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!

Yoga Blocks

A piece of scrap wood from the "community" box at Assentworks + the use of their tools = yoga blocks. 

Yes. I am spoiled. 

Maintaining Order

We have dozens of keys. I don't know why, but we have accumulated many sets in our travels. We even know what they are all for.
The old key rack had two pegs and a couple of hooks and keys kept falling off and getting lost. Ok, not lost, but misplaced in the shoes kept underneath it.
So the Geek made this. Spaces for all our keys, locks and lanyards. Plus a little shelf for all the extra stuff that doesn't hang. It didn't take long to fill it up.

All Covered Up

We figured the stairs should be covered before the racoons moved in, so The Geek Upspent a day finishing that up.

Not to shabby!

Worse than Anticipated.

The front steps have been on the to-do list for a couple of years now. We had to take some other rubbish to the dump, so thought we may as well rip off the old stairs and haul them away at the same time.

We knew it wasn't going to be pretty under there, but we weren't prepared for what was found.
Alarming!

Test Fitting the Doors

The Geek has been busy making doors for the cupboards. Very good of her, considering she doesn't think the cupboards need doors.
This is how it looks so far.

Third Times A Charm

OK. Hopefully this once lasts a little longer.
It has no recycled material whatsoever.
Pressure treated lumber and concrete deck supports.
Fingers crossed!

Still More Ups and Downs

The Geek has built another stand for the rainbarrels using an old mattress frame.

And while she has managed to un-flatten the green watering can, the rose is finished. Funny, the only functional part of the metal can is the rose. I suspect a graft will occur.

As I was leaving for the gym this morning I heard a crash and a 'swoosh'.

I guess a the weight capacity of a double bed frame is considerably less than two partially full rainbarrels.
At least they had the courtesy to tip this time so they didn't have to be bailed out.

Some Ups and Downs

The asparagus and violets are shooting up.

However the newly built rainbarrel stand could not support the weight of one small rain.

Persistent Gravity

Yesterday, after planting the hollyhocks I brought back from the farm, I decided to go and close the stopcocks on the rainbarrels so we could start storing water again.
Winter was not kind to the stand for the primary barrel.

The stand looks something like kindling at the moment.

The Geek has a project, and she wasn't even looking for one right now.