Tin Can Man

The Wizard of Oz was always one of my favorite movies as a child. Later in life I learned about all of the rumors, legends and scandal behind the filming of the movie. Some true, false or simply embellished.

For some time I've wanted to make a tin can man. I washed and saved several cans of various sizes. When I had enough I began to construct in my mind how I wanted him to look.

Of course I searched Pinterest and other sites just to get workable information.

I wanted to use bolts to hinge parts together but it was too difficult even trying to use my drill. I probably don't have the correct drill bit.  I used E-6000, HVAC tape and hot glue in areas that were tricky to keep in place. I'm well aware that the glue will melt in hot weather as I expect it to. Hot glue was a temporary measure to keep things in place until the E-6000 had time to cure.

The buttons consist of 2 washers and one bottle cap, The metal heart is a metal icon I had in my
stash. I may paint it red at a later date.

I'm very pleased with the Tin Man's outcome. He's hanging on the wall of my back fence. I look forward to him rusting and gaining more character. 

I may even  put together a companion for him. 😉

Door Decoration

 I enjoy decorating my front door. It makes a home look inviting.

 I went to my favorite site, Pinterest to get a little inspiration. After perusing the site for burlap baskets and flowers, my idea finally  hatched.

This past Sunday I took  a scrap piece of burlap I had left over from a previous project to make a burlap pouch.


I made sure I ironed it first so that I could even things up. I ran staystitching on all sides because burlap will ravel. Above the staystitching I pulled the threads giving it a fringed look.



I sewed the sides then went across the bottom and made a triangle from the side to the bottom at both side seams. 

(I think it's called a dart. Correct me if I'm wrong.)

After ironing the pouch I made a handle from from burlap too.

You can see where I fringed the top.

Placing the flowers is where a tiny challenge came in. The challenge being that I wanted to be able to use the burlap  pouch  for other things if I chose to. I used a piece of scrap cardboard, wrapped and hot glued the stems in newspaper, then glued that to the box.  I took the baby's breath apart to fill in wherever I wanted.    

The book in the upper right hand corner was my first thought
to use as the base for the flowers. Hollowing out the pages was
a chore. The book is an old Reader's Digest novel compilation
I got at the thrift store.

After gluing the flowers onto the cardboard, I folded the cardboard
 envelope style and stapled the sides.

I tucked the cardboard bunch of flowers into the burlap pouch. The cardboard wasn't stable inside so I added a bit of  hot glue on the back of the cardboard and glued it to the back of the pouch.

This is the back of the pouch. The white is where the hot glue
melded to the paper as I was allowing it to dry. That part won't be
seen.  Though glued, I'll still be able to disconnect the cardboard
if I want to reuse the pouch.

To fill out the pouch, I used crumpled newspaper.

I'm not a florist so the way I have them arranged is in no particular order.  Hanging them on the closet door was a dress rehearsal before hanging them outside. I found a purple dragonfly in my stash from another project and penned him to the outside of the pouch.

Here is the finished product. I'm pleased. For a closer look refer to the picture at the beginning of the post. (If you look even closer you'll see a reflection of me snapping the picture.) 😀

That's it***

Matzo Crack AKA Matzo Toffee

I'd been given this matzo bread along with some other items in a bag the Senior Center was distributing (before Covid 19). I'd heard of matzo ball soup and that's about all I knew of matzo.  I began Googling "matzo"  to find out more about this Jewish bread and what else I could do with  it.

That's when I came across the recipe at That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Here is the recipe:

Matzo Crack AKA Matzo Toffee

A delectable toffee treat made with matzos! Recipe adapted from Marcy Goldman's Caramel Matzoh Crunch, Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking

Ingredients

·          4-5 matzos

·          1 cup (2 sticks) butter

·          1 cup dark brown sugar

·          12 ounces (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips

·          1+ cup chopped, toasted pecans

Instructions

1.      Preheat oven to 350º. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then top with a sheet of parchment paper. Cover surface with a single layer of matzos, breaking as needed to fit. Set aside.

2.      Combine butter and brown sugar in a heavy saucepan. Stir over medium heat till it comes to a boil, then continue to stir and boil for 3 more minutes.

3.      Carefully pour hot mixture over matzos and spread evenly.

4.      Bake for 10 minutes or till caramel mixture is bubbling. Remove from oven and evenly sprinkle with chocolate chips. Wait about 5 minutes for chocolate to melt, then smooth over surface and sprinkle with pecans.

5.      Refrigerate till chocolate is firm, about 45 minutes. Using parchment, remove toffee from pan to large cutting board and cut into bite sized pieces. Store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Total time: 1 1/2 hours

Yield: approximately 3 dozen pieces depending on size

                                        *****

The ingredients needed

3. Pouring the brown sugar and butter mixture on the matzo bread
4. Bubbling caramel after being taken from the oven to bake
5. Adding chocolate chips to the hot caramel
6. Spreading the melted chocolate chips over the caramel

The final tasty product.

I can see why it's called crack.  It's addictive and once it's hard you break it into pieces, the same as you would peanut brittle.

Some recipes suggested sprinkling on a little Kosher salt while it's still hot. I opted not to do that. It's best to leave well enough alone.

This recipe has also been done by some using saltine crackers.

That's it😋

Mask Making

This is an N 95 mask.

I wanted to do what I could to help during the COVID-19 crisis especially, those on the front line. I offered to make masks for a relative who works on the front line at the hospital. At first, he said no, then he asked me to make 6. I was thinking these were for him so that he’d have a clean one for each day. But it turns out he wanted to give one to each person on his team. One of his teammates had distributed homemade masks to them and he wanted to return the favor.  This relative is a good guy that's selfless and giving. He has always been that way. For privacy purposes I won't reveal his name.

He offered to pay for materials, but I declined. Sewers and crafters keep a “stash.” Sometimes it’s left over from previous projects or we buy items not knowing what we’re going to do with them but assume they’ll come in handy at some time or another. 😊 I just wanted to help in some way possible and was honored to do so.

I asked if he wanted the tie masks or elastic behind the ear? I was told, the elastic behind the ear.

I viewed several videos on YouTube and decided on  Leah Day. 

You see purple, flowered and off white. All were a cotton blend with a good weave. Sometimes after having things for so long you forget what or why you bought them. The purple I’d planned to use as a lining in a lace dress that remains half finished and probably will never be finished. The flowered I’d planned to make a bed pillow. After keeping it two years I don’t think it’s going to happen.  I couldn’t remember why I had the off white but, finally I remembered. I’d used it at the bottom of a shower curtain (the cloth one) to make it longer.

The black and white rolled elastic I had for whatever reason. 😶 The pipe cleaners were left over from a 2017 Christmas project.  They'll be used in the mask near the nose allowing the person to bend it to fit and to keep glasses from fogging up. The marking pens I bought on Amazon after watching a sewing program and getting all fired up to sew. They're needed to mark where I'll make the pleats in the mask.

The marking pens worked great on the off-white fabric, but when it came to the flowered, I had to rely on a black marker because the pen colors were blending in with the flowers.  

There’s a lot of debate on what’s being used as filters. I’ve seen suggestions for paper towels, feminine products with the plastic taken out, disposable diaper material, AC filters.  I’d  say to research carefully whatever you decide to use.

I didn’t stop with the six masks; I made more giving some to my relative and his wife and some elsewhere. By the time I’d finished I’d made 21 masks. (Not shown).  Someone else asked me to make three for her and I said I would.  I had to renege. I’d masked out.

I was glad I was able to help out .

That's it😷