How to Make an iPhone Dock (charger) Using a Vintage Camera

Last year I bought an adorable retro Brownie camera made into an iphone dock for my computer on Etsy for about $50. I wanted to get one that I could use to just charge my phone at the office (I don't connect it to my work computer), and when I went looking, I found that they had gone up to $100 and up.

Since I have a large collection of vintage cameras, I decided to grab one and figure out how to make it myself! It turns out to be quite easy! You just need a camera, a drill and drill bit that is as wide as the USB end of your cord (that is what you will thread through) and some good glue (I used E6000.)

I will admit that it was a little painful to drill into this camera. I chose this one because it is low and wide so I wouldn't have to worry about it toppling, and because my family used to have one just like it when I was a kid. It reminds me of family vacations to Hawaii!

First, open up your camera and make sure there is nothing extra sitting in the film compartment. Decide where you want your doc to sit, and then begin to drill. I found that I had to drill through plastic, thin metal, and more plastic. It wasn't as easy to get through as I expected, because you are drilling through the main housing for the film and lens. 

I drilled three holes and then drilled in between until I had the width I wanted. When I tried to thread the usb cable through, I realized  that the outer hole was the right size, but inside the housing I had to make it wider, so I went back in and drilled some more, being careful not to widen the outer hole.

Once it was through, I threaded it through and then glued the iphone attachment end into place.

Next you need to decide where you want the cord to come out of your camera. I decide the door was the easiest spot, so I drilled a hole in the side of the door so that it would close without crimping the cable. (Sorry I didn't get a photo of this with the door open). I used the side of the drill bit to just drill a little "U" shape in the side of the door panel, and kept trying to close the door until it would close easily. Then I chose to just close and lock the door normally, rather than gluing it shut.

And here is the final version sitting on my desk at work! I love it, and it is both a conversation piece, and something I love to look at when I'm working!

State Pride Pillow

When I'm not giving into my yarn obsession hobby, I do still work as a portrait and landscape photographer. Recently I was asked to have one of my landscapes featured on a local phone directory! That was very exciting!

So, in my vast amounts of spare time (ahem), I took a part-time job working with our local Chamber of Commerce. I did it for a couple of reasons; first, I think using your talents to give back to your community is an important thing. In addition, I work alone so much that I knew this job would be the perfect way to meet people in my little town, and hopefully use my skills to benefit them.

For those of you that don't know, I'm one of those people who have done a million things; I am a licensed lawyer in California (on inactive status as I live in OK), I have published three books, I've been on TV many times demonstrating arts / crafts, I was CEO of a technology company for five years, and I taught New Media Marketing for UCLA and Cal State Long Beach extension programs. As a result, I have a pretty good skill set to help people in business, and since the job was only part-time, it seemed like a perfect fit.

I've been doing the job for a month, and so far I am loving it. Of course, you know that I am redecorating the office . . . slowly, but surely! Someday I'll show the before / after photos, but I wanted to share a quick project.

I purchased these plain red lumbar pillows on Etsy.com.

I found a map of Oklahoma online and printed it, and traced it onto card stock  Then I used the card stock to trace the design onto white felt and cut it out. Using black embroidery floss, I stitched the design on unevenly, as I wanted it to have a little bit of a homey-rustic air to it.

Finally, using a heart-shaped pin I found dirt-cheap on eBay, I placed the pin where our town is located in the state. 

Voila! For just a couple dollars, I embellished two pillows for the guest chairs in my office! Perfect for a Chamber of Commerce office, I think.  I love it. What do you think? 

I'm Alive - And Yarn Has Taken Over My Life

Just after Christmas, my very good friend (and partner in crime), Tammy,  decided to take up crocheting again. Like me, she had learned as a child, and so she showed me how to make this simple treble crochet infinity scarf. Then I started getting "fancy" and adding trim on it.

Okay, I know if you are a long-time "hooker", this isn't all that impressive, but for someone who hadn't touched a crochet needle in 30 years, I was impressed with myself . . . 

