it's gonna be a full body soon!

I glued the kerf linings on the edges and will shape the 2 blocks for the neck and heel; then I'll glue on the top and the back--and it will look more like an instrument..cross my fingers!!

hardware..hard time.

These are spool clamps. After bending the uke sides, you glue the instrument top and back to the sides using these as clamps. They retail for $26.95 for a set of 6 clamps. I made these using a long 1 inch dowel and glued some cork on them, drilled them and inserted the 6 inch bolts and wing nuts. I made 25 of them for about $20. It took me about 4 hours...3 hours to figure out HOW TO and find all of the materials (just kidding). Of course, the cork sheets were too thin and I glued 3 sheets together.

At first I had the wrong size bolts and wing nuts the picture on the internet looked small. When I finally got out an ukulele side and looked at how this was going to work I went to the hardware store with my uke form and the guy asked why I was challenging him!

I have been going through the different stages of the process of building the instrument, reading and researching as I think...I want to bolt the neck to the body with the whole thing enclosed so I can do some binding and trimwork BEFORE attaching the neck. I will need to go through the soundhole to bolt the neck in. One guy at a hardware store swore to me that there is no such tool that does things at a 90 degree angle!! I've seen Wes work on the bike with one. Well, I'll have to go to Sears. I'm tired of talking to idiots in the hardware store!

The guy at Tacoma Screw is more user friendly.

It's a happy fishie party!!

Remember the long strips of paper we painted in the yard a few days ago? I put drew details on with a black sharpie and Noe and Kawailani used some glitter glue pens to encircle the eye...I'm waiting for them to dry. Next is to staple the backs and fronts together and stuff the fish and then close the last little bit. I would like to try this on some silk and turn that into clothing..or maybe we could do this for kids by spreading white t-shirts all over the yard! One picture has my foot in it so you can tell how large the largest fish are. This should make for a nice catch of the day in the net on Saturday! The top picture shows a finished fish in blue and red. We should be done by tomorrow night.

Ahhh...Ukulele Lady

The bender in action..it takes about 20 minutes or so to bend a side...I'm having better luck! Once I bent and scorched a piece of wood. After that I bent and cracked some sides. This time I didn't have those problems!!

This is the makings of a go bar deck. I may break down and buy some of the plastic rods, but I built these from 2 different sized dowels. Inside the larger dowel is a spring. I used fishing line to tie the top piece to the skinnier rod so I don't lose the tops and springs. This works pretty well, and didn't cost much. The plastic rods cost a couple of dollars for each single rod! In the beginning..I glued on the tone bars and set a rock on it to weight it down while the glue dried...I'm either smarter now, or working it way to hard!!

Pua's Pottery

Kapua is in engineering classes but did take an elective. Who knew she had this talent? First time in ceramics on the wheel...so...I need a set of 8 large saimin size bowls, and I'd like a set of 8 plates sectioned off like the bento boxes!

Beyond the skate party

I neglected to mention that one of the parents from daycare came to the party to help out...she likes to do caricatures! How cool is that!

And it isn't a skate without some bumps and bruises? Trishana says it looks way worse than it feels!

an apprentice

A good helper is a good thing! Kawailani is sealing the surface so I can paint. The plan is for hummingbirds and fuschia on one side, and a winter scene with a cougar and raccoon. Wish to put a bear in it..I think they hibernate..well, I think I'll put a bear in too!

Sunny day must be an art day!

My friend Teena gave me a part for a kid activity and explained that one of the stories being shared has to do with Jesus and the fishermen. She says they will need to imagine fish...well, I imagine fish...and I think kids should SEE fish...so yesterday...it was really sunny and I thought about doing these fish...the girls and I rolled out the butcher paper (all over the yard, strips and stripes of butcher paper)! We mixed the paints and got to work/play, brushing, splashing and sponging!! The paper has had time to dry and we have enlisted the daycare kids to help us cut out, stuff and staple the fish today..and we may be doing fish tomorrow too so that Jesus' disciples can actually have fish in their nets on Saturday. Paper has it's advantages, the fish won't be slippery, flopping or smelly!!!

