Captain Eo Figure, 1985

This sixteen-inch tall figure, created for a display at Disneyland in 1985, was the public's first view of Michael Jackson in his role as Captain Eo.  The sculptures of Eo and his "ragtag band", displayed in a miniature setting from the film, were all handmade and painted by an enthusiastic young  artist, Jason Bahret, of the Disneyland Entertainment Art Department.

Working almost a year in advance of the film's debut,  there was little visual reference available to him. No one had seen the fim, which was still in post-production, and the Studio was reluctant to release photos so early, so he referred to a handful of color slides that had been shot on the set.  "The biggest challenge for me was figuring out all the layers, buckles and straps on Michael Jackson's costume," Jason recalls "I must have just made up about 40 to 50 percent of it since I couldn't see it in the slides!"

More of Jason Bahret's Captain Eo figures here

Dirk Fowler/F2 Design

Dirk Fowler appreciated at Grain Edit

Values Abound at Mass Modern Auction

Art Deco chair from Wright's Auction
Estimate $700-900, Realized $125

As Andy Beach points out, it is a good time to be buying and a terrible time to be selling. Everything is so cheap. Unless you are looking for it, then, somehow, it is not cheap.

Wright's Mass Modern Auction
Reference Library Selections from Mass Modern

Mister Jalopy's Shackitecture Pallet and Ziptie Construction

Considering the ubiquitous presence of wooden pallets, I started thinking about them as a source for cheap building material. Actually, I have been considering it for years. It takes me a long time to form ideas into action. As anybody who has ever attempted to take a pallet apart can tell you, the dreaded pallet nail with its signature twist means the wood splinters far easier than the nail is removed. Rather than fight the pallets, I decided to come up with an application that could use them whole. The standardized 40" x 48" size meant that I could construct with Lego block uniformity.

Thumbing through the Grainger catalog is a favorite lunch pastime and I was amazed to find such a variety of heavy duty zipties. Perhaps strong enough for construction...

120 lb rated, 30 inches long and UV resistant

In 2.5 hours, I assembled my outdoor garden with zipties, a pair of lineman's pliers, a hammer, and a saw to cut the top pieces down to size.

It got stronger and stronger as I added more components.

To brace the corners, I varied a smidge from the all-pallet theme and ziptied some old crates as shelves.

Extra zipties - the repair kit

Rather than fighting the gaps and lateral boards, I made the top tier into planter boxes and I have since planted them with rosemary clippings, a poblano pepper and a tomato plant.

The rose bushes came from a San Fernando Valley church that was pulling them and planting ficus in their place. I am endlessly fascinated by how minimal, spare construction can define a space into a room.

Shackitecture Storage Barn

Whether you are a chef, woodworker or pipe cleaner-wielding crafter, we all share a common problem - storage of raw materials. Gray Organschi Architecture built a remarkably pragmatic indoor/outdoor barn to deal with the issue. Beautifully executed.

Gray Organschi Architecture Storage Barn at Archinect (Thanks, Steve!)

Previously on D+R, Shackitecture

What is shackitecture? Modest buildings of grand ambition.

Marie Dubas

Not many people know that Edith Piaf was greatly influenced by and admired a predecessor of hers, named Marie Dubas. Said Piaf:

She knows how to make people laugh; I only know how to make them cry. Marie, you're the greatest and I owe everything to you.

It's interesting to note that not only did Dubas first record the love song "Mon Legionnaire" (more popularly associated with Piaf) but Dubas was an ebullient and comedic performer, who always wore a white dress when performing, while Piaf, French Empress of tragedy, always took stage in her famous black dress. This clip is from 1936 of a dramatized film to accompany the lyrics (who claims to have made the "first music video" anymore?). I particularly like that they illustrate the lyrics about the soldier's tattoos:

He was covered in tattoos
That I never quite understood
His neck carried: "Not seen nor taken"
On his heart it read: "No one"
On his right arm: "Reason"

Link

A Two Egg Day

Two or three eggs a day from my four chickens is average. On no-egg days I show the chickens my slow-cooker. That usually results in four eggs the following day.

