Thursday, October 15, 2009

Home-made instant poka-yokes

Everyday poka-yoke

Update: Also known as Useful Landmines in the 43 Folders world – thanks Pantufla!

Mistake-proofing – poka-yoke – can be as simple as encouraging/forcing yourself to do things in a sequence, to avoid forgetting or avoiding intermediate steps. If you’re the sort of person who hangs a jacket or bag on the door handle, so it can’t be forgotten on the way out, puts things in front of the door so you can’t forget them when you’re going out, or at the top or bottom of the stairs so you’ll remember to carry them to their intended destination next time you’re using the stairs, you’re engaged in mistake-proofing. You’re introducing a behaviour-shaping constraint to assist your own effectiveness.

In the above photo, putting the mobile phone (on-charge) inside a shoe makes it more likely that it will be remembered when going out: the act of putting the shoes on requires the user to pick up the phone, which could otherwise be easily forgotten. Similarly, Mark Hurst (of Good Experience and ‘Broken’ fame) regularly features two very simple poka-yoke procedures in his Uncle Mark’s Gift Guide & Almanac:

How to remember if the batteries aren’t in your camera

Summary: If the batteries are dead, or aren’t in the camera, keep the battery compartment open.

Description: When you’re charging your camera batteries (in a wall charger, say), keep the camera’s battery compartment open. That way, if you pick up your camera to put it in your pocket or purse, you’ll see that the battery compartment is open and will remember that the batteries aren’t in it.

Leaving the camera battery door open

There’s also this:

How to make sure they see the papers you dropped off

Summary: Put the papers on their chair.

Description: Here’s a tip I learned years ago and have used ever since. If you want to make sure that someone sees the papers you dropped off at their desk, put the papers on their chair. The natural inclination is to drop the files on the keyboard, or beside the mousepad. What’s the first thing the person does when they get back to their desk? They shove the papers aside, onto a nearby pile. They want to check their e-mail immediately, and those papers are in the way!

But put the papers on their chair, and watch what happens: the person refuses to sit on them! They take a second to pick them up, and while they’re in-hand, the person takes a look at the files while they get comfortable in the chair. Bingo: you guarantee attention to your drop-off.

Papers on chair

Of course the papers-on-chair method can also be used to remind (or discipline) yourself about dealing with important papers.

This kind of very simple sequencing poka-yoke comes almost naturally in our everyday lives, at least with certain tasks. Sometimes it’s simply reminding ourselves to do something (e.g. putting a Post-It note somewhere we can see it); other times it’s trying to prevent us proceeding until some action has been taken (e.g. putting a Post-It note right in the middle of the computer screen so we can’t ignore it). Donald Norman’s Things That Make Us Smart has some interesting discussion of the power of Post-It notes and their importance as “information in the world”, disburdening some of our mental load – also part of the whole Getting Things Done phenomenon.

Sometimes we even (consciously or otherwise) try to ‘trick’ ourselves into behaving how we want to (or know we should) – the random offset alarm clock (patent; Halfbakery discussion) and Gauri Nanda’s “runaway success” Clocky being examples that spring to mind. (I once had a bedside clock radio where the button to set the minutes no longer worked, which meant that I could only set it either on-the-hour, or, because I forgot to do it at the right moment, set it maybe between 5 and 30 minutes fast. That meant that there was an uncertainty built into every time I glanced at the display, and indeed every time the alarm went off. I was rarely late, as a result.)

I have a hunch that almost trivially simple sequencing poka-yokes (in particular) could be important in designing for sustainable behaviour, such as reducing energy use and waste generation. For example, if your rubbish bin had a recycling box built into the top, so that you had to lift it out of the way (hinged, perhaps, to make it hassle to remove entirely) before putting anything into the main bin, it would be difficult to ignore the recycling box. Hence, learning as much as possible about different methods people use to mistake-proof themselves, or shape their own everyday behaviour, is likely to be useful in exapnding this line of research.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Homemade Roller Coasters has Banked Turns, is Very Fast

This homemade roller coaster -- sent in by reader Mark -- could quite possibly be the fastest one we've seen yet, and it even has banked turns to keep things safe at high speeds.


