All posts by Lenore Edman

About Lenore Edman

Co-founder of Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories.

Evil Mad Scientist Lair

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This is my great-uncle’s basement. If there’s any genetic component to being an evil mad scientist, this must be where mine comes from.

My dad took these pictures on a recent visit and now I get to share them with you. I highly recommend clicking on the photos to peruse the details in the full-size versions on flickr. Please bear in mind that lighting in the basement is less than ideal, which causes things to disappear in the shadows. But perhaps that is appropriate in the lair of an evil mad scientist — or in my great-uncle’s basement!

There are three drill presses in this photo, and I think there is one more somewhere else. Also visible are a television antenna box, a heavy industrial press, an outboard motor, a vise, a hacksaw, three coping saws and of course, there is the hulking band saw. Read on to see more amazing machinery and clutter.

photo credit: Marlo C. Edman
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Clothing that sends Mixed Messages

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Here’s an idea about how to make your clothing work a little bit harder for you. Your t-shirt can say one thing, while your sweatshirt says another, and together, they combine to say something entirely different. With a clever choice of words and the flip of a zipper, you can tune your message to suit your mood.
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This entry was posted in EMSL Projects and tagged . Bookmark the Permalink.

Low Knead Pizza

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Pepperoni basil garlic pizza

No knead bread is an amazingly easy recipe that allows anyone to make rustic bread at home by just stirring some stuff together and letting it sit for a while before baking in a pot.

We’ve read about it from Megan at Not Martha, who has made it so much that she’s had to post updates, and McAuliflower at Brownie Points, who has even put chocolate in hers. We’ve been having fun making, modifying, and eating our own versions. Here is our contribution to this meme: low knead pizza.
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How to Make a Music Satchel

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Music Satchel - 01

Much of the sewing I do is sort of off-the-cuff (pun intended.) This music satchel is a perfect example of sewing to fit the situation: It’s a set of speakers that you can wear while you’re riding your bike.

There are many reasons to take your music with you. The usual solution requires headphones. But sometimes you need to bring your party– and your speakers– along with you. We used to pull a giant stereo trailer along with us on social bike rides, and some of our friends still do (movie). But when it’s just you and a couple of buddies, and there’s ice on the ground, you don’t want to be towing 50 lbs of stereo around behind a bicycle. Granted, the speakers I used are nigh unto worthless and the amp eats batteries like candy, but they made just enough sound for our little group. I needed a small padded bag for them, though, so I made one.
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My Sewing Machine (and how I make trebuchet slings)

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Huskystar

Craft is currently asking for sewing machine pictures. I can’t compete with the lovely vintage Singers, but here is mine. I have had it for several years and I even made my wedding dress on it. It is a Huskystar, which is a descendent of the Viking brand. I went with the top of the mechanical line on sale at the end of the model year. (Did you know sewing machines have a model year?) I didn’t see a need for computer control since I wasn’t planning to do embroidery. This was a good choice and I have no regrets. My favorite feature is the automatic needle threader, with the automatic buttonhole coming in a close second.
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Making Miniature Stuffed Pizzas in Springforms

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Stuffed pizzas are a Chicagoan delicacy consisting of layers of cheese and fillings above– and below– a thin pizza crust. One of the best ways to bake them is in a springform pan, so that the sides come out in perfect cylinders and come out easily. Taken to the small extreme, individual-sized stuffed pizzas are the ideal portable food to take to work for lunch. Made in miniature springform pans, they are compact, cute, tasty, filling, and are almost guaranteed to make your co-workers jealous. Read on and we’ll show you how to make your own springform stuffed pizza, in any size you like.

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