Making a Partial Face Mask

 We were invited to a Mardi Gras themed Christmas party. Cue the 'project time' music -we're going to make super spiffy face masks. And even tho' we don't know what kind of theme they will follow, we got started with the casting.

We chose to do the casting in the bathroom since we thought if we splashed any plaster around it would be easiest to clean from the linoleum.

 I put oil on my face and lay down on the floor.

A towel to get my hair out of the way.

I've just noticed the bottom of the bathroom sink is dirty. How did that get there?

 Three layers of fiber/plaster is layered on and left to cure for a about 15 minutes. This is the same stuff previously used for orthopedic casts. The Geek found it at a clearance house.

I am attempting to pry the mask off.

 It is proving difficult ...

...and it is pulling on my eyelids.

 It has now let go.

But I have plaster stuck to my face.

We learned from this and covered the Geek's eyelids with tissue soaked in oil.

She also didn't leave her mask on as long as I did and it was much easier to remove.

The dried mask.

Using the dremel to cut the eye holes.

  

Sketching the shape to cut.

The Geek's is ready to paint.

Mine needs to have some additional layers added.

A brow ridge.

The masks drying on the radiator after being primed.

The Geek testing paint methods and colours using the little guy on the screen for guidance.

Checking to make sure the mask fits.

Partially finished. When the painting was completed the Geek sprayed the inside and outside of the mask with a matte clearcoat and glued a ribbon on the inside just above the eyes to keep it on.

The Geek with her 'nose in a book, head in the clouds' and my owl.

We went to the party last night. The weather was so warm (an amazing 1C degree when we left home) that I only wore the sweater you see in this picture instead of a jacket. But fear not; being a prepared Prairie girl, I had a jacket, toque and mitts along in the car!

Garden Tomatoes

We had a lot more foliage than tomatoes this year, but the ones we did harvest have lasted a long time.

This is what was left yesterday after...

 ...I made this salad.

I bought a number of heirloom tomatoes from the daughter of the people who run Paseschnikoff Gardens at the St Norbert Farmers Market

Gnarly

Far too few of these.

Prolific and tasty

 I don't know that these ones are. Maybe the Manitoba tomato?

 The red cherry tomatoes below are Tumblers, but I couldn't find the tag for the purple ones. I am hoping I can remember the name when I go looking in the spring.

both tasty!

Some were more prolific than others, yellow pear tomatoes, I'm looking at you for sheer volume of juicy goodness.

 I harvested them October 14, in the dark, on  just before what I thought was a killing frost.

the first picking, not the last.

I'll never buy Roma tomatoes again. They consistently had blossom-end rot. So very annoying.

Next year I'll keep the foliage under control and hopefully have an even larger crop next fall.

The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day

We remember.

Strive for Peace

Busy Beavers

The beaver are back. They set up camp last year, but Dad thought they were gone, having seen little sign of them this spring. But, as beavers are, they've been busy and have taken down a large swath of trees behind the barn.

Freshly cut.

Just started.

Dad is afraid to leave the tractors in the field lest they drop a tree on them.

Precious little keeps this tree from going over.

Their trail down to the dugout where they have built their lodge.

The channels they have cut to transport their lumber.

While they can be destructive little rascals, one has to marvel at their industry and engineering abilities.

Thanksgiving Weekend