Here’s a fully-functional roller coaster by John Ivers in his backyard called the “Blue Flash”. The Blue Flash is a 180 foot long home-made welded and made roller coaster featuring a 360-degree loop and works safely.






“Style: Out and Back
Height: 17 feet
First Drop: 20 feet
Top Speed: 20 mph
Track Length: 444 feet
Max Positive G’s: 3.5
Max Negative G’s: -0.2
Material: Pressure Treated Southern Yellow Pine
Number of Drops: 4
Lift hill angle: 26.6 degrees
1st Drop: 54 degrees
2nd Drop: 43 degrees
Curve banking: 50 degrees
Duration: About 1 minute
Cart: Single Car, Wood and Steel Construction
Capacity: Single Rider
Chain Lift: 1HP Motor, 3/4″ Pitch Roller Chain/Sprockets

Overall:
9,500 lbs (4.75 Tons) Lumber
7,000 Screws/Nails
2,900 board feet of lumber
Investment: $5.5k ”

Via: Micsaund

How to Find Cheap Homemade Gift Ideas

cheap homemade gift ideas

Cheap homemade gift ideas are perfect if you are short on cash but still want to give a meaningful present. In all actuality, these presents are frequently appreciated more than the store bought variety. You don't have to be a craftsman or an overly artistic person to make neat things. This article will show you how to find and make cheap homemade gift ideas for your friends and family to enjoy.


Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  1. Step 1

    Buy a flat of mason jars from your local discount store. Especially when you buy them in multiples, they are very inexpensive. This will be the base for your cheap homemade gift ideas.

  2. Step 2

    Look in the grocery store for your favorite, or your intended receiver's favorite cookie. Anything works as long as it can fit through the mason jar lid without breaking. Also, if this is a holiday present, holiday cookies look nice. Otherwise, generic is fine for your cheap homemade gift ideas.

  3. Step 3

    Find some fabric in any design. If it's for a housewarming, ask what she decorates her house with and try to coordinate. If the cheap homemade gift ideas are for Christmas, try a wintery theme.

  4. Step 4

    Place the filled mason jar on top of the square of fabric. Then, Bring up the corners and edges of the fabric and bunch around the mouth of the jar. This also doubles as wrapping for your cheap homemade gift ideas.

  5. Step 5

    String some ribbon through 1 or 2 cookie cutters and tightly tie it around the mouth of the jar. Then, go ahead and place the lid on and trim the edges of the fabric to match one another before you give away your cheap homemade gift ideas.

Homemade Ice Cream

Have you looked at the ingredient list on your ice cream container lately? Recognize anything? Aside from a very select few brands, store-bought ice cream is filled with unnecessary, unhealthy and unpronounceable ingredients.

Here’s an easy solution… make your own! Keep an eye out for ice cream freezers on Craigslist or at garage sales this summer, and prepare to make your own frozen treats. It’s easier than you think!

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

  • 6 eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 quart half & half
  • 1 pint whipping cream
  • 2-3 tsp. vanilla
  • milk
  • ice cream salt (rock salt)
  • ice

Blend eggs, sugar, half & half, whipping cream, and vanilla. Pour into ice cream freezer. Pour in milk to fill line on freezer bucket; mix with freezer paddle. (Mine is a 5 quart freezer. I use about 1 quart milk.) Follow manufacturer’s directions to freeze, layering ice and rock salt around freezer.

IMG 2045 Homemade Ice Cream

Our favorite variations ~ cut the sugar by 1/2 to 1 cup and add one of the following:

  • 2-3 mashed bananas
  • 1-2 cups strawberries in syrup
  • strawberries and bananas
  • 2-3 chopped candy bars
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • chopped oreo cookies

The possibilities are endless!

