How to Make a Sock Puppet

April 13, 2015 by  
Filed under build, Crafts, Fabric, featured, Maker DIY, Toys and Games

In an effort to amaze my children with my puppet making abilities I made this puppet from one of my old socks and now I am going to show you how I did it.  You can watch the video or follow along with the pictures below.

The only tools needed for this project are a scissors, and a heat gun.

Tools and supplies2

The main ingredient of this puppet is a sock, pick a sock that fits your hand and has some nice puppet like texture. Be careful not to pick a sock you are going to miss, as I did. I used one of my old sock and I love the puppet is has become, but I have to admit I also miss my socks.

The other materials I used are some felt, an old cereal box, a couple googly eyes and 2 wooden balls.

To start I flattened a cereal box and traced my fingers on one of the seams to make the shape of a mouth. I am using the cereal box paperboard to stiffen the mouth so it’s not as floppy as the rest of the sock. Test fit and trim the paperboard as needed.

 trace     

After doing some final trimming to size I then cut a piece of felt slightly larger than the cardboard mouth. I then used my hot glue gun to glue the felt to the the paperboard mouth.

cut_felt 

Again I did a little test fitting and finally it’s time to glue in the mouth. I applied glue to the back of the mouth and held it in position till it was dry. Now this was a thick sock that isolated my hand from the hot glue. I would not attach the mouth this way with a thinner sock, I would have either used a lower temp glue or not have my hand so close to the hot glue.

glue_mouth

I apply a seam of glue around the mouth to keep looking good and not show the layer of felt or paperboard.

seal_mouth

Now the finish touch is the eyes. I had 1” wooden balls in my pile of craft parts so I used those, I was originally looking for ping pong balls.  I glued the wooden balls on the top of the puppet, by just shooting some hot glue on the sock and then pressing the ball on.

glue_eyes 

The googly eyes went on much the same way. As you can see a little glue and stick on a googly eye.

glue_googlies

And that’s it the puppet is complete. Very simple but I like it. And, I assume that sooner or later my kids will stop being annoyed as I walk around the house talking in puppet voices.

DIY Ceiling Mounted Projector Bracket Made from PVC

February 23, 2015 by  
Filed under build, featured, Made From PVC, Maker DIY

This is a video of how I made a simple ceiling mounted projector bracket out of PVC pipe.

I purchased an inexpensive Sharper Image Wonderwall projector on ebay and I wanted an easy and inexpensive way to mount it.  I rounded up the pvc parts I had in my garage and came up with this projector bracket.  The Wonderwall projector is very light, if  you have a heavy projector I would not recomend trying something like this.

ceiling_mounted_projector bracket

Link to watch video on youtube.

An excel file with links to buy the parts at Menards is attached below.

projector parts list

parts list

parts

 

Use a PVC pipe cutter to cut PVC pipe to correct lengths.

 

cutter

Slide the 2 4.25″ pieces into the tee fitting. Do not glue them, this is where the bracket pivots.

4quarterpieces

Glue the 4 elbow fittings to the pipes.  In this situation I used super glue to glue all the joints as I do not care if the joints leak, I only care they are bonded well.

thread_glued4gluedPVC

 

 

Screw the projector bracket into the ceiling.  Take care to find a stud or ceiling beam, drywall and most ceiling panels will not support the weight of a projector. Also make sure you are not screwing into wires, pipes, ducts or anything else in the ceiling.

ceiling_flange

I used cable ties to attch the projector to my pvc bracket.

zip_tied

How to Make Beeswax Wood Finish

January 31, 2015 by  
Filed under build, featured, Refinish/Remodel, Woodworking

In this video I show how I make a beeswax paste finish for my woodworking projects using beeswax and olive oil.

The ingredients I use are-

1 Cup of extra virgin olive oil

1 oz stick of beeswax (link to Amazon)

1 microwave safe container, (I use a jar that used to have Wylers Chicken Bullion Cubes) (link to Amazon)

http://youtu.be/W-K-GTPJkw8

beeswax_intro

 

beeswax_ingredients

cutting_beeswax

pouring_oil

microwave_beeswax

stir_beeswax

cooled_beeswax

wipe_beeswax

 

Lego Ninjago Hover Hunter 70720 Build Review

December 18, 2014 by  
Filed under build, Lego Builds, Toys and Games

The video of our build and review of the Lego Ninjago Hover Hunter 70720 .

The intro is the first stop motion footage I have ever made, so please forgive the shadows and movement flaws.

I purchased the Hover Hunter 70720 at a Fleet Farm store (http://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/lego-ninjago-hover-hunter-set/0000000208307).

The Hover Hunter 70720 is also available at Amazon. (Affiliate link)

MUSIC
The Messenger- Silent Partner

SOFTWARE
Video effects/editing- Blender
Photo editing- Gimp
Audio- Audacity

“http://youtu.be/05CKqQxsua4”

Hoover Hunter 70720_assembly Hoover Hunter 70720_box hoover_hunter

Lego Friends Macaws Fountain 41044 Build Review

December 3, 2014 by  
Filed under build, Lego Builds, Toys and Games

The video of our build and review of the Lego Friends

I purchased this at Toys R Us for $3.99.  I have also seen it available at Walmart, Walgreens and Target and it is available at Amazon by clicking here.
MUSIC
Summer Smile- Silent Partner
SOFTWARE
Video effects/editing- Blender
Photo editing- Gimp
Audio- Audacity

 

bag macaws_fountain_lego macaws_fountain

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