sciences; Computer History Museum

I have posted three new albums at my gallery from my mini-vacation. They are of the newly renovated California Academy of Sciences, the Computer History Museum, and Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2.

http://www.loopfree.net/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=18349

LifeFlash Mod for the PalmOne LifeDrive

In 2005, Palm introduced the next evolution to their PDA line, calling it the PalmOne LifeDrive Mobile Manager. It was a bit more than a PDA, touting WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities, a 4GB hard drive, as well as the organization applications that Palm has been known for. To the regular user, the large hard drive was suitable for music and video, making this one of early portable multimedia devices. To the power user, the LifeDrive offers almost the same amount of capabilities as a laptop to do work on the road, and is still small enough to fit in a purse.

However, the LifeDrive was not without it's drawbacks - the main one being that having a physical drive made access times slower. Since it was developed in 2005, that was understandable, and somewhat forgiven, by the LD community. Afterall, it only made sense that Palm's next version would be a slimmer, lighter, faster version with a Compact Flash drive and more disk space, right? To the community's dismay, Palm pulled the plug on the LD line. That left the community to fend for themselves, but also brought out the best in collaborative homebrew solutions. Today I implemented one of those solutions - the LifeFlash mod.

The LifeFlash mod is to basically replace the internal hard drive of the LifeDrive with a Compact Flash memory card. This makes access times faster, it makes the LD lighter, and since there are no moving parts consumes less battery power. The only drawback is that due to the constraints of the operating system, you can only use 4GB of memory regardless if you use a larger card. :/ (UPDATE - this is no longer true! See this thread for details. I have not tried this yet. PowerDrive thread at 1src.com)

Research into this mod can be traced back to 2006 (all references are at the end of this entry.) Because of all the collaboration between LD community members, the process has been simplified. Before, you had to format a blank CF card. But now you could buy a pre-formatted card at UsedPDAParts.com. Even though I didn't have to go through all the hoops that they did, I must give credit where credit is due, and I tip my hat to all the brilliant hacks that helped to figured this out. :-D These steps cover using a pre-formatted card. If you want to format your own card, see the links in the Reference section.


You will need: a LifeDrive, a pre-formatted Compact Flash card, and a T5 torx wrench. You could get a PDA tool kit at UsedPDAParts which has the wrench you need, plus a prying tool for the case. Not pictured here, you will also need a sharp knife.

1. Backup all your data to your PC.

2. Turn off the LD and put the power slider in the Locked position.


3. Pry off the two rubber feet near the top of the LD.

4. Remove the two torx screws which were under the feet. Remove the outer shell (shown)

5. The inner shell is attached by 6 tabs - 2 along the right and left sides and the bottom. Use a credit card or the prying tool to ease open the shell.



6. Remove the two torx screws that are holding down the inner plastic frame. The inner shell is attached to the motherboard by the piezo speaker wire. Use your fingernail to carefully unplug it. (shown)







7. Unplug and remove the battery













8. This is the Point of No Return - you need to cut through the Warning label that will void your warranty. If you have any apprehensions, just remember that your warranty has probably expired anyway. :-) Also, think of the symbolic statement you will be making to Palm for leaving it's customers in the dust.

9. Anyway, carefully cut through the label with the point of the sharp knife.



10. Remove the hard drive (shown)

11. Remove the blue rubber bumpers from the corners of the drive.








12. Plug the CF card into the interface. Put the blue rubber bumpers on the corners of the CF card. The CF card is thinner than the drive, so the bumpers will be loose, but they will be held firmly in place when you put the inner plastic frame back on.

13. Plug the battery back in. (shown)

14. Replace the inner plastic frame - first, plug the piezo speaker back in, then replace the torx screws.

15. Replace the inner shell by snapping it shut along the sides and bottom.

16. Replace the outer shell, torx screws and feet.


17. Set your HotSync Manager to "Synchronize" or "Desktop overwrites handheld" for all items. Sync your LifeDrive.

Troubleshooting:
The only problem I had during syncing was a non-descript error number 1611 and 1609. I noticed that it kept happening on one of the applications it was trying to restore. So I went to my backup directory, usually C:\Program Files\palmOne\\Backup , and moved that application out of the directory. I synced again and it worked fine. I had to install that application seperately later, using it's original installshield. I'm guessing that this happened because of licensing..?