IMG 2047 Homemade Ice Cream

Homemade Gnocchi

img_7847-2.jpg

(pardon the steam in my picture!)

I have had homemade gnocchi on my ever-growing list of things to try for quite some time now, and finally got the necessary nudge after I saw them on Joelen’s blog last week. A quick confession – I have never actually eaten non-homemade gnocchi. A spoiled little Italian girl, you may say? Well, I suppose you would be right. Many Sunday dinners at my Grandma’s have left me partial to homemade pastas of all variety. Last spring I began my homemade pasta journey with ravioli and have now added gnocchi to my list of accomplishments. I’m earning my green, white, and red stripes :)

I was somewhat nervous to tackle gnocchi because I know it has the possibility of coming out too dense and tough. I followed this recipe to a “T” and I think they came out just perfect. They were plump and soft and slightly firm to the bite – perfect homemade gnocchi! I made these yesterday and froze them as directed in the recipe, then cooked them today and had no problems whatsoever. I would definitely recommend this recipe, as I didn’t need to make any modifications.

Potato Gnocchi

(Source: Michael Chiarello)

Ingredients:
Kosher salt
1 pound russet potatoes
3 to 4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon gray salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting board and dough

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Spread a layer of kosher salt on a baking sheet and arrange the potatoes on top (see Cook’s Note). Bake until a bit overcooked, about 45 minutes. Let sit until cool enough to handle, cut in half, and scoop out the flesh. Reserve the potato skins, if desired, for another use.

Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer or grate them on the large holes of a box grater. You should have about 2 cups. Make a mound of potatoes on the counter with a well in the middle, add 3 of the egg yolks, the cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix in the potatoes and mix well with hands. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the flour over the potatoes and, using your knuckles, press it into the potatoes. Fold the mass over on itself and press down again. Sprinkle on more flour, little by little, folding and pressing the dough until it just holds together, (try not to knead it.) Work any dough clinging to your fingers back into the dough. If the mixture is too dry, add another egg yolk or a little water. The dough should give under slight pressure. It will feel firm but yielding. To test if the dough is the correct consistency, take a piece and roll it with your hands on a well-floured board into a rope 1/2-inch in diameter. If the dough holds together, it is ready. If not, add more flour, fold and press the dough several more times, and test again.

Keeping your work surface and the dough lightly floured, cut the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 1/2-inch in diameter. Cut into 1/2-inch-long pieces. Lightly flour the gnocchi as you cut them. You can cook these as is or form them into the classic gnocchi shape with a gnocchi board, ridged butter paddle, or the tines of a large fork turned upside down. Rest the bottom edge of the gnocchi board on the work surface, then tilt it at about a 45 degree angle. Take each piece and squish it lightly with your thumb against the board while simultaneously pushing it away from you. It will roll away and around your thumb, taking on a cupped shape — with ridges on the outer curve from the board and a smooth surface on the inner curve where your thumb was. (Shaping them takes some time and dexterity. You might make a batch just for practice.) The indentation holds the sauce and helps gnocchi cook faster.

As you shape the gnocchi, dust them lightly with flour and scatter them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or waxed paper. Set gnocchi filled cookie sheet in front of a fan on low for 1/2 hour (turning gnocchi after 15 minutes). If you will not cook the gnocchi until the next day or later, freeze them. Alternatively, you can poach them now, drain and toss with a little olive oil, let cool, then refrigerate several hours or overnight. To reheat, dip in hot water for 10 to 15 seconds, then toss with browned butter until hot.

When ready to cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Drop in the gnocchi and cook for about 90 seconds from the time they rise to the surface. Remove the cooked gnocchi with a skimmer, shake off the excess water, and serve as desired.

