My brother-in-law is a big Nirvana fan, and I got his name in this year's secret Santa. So one of his gifts was this brass and steel ornament based on the In Utero cover art. I cut, etched, soldered, and polished it over the course of about 3-4 days.
Low angle photo of six metal belt buckles on a wooden workbench.
Low angle photo of six metal belt buckles on a wooden workbench.
Packing up another batch of Strider buckles to send out. I never get tired of making these.
The mouth is semi-sheer black stretch fabric stitched to a heavy gauge copper wire armature. That is how I see out, with surprisingly good visibility. The hair is cut from a carpet/bathmat thing I found online. I made the hat and antennae from craft foam, with a wire support in the antennae.
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Photo of a work table upon which there are several shapes cut from 1-inch upholstery foam.
Photo of me wearing a giant foam head. The eyes and mouth are open, and my whole face is visible through the mouth.
Photo of a giant foam head covered in blue fleece sitting on a work table along with two blue fleece gloves that have 4 fingers instead of 5.
Photo of me wearing a giant head, now covered in blue fleece with black fabric for the mouth opening.
I scaled-up the masking tape pattern and cut out 1-inch foam pieces to assemble the full size head. I then used those same pattern pieces to cut out blue stretch fleece. I sewed the fleece head together, stretched it over the foam head, and glued the inner lips in place.
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Photo of a larger-than-life mascot-type character head. It is blue with a pink nose, big smile, yellow hat, and two black antennae. It is sitting on a messy workbench.
Screenshot of the profile and front of a 3D model head of a cartoon character, along with the model sheet reference that was used.
Photo of my hand holding a small resin model of a cartoon character head.
Photo of my hand holding a resin model of a cartoon character head that has been stripped of ears and nose, and half-covered in blue masking tape. The tape has lines and numbers drawn on to indicate where I will cut it to make a pattern.
I made a giant cartoon head (Mister Ring-a-Ding) for Chicago TARDIS 2025. Here's how I built it. First I found model sheets by the artist - Ian Spendloff - on Instagram. I modeled the head in Blender, then printed it in resin. I printed a stripped-down version and used it to create a pattern.
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Photo of 5 small metal TARDIS keys with various patinas ranging from silvery metal to brass and dark bronze.
Photo of 5 small metal TARDIS keys with various patinas ranging from silvery metal to dark bronze.
As part of my presentation at #ChicagoTARDIS, I wanted to make something that could not only help me demonstrate different metals and patinas, but also be something I could give away as prizes.
I modeled this Seventh Doctor TARDIS key in Blender, and cast copies in both pewter and Zamak.
If you have loved ones buried in the Chicagoland area but you're out of state, have less mobility in the snow than you'd like, or just don't have time to trek out to the cemetery, I can place decorations for you! Check out my website for more info: gravestonesandgenealogy.com/gravestones
I was out there solo, and didn't get a ton of photos of myself in costume this weekend. I love candid shots like this, I think it captures the whimsy I was trying to bring.
It's me! Thanks for posting this!
Photo of two cosplayers in front of a marble tile wall and several potted plants. The cosplayers are portraying Belinda and Mister Ring-a-Ding from the Doctor Who episode "Lux".
Photo of two cosplayers in front of a marble tile wall and several potted plants. The cosplayers are portraying Belinda and Mister Ring-a-Ding from the Doctor Who episode "Lux". Mister Ring-a-Ding is lunging towards Belinda in a threatening way, while Belinda holds her hands up in a defensive posture.
I debuted my latest costume, Mister Ring-a-Ding, aka Lux, from the latest season of #DoctorWho at #ChicagoTardis2025! Had an absolute blast, but failed to get many photos. Build photos coming soon.
A screenshot from my panel presentation entitled "Don't forget the flux! How to keep cosplay metalwork from becoming a nightmare in silver."
Come see me talk about metalwork!!
I thought it hadn't been selected since it didn't appear on the call for panelists, but I just checked the app and it's on the schedule! If you'll be at @chicagotardis, please come join us. I'd love to pack the room, AND you just might walk away with a prize!
Photo of a small piece of brass that has been etched with a skull design, aged, and polished, but not cut out.
Photo of a small piece of brass that has been etched with a skull design and polished, but not cut out.
Photo of a small piece of brass that has been etched with a skull design, but not yet cut out or polished.
Photo of a small brass pendant in the shape of a stylized human skull with wings on a brass colored chain.
I made a brass pendant for my wife @gravesandgenealogy.bsky.social based on historical gravestone carvings. It was the first time I've tried multi-step etching, and it took a while to fully wrap my head around it.
Photo of a wooden church warden style pipe and 5 small buttons with acorns on them.
A couple of one-day builds to get ready for the work Halloween event. I'm mostly assembling a closet costume, but I couldn't possibly not add a bit of flair. This is not a pipe. This is a pipe-shaped object.
Last week, I raised the alarm about ICE's complete disregard for constitutional rights at the Broadview facility.
Watch here:
Photo of two shallow dome shaped steel discs with the tree of Gondor and seven stars etched into them, and a chain attached to one. They are about 2 inches in diameter.
Photo of four shallow dome shaped steel discs with the tree of Gondor and seven stars etched into them, and a chain attached to two of them.
