Look at all the Pretties!

Lately I've been addicted to Etsy, an online marketplace for handmade items. There's a lot of cool art and pretty shiny things. My favorite feature is the "Pounce" where the site randomly generates a list of stores that are either waiting for a first sale, or just completed a first sale. It's a neat way to discover something new!

Garage Kits, Part 5

It's been a while since my last Garage Kit update! I left off on painting...

The key to hand painting is thinning the paint. I use water, some prefer windex or pledge. Dilute the paint to a consistency like milk, where it should flow easily from the brush. Thin paint means you leave less visible brushstrokes. This also means you have to be patient and use multiple layers, waiting for each layer to dry before the next.

First, I mix the desired color:


Here's the first coat. It looks awful, as the diluted paint has bad coverage and is very anemic:


Four coats later, the color builds:


The final coat (about 10 total on this piece) is rich and finally achieves the desired hue:


I repeat this layering method on all the parts, using thin, even coats. You can also blend colors and layer various shades as the paint builds up. This is definitely my favorite part, as you get to mix different colors and slowly see the kit come alive!

Nickelodeon Makes a Cartoon I Like?!

I enjoy quite a few "kid" shows, like The Powerpuff Girls, Samurai Jack, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, a couple others. The common thread is that these shows are great for children, but also provide enjoyable entertainment for adults too. They have what I call the "Pixar Touch" - through clever storytelling, compelling characters, creative worlds, beautiful animation, or combinations thereof, they manage to appeal to both young audiences and their parents. Another common thread: these tend to be Cartoon Network productions.

Recently we've been addicted to Avatar: The Last Airbender, which surprised me, as I have never liked any other Nick animations. They seem a little too childish, like Spongebob and Dora. But Avatar has a maturity about it, a focus on story and characters that has really grabbed me. It's not only gorgeous to watch, but fun, heart warming, intriguing, and innovative.

The series is technically finished (we've been catching up on Netflix) so no new episodes are airing. But it seemed pretty successful for the network, so I hope that means more shows in the same vein!

Wine Charms

Seven dollars and fifteen minutes later...



Granted, they don't have "charms" but I have yet to locate the perfect ones (preferably in pewter). Until then, I think these are pretty snazzy as is. Plus, I have enough material to make like 50 more!

Veggies!

Partly because I've bought into Michael Pollan's philosophy and partly because it never hurts to eat healthier, we've purchased a share at Honey Brook Organic Farm. The farm is an hour away, but they offer pick-up conveniently located 10 min from us. The price is really reasonable: $624 for six months, averaging a bushel of produce each week. I actually think it beats supermarket organic prices, especially if you consider the added benefit of freshness and knowing where your food came from.

The whole Community Support Agriculture movement fascinates me. In a nutshell, you become a "shareholder" of the farm. You pay up front in the winter, when they need money to purchase seed, equipment, etc. Then the harvest is apportioned among those who paid. It does come with caveats: you only receive what grows in the area (alas, no avocados or bananas, but luckily NJ is great for tomatoes, eggplant, and berries) and you're subject to weather, disease, and all the other fun things that ruin crops. But overall, it seems like a sound investment.

The shares start arriving in May. I'm excited to see how this goes!