Cook’s Note: Baking potatoes on a layer of salt allows heat to circulate 360 degrees. Scrape the salt into a jar and reuse it again and again. If you do not have time to shape the gnocchi, you can freeze the dough, defrost it in the refrigerator, and then shape it. To freeze shaped gnocchi, line baking sheets with waxed paper and dust with flour. Spread the gnocchi on the prepared sheets and freeze until hard. Remove to individual-portion-size freezer bags. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month. To cook, drop the frozen gnocchi into boiling salted water. Cook for about 2 minutes after they rise to the surface.

Homemade Retro “Motorcycle” Bike

I found this on a British car forum…those crazy Brits, always making 120+ MPG gas powered bikes and things. Straight from the guy that made it:

“The frame is from a ’90s vintage Huffy cruiser I got at a flea market for $25.00. The front fork is a reproduction Schwinn style springer. I fabricated “leaf springs” for the look, but their only function is as fenders. The wheels are from Husky- very heavy duty with thick steel and 11 ga spokes. It has a high quality coatser brake, but it also has calipers front and rear which is what I generally use for braking. The tires are all-white vintage style from Kenda.”

Read “more” for other pics and more details…

More from Mr. Hough (pronounced “hoe”):

“The tank you see, I fabricated from fiberglass, actually a form built from 1/4″ foam board covered with fleece and fiberglass resin. If I did it again, I would use fiberglass cloth. Under the cover (and bonded to it) is a 1/2 gallon steel tank that can be bought from bicycle-engine vendors. The seat and headlight are from eBay. The seat is a vintage long-spring frame that I padded with modern foam and covered with goat skin. The headlight was a small railroad lantern. It throws light like a flashlight, but I will not ride at night. Also mounted in the headlight is the speedometer with a custom face.

“I bought an engine mounting plate, gearbox and other specialized hardware from a vendor who sold (past-tense) such things. The engine is a brand new Honda GXH50 (49.4cc) with 2.5hp. I made side plates to pretty up the mounting plate and smoothed the grain off the plastic engine housing to mimic metal. I also made an air cleaner housing to look more vintage than the original plastic piece.

How to Make Homemade Water Based Perfume

Make your own perfume
Make your own perfume

This water-based perfume is easy to make and makes a lovely gift. Small, pretty bottles can be found at thrift stores, garage sales and flea markets. The fragrant flowers can come from your garden or be purchased.




Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • a bowl with an airtight snap-on lid
  • cheesecloth
  • a small pot
  • a stove top
  • a small funnel
  • a pretty bottle for your perfume, airtight is best
  • 1 cup of fragrant fresh flower petals
  • 2 cups water
  1. Step 1
    Cheesecloth over the bowl
    Cheesecloth over the bowl

    Place the cheesecloth over the bowl so that it completely covers the top of the bowl, and the edges of the cloth are hanging over the bowl.

  2. Step 2
    Petals of fragrant flowers
    Petals of fragrant flowers

    Coarsely chop the petals of the fresh cut flowers that will give your perfume their fragrance. Popular choices are roses, lilacs and lavender. Place your chopped flower petals on the cheesecloth.

  3. Step 3
    Flower petals in cheesecloth with water in bowl
    Flower petals in cheesecloth with water in bowl

    Pour 2 cups of room temperature water over the flower petals while they are sitting on top of the cheesecloth. This will cause the cheesecloth and petals to sink into the bowl. Keep the edges of the cheesecloth on the outside of the bowl. Make sure that there is enough water in the bowl to completely submerge the petals.

  4. Step 4

    Snap the lid on the bowl, sealing it tightly, and let it sit overnight.

  5. Step 5
    Remove the bundled cheesecloth with petals inside
    Remove the bundled cheesecloth with petals inside

    After 24 hours, bundle the cheesecloth, with all of the flowers inside it.
    Remove it from the bowl.

  6. Step 6
    Squeeze the cheesecloth bundle over a small pot
    Squeeze the cheesecloth bundle over a small pot

    Over a small pot, gently squeeze out all of the scented water that remains in the cheesecloth. Carefully pour the remainder of the water from the bowl into the small pot.

