Toto2 Basket Kit Listed

2017/02/182017/02/188 Comments

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The Toto2 basket kit is finally listed at ModMinSucc+Sundries. Studying the above pictured basket, which is not the one Dorothy carried in the movie — this is the wicked basket — gives me the idea to try some thick/thin weaving. Thanks, Almira Gulch!

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The Toto2 instructions ran to one-anna-half pages O_o

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Printed front and back, folded in half. Tidy. But of course I spotted the spacing error in the name (twice!) after they were all printed. It’s going to stay in for now :/

And now it’s time for a glass of relax and eyes away from cameras and screens. Check it out!

Toto2 Prototype, First Article

2017/02/0521 Comments

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Rounding out +Sundry baskets, here is the final Toto2 basket prototype. There are at least two handle styles possible, and I played with the idea of basket hardware.

I improved the proportions from the first Toto, and experimented with lid types.

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Here is the first article. It’s Minwax Golden Oak stain and W&N Promarker Marsh Green.

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Tomorrow, light and electricity permitting, I’ll be able to photograph the instructions and shop listings. There’s a big windy storm blowing in, and with the ground already saturated… Everything will be alright.

New Basket Kit, Stormy, Scarlett

2017/02/032017/02/0319 Comments

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This was me last night, after finishing the stormtrooper kit. The beauty and precision of Bandai’s design and manufacturing is so elegant, I was inspired to rethink several of my kit components. I spent all morning redesigning and test cutting, watching the Cricut machine’s performance with each iteration. As a result, I’ve made small improvements to the kit building process and experience, and improved kitting efficiency. When one wears all the ~~helmets~~ hats in a business, small improvements make a big small difference :)

BTS: For instance, the first version instructions for the newly-listed round basket with handle kit had you measuring and cutting parts for the handle. Tricky measurements, too, like 9/16 of an inch. I realized this was contrary to my core value proposition *snerk* of taking the tedium out of miniature building; that’s what machines are for. Now there is a pre-measured and cut handle assembly piece that took me like four tries to optimize for the Cricut. It’s still fiddly to make, but no rulers are involved.

The stormtrooper’s name is… Stormy. He and Zilly have yet to meet.

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I think Scarlett is getting big, with permanently dirty toes. At seven months old, she’s not at that super leggy stage, but who knows?

Oh, and here’s a beauty shot of the new basket. It’s colored W&N Promarker Orchid. (This was my favorite color when I was a young girl, but I called it lavender :)

New Basket Kit, Newsletter, Godzilla

2017/01/312017/01/316 Comments

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A-tisket, a-tasket, a new basket kit! Shown here in base white, how many of you will want to make yours green and yellow? This one is open, round, a little shorter than the lidded basket (9/16 x 1¼ inches, 14 x 32 mm) and with a/n optional handle. It works well for knitting, fresh produce or catch-all.

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The kit instructions include an explanatory diagram for the first time! I’m finishing up the photography and bits later; the kit’ll be available over at MMS+S tomorrow, individually and as a 3-pack.

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The February issue of Cut, Fold + Make goes out tonight at midnight, so you still have a few hours to sign up (link in upper right column) for a monthly dosage of creative provocation and exclusive content. Hint: boxen!

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Godzilla wants to show you his new lovey — an iridescent vert comme un lutin (leprechaun) named Verti. The two are inseparable, and it’s heartwarming to see the monster so happy-go-lucky.

Success, Failure, Success

2017/01/212017/01/226 Comments

I took the coast road down to Santa Cruz on Wednesday. There was a mad gale blowing, and pouring down rain, and I just didn’t feel like hydroplaning on the Peninsula freeways. Mid-week, the coast road — in addition to being spectacularly beautiful — is a good place to think, and I needed some thinking time. The weather was intense, especially on the open coastal bluffs; the road oddly deserted, and I felt alive and free, so happy to be on the way to seeing my baby girls (the little mama, Maddie, and the bun in the oven :)

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I had this great idea to do diagonal weaving that occupied much of my drive, with the first project being an open-sided ottoman on stylish legs. After our joyful reunion at preschool, and snacks, Maddie and I sat side by side on the couch, she absorbed in an animal show on the iPad (special treat!) while I sketched out my ideas. Above you see some of the sketches, along with Maddie’s later commentary. And the next day’s failed attempts to devise a workable diagonal paper loom.

But no. I tried a few variations, redid my measurements, cut different spoke looms, wove this way and that, but it’s just too hard to do in paper, and not fun at all. Feh.

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However, my notebook has been enriched with an almost-4-year-old’s visions. This is one of my favorites. So much going on!

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Today, after happily spending the morning kitting and filling MMS+S orders, I noticed the supply of old presentation materials I have been hacking and re-purposing for shipping was dwindling. (Seriously, they are like 20 years old? And I’ve held on to them all this time? = paper hoarder.) I determined to craft new ones. Some trial-and-error, but I learned how to use the Cricut scoring tool (super useful!) and cut up bunches of cardstock that is too heavy for weaving (thrifty!) to make colorful new shipping inserts.

Heartfelt thanks to Brae and Keli for writing about the basket kits. Your esteem and influence is plain to see, and I am so very glad that you like them. In our tiny community, you set a standard of generosity that is priceless.

Basket Kit Listed

2017/01/162017/01/1613 Comments

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The first woven paper basket kit is up on Modern Miniature Succulents + Sundries ! Starting with a pre-cut kit takes all the tedium out of miniature basket weaving.

(Vocabulary enrichment moment: When looking for a nicer word than ‘tedium’, I encountered longueur, and this reflection by Francine Prose:
“I find myself using this word more often than I probably should, to describe those boring stretches of a novel or play during which your attention drifts … I would probably use it even more frequently were it not so difficult to spell. What I like is how the sound of it suggests a combination of languor and length — the languor produced by something that is unduly long — though I have learned that its derivation has to do with length rather than lassitude.”)

I stuck with tedium. Anyway, some outtakes from the instructions:

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