And then I discovered that YouTube had all these videos on different stitches, so I started experimenting. Here is another infinity scarf with a different stitch:

Below is my first attempt at a hat - which looks pretty good, until you know that I was trying to make an adult hat and it turned out newborn sized! Yeah, that's when I started reading about gauge and needle size and taking things a bit more seriously . . . which, of course, required more yarn . . . and needles, and cases for yarn and needles . . .

Talullah, btw, contributed nothing to this process except a bit of dog hair - which I figure just makes the scarves warmer.

And then I thought . . . I don't have to do infinity scarves . . . I could do a regular scarf with fringe . . . this one is made with a chenille yarn. 

The good news is that I finally mastered hats . . . and then everyone wanted one .  . . so I made about fifteen in a row. No joke. I'm a whiz at the magic circle now!

Yes, here is the fancy scarf / hat combo . . . with trim!

Scarf and hat combo with no trim (who said I can't be flexible?)

Eventually, I made several scarves for Talullah. As you can see, she was very impressed.

Then my friend Tammy said, I really want to learn to knit, and I said "Me, too!" Seriously, Tammy and I should not be allowed to be together . . . we are dangerous . . . however, we are definitely good for the economy.

Tammy jumped right in and made a full length scarf. I decided that knitting is a little too slow for me (or I'm too slow for it), and since I felt like a baby giraffe trying to use it's legs for the first time holding the knitting needles, it took me a while to warm to it. As a result, I made several full length dishcloths!  (Tammy is a show-off, anyway! ha!)  On the plus side, however, I have discovered that knitted dishcloths are GREAT!

Did I mention all that with all the yarn I had to buy, I also had to buy a new shelving unit for my recent Craft purchases (left), and added that jumbo metal crate unit for my yarn. I took this photo before I put all of my yarn in it because at some point I realized that it was getting embarrassing. Let's just say that where you can see space in the crates in the photo . . . not so much now.

Oh, I have also branched out and made a couple of handbags. This one was made with yarn my mom found at Big Lots! 

Here is Talullah in a babushka I made to keep her hears warm. I know you can feel how much she loves it. Or not.

In addition to dozens of scarves, and hats, a couple of handbags, a cell-phone carrier, and a few other goodies . . . what I'm working on now is lap afghans for the residents of the Nursing Home where my mom works, and where I take Talullah to visit every two weeks. Here is a photo of Talullah visiting one of the residents, and the shawl around the resident's shoulders is the first one I made for the home. My mom says she just lights up when they bring it out to her - and that makes me feel great about this new obsession, er, hobby of mine!

Happy Holidays!

The last four years have been very difficult for me for a variety of reasons. There have definitely been low and high points, but last Christmas was probably the worst of my life.  As a result, I'm highly aware of how much better my life is now than it was just a year ago!

Among the many good things that have changed in my life was the addition of Talullah to my pack of dogs after having lost Keeley in October of 2011. 

Recently, Talullah and I have begun visiting the residents of the local rest home every couple of weeks. My niece gave me a set of antlers, and although she isn't thrilled about it, Talullah will wear them for me.

Although, as you can see from this photo, she isn't really thrilled about it!

Here she is at the rest home on Sunday, with antlers and infinity scarf!

For those of you that don't know, Talullah was rescued by a dog rescue group as she'd been left at a kill shelter. She was pregnant with pups, and based upon her health (she was 35 lbs under weight) and body issues, it was determined that she'd been used for breeding. She is a pure bred Great Dane with a merle / merlequin coat. When I adopted her, we found that the reason she'd been dumped was because she had tumors throughout her breasts. Three weeks ago, she had major surgery to have the lumps removed (they had continued to grow despite the fact that she'd later been spayed.) 

She is now a healthy, at her correct weight, and is a happy girl. She shares my life, and everyone loves her. (In fact, the only issue I have had with her is that she wants to go everywhere with me, and will all but knock me down to get out if I tell her she can't go - you try arguing with a 157 lb Great Dane!) Other than that, she  has the perfect Great Dane personality - ultimately zen and easy going. She likes everyone, is curious, and has even let other dogs nip at her without reacting! She knows who she is, and is quite comfortable with it!

Talullah has given me the opportunity to give back at the facility where my father spent the last year of his life. Talullah is still getting used to the floors (she much prefers carpet to linoleum or wood) but she is a trooper and gamely lets everyone pet her and cuddle on her, and take her photo.

