Tie-Dying Shirts

The last couple weeks have been insane. 

So much going on, I'm still working on getting back to normal. 

The most recent round of Iron Craft called for making something for yourself.

The round started just before I headed out of town to a convention where I run a charity auction to benefit Tiger Haven Sanctuary.

Even when I got back home I was too busy trying to catch up on sleep to do much of anything. 

Finally Sunday, two days before posting date, I had a little time.

At the convention we always get t-shirts with that years theme. Sometimes the shirts are really cute but always on a white base. I really don't like wearing white.

So I took a tie-dying kit I had on hand and added some color to our shirts.

I gathered up the picture area and kept it separate so the dye wouldn't ruin the pictures. Then oddly gathered and rubber banded the rest and coated with the dye.

On the left is is my staff shirt, on the right is the regular convention shirt. 

Our mascot is a skunk and this years theme was Chinese zodiac, year of the skunk. 

Hardware Store = Board Game

I know that board games aren't usually what comes to mind when talking about hardware stores but there are actually quite a few possibilities.

This round of Iron Craft we were challenged to make something using items found at a hardware store.

I had already made some plans for a board game made from hardware store materials but not gone very far with it. I had the needed items, just taking my sweet (slow) time.

The game is "Robo Rally" (sort of like battle bots meets chess). It's a real board game that can be bought online (I've not personally seen it in stores). Unfortunately I don't really have the money to buy the game so I determined that it wouldn't be hard to make my own.

I bought a flat board and got it cut into the size of the boards that come with the game. After sanding the edges I painted white then gray to be the factory floor. Next I marked out the square grid. Now the creativity, I added conveyor belts, holes, gears and walls wherever I felt. 

For the game pieces I picked a bunch of bolts, washers and nuts and matched them together in different patterns. I dipped each end into a color of paint to make them even more different. Last I added some paint to one wing of the wing nuts to signify the front of my "robots".

All that is left is to create movement cards to move the robots with and we're ready to play!

Deliciocity Friday: BBQ Ranch Vegeburgers

Time for something a little more healthy!

(we can't live off sweets alone)

I made this burger using a can of meatless Vegeburger from Cedar Lake. It's vegan so no meat and much healthier then many options.

Ingredients:

1 can Cedar Lake Vegeburger

1 cup uncooked oatmeal

1/3 cup ketchup

1/3 cup BBQ sauce

1 Tbsp ranch dressing mix

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp dehydrated onions

A dash of garlic powder and salt

Many of the seasonings are a taste preference but it's a good place to hide the immunity boosting onions and garlic.

I mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, by hand or by fork.

While I'm mixing I have a frying pan warming up on medium heat. 

Shape the mixture into a patty and remember that is the shape and size you will end up with. (it doesn't shrink like ground beef) I usually get 5 large patties, however, if made closer to normal size it would probably end up making something like 7 or 8 burgers.

Cook on medium heat for a few minutes on each side. Since the Vegeburger is precooked, you are just heating, not having to worry about reaching a specific temperature.

 You may need a little vegetable oil in the pan to help keep the burgers from sticking and burning.

Dress your burger to your tastes and enjoy a very moist and healthier burger!

Find Vegeburger here, or at an Adventist Book Center near you.

 

Birdie Mobile

Time for another Iron Craft posting!

 This time we were challenged to make something for baby.

I started out making a little yellow felt birdie. My thinking was that it would be one of those cute dangling things on the handle of a car seat.

 Then I kept going.

I ended up making four different colored felt birdies to create a mobile for over a crib.

They are attached via thin clear wire to an embroidery hoop. There is a piece of ribbon attached to the hoop to pin it to the ceiling (or hook over a mobile hoop).

No, you didn't hit your head in the Acme desert, it's just a hand sewn bird mobile! 

DOMO Sewing Kit

Along with the Star Trek and TARDIS items I made for a swap on swap-bot.com, I also am making a DOMO sewing kit for someone else.

In this swap we are supposed to make some sort of kit in a tin that can be carried around.

The person I am sending to is a fashion design student who also mentioned she likes DOMO things.

I found some tins at Target for a dollar. They had "Spam" on the top but that's easily fixed!

I used felt to make the DOMO face to hot glue onto the top of the tin.

I am filling it with little things that are commonly needed for sewing.

Buttons, thread, needles, snaps, safety pins, etc.

Check out www.Swap-bot.com to find great swaps to join!