Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
March 13, 2019
The Embroidered Computer by Irene Posch and Ebru Kurbak doesn’t look like what you might expect when you think of a computer. Instead, the work looks like an elegantly embroidered textile, complete with glass and magnetic beads and a meandering pattern of copper wire. The materials have conductive properties which are arranged in specific patterns to create electronic functions. Gold pieces on top of the magnetic beads flip depending on the program, switching sides as different signals are channeled through the embroidered work.
“Traditionally purely decorative, [the work’s patterns] defines their function,” explained Posch on her website. “They lay bare core digital routines usually hidden in black boxes. Users are invited to interact with the piece in programming the textile to compute for them.”
The piece is a reference to the historic similarity between textile creation and computing, for example the Jacquard loom being an important influence on the evolution of computing hardware. Posch is a researcher and artist with a background in media and computer science who explores the how technological seeps into the fields of art and craft, and Kurbak is an artist and designer who investigates the hidden politics of everyday spaces and routines. You can learn more about their work and partnerships here or here.
from Colossal
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged art, design, geeky science blogging, needlework, science | Leave a Comment »
March 12, 2019
Amber Cowan is an artist working in glass to create fantastic, imaginary worlds. She combines found vintage glass pieces with flame-worked elements to realize her creations. I think glass is intrinsically lovely and her attention to color and texture is fascinating.
from Colossal
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged art, art glass, design | Leave a Comment »
February 25, 2019
You’ve seen the perfect arcs of boiling water solidified mid-throw, and perhaps this frozen speeding sign that duplicated itself over 2019’s Polar Vortex, but have you seen ghost apples? Thanks to a Facebook post by farm manager Andrew Sietsma, the phenomenon has captivated the internet, leaving commenters to marvel at the sight of these glass-like specimens that remain after apples have rotted from their icy exterior. Sietsema told CNN that this winter the weather in western Michigan was “just cold enough that the ice covering the apple hadn’t melted yet, but it was warm enough that the apple inside turned to complete mush (apples have a lower freezing point than water).” Jonagolds are one of Sietsema’s favorite apple varieties, but on the farm they are now referred to as “Jonaghosts.”
from colossal
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged food, food art, weather | 2 Comments »
February 21, 2019
Yesterday was muffin day but today I tackled no-knead foccacia rolls from Budget Bytes. They are spectacular and easy! I left off the Italian seasoning on the top, but did brush them with olive oil. Crispy and crusty and delicious.
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 Tbsp salt
- 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 2 cups water
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
-
The day before (about 18 hours ahead of time) combine the flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Stir until well mixed. Add the water, starting with 1.5 cups, and add a little more at a time until the flour forms a cohesive, wet ball. There should not be any dry flour left on the bottom of the bowl. The total amount of water you’ll need will vary, but should be between 1.5 to 2 cups. See the photos below for more info.
-
Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 16-18 hours to ferment.
-
After 16-18 hours, the dough will look like a large, bubbly mass. Sprinkle with enough flour to be able to scrape it out of the bowl without it sticking to your hands. Place the dough on a well floured surface. Cut the dough into 12 pieces. Shape each piece into a small ball. The dough will be quite wet, floppy, and sticky, so sprinkle liberally with flour as you work.
-
Place the rolls on a baking sheet covered in foil and lightly sprayed with non-stick spray (I used two baking sheets). Brush the top of each lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning over top. Let rise for 30 minutes to one hour or until doubled in size.
-
While the rolls are still rising, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Once it is fully preheated, place the rolls in the oven and bake until the surface is a light golden brown (about 25 minutes). Serve warm!
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged food, recipes | 3 Comments »
Gunsmoke and Knitting 