  7. Step 7
    Carefully pour the cooled flower water into a pretty bottle using a funnel
    Carefully pour the cooled flower water into a pretty bottle using a funnel

    Turn the stove top on low and slowly let the water simmer until most of it has evaporated. This will concentrate the fragrance of the perfume water. When there is about 1 or 2 teaspoons left, turn off the heat. Let it cool. Using a small funnel, carefully pour your concentrated flower water into a small bottle.

  8. Step 8
    Ready to use or give as a gift
    Ready to use or give as a gift

    Label your bottle of perfume water with the name of the flower you used, and an expiration date of one month.

How to Make Homemade Oil Based Perfume

Homemade perfume makes a great gift
Homemade perfume makes a great gift

Making your own homemade perfume is fun and easy. You can use one single fragrance or blend several of your favorites to create a signature blend that is all your own. Original design perfume makes a great gift.


Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • 2 teaspoons of jojoba or almond oil
  • 8-12 drops of essential oil
  • small, pretty bottle
  1. Step 1
    Essential oils available on-line
    Essential oils available on-line

    To create a signature blend perfume, simply choose 2 or 3 of your favorite essential oils whose fragrances compliment each other.

  2. Step 2
    Start with 2 teaspoons of your carrier oil
    Start with 2 teaspoons of your carrier oil

    Into your pretty bottle, pour about 2 teaspoons of "carrier oil". Jojoba or almond oil are most commonly used because they are light on the skin and do not have a strong fragrance of their own.

  3. Step 3
    Bottles can be purchased with dropper caps
    Bottles can be purchased with dropper caps

    Using an eye dropper or pipette that you designate ONLY for this use, add 3 or 4 drops of each of the essential oils that you have chosen for your blend. If you've chosen to make a single fragrance perfume, add 8 to 10 drops of that single essential oil.

  4. Step 4
    Let sit for 24 hours before using
    Let sit for 24 hours before using

    Put the cap on the bottle and shake GENTLY to mix the oils.
    Label and let sit for 24 hours before using.

How to Make a Homemade Earring Holder



An earring holder can be made out of all sorts of things.


If your earrings are adding up it's time to make yourself your very own homemade earring holder! There are several different options for a homemade earring holder so you can choose the one that reflects your style the best.


Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Different materials found around your home
  • Tools found around your home
  1. Step 1

    One very simple way to make a homemade earring holder for fishhook earrings is by using a wire hanger. The hanger can simply be hung on your wall and your earrings can then hang off of the straight bottom wire. Or dress it up a bit by first wrapping your wire hanger in yarn, fibers, or ribbon.

  2. Step 2

    If you are looking for a rustic earring holder look in your yard, or take a walk around the neighborhood, and find a small branch that can be used to hang your fishhook earrings from. A branch with several small twigs protruding from it works well. Clean the branch and leave it the way it is, or lightly sand it down and spray paint it. You can lay it on your dresser.

  3. Step 3

    Use an old picture frame to make your earring holder. Remove the glass and the backing from the picture frame. Cut a piece of screening, mesh, needlepoint canvas, layers of tulle, or an old mesh fruit bag slightly larger than your picture frame and then with a staple gun staple your chosen material to the back of the picture frame. Trim any extra material that is hanging off the edges of your frame. Hang your earrings in the holes, most of these materials will work for studs too as long as the studs are not very tiny. If you are only using your frame earring holder for fishhook earrings you can back your earring holder with a fabric of your choice. Your finished holder can be hung on your wall or propped up against something.

  4. Step 4

    A wooden embroidery hoop can be used in a similar fashion as a picture frame to make an earring holder. Sandwich layers of tulle, or a piece of needlepoint canvas, in it the same way you would as if using it for needlepoint. No need to staple your materials, the screw on the outside hoop will keep it together. If you are unsure how to use an embroidery hoop instructions can be found online. Put your earrings through the holes of the tulle or canvas.

