The "Carol Duvall Show" and some Bat Mobile fun!

A while back, I was at the filming of one of the "Carol Duvall Holiday Special" show tapings. I got to see a demonstration of the all the special effects of this cool vehicle. One of the show crew members had purchased and restored one of the original "Batmobile's" used in the filming of the classic television show. It was a very cool demonstration of the different things the car could do. He had done a fabulous job in getting it restored and in working condition.

Above: Carol Duvall

As you can see, it was a very busy studio with alot of different things going on at the same time. I loved the way the set dresser's changed out the studio and gave it that special "Holiday" touch. The crew was amazing and just kept everything going smoothly, and on time (even with a live studio audience in attendance).

I have fond memories of visiting the studio and watching various friends film their episodes. I even got to film one of my own (at one point). The Cast and Crew of the show were wonderfully talented professionals.  The photo below is one of Carol Duvall and myself, when I filmed my episode on her show.  It was an interesting experience to be in front of the camera, instead of behind the scenes.

Karen Thomas

Here are couple more pics that I found from that day

Lisa Pavelka and Mary O'Neil

Karen Thomas and Carol Duvall

Knitting with Copper Wire & Glass Beads

While I sit enjoying the beginning of fall, I realized that the weather is perfect for knitting with copper. The copper wire can be tricky to work with but the finished result is well worth the effort. The purse below is one that I knitted for a "Fire Mountain Gems and Beads" ad. It is made with copper wire, glass beads, and the purse frame. All the supplies can be purchased from "Fire Mountain Gems and Beads", except for the knitting needles.




As you can guess, this purse weighs quite a bit due to the heavy glass beads and wire. So if you want to make a lighter one, use different beads.

Hint: I recommend working with metal needles in the size to suit the wire and beads. Also, string the beads on to the wire before you start knitting. Work in a warm environment of at least 80 degrees or higher. This helps the wire be more pliable and avoid breakage. It can be a challenging moment to recover from snapping the wire in the middle of a row.

There are some fabulous books out there on knitting with wire, I have added a few links below but you can always check it out for yourself at your local craft store.

Steampunk Costumes and accessories

I love "Steampunk" movement. If you take time to read the "Steampunk" magazine, it will give you insight into the movement, the costuming, and the wonderful accessories that fans of "Steampunk" are creating.





I recently had the opportunity to attend the "Labyrinth of Jareth" ball in Los Angeles, California.








This a costume ball where guests are encouraged to wear costumes of various themes. It was eye candy for the creative soul!





My twin brother's accessories: vintage leather map book from WWII, vintage leather gloves, goggles (french), etc.



He has a bowler hat on but not the common shape. This one was slightly different and look just right for the character he is portraying.











Annette Elizabeth made all the costume pieces (including mine.... she has oodles of talent and amazing ideas). The corsette is set with non metal boning to allow for more movement.

They sported cool metal guns which were made from recycled materials. All leather materials were vintage and collected from various retail sources (antique malls, auctions, vintage stores, army surplus, etc).




The "League of Steam" was present at the ball and even had a display set up of many of their very cool props that they use for the u-tube videos.


If you have not seen one of their shows, you can find them at U-tube or click on "League of Steam videos" to find the link. They are funny.



I love the "steampunk movement" so of course I was on the look out for costumes with that type of flair. This group shows off some of the steam punk clothing that was worn.

Getty Inspired Wire Necklace

So how does the shape of a building inspire a person? Well, the wonderful lines of the Getty buildings and patterning inspired the flow of a wire wrapped necklace. Here is the final look of the piece. See if you can see the relation between the photo of the Getty and the necklace.

Blue Sonnet Necklace

One of the many designs that I accomplished. I made this one for Halcraft Beads using a variety of their beads. This was a very simply and quick project to make.

Wierd Things I See on the 405 Freeway

Driving on the 405 freeway can be very amusing. You get to see a lot of unusual things on the road. Especially during the worst traffic times.

Recently, while driving past John Wayne Airport, I saw this neat truck. It is actually a mannequin taking a show in a shower stall. My friend shot the picture for me so I could share this unique method of advertising.

There are a lot of strange and unique cars in the Los Angeles area. I have seen one that is covered in beads, another that is covered in medals, etc. The local car shows are a blast with all the creative folks in the LA area.

The following is a picture of a car being used as a christmas yard decoration with lighting and all.



If you happen to like unusual cars or personalized licenses..... if you like trolls, you will love this car .