We are expecting a white Christmas - beginning sometime in the morning - which will be great as last year we had virtually no snow at all. Somehow, it feels more special that the first day we get snow all year is on the holiday itself. It will be fun to see how Talullah navigates in the snow, but I know my other two dogs will be filled with doggy delight in "catching" snowballs and romping through it all. I'll be right out there with them!

Just to give some "equal time", here are Jake and Bandit.

Bandit - in a rare still photo . . . she is usually moving too fast to get a clear shot!

Jake and Bandit waiting for me to kick the ball for them to chase.

Jake on the bench at the end of my bed . . . in his defense, he has no idea that he doesn't actually fit there.

God bless, and Merry Christmas!

Mirror Mosaic Table DIY

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Several months ago I saw a table that I LOVED on Etsy, but it was outside my budget, and I really didn't need another table.  But, it had been in the back of my mind for a while.

This table has been through a couple of makeovers . . . this was what it looked like before I got it.

Then, I painted it cream about six months ago.

To do the project was actually pretty simple. First, you need a mirror that is roughly the size of your surface. One of my besties gave me a mirror she was no longer using, so I didn't have to buy one. (And it was big enough that I may be doing this to another table, or two!)

You also need adhesive and grout, sand paper, thick gloves, old cloths you don't mind throwing away, glass cleaner and paper towels. I used Mosaic Mercantile Adhesive and Mosaic Mercantile Premix Grout Quart, White.  I used the leather outdoor work-type gloves.

The first thing you have to do is break the mirror - which is far more difficult than it sounds because you need a lot of smaller chips. I broke my mirror outside and then put all the pieces into a box. I ended up having more large pieces than I wanted, so I had to break more inside, but having it inside a box made it easier to control flying chips.

Once you have broken enough pieces to get started, make sure that your table top is lightly sanded to give it enough "tooth" for the adhesive to adhere. Next, simply apply adhesive to the table, and then begin to place your mirror pieces over it.

I found that wearing the gloves for this step was not practical because of the thickness, but you may want to wear them. I just was very careful with the broken pieces, and managed to get the entire table laid out with only one small scratch.

I didn't worry as much about pattern as I did filling in the space. The adhesive dries quickly, so work in small areas, and then apply more adhesive, and repeat.

Once all the pieces are glued in place, you need to wait for the adhesive to dry. This is important otherwise your mirror pieces will move when you apply the grout.

To mix the grout, follow the instructions, but you basically just put the grout in a bowl and add water, then stir until it is the consistency you desire. 

The instructions tell you to wear latex gloves for this step, and it might work with the kitchen type latex gloves, but thinner gloves would be shredded by the mirror and sandy grout. I didn't use anything on my hands, but then I'm reckless that way. Listen to the manufacturer, not me!

Keep applying the grout, pushing it down into all the gaps between the mirror until it is completely covered, and then let it dry. The directions said 15 minutes, but I waited about an hour as the grout still felt damp to me.

No matter what the mosaic project, the next step is the most tedious for me . . . you have to wash the grout off the top of your mirror (or tiles if you are using that.) It takes quite a few trips to get it all off. The photo below is after I had rinsed the table down about five times.

You need to get all the dried grout off the mirror, and then get rid of the cloudiness that is caused by residual grout over the mirror. Just keep at it. A word of advice, though, use towels you don't want to keep - because getting all that sand out of a towel can be a nightmare. 

Finally, when the grout is all dry, you can clean the mirrors with glass cleaner and a paper towel to get the last of the cloudiness off the surface.

And here is the finished piece. 

I've had a couple of questions about my centerpiece; all of the pieces are gold mercury glass from discount centers and Hobby Lobby. I had a hard time finding a try that was large enough to hold all of those wide based candle holders, so I ended up purchasing the Winware 20-Inch Aluminum Pizza Tray with Wide Rim and then spray painting it gold, then adding Speedball Mona Lisa Composition Gold Leaf over the top. It is a simple project but has big impact!