References:

• How to disassemble a Palm LifeDrive
• Used PDA Parts - online store where you can buy a pre-formatted CF card
• Brighthand Forum thread - "Replacement CompactFlash Card Greatly Improves the LifeDrive"
  

If you decide not to go with a pre-formatted card, in which case you'll have to format a CF card yourself:

• How to replace microdrive with compact flash in Palm LifeDrive - great wiki articles that lays it all out
• My LifeFlash (formally known as LifeDrive) - a forum post by Furball, with pics
• 1Src Forum thread - earliest discussion I can find on the web regarding the mod. A good source if you need troubleshooting help
• 1Src Forum thread - "Windows users guide to editing LD ROM"

Ganna Walska Lotusland

I just added some photos I took of Ganna Walska Lotusland to my photo gallery. From the Lotusland website:

Lotusland is a unique 37-acre estate and botanic garden situated in the foothills of Montecito to the east of the city of Santa Barbara. The gardens now covering the estate were created by Madame Ganna Walska, who owned the property from 1941 until her death in 1984. Before her death, Madame Walska established the nonprofit Ganna Walska Lotusland Foundation, which now preserves this unrivaled botanical treasure.

Even though Lotusland is one of the smaller botanic gardens I've been to, it's currently my favorite. Since it used to be Madame Walska's home, and is in a residential area, admission is by reservations only, as not to disturb the surrounding neighbors. Because of that, the garden is never packed and has a more intimate feel rather than touristy. When taking photos, you don't have to worry about people being in the shot.

Adding to the intimate feel is Madame Walska's unconventional garden design. She liked to incorporate elements to surprise and delight the visitor, such as paths that lead off the main path that you almost might not see if you are not looking closely. Following those paths seem to bring you into a different world. Or hedges that serve as walls until they open up into a fantastic view. Or sometimes a passage way may lead to a secluded corner - a quiet niche, I like to call them. Her garden design is conducive to exploration and it's fun to just do without a map and try to discover all it's secrets.

One of my favorite areas in Lotusland is the Garden Theater. Made of three tiers of grass and stone, it seats 100 and is decorated with statues called "Grotesques" which used to be in Madame Walska's chateau in Galluis. Several rows of hedges serve as the stage's backdrop and stage entrance, and what even looks to me like a dressing room. The stage, the whimsical expressions of the Grotesques, and the mushrooms growing naturally on the theater steps brings to mind "A Midsummer Night's Dream."


panoramic view of the Garden Theater
Another part of the garden I like is the 25 foot working clock, which forms a small hill of flowers. Instead of numbers are signs from the zodiac. Around the clock is the topiary garden - my favorite forms being the chess pieces. One feels as if they've fallen down the rabbit hole. Or was it through the looking glass??

Aside from the amazing garden design is the variety of botanicals Lotusland has. Unforunately, I don't know much about botany to get into it, but this page on their website has a lot of good information. I'm hoping to learn more about the Lotusland collections, and take more photos of the plants next time.

Here is a slideshow of some of the latest photos. You can also go to my gallery to see more pics, or to see these in higher rez:

Related links:

• Ganna Walska Lotusland Web Site
  
• About Madame Walska and the Creators of the Garden
  
• If you want to learn more about Madame Walska and the evolution of the garden, I recommend this book by Sharon Crawford
  

Quest for the Perfect Dress Form, Part 1

Back in January, I hit a plateau as far as learning to sew. Fit was giving me some trouble because I have scoliosis and my back is not symetrical. Rather than waste any more fabric on making clothes that didn't fit properly, I decided to get a dress form. It took me 3 more months before placing an order, but I learned a lot on the way.

My first solution was to try to make one myself out of paper tape. But the glue seeped through my clothes and irritated my skin before it had a chance to dry, so that was out. But it's still a valid method, and I know many people were successful, so if you want to try making one yourself check out this article for four different types you can make at home - http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00002.asp

Next, I searched every auction and online store I could find. I started noticing differences in forms, features, and types. I made a list of everything I would want in a "dream form", which was:

• half legs (or a 3/4 form) because I plan to do swimwear and lingerie later on and I don't want to buy a seperate swimwear form. (Swimwear forms have a crotch, unlike a regular dress form.)
  
