DIY Photo Project - Magnetic Mugshots
Here's a fun DIY photo project. Start a collection of mugshots from all the friends that visit your place and stick them on your wall with magnets.
1. Have a stack of index cards and a Sharpie marker so everyone can write their name to hold up during their photo shoot.
2. Find a blank wall or backdrop where you can take a photo of your friends. Make sure you use the same spot for everyone, and remember your camera and lighting settings so all the mugshots look consistent.
3. Using your editing software of choice, set the desired effects and cropping and get the photos sent out for printing. For example, in Lightroom I set up a print template that fits six 3" x 3" black and white photos on an 8" x 10" print. Once I have 6 friends ready, I send the 8x10 out for printing.
4. Using spray adhesive, glue the 8x10 print onto a piece of foam board.
5. Carefully cut out the squares using a sharp X-acto knife.
6. Flip over the cutout and attach a magnet. I found a nice long roll of self adhesive magnetic strips at Michael's craft store. I recommend using some hot melt glue to secure the magnet to the back of the foam board.
7. Wall preparation. Home Depot sells a magnetic primer in the paint section. Apply a couple coats of this to the wall, and then cover with the desired wall color. It will look like all the other walls, but now magnets will stick to it!
The beauty of magnets, is that you can rearrange the photos however you like to accommodate the growing collection. It's a fun way to remember all of your friends and visitors. It's also interesting to see how creative everyone is regarding their pose and what they write on their card.
The Beehive, One Week Later
This past weekend was our first checkup on our beehive. We were just hoping that they wouldn't all be dead. With the smoker puffing away, we slowly removed the cover. To our amazement, the bees were very alive and they had been very busy during the week. They had freed their queen, and had filled several of the frames with comb. You can see the queen in the photo marked with a white dot. Each day I am more impressed with these little creatures, especially since we have still not been stung! More photos
The Bee's Knees
After months of preparation and anticipation, the bees finally arrived! We had to drive to Weston, CT to pick them up. It was an interesting ride with 13,000 buzzing passengers in the back seat! Once we got home, they were sprayed with sugar water to calm them down and make them happy. After an hour rest they were dumped into their new home. The queen came in her own separate cage with a piece of sugar blocking her in. In a couple days the other bees will eat through the sugar and free her from the box. Honey bees are surprisingly docile and pretty harmless. They were flying all around us and other spectators and nobody got stung. Josh, our bee partner didn't even wear gloves when handling the queen box. But then again, he is pretty tough.
Eventually, more boxes will be added to increase the hive. This year the bees will be using most of their energy making wax and building the combs, so we probably won't get much honey until next year.
Back in Action!
It's been a while since I have posted anything here. I have been super busy since we returned from Scotland, photos coming soon! Our bee hive has also been keeping us busy. It is finally painted and all the frames assembled. This Sunday will be an exciting car ride as we bring home 13,000 of the little guys!
Weekend Project
What kind of project? A beehive! We ordered the kit from bee-commerce.com. It took some time, but was pretty easy to build. Our kitchen smells like fresh cut wood, I love it! This hive will hold about 10,000 - 12,000 bees! Yeah, I'm a little nervous, but we will get at least 30 pounds of honey the first year and then 70 plus pounds the years after that. The queen and her swarm will be arriving in April. I will keep you posted ... with pictures of course!