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Holiday Wish List 2012

I'm an online shopper .  . . so I always have a long list of things I'd love to own, but probably never will! I thought I'd share some of my current favorites . . . and maybe you'll discover something you can't live without!

So, without any specific order, here are some of my "wishes":

Corral Women's Turquoise Cortez/Cream Fleur de Lis Boot

I have a hang-up about Cowboy (cowgirl) boots . . . I love them, but I have to find boots with design on the top of the foot. I rarely wear cowboy boots with my jeans tucked in, so if the only design on the sides, you can't see it. I love the color of these boots, and the design on the foot!

StealStreet 11.5-Inch Tall Look Roses Curvilinear Art Nouveau Vase Pewter

I love all things Art Deco. This Art Nouveau piece isn't Art Deco, but it is certainly evocative of the era.

   Canon PowerShot D20 12.1 MP CMOS Waterproof Digital Camera with 5x Image Stabilized Zoom 28mm Wide-Angle Lens a 3.0-Inch LCD and GPS Tracking (Blue)

There are many waterproof cameras on the market, but I really like this one for fun / vacation shooting. It is a nice size, and isn't cumbersome. It is high enough DPI to take good photos, but not so high that the cost is through the roof.

STEPHANIE JOHNSON iPad Case, Arctic Gold

I love the wow bling factor on this case! I have a beautiful case that opens like a book, but this case is really something special!

Silver Beaded Frame from Pier 1 Imports

Another lovely blingy item! Pier 1 had a beautiful line of silver and mirrored furniture, and this is part of that set. I think it is gorgeous!

Silver CZ Pave Antique Victorian Cross Pendant

I have quite a few cross necklaces, but not one that is as special as this one. I can see this being an "every day" blingy kind of necklace for me. Of course, I live in Oklahoma, where bling is a pretty common thing for women!

16" Glitter Marquee Letter LED Night light

Are you getting the theme of bling? Yes, I love it. I would love to have a capital "L" for my living room!

1VintageSoul Pink Radio iPhone case

Handmade Geometric iPhone case for 4 or 4s, Gold and Black Art Deco Design

These two cell phone cases are adorable! I love the retro radio because it reminds me of one that my older sister had when I was a kid. I love the lower one because of the Art Deco theme.

Art Deco Rhinestone Assemblage Bracelet

When I was getting ready to write this blog post, I pinned this bracelet on Pinterest to a board to help me organize my thoughts . . . and almost immediately it sold! Darn it! Oh well . . . I hope whoever gets it will appreciate it as much as I would!

1930's Medallion Purse

This is another item that sold since I pinned it, and I'm kind of bummed I didn't buy it for myself! It is such a gorgeous piece! I love the color contrast.

Recycled Kodak Brownie Camera Clock.

As a photographer, I tend to love things that involve retro cameras, so this clock made out of a Brownie makes me happy!

Blackbird Fly Twin Lens Reflex Camera

I love using a wide variety of cameras, and these are really special! 

• It's a TLR - The Blackbird, Fly, is a Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) camera, meaning that there are two objective lenses: One for taking the photograph, and one for the waist-level viewfinder. Behind the viewfinder lens is a mirror at a 45-degree angle (hence the term "reflex"), which reflects upwards through a matter focusing screen surrounded by a hood/enclosure used to block some light and reduce reflection on the screen. This creates an image on the screen identical to what will be captured on film through the photographic lens.
• It uses 35mm film - Most TLR cameras use 120 format film. Although 120 film is very cool, it can be much harder to find and even harder to get developed. With 35mm film you can just drop it off at the nearest 1-hour photo!
• 3 formats - You can shoot in 3 formats (using provided masks): normal 35mm (24mm x 36mm), square format (24mm x 24mm), and large square format (36mm x 36mm).

Vintage Art Deco Sterling Silver Hand Mirror

This hand mirror makes me swoon. Soooo lovely!

Person of Interest: Season One

Finally, my last "wish" is for the Person of Interest DVD set. This is remarkable for me because I am not a big TV watcher, and I rarely know the names of TV or movie stars. It's just not my thing. However, I've developed a big crush on  Jim Caviezel, so I've taken to watching this series regularly! Thank goodness for the DVR!

So what is on your wish list this year?