Halloweekend

This year Halloween fell on a Monday leaving the entire weekend open to costumed high jinx from all over.  It kept my weekend fully social.  Friday night was the Highball Halloween party which I normally would of boycotted but hubby really wanted to see the costumes.  I admit that going as just a spectator and not giving 2 cents about their ill promoted fashion show (which I can't even use the real title without wanting to vomit for misuse for vocabulary).    Anyways..... I had a very last minute costume.  I just wasn't feeling the vibe to get ultra creative or to embark on some huge project with everything else on my plate.  I settled for what I thought was simple cheap way out and I was a Facehugger Victim from Aliens.

 As the victim is in the movie

 This was probably the largest crowd I have seen at the event to date.  The line when I left was still a block long and that was before the festivities had really begun.

A lot of originals out there I found amusing such as these guys from Sesame Street.  

YIP YIP YIP YIP UH HUH UH HUH

 Columbus Idea Foundry Representing

 Angry Bird and Ritchie and Margo Tenanbaum

From another party we went to which was Saturday Night I saw the coolest way to decorate apple cider/punch for a party.  They were apples carved to look like Faces with Cloves for the eyes!

  It very much reminds of that scene from Lord of the Rings where Frodo gets sucked into the Dead Marshes or the Inferius from Harry Potter and the Seaside Cave.

 The Log Lady from Twin Peaks and a Lumbar Jack

Very appropriate together

 Cheetara and Cleopartra

 The Doctor #11 & 10

And a super ghetto Sonic Screwdriver

I also went to Por Vida Saturday but that really needs it's own post to give people credit for their amazing artwork.  I had a lot of good friends put up some amazing things in the show.

Laser Cutting

 In Columbus we are fortunate enough to have this wonderful workshop called the Columbus Idea Foundry.  Basically it is a metal and wood workshop where members pay a monthly fee to use the space and the equipment.  Some of the equipment of course costs more due to consumables used such as welding, laser cutter and so on.

I took the esteemed Laser Cutting Class on the 60 W Epilog laser cutter with a 12″x24″ bed  by Paul.  It was probably some of the best $25 I have spent in a long time.

 

These are some examples of what it can cut, plexi glass with etching, leather, wood.  All these materials can be at the maximum thickness of 1/2".  The only things that this will not cut are Metal and PVC.  

 

This is the machine opened up

Below is a full photo to show you the scale. It really wasn't as big as I thought it would be but still impressive.

 

This is Paul explaining the rotary attachment that makes it possible to do the etching and cutting on circular objects, such as tubes and drinking glasses.

 

This was one of the optional beds to put under your materials as you are cutting.  I love how it has a history where you can see the shapes from the things that other people have cut into it.

 

This is just before the start up.  You can see that tiny red dot is where the laser will be cutting at.

 

Here is the best photo I could take of the laser at work.  Since it is cutting plexi glass is it burning off this fine plastic powder.  It is all enclosed in a case with a vacum sucking up the air and dust particles so when it is running you don't need to keep a mask on.

 

This is some plywood that was repeatedly cut.  You can see the scorch marks from the Laser.  Essentially you are rapidly burning through whatever material so you will get a burning smell and sometimes small sparks and flashes depending on the material that you are using.  Since the laser is so precise you can cut super to close previous cut marks without worrying about the material making a bend or distorting it.  Imagine how a craft punch can do the same shape over and over and all the way to the edge of the paper as long as there is room.  That is just how close the laser cutting can be for these projects.

 

These were two sample cuts out of thick leather about 1/4"  Seeing this made me smile and instantly I was all about the possibilities for fabrication with this machine.  I will be coming back with some samples of different fabrics to add to their tester community chart.  I can't wait to see what it can do to my silk organza and micro super mesh spandex.  Apparently there is a company in Columbus that does large sized laser cutting of fabrics called Laser Cut Fabric (surprised?).  They actually did a lot of work with NYFW designers and that right there is darn tooting special and good mark on the C-Bus map for me!  You can Check out their Article on laser cut dresses for Zak Posen here.

In my world today

There hasn't been a lot of personal stuff on the blog lately because a lot of it is hush hush or I'm so cussing busy that I can't see straight therefore I don't want to talk about it.

Well today I am going to talk a little bit about what I can.
We are currently on week # 2 of fostering this darling kitten.  She came to us as Fluffy and we have since re-named her Miss Rambo Fluffington the 1st or Rambo for short.  The Fiancee could not endure her to have a sweet pretty name so he chose Rambo, we just needed a more formal title to get along with the rest of the family.

Our other two kitties are the wiley looking woodland creature Sir Benjamin Franklin and the always proper Orange girl Princess Sophia Loren, or Franklin & Sophie aka Stankles and Chubbs.

Suffice to say she is a keeper and we are going to officially adopt her after she is fixed.

I am amidst another semester of teaching at CCAD for Pattern Drafting and Construction.  It is going well but I was in a bit of a funk at the beginning.  I think the break from winter accompanied by all the wedding planning was making me feel bogged down and not mentally prepared for this semester but I am totally on board now mentally and things are wonderful.  The summer CE classes for Pattern Drafting and Construction as well as my Draping into Pattern class are now open here if you want to apply!  Also this summer I am doing the High School 10-12 grade work shop and College Preview once again.  College Preview is probably one of my favorite programs to be a teacher in at CCAD.

I have been working on writing my testimonial for a international sewing machine company and there are several other exciting projects that may come from them as well.  I've already been talking to a company rep so it's another great thing in the works.  Once it's official you can expect a ton of awesome things.

I have some repeat client work gearing up for spring/summer.  Along with new client projects and work which is very hush hush right now ( I know it's sooo boring when I say Hush Hush but it just means it'll be that much better when I can talk about it).

Oh and I am going to be a guest lecture/workshop teacher for a local Private High School on Fashion design and the Pattern drafting process.  We are just sorting out the details.

I will have a great review about a Class I took at the Columbus Idea Foundry this week on Laser Cutting so look forward to it!

I am currently avoiding my wedding planning again...... perhaps later this week I will get back on board but I have a Jacket for a friend to finish.  It's a variation off of my Fencer Jacket.