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Happy 4th of July
Jul. 4th, 2009 05:32 pmI spent my first 4th of July here doing some very un-patriotic things.
First we took the beagles to the off-leash dog park bright and early in the morning. There was supposed to be a "beagle brigade" meeting, but only 2 or 3 other beagles were there, so it wasn't much different from the average day at that park. I assume next month or maybe the month after will be better. The holiday and the heat probably had something to do with it. Beagles had a grand time. It was *just* cool enough that they felt like they could run around and play a bit. Lizzy was a gross, slobbery mess though. And neither of them would stop for long enough to drink until we had them back in the car - dumb dogs.
After the dog park, it was still relatively cool so I decided I'd tackle a project out in the garage. I still owe Emer a gift for her daughter and she was lamenting the availability of SCA-appropriate toys, so this is what I whipped up this afternoon:
The Animals of Ealdormere - Series 1
Not sure if there will ever be a series two as neither rams nor boars really inspire me. They still need a final bit of sanding, but by the time these were done it was so hot out in the garage that I was finding new places to sweat, so that's getting done another day.
I chose not to make them to scale because I wanted them all to be nice and big and choke-proof. The Holtztiger toys they are modeled loosely after are made out of hardwood and painted and also recommended for children 3+ and I'm thinking it's because of the size variation (some would be small enough to swallow). Mine are made out of softwood instead of hardwood because that's what I had on hand (left over from making the shelves) and it's a little easier to work. Less durable, but I'm not sure getting a little banged up is a big deal; they're toys, not fine art. I've tried to design them so all the parts are relatively thick and well-supported so they are less prone to breakage (things like legs and tails especially).
I'm still trying to decide whether I want to paint or varnish them or just give them a final sanding and leave them as-is. They're going to be your toys Emer, what would you prefer? Also, do these look like something you'd like for M to play with or shall I head back to the drawing board and come up with something else? (I'm cool if you'd prefer something else, I'd rather send you something you want than something that will never be used after all)
So yeah, I spent my Independence Day asserting my independence of America by making little toy animals representing Canadian SCA places.
Tonight backyard bonfire, watching what fireworks we can see from our backyard and making smores. Not the worst plan ever, and no fighting crowds or traffic at the end of the night either.
First we took the beagles to the off-leash dog park bright and early in the morning. There was supposed to be a "beagle brigade" meeting, but only 2 or 3 other beagles were there, so it wasn't much different from the average day at that park. I assume next month or maybe the month after will be better. The holiday and the heat probably had something to do with it. Beagles had a grand time. It was *just* cool enough that they felt like they could run around and play a bit. Lizzy was a gross, slobbery mess though. And neither of them would stop for long enough to drink until we had them back in the car - dumb dogs.
After the dog park, it was still relatively cool so I decided I'd tackle a project out in the garage. I still owe Emer a gift for her daughter and she was lamenting the availability of SCA-appropriate toys, so this is what I whipped up this afternoon:
The Animals of Ealdormere - Series 1
Not sure if there will ever be a series two as neither rams nor boars really inspire me. They still need a final bit of sanding, but by the time these were done it was so hot out in the garage that I was finding new places to sweat, so that's getting done another day.
I chose not to make them to scale because I wanted them all to be nice and big and choke-proof. The Holtztiger toys they are modeled loosely after are made out of hardwood and painted and also recommended for children 3+ and I'm thinking it's because of the size variation (some would be small enough to swallow). Mine are made out of softwood instead of hardwood because that's what I had on hand (left over from making the shelves) and it's a little easier to work. Less durable, but I'm not sure getting a little banged up is a big deal; they're toys, not fine art. I've tried to design them so all the parts are relatively thick and well-supported so they are less prone to breakage (things like legs and tails especially).
I'm still trying to decide whether I want to paint or varnish them or just give them a final sanding and leave them as-is. They're going to be your toys Emer, what would you prefer? Also, do these look like something you'd like for M to play with or shall I head back to the drawing board and come up with something else? (I'm cool if you'd prefer something else, I'd rather send you something you want than something that will never be used after all)
So yeah, I spent my Independence Day asserting my independence of America by making little toy animals representing Canadian SCA places.
Tonight backyard bonfire, watching what fireworks we can see from our backyard and making smores. Not the worst plan ever, and no fighting crowds or traffic at the end of the night either.