Kombucha Redux

I used to make my own Kombucha tea in 1995. It's a lot of fun to make. You get a big bowl, fill it with water, add some black tea bags and some sugar, and then place a pancake-like kombucha "mushroom" on top of the bowl. The mushroom (it's really a "spongey cellulose mat produced by the kombucha bacteria and yeast cells") feeds on the sugar and ferments the solution. After about a week, the mushroom has made a copy of itself that you can peel from the mother mushroom. (You can give one of them away and keep the other to make more kombucha tea.)

The resulting tea is a fermented, tangy, fizzy brew that I find very tasty. I stopped making it after a couple of years because we moved (and moving always knocks all my patterns and routines out of whack). It took over 12 years for me to get the idea to start making kombucha again. I read some of self-experimenter Seth Roberts' writings about the health benefits of fermented foods, and he is making kombucha, too.

I ordered the starter kit shown about from Kombucha America. I can't wait to get started making it again. I'll keep you posted.

By the way, Arwen O'Reilly of Craft magazine ran a how-to on making kombucha.

Carton Design for Eggs

If you ask me, eggs are much too cheap. The eggs my chickens lay are almost priceless. So I have no problem with this fancy egg packaging designed by Lindsey Faye Sherman.

Sherman says:

Reintroducing a classic packaging concept, I designed an egg carton container engineered for maximum storage, usability and protection of the stored product. Equipped with individually perforated cups this container will allow you to store and travel with your eggs with ease.

I'm going to check my coop for eggs right now.

Lisa Katayama Goes Camping

D+R pal Lisa Katayama went camping with the geeks and reported back on everything from tick removal to camping iPhone applications. A great example of why blogging rules - personal, informative and totally fun.

Katayama Camping at Boingboing Gadgets (Can't figure out a good permalink to the group so I linked the sports and survival tag)

Farrah

The Whispering Gallery

On my last trip to NYC, my friend Jessica pointed out "The Whispering Gallery" as we passed through Grand Central Station. The acoustics of the archways allow two people to stand, facing away, at opposite corners and talk softly into the stone crevice to hear with perfect clarity what the other is saying.

Link

1965 Morris Mini Cooper 1275S Saloon

The Ex-BMC Factory Team 1966 Monte Carlo Rally (Timo Makinen) and 1966 Polish Rally (Rauno Aaltonen) Mini. As kids, these rallying Minis made a phenomenal amount of sense to us as they seemed to be scaled for us. A wonderful opportunity - read, '"project" - as the car is partially disassembled.

1965 Morris Mini Race Car at Bonhams

Zenith Phantom Record Player (1957)

Zenith Phantom record player from 1957. More photos here.

Garage Sale Report - June 20, 2009

Figural Christmas Light Bulbs

Though they had strings and strings of Christmas lights in the original boxes, I only bought this pair of bulbs. Though the wires looked sound, I couldn't imagine that I would ever find the nerve to hang old Christmas lights on a tree. Now, I regret not buying a single string as I would have loved to scavenge a pair of sockets to light these bulbs.

Toy Boat

My long-time friend Kenny has lovingly restored a sailboat and invited me last weekend to go out on the lake. There were plenty of other boats, but it was this wee little boat (above) that made me practically squeal with delight. A toy-like dinghy, with only enough room for one person. Boy, did it look like fun. Kenny said, "Those are 'Optimists' and they're designed for kids to learn how to sail". But a full-grown man was at the helm having a lovely day.

The other thing I spotted, just as cute -a face on the back of a boat waiting in the slip. Am I the only one who sees it? Two black eyes and a nose as if to say "Mommy, can we go out on the lake today? No? Oh, okay. Sigh. Sure looks like fun out there." Do you see it too?

Link to photos of kids in Optimist trainer dinghys

General Dynamics Nut Dish

In honor of the generous contributions of D+R perma-guest blogger Todd Lappin and in consideration of his general awesomeness at the head of Telstar Logisitics, I recently sent Todd a nut dish honoring the General Dynamics Sparrow Missle. It appears that he has polished it. I thought it was a cigar ashtray, but Todd insists its mission is nuts.