Photo of four shallow dome shaped steel discs with the swans etched into them, and a chain attached to two of them.
Photo of two shallow dome shaped steel discs with the swans etched into them, and a chain attached to one of them.
Thanks to @gravesandgenealogy.bsky.social for these beautiful shots of the custom cloak clasps ready to ship out.
These were a commission for a fellow cosplayer that we designed together. I etched the designs into steel, dished them using3D printed dies, and riveted-on the fittings.
Photo of a round steel dome, about 2 inches across with the tree of Gondor and seven stars etched onto the face. It is sitting on four toothpicks so a clear coat can dry.
Photo of my fingers holding a 2 inch rectangle of steel, into which a circle containing the tree of Gondor and seven stars has been etched.
Photo of my fingers holding a 2 inch disc of steel with the tree of Gondor and seven stars etched into it.
Photo of my fingers holding the same disc that has now been formed into a dome shape.
I'm doing a small commission for some custom LOTR-inspired cloak clasps. I wasn't sure if my 3D printed dies would be able to dish the steel this much, but it was no problem at all. I'm so happy with how they're coming out!
Photo of my fingers holding a brass colored metal piece about three by 2 and a half inches. It has a central square portion decorated with leaved and horse heads, and three large rings on the sides and bottom. Then there are two smaller holes on the bottom left and bottom right.
Photo of my fingers holding a brass colored metal piece about three by 2 and a half inches. It has a central square portion decorated with leaved and horse heads, and three large rings on the sides and bottom. Then there are two smaller holes on the bottom left and bottom right.
Photo of my fingers holding a silver colored metal piece about three by 2 and a half inches. It has a central square portion decorated with leaved and horse heads, and three large rings on the sides and bottom. Then there are two smaller holes on the bottom left and bottom right.
Photo of my fingers holding a copper colored metal piece about three by 2 and a half inches. It has a central square portion decorated with leaved and horse heads, and three large rings on the sides and bottom. Then there are two smaller holes on the bottom left and bottom right.
This past week I should have been working on my costume for Chicago TARDIS, but instead I played with metal. Among other things, I molded and cast a piece of Rohan hardware that I have been dreaming about for a decade. Then I copper plated it, and finally brass plated it.
Former FBI Director James Comey indicted days after Trump demanded his DOJ move 'now' to prosecute enemies
“A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”
— The Declaration of Independence
a tiny guard having its eye carefully sawed to shape with its blade nearby, both on a jewelers saw horse
the corners on a tiny tang transition being sharpened
the scale and finish on the inside of a cup guard being smoothed out with a diamond ball bit in a drill press
the bulk of the progress of a day of tiny sword making, an epée with guard, an arming sword with guard and half made buckler and a nude side sword held precariously in front of a tomato plant and wire fence
haven't been posting much of my work lately, whoops
been dealing with a lot- my meds made me ideate/very angry so now im unmedicated for a bit, my wife and i became homeowners yesterday so we're moving, etc
but heres three proto- tournament prizes im making on commission in the middle of all this
BREAKING: Disney+ is to replace the two-season run of Andor with a recut version that runs for only five minutes, and is just Mon Mothma apologising profusely to Darth Vader for any inconvenience, and letting him have whatever he wants.
BBC News captures Doctor Who himself Sylvester McCoy at the Trump protest seemingly unaware of who they're interviewing.
I'm calling this model done. The differences I see between mine and the reference are acceptable to me within the tolerances of what I'd attribute to casting flaws, wear and tear, and/or things I don't actually care to replicate.
#cosplay #lordoftherings #blender
Guys thank you for allowing me to fly you to my private island. Have fun but please respect my boundaries vis a vis minors trafficking. That’s just for me, sorry. Help yourself to ANYTHING in the fridge tho
Side-by-side screenshot comparison of my 3D model and the original brass or bronze piece from The Two Towers.
I had a chance to get some modeling done this weekend. For whatever reason, things are clicking for me in Blender a lot more this time. On this piece of hardware in particular, the original has a lot of wear so I am having to make some decisions about how much I want to try to replicate.
Yeah, I thought it was the Rohan sun as well, but it's unlike any of the others I've seen. I think it might just be a generic floral thing.
Super pleased with how the colour on the wool turned out! Greys are so tricky to dye because they read so differently depending on lighting or neighboring colours, but I’m very happy with this!
This is Meeting The Moment, from Pritzker.
Please watch this 90-second clip.
Photo of two vambraces, made of polished steel and brass riveted to black leather.
The Aragorn coronation vambraces are complete and polished! I learned so much from this build, and I can't wait to make another pair or a related piece again someday.
#cosplay #armor #metalwork
Moon gazing hare necklace hand carved from English walnut
Yew ovoid pendant hand carved from yew and set with three stunning pieces of labradorite
Pentacle tree moon necklace hand carved from 4000 year old Scottish bog oak set with Scottish green marble moon
Smaller Tree woman moon necklace hand carved from home grown Scottish hawthorn set with turquoise moon
New pieces of adornment in wood - all on the website: www.woodlandtreasures.co.uk
I'm so tired of being told not to be distracted. I'm still pissed they didn't make him release his tax return in 2016. I am just adding more to the list, not being distracted. WTF am I supposed to do with the knowledge of all these crimes I'm not being distracted from? 🤬
