3D Printing

We had a lovely family day over the weekend, with my daughter, son and eldest granddaughter designing and printing with the 3D printer I treated the family to for Christmas.

My daughter has had quite a bit of practise with it now and showed my son how to use the software.  Here are a few bits we made:

Spaceman created from a download from the Canadian Space Agency

My son's first print in colour changing filament

a Tardis bookmark in colour changing filament
(changes colour in UV light)

A dice designed by my granddaughter, also in colour changing filament. 
Dots coloured with  Posca pens. (our original dice pattern that came with the machine
had wrongs dies opposite)

Panic at the Disco key tag designed by Granddaughter

we printed a few of these two in colour changing filament,

three in white

We coloured the three white bookmarks with blue markers

Apart from the spaceman, the dice and tag designed by granddaughter - the other items were from Thingyverse.

Something a little diferent

Over the weekend, the family came over for a meal, and play card games, and play with the 3D printer (more on that tomorrow).

We were going to teach my eldest granddaughter Canasta, and we need to refresh our memories on the rules - well I had remembered them but my daughter and son-in-law weren't too sure.  Undaunted I said I will get the Hoyle's Games book from the bookcase, and we will look up the rules.    Erm not a lot of use as my edition is very old (the 1863 edition or 1883 - I couldn't quite make out the date). and apparently Canasta wasn't invented until 1939!   oops!

The book

However, what I didn't know was that there was an inscription inside the book "Kate from Grandpapa February 19th 1888"  !   Gosh I didn't know that was in there.  I have no idea where the book came from - I haven't found a Katie in my family tree yet.   I seem to think the book belonged to my parents, or might even have belonged to my husband's family - we have had it "forever" so I have no idea.   It might even have been a purchase from a jumble sale - who knows - but it won't be thrown away that's for sure.

The inscription

A Family Heirloom

I set myself a challenge over Christmas.   Back in 2004 I discovered a tablecloth on which the embroidery had been started.   I don't know how old it is - It could have been started by my mother, albeit she was a knitter more than an embroiderer.   It could even have been her mother's (she died in 1938), as my daughter has a similar cloth that belonged to my mum. which I do remember coming out on occasions when I was a child  I will never know who started it - searching for vintage embroidery transfers on the net, I discovered that the ones in with the cloth  were probably from the 1930s to 1950s. (So still non the wiser who started the cloth!)  I certainly never remember seeing it all the time I lived at home).

I did  do a bit to the tablecloth a few years ago and finished most of the edge motifs, and having also got the original transfer sheets, I added some extra motifs in the middle, but then I got bored, forgot about it, and then my sight deteriorated.

As I have now had one cataract done, and can see a lot better, and even distinguish the colours of the threads, I set myself the challenge to complete the embroidery before the end of the year.  I have Succeeded with a day to spare.   Quite proud of myself as I am not a "clean" crafter, preferring to be dabbling with paint and mdf to being a gentile embroiderer - lol!

The finished tablecloth

one of the edge motifs

a corner motif

centre motifs (two designs)

the leftover transfers

So success one family heirloom completed, and if any of the family want to add to it - they are most welcome.   There probably aren't enough decent leftover transfers - but I suppose if the mood takes me I could make something or embroider a handkerchief !

However, I will do a bit more embroidery in the not too distant future as my nine year old granddaughter wants to learn, and I gave her a sewing box for Christmas, and also invested in a load of silks that I cold share with her.

Good Luck for Exams Card

My eldest granddaughter starts her GCSE exams this week, so I made this little good luck card for her.

Space themed cake and card

A quick surprise cake for a family birthday.     He is very into space, the ISS and little did he know he was getting an R2D2 model for his birthday.  Rather than try and model an R2D2 - I designed a topper for the cake!

It then came to making a card, well confess I cheated and used the same/similar images for the basic design.

He was rather pleased with both.

Birthday Cake

For once a cake I haven't made, but I have to share.   This was made by my daughter and my eldest granddaughter for said granddaughter's birthday disco party.  (So for first time in her 16 years I didn't make the cake!)

The theme was "Panic at the Disco".   My daughter knew she didn't have time to make a number of cakes to turn into a top hat, but inspiration struck and she borrowed my T-shirt pan, and used it upside down.  Worked a treat - just shows you have to think out of the box,

Rather than make a black cake (we all know how awful black icing tastes) she wisely created a purple grey, which also meant she didn't have to airbrush the cake black either in the short time she had to create it.

My granddaughter designed the cake, and even made some of the flowers, in particular the roses, as my daughter could not get on with all in one rose cutter!

The flowers and cogs were all airbrushed, having started off as white.   (This was nearly a panic situation too - more like panic in the kitchen than at the disco, as she couldn't find her airbrush, so had to borrow mine.   Not helped by the fact that I was out all day on a birthday treat with with my son's family for his youngest daughter: which meant a frantic phone call to find out where I kept my airbrush.  It took a while to get through to us as we were in the depths of the Sea Life Centre!  Fortunately I knew exactly where it was!)
I think they did a fantastic job - hope you do to.