  
• must be a Girls size 14 because I have a short waist. I found display forms that came close, but the proportions were kind of weird. (Display forms are a little different from dressmaker forms - their purpose is for displaying clothing, although you can still use them for dressmaking. But their proportions tend to be a little exaggerated, IMO, probably to accentuate the clothing.)
  
  
• collapsible shoulders (not mandatory but would be nice) This makes dressing the form easier.
  
  
• arm attachment (not mandatory but would be nice) Most people don't need arms, but I have trouble with sleeves, so I think it might help.
  

There were very few forms that fit all these criteria, mainly because 14G size forms don't usually come with half legs. Companies like PGM and Wolf have full-body forms, but having a headless body hanging in my home would really freak me out.

At this point, I scratched "half-legs" off the list, and just started looking for a regular dress form. Somewhere along my searches, I came across the Ronis Bros. website. When I wrote to Josh Ronisky about a regular form, he happened to mention that they can make me a form with half legs even if it wasn't listed on their site. I told him all my other criterias, and he was very accomodating.

I now have my "dream form". :-D It arrived in two seperate boxes. The stand is iron and steel, and is very sturdy. The form is paper mache covered in padding and linen. I'm very happy with the quality and workmanship. I would highly recommend their form, but expect a 6 week lead time for custom forms.

You might be wondering about the asymetry in my back. I did not have them take that into account because it would have been difficult to give them measurements - I'd probably have to fly over there and get a custom mold done. Instead, I got the Fabulous Fit Fitting System to pad out those areas (I will be reviewing that in Part 2, after I have a chance to play with it.)

All the parts

Assembled

Side details

Front details

Arm and shoulder connector

DIY: Renaissance Treasure Chest Favor Boxes

I made these boxes six years ago but didn't have a good digital camera back then. But I've dug them out of storage, so I figure I'd write a how-to. I simply embelished cardboard Treasure Chest Favor Boxes with fabric and trims to give it a regal look. You can choose your own fabric and trims in the color of your choice to match your theme. Some theme ideas are at the end.

You can get the cardboard boxes in packs as low as 25 count at a craft or party supply store. They come in various sizes and colors, from foiled gold or silver, embossed pattern, plain white or cream, and others. (I used 2 3/4" X 2 1/8" X 1 7/8" boxes, in cream with an embossed pattern, for mine.) Choose a box that will best compliment your color scheme.




You will also need the following:

• Fabric for the top and sides of boxes. You will need to calculate how much. I found it was easier to plan ahead by buying the boxes first, making the templates (see below), then calculating how many yards of fabric I would need based on the template. Remember when calculating, that you need two side pieces per box. For my boxes, I used a burgundy velveteen, not velvet, as velvet is too plush for this size box, and also too expensive.
• Decorative Trim or Lace for the edge of the lid. Also calculate yardage after purchasing the boxes. The best way to do this is to measure all four sides of the lid, then the two curved sides that go over the lid. Add all those numbers together, and then multiply it by the number of boxes that you have. Add a few inches just in case you need extra. Here's a, hopefully, helpful pic:

• Beaded Trim for the latch. The latch is actually more decorative than functional. Beaded trim is just a ribbon trim with beads hanging from them (see pic below.) For one box, you will just need to cut the ribbon between each strand of beads. Make sure the strands are not longer than the height of the bottom of the box, otherwise it will drag. The length of trim will depend on how many boxes you have - merely count the number of strands and purchase the length it comes out to.
  

• Craft glue. I like using Aileen's Craft Glue, but you can use whatever you like as long as it adheres to fabric and dries clear. It's not necessary to use a glue gun, and I personally find them to be a pain in the butt, but if that's your preference then by all means - use it.
• Scissors and/or fabric shears.
• Fabric marker or chalk

Making the Templates

The easiest way I've found to make the templates is to just cut one of the boxes as shown in the following pic:


Your box may not exactly look like this when flattened since different companies have their own way of assembling these. Just adjust these instructions as you see fit to whatever design box you have. You need to cut slightly above the crease so the fabric will not block it. If it does, it makes the lid difficult to open. It's okay if you think you've made it too short because the trim will be covering the edge. You just have to place the trim lower.