Thanks for your efforts Todd!

Missle Nut Dish at Telstar Logistics Flickr Stream

The 8"x10" Glossy Photo Walls of Los Angeles

As a kid, I would always inspect the photos of celebrities hanging in every Los Angeles dry cleaner, falafel store and pet shop. There was no finer collection than Pink's Chili Dogs. As I had a Mitz kosher cola and hot dog, I would see how many people I could identify. The weatherman from channel 7, the thug from the Rockford Files and topless extra from the Showtime After Dark special.

The above photo was taken at Benny's Independent Mercedes. My 1987 300TD is in the shop for climate control issues. Though I am a decent shadetree mechanic, the vacuum pod and computer technology of 1980's Mercedes really feels like a black art. I rely on Benny for these matters.

Would I recommend Benny's Independent Mercedes? Yes. However, only if you are going to be a good customer, which is not a comment on the money you are willing to spend, but the respect that you are willing to extend. I love going to Benny's shop. Always gracious, possessing an incredible mane of gray hair, Benny is a pleasure to be around and I enjoy spending time with his poodle, Tiny. They always tolerate my nosy curiosity as I look under the hood of every Mercedes in the place.

Benny's Independent Mercedes

Jenny Hart x Jim Woodring Colab

D+R pal, D+R perma-guest blogger, fine artist and independent businessperson Jenny Hart has just released a new colab embroidery pattern with D+R hero Jim Woodring! It is completely bad ass and makes me want to pull out my needle and hoop. I have lots of pending embroidery projects, but this may have to move up the list!

From Sublime Stitching:

I am extremely proud to have Jim Woodring's patterns as part of the Sublime Stitching Artist Series. Growing up reading alternative comics (snuck from my brother's room), exposed me to Jim's work when I was a young teen and working with him has been a dream come true. Woodring's inimitable, dreamy imagery from his beloved, surreal comic, Frank will take you, and your embroidery, to another world.

One 8 1/2 x 11" sheet of multi-imprinting, iron-on embroidery patterns. Just iron on to any fabric and stitch along the lines. Each pack comes with complete instructions for getting started in embroidery!

Jenny Hart x Jim Woodring Embroidery Pattern

Other new releases from Sublime Stitching

Ibanez Restoration

D+R pal Adam Cruz did a great restoration on his Ibanez Lawsuit Special. All the more amazing as it was his first attempt at such an endeavor! Fantastic!

Ibanez Restoration

Unstealable Bike

Before

After

I wanted an unstealable bike. Not ugly, but a bike that would be too much of a hassle to deal with. Low-end components and too many stickers to peel off.

This is a Coco's Variety/House Industries colab. Though, they didn't know they were in it. Until now.

Mister Jalopy's Unstealable Bike

Alexander Girard Bicycles by Electra

Girard Bicyles at Little Doodles (Thanks, Arlette!)

Marcel Breuer's Shackitecture

From Breuer Trailer House:

Located in Dutchess County, New York, the 10-acre property is an architectural assemblage composed of Marcel Breuer's Wolfson Trailer House and a separate artist's studio. Commissioned and constructed from 1949-1951, the Breuer house surrounds a 1948 Royal Mansion Spartan Trailer. Accenting the Wolfson house is a 1960 artist's studio by Tip Dorsel, commissioned by the original owner and designed in dialogue with the Breuer structure. Sited among vast acreage of natural landscape, the accumulative and varied structures create an unparalleled composition of architecture and space.

As my architectural tastes change over the years, I realize that the quality of huge open spaces and austere mid-century modern furniture does not fit how I feel comfortable living my life. I still love that stuff, from a museum, somebody-else's-house perspective, but I am more comfortable in smaller, purposeful rooms that create intimate spaces for specific activities. I like rooms that feel as if they have been lived in. Worn by hands and a little threadbare.


Breuer's assemblage of disparate architectural styles, including the lowly aluminum skinned trailer, successfully creates a modern environment that feels completely warm and organic. A space that evolved with the occupants.

