Don't Make Any Sudden Moves...

…because moving isn’t fun with plenty of notice, let alone none!
Regardless, because I care oh-so-much about this blog and the duck-os who follow it, I am posting this from my iPhone! I will have the internet back up and running, with any luck, by tomorrow. Even if I don’t, I’m finally to a point in my nasty move (after all, is there any other kind?) that I can start on my next tutorial even if it’s not.

Thanks for being patient, ducks, and here’s hoping YOU don’t make any sudden moves without your tape!

Got Tape? Problem Solved.

• This is my first non-how-to video on this blog! I mentioned in the post below that I decided to move to Anchorage, hopped on a ferry 16 hours later, and landed in Whittier, AK 2 days after that. We took the Alaska Marine Highway, and it was loads of fun! We saw a ton of whales, (humpback, killer, pilot) many porposises (Dahl’s and other wise) as well as too many birds to list (kittiwakes, herring, puffins, eagles, DUCKS…) and even a couple of otters!

  I didn’t forget about you, though, beloved Ducko’s. Tape was on my mind the whole time! Here is our adventure as it pertains to tape. Enjoy, people who enjoy boats, Alaska, or DUCT TAPE!

Basic Half-Strip Checkers Board

This is really part one of the “Place Mat” post, but the techniques shown are applicable to many projects! This video will also be posted under the “Confusi-o” tab at the top of the page.

Place Mat

So here’s what’s so great about these place mats. Not only are they good looking, but they are very useful for people who experience autism or kids who are visual learners to achieve success in setting the table. Plus, the reverse side works as a drawing board, using wet erase markers for kids to practice their numbers, letters, and drawings. The best part? Once you’re done, just rinse off in the sink, dry, and it’s good as new!

Obviously, there are many different variations to do on this mat. I chose this one because it only used 3 colors, not including clear, and it looked good with my decor. It took a lot of tape to do the checkers, though. To do a set of 4 mats, it takes 120 yards of white (or 6 Duck Tape 20 yard rolls), 80 yards of red (or 4 Duck Tape 20 yard rolls), a little bit of gray, and some clear. On the other hand, if you did stripes or a solid color, you can plan on about 1 roll (20 yards) per mat, front and back. So, if you mixed and matched colors, it would take 4 rolls total to do 4 mats. You can see how checkers really add…both in design and cost!

Enjoy, Duck-os, and if you decide to make some mats, please post your pictures on the facebook wall!

Thats the Power of Duck-o, My Friend

It seems that every time I hold a duct-tape class, a member gazes up at my stock of duct-tape in awe and says, almost reverently, “Where did you get all of that duct-tape?”

To be fair, I do have a fair amount, but I haven’t quite had the heart to tell them it’s about a sixth of what I *used* to have in good ol’ Anchorage.

That’s because I moved to Juneau not too long ago, and we might as tell it like it is. Um, there’s nothing here. Well, besides amazing scenery, boats, wildlife, and general awesomeness. Not even a Taco Bell.

We do, however have Wal-Mart. And hardware stores. And JoAnne’s. Even a tiny Costco. It helps to be the hub of Southeast. I guess.

The duct tape variety was pretty slim, though. I was slightly discouraged about it, since it had taken me *forever* to get our Wal-Mart in the ANC to carry a solid supply of the stuff.

No sense in whining about it, though. I had a bin full of about 30 rolls I had drug up here with me, and Wal-Mart had white, red, black, and gray. Maybe dark blue? Can’t remember.

It was a start.

So I bought it all. Yup. Every roll. Well, not the gray. But all the colored. Because spending $7 a roll at Joanne’s is not my idea of a good time. (p.s. sorry to any of my Juneau duck-os who suffered with zero tape for all these months! It was for a good cause.

I also hit AIH, (hardware store) which is my FAVORITE place to buy tape because it’s way cheaper. No, it’s not Duck brand, but I love it just as much. Maybe more, because it comes on 60 yard rolls instead of 20, 15, 0r 10 yard rolls like the Duck. They have a very good selection of colors, too, which is a plus. Am I boring you yet? I can talk about tape all day….)

Lo and behold, after following this pattern for 8 months, I went to Wal-Mart this week and guess what I saw? Over night, they had gone from 10 rolls TOTAL at a time, to 10 different COLORS at a time!

So if you are asking yourself as you watch the tutorials on this blog, how I get all these colors? Just remember. You too have the power to make a change. You are a duck-o; a powerful force in the duct-tape market. You too, can build a supply of tape over time, with every pattern, and every color imaginable. All it takes is time.

(and money, but we won’t talk about that…..eeee……..)

Basket, Easter, or Otherwise

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  Just under the wire I finally got the new post done, leaving just enough time for an emergency duct tape, balloon, and play dough run before the Easter Bunny comes!

  This is a great project to do with the kids; I generally do the first part (covering the balloon with tape) and then let them decorate it however they like. My kids are working on theirs right now; when they’re done I’ll post the pics of them on the facebook wall. Wait, you know there’s a facebook page, right? If you haven’t found us yet, please do,(www.facebook.com/duckos) and like us while you’re there! Feel free to post your pictures of your baskets or other fantabulous projects there also.

  Happy Easter, Duck-os!

  (Oh, and in case you were nervous, Chore Chart April will continue…probably in May, or maybe even June. heh heh.)

So many questions, so little time

I’m hard at work on the next part of Chore Chart April. It should be up as soon as my internet decides to work properly….so, two weeksfrom someday.

In the meantime, have you found us on facebook? I posted a question on the wall (click on “Questions” on the left hand side of the facebook page to find it, or just scroll down a couple of posts and you’ll see it) asking what YOU would like to see ME make out of duct-tape! The winning choice will be featured in an upcoming blog post! (Did someone really suggest the Mona Lisa? Thanks for that. Really. :)

Thanks for reading, duck-os!