  5. Step 5

    Do you have several old belts sitting around that are no longer being used? Turn them into earring holders. Gather up all of the belts with holes and use the holes to hang your earrings from. The belts can be hung on the wall, on your door, or in your closet. You can dress them up by hanging streaming ribbons from the belt loop.

  6. Step 6

    If you have a small craft tree or small Christmas tree you can hang your fishhook earrings from the branches of the tree.

  7. Step 7

    Paint or decoupage a piece of cardboard and poke small holes in it using an awl, pencil compass, or needle. Place your earrings in the holes.

  8. Step 8

    If MP3s have replaced your CDs, use a CD for your earring holder. Carefully drill small holes into the CD so your earrings will fit securely in them. Drill two slightly larger holes across from each other and string a long ribbon up through one of the larger holes and then up through the other and knot it the top so you have something to hang it from. You can add several CDs onto the same ribbon to make a mobile like creation of earrings and CDs.

  9. Step 9

    Old Shutters can be used for fishhook earrings. Wash the shutter. If it is a wooden shutter you can lightly sand it down to make it look rustic, or apply a new layer of paint or finish to it. The fishhook earrings can hook over the shutter slats. This earring holder works well for a large amount of earrings and can be hung up or propped up.

  10. Step 10

    If you have some old hardcover books that are destined for the trash, and have covers that are in good condition, remove the hard covers from the books and drill small holes in them to hold your earrings.

Cigar Box Banjo

Sure, if your kid is already listening to the Cheetah Girls, the pageantry and magic of the American jug band tradition has probably already been lost on them. But if you catch them young enough, your little ones may be able to develop a love for the jaunty, clever music of the Kentucky hillbilly. And the best thing about jug band music is that you can make your own instruments.

Building instruments is a great way to teach your kids about how the physical principles of sound work – how stringed instruments make higher and lower sounds depending on the weight and tension of the strings, how the size of a resonator makes a drum deeper, et cetera. One of my favorite childhood jamboxes was my cigar box banjo, which my Grandfather made for me one mild April afternoon.

What You Need:

  1. One cigar box. You can get these from any tobacconist for free or cheap. If your kid asks why it smells funny, tell them that that’s the smell of evil magic.
  2. One yardstick
  3. 20 inches of molding. This you probably don’t have lying around, so head to Home Depot.
  4. 4 leather shoelaces. These will be the “strings” of the banjo.
  5. A hacksaw and some glue. Probably not a good idea to let the kids use these.

Directions:

  1. Glue the lid of the cigar box closed and cut a slit in the center front a quarter inch wide and six inches long in the front of the box.
  2. Glue the yardstick to the back of the box in the center, so it runs along the longest side. Cut the molding into five inch-long pieces and three pieces that are five inches long.
  3. Glue the short pieces lengthwise on the yardstick to be the “frets.” Glue one of the large pieces on the front of the box above the slit at the top front edge, and another about two inches from the bottom. They should all line up with each other.
  4. Carve four evenly-spaced grooves in each of the two long strips. Tie the shoelaces around the top of the yardstick, above the first “fret,” and stretch them down over the body and through the grooves. Take the last five-inch wood piece and use it to glue down the shoelaces at the bottom of the cigar box. To tighten the strings, soak them in cold water.
  5. You may have to remove the strings and trim them down to make them sound right. Remember that the shorter they are, the higher their pitch will be. Don’t try to actually tune this thing, you’ll just drive yourself nuts. Once it’s making good noises, hand it to your kid and let him go all Earl Scruggs.

Instruments: Washtub Bass

Homemade wash tub bassContinuing in my quest to make jug band musicians out of each and every kid exposed to this blog, I’m going to follow up my previous post on making a cigar box banjo with something to fill out the low end – a washtub bass. This classic hillbilly instrument is easy to make, fun to play, and makes laundry just a little bit harder to do.

You need:

  1. A galvanized metal washtub – get this at your local hardware store.
  2. A wooden pole – a broomstick works fine here.
  3. Two metal washers, two nuts, a large eye screw, and a bolt
  4. A length of medium-weight rope.
  5. You’ll also need a drill and bit that can get through the metal of the washtub.