How to Assemble

I apologize that I don't have pics for each step, but I have a couple of reference pics after the instructions. You should be able to make it out, but if you need help feel free to leave a comment.

1. Assemble the box according to the manufacturer's instructions.
2. On the wrong side of the fabric, trace two side pieces and one top piece using your templates.
3. Cut the pieces out on the inside of the traced lines (if you cut it on the line or outside the line, it will be too big.)
4. Glue the side pieces to the box while the lid is open. Glue the top piece to the box, while the lid is closed (if you glue it while the box is open, the fabric may not have enough ease to allow the box to be closed.)
5. Cut the beaded trim so that you have one strand of beads on a slip of ribbon. Open the lid. Glue the ribbon to the center of the lid so that the bottom edge is flush with the bottom of the fabric. (When doing your first box, you might want to close the lid and make sure the beads don't get caught on the edge of the box, causing them to pop out. If they do, just move the ribbon up a little. Make note of this adjustment for your other boxes.)
6. Cut the decorative trim for the curved part of the box first. The ends should reach all the way to ends of the fabric. Glue these on.
7. Cut the decorative trim for the front and back. Note that it does not extend to the ends of the box - it only goes up to the trim on the curved part. Glue these on. (as an alternative, you can do mitered edges, but I would only do that on larger boxes as it is time consuming.)
8. Cut the decorative trim for the sides. Glue them on.

Reference pics: Front open; Side open, Back and side closed

Streamlining Your Work

I suggest starting off making batches of five boxes at first, so that you can widdle out the bugs with your templates, placements, and process. But no matter how many boxes you do in a batch, you should divide the tasks so the glue has time to dry. It should go something like this:

• Cut and glue the fabric to the top and sides. Do this for all boxes in the batch.
• Go back to the the first box. Cut and glue the latch (beaded trim) to the box. Do this for all the boxes in the batch.
• Go back to the first box. Cut and glue the decorative trim around the edges.
• Start a new batch!

Theme Ideas

Sweet Lolita - White box, light pink or blue fabric, lacy poofy trim. Might also want to add lace bows, fabric roses, or strings of faux pearls.

Gothic Lolita - Black box, black velveteen, lacy poofy trim. Might also want to add lace bows, crosses, or strings of faux pearls.

Shabby Chic -White or cream box, striped floral fabric, lace trim. Might also want to add a tiny bouquet of fabric or dried flowers on the top.

Morrocan - Gold box, deep purple or maroon satin, gold trim. Instead of regular gold trim around the bottom of the lid, try beaded trim all the way around. That means you won't have a latch, but you could substitute a metallic or jewelled button for the front-center.

Victorian - Embossed pattern box, subdued peach satin, antique colored lace. Might also want to add a tiny bouquet of fabric or dried flowers on the top. Another option is velveteen in jewel tones and lace.

Rococo - White box, blue satin (not too dark), gold trim. Instead of regular gold trim around the bottom of the lid, try gold tulle, gently twisted to form waves.

Book List

This post is for tracking the books I've read. Everytime I update it, I bump up the date to the current date.

As of 2009, I will use Goodreads to track my books.

Completed in 2008:

• "365 Tao: Daily Meditations" by Deng Ming Dao (daily)
  
• "Soulforge" by Margaret Weis


• "The Lady's Guide to Perfect Gentility" by Emily Thornwell


• "Gothic & Lolita Bible Volume 1" by Various Authors


• "Book of Hours: Illuminations by Simon Marmion" Simon Marmion and James Thorpe


• "Brothers in Arms" by Margaret Weis


• "Gothic & Lolita Bible Volume 2" by Various Authors


• "Seven Taoist Masters: A Folk Novel of China" by Eva Wong
• "Gothic & Lolita Bible Volume 3" by Various Authors
• "Ganna Walska Lotusland: The Garden and its Creators" by Sharon Crawford
• "Nutcracker" by E.T.A. Hoffman
• "Gothic & Lolita Bible Volume 4" by Various Authors

Completed in 2007:

• "A Wind in the Door" by Madeleine L'Engle
  
• "Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
  
• "Inside the Robot Kingdom: Japan, Mechatronics, and the Coming Robotopia" by Frederik L. Schodt
  
• "The New Sewing Essentials" by the Editors of Creative Publishing International
  
• "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman
  
• "The Golden Compass" by Phillip Pullman
  
• "The Subtle Knife" by Phillip Pullman
  
• "The Amber Spyglass" by Phillip Pullman

Completed in 2006:

• "The Neverending Story" by Michael Ende
  
• "Bridge of Birds: A Novel of an Ancient China that Never Was" by Barry Hughart
  
• "Dragonsong" by Anne McCaffrey
  
• "Dragonsinger" by Anne McCaffrey
  
• "Dragondrums" by Anne McCaffrey
  
• "Godel: A Life of Logic" by John L. Casti
  
• "V for Vendetta" by Alan Moore and David Lloyd
  
• "Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden
  
• "Coraline" by Neil Gaiman
  
• "Paper Biscuit: Froggs's Lament" by Ronnie Del Carmen
  
• "Paper Biscuit: Half Life" by Ronnie Del Carmen
  
• "Healing Eczema" by Christina Sands
  
• "365 Tao: Daily Meditations" by Deng Ming Dao (daily)

In Progress and Misc:

• "Northanger Abbey" by Jane Austen (in progress)


• "Catch 22: Dress Forms & Fitting Secrets Revealed" by Massimo Barra & Jill Ralston

Didn't finish - may revisit later:

• "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying" by Sogyal Rinpoche (not in the right frame of mind)
• "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown (got bored)
  
• "Society of Mind" by Marvin Minsky (outdated so hard to get into)

------

Post changes:

July 11, 2006- Changed subject from "Reading List" to "2006 Book List" because this now includes audio books.

Feb 28, 2007 - Removed "2006" from subject line because this will now contain all years.

Pics: The Huntington Library, Art Gallery, and Botanical Garden

I have added a new album to my gallery - it's of photos that were taken at the re-opening of the newly renovated Huntington Art Gallery, which also used to be home of Henry Huntington, railroad mogul, and his wife Arabella. Tripods and flash were not allowed, so indoor shots may be fuzzy (but I think I'm getting better at them.) :-)

Mr. Huntington was a collector of rare books, and Mrs. Huntington was a collector of fine art. When they passed away, they transferred their property and collections to a non-profit educational trust. The library is now used for academia research, and the art galleries and botanical garden are open to the public. Please see http://www.huntington.org for more info.

It's impossible to get pics of everything at The Huntington in one day, so this album just covers:

• The Huntington Art Gallery (period furnished rooms only)
• parts of the botanical garden
• select manuscripts from the library
• tasty treats at the Rose Garden Tea Room

More pics next time! :-) Go to Album

DIY: DDR Patterns for Crystal T's

I recently installed a closet organizer, and as I was putting away my clothes I noticed I had a t-shirt project I never finished. I figured since I had gotten back into DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) I should probably finish it. And I'm also sharing the pattern! I actually have two.

For detailed instructions on how to use these patterns, please see my blog How to Make Your Own Custom Rhinestone Pattern. You will only need to follow the instructions past the section marked Apply Crystals to Transfer Film. That blog also has useful links of where to find shirts, crystals, and other materials.

A note for people that use the BeJeweler or similar stone setting tool - you can still use these patterns, but you may have to invert them back to the original orientation. Right now, they are mirror images of what the real arrows should look like because of the method I use for transferring the pattern.

THESE PATTERNS ARE FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. They may not be used for profit, lest you risk copyright infringement with the makers of the game.

DDR Butterfly


Some of you hardcore players will recognize this series of steps - the Butterfly Turn. Here's what you need:

• 230 2mm crystals or less. You can use different combinations of colors - for mine, I used light pink Swarovski crystals for the top row, and rose pink nailheads for the other arrows. Swarovski's are sparklier, thus give the illusion of movement, so if I were to do it over again I would use them on the bottom instead, and use nailheads for the top row. It's completely up to you!
  
