I’ve decided I could sand the metal and apply a new coat of black paint and a new solid black walnut top.  I started looking into how to remove a powder coat finish… seems like this is going to be a pain in the ass, but I think in the end it will be well worth it.

Shelby pointed out a good point… my couch being leather and my coffee table having felt pads on them… things get very slippery.

     After knowing Jim for a couple years, his illustration style became something recognizable.  When he proposed this idea, I saw that he was starting to push his style more.  He began adding depth and texture into the panels and mixed up the traditional paneling of graphic novels into a film/cinematic style.  Highly influenced by spagetti westerns and zombie films, this soon to be series had legs before the first book was even printed.

Awesome shirt and a limited edition print!

I’m looking forward to reading the next installments of stranger’s journey.  Keep up the great work Jim and thanks for the kit!

Made by Hand / No 2 The Knife Maker

I came across these video profiles a couple months ago and they have kept resurfacing when I’m looking for inspiration.  Made By Hand is Brooklyn-based project that is finding and revealing the life of the makers of the good and products that we consume and interact with on a daily basis.  The idea of going back to your roots and creating things on your own has become something of a trend.  That DIY maker of goods have that aesthetic that many are seeking, but with that handmade quality, you get an intimate connection with the goods.  Growing up, I think what formed my brain were my constant interaction with LEGOs and a father that was a woodworker.  There’s something about making things when you’re young that creates an instinctual reaction to these physical objects we interact with daily…  but enough about me… Check out the their work, buy their products, get inspired and start making things!

Follow them on twitter // twitter.com/madebyhand

via creativesomething.net

Lately, I’ve also been interested in building my own light fixture.  There was something out a chandelier that I really liked and it wasn’t because of the hideous amount of faux diamonds, but what intrigued me the most was that I could see it hanging and it made itself a presence in the room.  I’ve been looking at pulleys for a solution to rigging up a light fixture or pennant in my living room since it’s not wired for it.

I also find the milk-white fixtures best for diffusing light.  Similar in video-production where they use China Balls to illuminate a big space with a simple diffused light.  I find gallery lighting or harsh lighting to be very stressful when I’m trying to relax.  Nonetheless, I will be definitely experimenting with lighting more.

Shelving has always been something that I’ve never been happy with until I saw the shelving unit made of steel tubing and wood on the Brick House Blog.

The rawness of industrial steel tubing and straight dark wood speaks to my aesthetic.  I think I will experiment with it a bit and see what kind of other pieces of furniture I can come up with, maybe a side table or a wall mounted shelf, who knows…

All my friends know I have a growing collection of tools.  A few of them have been fortunate enough to see my tool bag full of random tools that I’ve acquired over the years.  Many of them have been gifts from my father- he believes all men should have a set of their own tools.  Of course, I too believe this philosophy.

Latest finds and acquisitions:

Harbor Freight Tools - Sliding Compound Miter Saw.  This is perfect tool for someone like me.  Working on small projects around the home.  In general, Harbor Freight Tools is a great place to find all sorts of cheap tools for the average Joe-l, hah.  If you’re looking for long lasting… go elsewhere.

I hope to track the changes in my new place as they finish.  Any suggestions or questions are welcome!

I even worked up a brand for us.  Collin and I called it a nano brewery. During the branding process I tried to develop a strong brand that represented the idea of small batches and experimenting.  Of course… we weren’t even close to experimenting, we were learning first.  But the designer and beer lover in me couldn’t help but come up with an identity for our project.  Check out the brand book: work.chrisbodven.com  Here is what we came up with:

I even printed some labels:

A year later, I’m brewing on my own.  Collin moved away to Wisconsin, leaving the responsibility to me, for now. We brewed many great batches and I definitely look forward to brewing with Collin again in the future.  It’s been a few months since he and I brewed our last batch- bottled a Porter on August, 26th 2011 just before I left for Europe for a month.  Now that I’ve returned, moved and began to settle into my new place, I’ve been more excited to get back to brewing.  My first IPA- my favorite style of beer actually, will be the next batch.  I’ve heard IPAs are a little more difficult, but we’ll see how it turns out.  This next one is for you Collin!  Go Pack!

Follow us on twitter, I hope to start updating this more frequently:  twitter.com/forgebrewing