Kuzins Skate Party

With g-child number 10 on the way..I can't help but think how life goes on...Most of the 9 are born Jan, Feb, Mar and the parents get together and plan and scheme and work and set up and cook for days..and decorate...lately though, it's thought to have gotten out of hand...hosting parties for 200 people...so, last year they tried a skate party, it was great and this year is the second annual....Food?? Cupcakes...of all sorts...guava, macadamia, coconut haupia, chocolate orange, chocolate cherry, Costco Monster Cupcakes...and Costco Pizza. This kind of party suits us all because we like to get out and have fun too!!

SKATE!!!

Party People

Everybody, everybody?

Yup! Everybody had fun..from toddlers in strollers on the rink, to tweens and teens, adults who skate, Uncles and Aunties who skate and race...the race was won by Auntie Jenny "Apollo" Place while Uncle Brad the chiropractor really needed one after falling several times during the party, Uncles and Aunties who didn't skate but played hosts to all who attended, to grandmas looking on or shooting pictures!

Riita's House

This place is gorgeous...I took my camera and shot the view from the house, and the front of the house...but other than that I felt it too invasive to do more without an invitation and permission. I find it curious that everyone wants to come here and nosey around over under and through the place..as for me...I like how it felt. Inside it just felt welcoming.

In my wildest dreams of goal setting and aspiring..I never picture a mansion for me. I know that I'm a cottage person..not that I'd have starched crochet doilies on old shelves and coffee tables ( I might, if my mommy or grandma made them)...but there would be paintings, small sculptures and ceramic pieces and quilts. There would have to be Hawaiian/Oriental influences.. You bet!

Yesterday at the chiropractor's office I came upon a picture of a gorgeous place...with ohia wood posts and mahogany rafters..I loved the style..of course it was someone's vacation home in Hawaii...it had a Bali/Hawaiian look to it...exceptional!!

side bender

I'll be using this now that the sides are prepped. The top if this contraption has a sheet of copper nailed to it (to conduct heat while I'm bending). I'll wet the wood sides and place one on this, with the heat blanket on top and use the heat to bend the side to the shape of this mold, which is a concert size ukulele. Note to self, I have 2 different sizes of concert uke plans, and must decide which one to use! This uke process...to be continued!

Today I hooked up some stuff I picked out at the hardware store..love that place!! It's a little iffy, but with a few more gadgets my shop tools will have dust collecting ports that hook up to my shop vac and will help to keep the sawdust down. I cleaned the cobwebs off of the bandsaw and sanding machine and used the bandsaw to cut the sides to shape. I finished the shaping on the sander. Then I began shaping the neck too..but that process takes carving and sanding.

heat blanket

Well, here's my wiring job..I spliced a 2 wire extention cord to the two wires on the heat blanket. If I remember correctly, this looks and works similarly to a waterbed heater!

walk on the wild side

One evening before the spring forward time we went for a leisurely stroll. Lehua is a tad bit tentative on her bicycle without the training wheels, and it is a little small for her..I see a bigger bike in her future! Kawailani is fearless..one day she'll go end over end if she's not careful or doesn't have close supervision. Everyone was gung ho when we started out, with the agreement that however far we go, we will need to turn back and travel the same distance to get back. Some of the hills were treacherous for the little girls and near the last few hundred feet Kawailani wanted us to carry and/or push her all the way home...on the way back it started getting dark!! Now there is more daylight and I think we'll try this again!

estate sale..

I love these little dolls! When I was a little girl I didn't like girlie things...I refused to wear pink and my dolls were bed decorations that I never played with. I didn't like birthday cake--just liked the ice cream. Imagine what my mom thinks now that I PAY to collect dolls and I bake specialty cakes for family and friends and bake sales!! These are my first Japanese dolls that are NOT kokeshi! On the 3rd day of the 3rd month it is traditional for Japanese girls to display their Hina Ningyo for the day...THOSE dolls are EXPENSIVE--but they include as tradition mandates, 15 dolls displayed on several levels with the emperor and empress on the top level, and include court musicians and other dignitaries and some paraphernalia....this just reminds me I have another heritage besides being Hawaiian.

Of the over a million pieces at the estate sale, I would have paid for these dolls, the rolling pins, an industrial band saw (in late afternoon, it went for $35!!!!! but I had other obligations besides standing around and waiting at the auction), and some glass balls used as floaters for nets....ahhhmm...green depression glass, files, clamps, mallets, other tools....well, they are all gone now! I have the dolls and the rolling pins ( 2 spingerle, one ravioli pin and a blue and white Scandinavian porcelain). Whatever else came in the 2 flats I got, I give to daughters and grand daughters. It was a good day!