Hidey Holes and Hooch Hounds

October 20, 2017

Design

...clever hacks from the 1920s: “I’m just carrying a load of bricks officer.” Too bad everyone listens to mp3s these days. Then there’s the flask, small and . . . party sized. Should you wish to make your own secret hiding places there’s a book by Charles Robinson The Construction of Secret Hiding Places that you can download for free. There’s also an Instructable showing how to turn a spray paint can into a hidden safe. Alas, none of these ideas wi...

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More on How to Make Clear Ice

Mr. Homegrown

June 2, 2017

Food

...ding to English. I also learned that the enigmatic David Rees (author of a book on sharpening pencils!), and one of the smartest people I’ve ever met, did a whole National Geographic special on ice that includes a segment on making clear ice. And did you know that clear ice sometimes happens naturally? Behold this viral YouTube hit, “Walking on beautiful clean ice in Slovakian Mountains:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WBqX7MSqWw Lastly, I want...

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Empty Your Attic!

Mr. Homegrown

June 12, 2017

Domesticus, Tidying up

2 Comments

One of the occupational hazards of how-to book authors and bloggers, such as myself, is a tendency towards ex cathedra statements. But sometimes you’ve just gotta stand out on that balcony and release a bull. I’ve got a short but important one for you today: Thou shalt not store crap in your attic. Here’s my reasoning. If you’ve got stuff “out of sight and out of mind,” you don’t need it. Two weeks ago, I pulled everything down from our attic and...

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Chicago Kit Houses

Mr. Homegrown

August 25, 2017

Design

...kit home catalog I posted on Monday: the Chicago Wrecking Company’s 1913 A Book of Plans. They later, and wisely, changed the name of the company to Harris Brothers Homes. The catalog contains Wrightian styles like the one above. As well as the 1913 version of a tiny house. Need a barn? They’ve got you covered. Want to open a store? They’ve got a plan for that too. The catalog contains customer testimonials such as this one from an early house fli...

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108 Artist/Maker Federico Tobon

Mr. Homegrown

August 23, 2017

Animals, Cats, Design, Podcasts, Preparedness, Tools

3 Comments

...me of the things we talk about: Federico’s new drill animation piece. Flip Book Kit. Shapeoko CNC Router. Doodlers Anonymous. The analog/digital continuum. Hundertwasser on 99% Invisible. Converting an old 3d printer into laser engraver. Federico on the Opposable Thumbs Podcast. Federico’s Warm Heart Automata animated sculpture. Arthur Ganson’s gear piece at the Exploritorium. Federico’s social media philosophy: “Post positive things. Mostly yours...

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