Clockwork - K'nex Ball Machine

How cool is this? Grandma-ma loves this kind of scientific creativity. It is full of color and light and movement and all very well thought out. As you watch this vid, think of ways you would make the balls travel.

 

The builder, Austin Granger, says this is his fifth major K'nex ball machine, and the largest and most complex K'nex structure he has made to date. It took 8 months to build, has over 40,000 pieces, over 450 feet of track, 21 different paths, 8 motors, 5 lifts, and a one-of-a-kind computer-controlled crane, as well as two computer-controlled illuminated K'nex balls.

He filled is room with this structure.   Wouldn't it be fun to go to sleep at night watching the balls move around and around?  I hope you enjoy watching this as much as I did. Grandma-ma loves you.

Cinderella's Carriage Pumpkin

Isn't this beautiful, my raviolis?  What a fun way to decorate for Halloween and turn your pumpkins into Cinderalla's coach.

 

 

This first coach is easy to make. Have mom or dad help you with the cutting out of the door and windows.  Then you can decorate with pretty jewels from your local craft or dollar store. Add a crown and Cinderella and you have a pumpkin coach.

 

This is a much fancier version and takes a little more time to complete.

 You’ll Need

3 ornate metal belt buckles - go to Goodwill to find cheap belts for these buckles.
1 pumpkin, about 12 inches tall
Pencil or marker

Knife
Craft glue
1 ornate lamp finial - dollar store or hardware store
Cordless drill fitted with ¼-inch bit
4 gourds, about 4 inches tall
2 quarter-inch dowel rods, cut to the approximate diameter of your pumpkin
4 ornate drawer pulls - dollar store
Heavy-gauge florist’s wire

1. Trace the inside of each belt buckle on the pumpkin with a pencil and cut to create openings for two windows and a door.  Glue the hardware over the openings. Remove or cut down the stem until
it’s even with the flesh of the pumpkin, and twist the finial into the  top.

2. To create wheels, drill a hole through the center  of each gourd. Insert one dowel rod into the holes of two gourds to  create an axle, and secure with glue. Repeat to create a second set of  wheels. Finish off all four wheels by inserting a drawer pull into the outside hole of each gourd for hubcaps.

3. Line up the two sets of wheels next to each other  at about the same width as your pumpkin. Then wrap wire from one dowel rod to the other to fasten the axles together and to create a webbing
for the pumpkin carriage to sit on.

4. Gently place your carriage on the wire.

 

If you create a pumpkin coach this Halloween season, please send grandma-ma a photo so she can put it up on your blog.  Love Grandma-ma

Baby Bunny

Okay my ravs...here is a cute and very sugary sweet little video that will have you humming and singing the silly song that is accompanied with it. But that is okay, because these are baby bunnies.

Source: youtube.com via Marsha on Pinterest

We love baby bunnies and I especially love you, my raviolis. Love Grandma-ma