Instructions:

Start off by drilling a hole in the center of the washtub to let the eye screw through. This is a grown-up job, as children lack the trigonometric knowledge to accurately judge the center point of the circle. Also drills and metal are a little bit dangerous. While you’re drilling, drill a hole in one end of the pole for the bolt.

Screw the bolt into the pole so it’s sticking out from both sides. Put the eye screw into the hole with a washer on each side and the nut at the bottom, and tighten the assemblage. Cut a groove into the end of the pole that doesn’t have the bolt on it so it fits on the lip of the washtub.

Finally, cut your rope to about eight feet and tie one end to the eye screw. Wrap the other end around the bolt in the pole and tighten it until it sits at about a 30 degree angle when the pole is resting on the lip. Tie it off so it’s tight. Now you should be ready to play – drop the lip in the groove, pull on the pole to make the rope tight and pluck it to make the washtub resonate with that classic bwoom sound.

Have fun, jugheads!

Fun with Mini Gourds

The gourds that I have from this year need several months to dry out before I can craft with them, but I have some mini gourds left from last year that I finally figured out how to decorate them. These are warty gourds and that’s what was throwing me off with the design, but I decided to use the warts (bumps) as the item to decorate the gourd – you will see what I mean …

Dried mini gourds Dried mini gourds

First I painted the gourds with orange paint all over …

Gourds painted Then I sponge painted a coating of brown over this so they would look more realistic …

Brown sponged on gourds Do this step gently since the orange paint may come off in spots if worked on too roughly – I touched it up with the q-tip after. Let this all dry for a few hours and then design your pumpkins!

Mini pumpkins 2

Halloween mini gourds BOO!

I also experimented with some pressed flowers – glued them “gently” on the gourd since the flowers are very thin. Pressing flowers is simple – I put them in pages of phone books and weighted them down. After a few weeks they were dry and ready to use.

Pressed flower on gourd

Pressed flower on gourd 2

The gourds in the backyard garden are progressing right along – Grow Grow Gourds!

Gourd in backyard

Homemade Chicken Ranch Pizza


Prep time: 20 minutes (ready in 45 minutes)
Makes: 6-8 servings (about 12 squares)

Good stuff! We made this with a few items that we had laying around the house. We would definitely add bacon next time, but even the few ingredients that we did have turned out pretty good.

homemade chicken ranch pizza

Things you’ll need (add items as you wish):

  • 13 oz Pillsbury refrigerated pizza crust
  • 1 lb cooked cubed chicken
  • Mushrooms
  • Tomato’s
  • 1/2 cup ranch dressing
  • Olives
  • Bacon
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Directions:

Roll out pizza crust on a cookie sheet or pizza pan. Cook at 400 degrees for 7 minutes. Take it out and spread the ranch dressing over the crust. Followed by layering all of your toppings over the crust, cheese last. Throw it back in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Homemade Vehicle

Homemade car

When the word homemade is used it usually refers to delicious food made at home. In Vietnam, this word can be used in many more contexts because we are quite ingenious in making and repairing things at home. I mean, have you ever heard of a homemade car????

Homemade car

Occasionally I see these kinds of cars around Hanoi and it makes me laugh. They look so cute but are definitely not safe for driving. I am not sure if the goverment actually allows them to be driven on the roads or not. To make these cars, Vietnamese people use the machines of different cars or motorbikes and they shape a new body or frame around the engine and turn it into a car somehow. Of course these cars don't have modern features like air-conditioning or CD players but I wouldn't be surprised if someone is thinking about how to include them. I don't know how fast these cars go but the man I saw was driving it quite fast. At least it was keeping up with the motorbikes. I'm not sure how it would cope in an accident but maybe better than modern cars because it's actually made of steal! Cars are becoming a way of life in Hanoi now but I'm not sure if these models are going to catch.

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