• Blank T-shirt. See the link above for some places to buy blank t's. American Apparel is very popular, but their sizes tend to run skinny. I like to have some room in my shirts. The v-neck I'm wearing in the photo is by Anvil andit's very comfy.
  
• Silicon Transfer Film. See link above for where to buy.
  
• Standard Iron. Ask your mom - I'm sure she has one. ;-)
  
• The Pattern. Click this link, save the image to your computer, and print it. This is already a mirror-image so you do not have to modify it. I made the dots a little small, so you do not have to put as many crystals as it shows - just make sure the arrows have the same number of crystals on every side.
  

DDR Arrows


This was my first DDR shirt and it is a simpler design. The crystals were 4mm which seem small, but it's pretty blinding when you are out in the sun. I prefer my new design with the 2mm crystals, but some people like things big, so here's what you'll need:

• 110 4mm crystals. I used light pink Swarovski crystals to match the shirt but it's completely up to you!
  
• Blank T-shirt. See the link above for some places to buy blank t's. The one I'm wearing is by Anvil and it runs small.
  
• Silicon Transfer Film. See link above for where to buy.
  
• Standard Iron. Ask your mom - I'm sure she has one. ;-)
  
• The Pattern. Click this link, save the image to your computer, and print it. This is already a mirror-image so you do not have to modify it.
  

"New" Artwork - "Avatar"

I completed recreating this piece of digital art, which I call "Avatar", and will be uploading it to my lulu store tomorrow. The original, in all it's 300x500 pixel glory, is way to small to be printed. But back in 1996 when I created it, that was a lot of pixels. ;-) I took the liberty of changing it a little. I think I like both versions equally. /shrug. The original was once used as the background of a rave flyer.

"Avatar" was inspired by cyberpunk novels such as Neuormancer and Snow Crash. In fact, the title "Avatar" was directly taken from Snow Crash by Neil Stephenson. Did you know that he was the first to use that term as a pictoral representation of a user on the 'net? However, in the books avatars walk freely in 3D space and are not just profile icons. And did you know that "cyberspace" was coined by William Gibson in Neuromancer? AND, did you know that movies like the Matrix were directly influenced by these books?

But I digress. Oh yes, artistically "Avatar" was influenced by the movie TRON. Simple, vibrant, and clean. Art today has so much going on in it. Sometimes it's nice to look at a barren landscape and see the possibilities.

Reflection on Art; and Lulu Store Opens

I have always had a knack for art ever since I was a kid, so my teachers have said. I love making art, so it might be a wonder to some why I became a programmer when I grew up. But I was actually a graphic designer for four years before I had absolutely enough of doing other people's art. I would come up with a concept, create a piece, and then have everyone from every department telling me what to change to make it "better". "That line there should be red." Well... if the line was really meant to be red, I would have made it red, wouldn't I. :-) There is a tao to art, and when something is right, it's just right.

I don't do fine art for a living either because my art is such a personal thing. So much thought, heart, and soul goes into every piece that I can't bear to part with it when I'm done. It's almost like an inkblot of where my mind was at the time - how can one give up a piece of themselves like that.

I don't normally talk about things at such a personal level on my blog but I feel I had to mention this in order to explain the brilliance of lulu.com. Lulu was originally a site for people to self-publish their books. You upload a digital copy, and they don't actually print it until someone orders it. They have recently expanded their services to include art prints, calendars, brochures, manuals, and other printed material. I uploaded a book and an art piece as a test, and both were great quality. I verified with customer service that the paper they use is archival quality.

So I've opened a Lulu store. I don't intend to make bank - in fact, I've only set my markup at $5 over the production costs. Lulu makes a commission, so I am actually making only $4 for every sale. But it doesn't really matter - I just love knowing that people out there like my work. I remember my employers had an art show for the employees, and my co-worker's granddaughters loved my pieces. It's kind of funny but out of all the compliments that day, those meant the most. I think it's because it let me know that I hadn't lost my inner child. The art show also made me realize that I wanted to share my art with more people. Lulu let's me do that, while still holding on to the originals.

Right now, I only have my graphite drawings uploaded. I will be adding select photos from my gallery, digital art, and later, books. I have to get most of the photos and digital art print-ready, which takes time.

My Lulu Store


Lulu Homepage