I love it.

Image: spartantrailer.com

Not familiar with the Spartan trailers?
Not familiar with Marcel Breuer? Or, alternatively, just Google Marcel Breuer.

Breuer Trailer House (Thanks to longtime D+R reader Luke!)

Icon Motorcycle Helmets

With the subtlety of a 12 pound sledgehammer, the Icon helmets do inspire a sort of drool-y teenage admiration.

Icon Moto Helmets

Garage Sale Report - June 13, 2009

I am going to spare our gracious readers the specific details of just how yucky this workbench was upon discovery. Buried under boxes such that it was indistinguishable as a woodworking bench, I bought it based on seeing a single wood vise screw on the end.

Somebody, at some point, knew exactly what they had. This purchase was no trifle. It was expensive then. This was not a purchase made on a whim at Sears. I mean, I suppose that a wealthy individual may have bought it without a full appreciation, but I doubt it.

See that black rattle can over spray? I doubt that was the work of the original owner.

First, I swept it clean with a bench brush then blew it off with compressed air. Removed the wood screws and polished them. Washed the entire bench with wood soap. It took an hour with a can of paint thinner and 0000 steel wool to get that black paint off. Refurbished the finish, more steel wool. Coated with orange oil, let it soak and buffed it with an old t-shirt.

People see my shop and imagine that I find these magnificent objects intact. That they appear pristine and I just need to cart them back. But, it is just not the case. These are all projects. Magnificent, but projects.

UPDATE:



D+R reader Stan points out that Sjöbergs are still being made in Sweden. Wonderful! It appears their primary focus is the outfitting of school workshops. Learning to work with such extraordinary tools would be certain to create a lifetime appreciation for quality.

Another update: D+R pal Kevin reports that Sjöbergs are available on Amazon. Which is very cool, as I wanted the aluminum bench dogs for my new (used) Sjöberg bench.

Sjöbergs Workfurniture

Eveready Pistol Flashlight

There is a long list of things I am looking for at garage sales. Based on the sale and the sellers, I will align my list with objects that I think they would possibly have. Of course, I would never be so specific as to ask for a pistol flashlight, but I did ask if they had any pocket knives. After disappearing inside, they returned with a pretty uninteresting knife and this amazing flashlight. I suppose they figured the sort of fellow that would be looking for pocket knives would also have interest in a Saturday night special flashlight. They were right.

Naturally, I bought the pocket knife, too. Just to round out the deal and show my appreciation for emerging with the flashlight.

Hombre Primitivo

The lustrous look of Prell. (Via PCL LinkDump)

Creative Kokeshi Show

Kokeshi by Betsy Walton

Be still my beating heart. There is an upcoming exhibit, Kokeshi: From Folk Art to Art Toy at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles opening next month (July 11th - October 4th). Maybe if I close my eyes tight and wish reaaal hard I'll get to go see it.

Link (via My love for you is a stampede of horses)

Previously on D+R: Kokeshi Dolls
Related: Free Sublime Stitching Kokeshi Doll pattern

Crazy Bus

click photo to enlarge

The owner of this bus doesn't just wear his heart on his sleeve, he/she writes it all over his bus, (in rainbow technicolor). Is he a modern day prophet? A tortured artist. Or maybe just psychotic. I won't dare to guess...


In any case, I saw it parked in a local K-Mart parking lot with a "4-sale" strapped to the inside of a window; I took the opportunity to snap some photos, feeling safe and happy with those lovely bright colors (so happy... yum).

Here's one of the more interesting "warnings" on the bus...

A baby is born and will not know his little sister because she does not know her little brother because he did not know his big sister because the big sister does not know her big brother because because the big brother does not know his mother because the mother never knew the father because all people hide their sins so no one knows no one. Face what u hide - examine yourself... get honest!

If you enlarge the photos (by clicking on them), you can read more of this stuff. I'm only sorry I didn't have a nicer camera with me at the time.


Crazy Bus Flickr set

Jimmy's Lambretta from Quadrophenia

Quadrophenia Lambretta Scooter sold at Bonham's