Gearing up for a summer of fun!

So great to have 2020 finished so we can get back outside just as the weather turns nicer. Seems like spring came early after the most snow anyone alive has ever seen, and it's working out perfect for us. We have a carpenter and all the wood lined up to cut the frame pieces to put up a new 16' octagon gertee on a custom 16' deck/floor. This one will hook up to water/sewer and electric. All I have to do is shovel the rest of the snow off and help the carpenter split 3 cords of logs. He's got a nifty splitter he made custom to his needs, and all I do is hold the log in place and flip a switch.

We'll get video of the whole process this time around. We had a hold-up with the printer, should have expected it really, but hope to have paperbacks very soon, sometimes it seems like a miracle that the book exists at all. We've received great feedback from readers who oredered and downloaded the pdf ebook, some of it is so good it would be embarassing to reprint it. Several of the people who were angry with us over the long delays, and some of them were more than angry, have all written to tell us how much they like the new edition. Nordica's enthusiasm for the project is exploding... and nord.twu.net will never be the same.

Fred with the proof

Sneak Preview of what we're building next!

I've started making mini gertee models in 1:24 scale,
this one is made almost entirely out of USPS cardboard.

1:24 Scale 16' Gertee Model living/dining area

1:24 Scale 16' Gertee Model kitchen

1:24 Scale 16' Gertee Model shower/toilet

1:24 scale next to 1:12 scale with humans

Miniature Yurt Greenhouse 1:12 scale builder's model

Decided to see if there's a market for a mini Gertee Greenhouse.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110679488972&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

Mini Gertee featured in my new youtube video

Gearing up for another summer of promoting Gertee. It's a challenge getting myself re inspired to work on projects I've put away, especially after a losing endeavor. I am getting used to it now though, must be because almost everything I've done could be filed under losses. heh. But some projects have a way of jumping back up to the top of my list, namely the ACL and Gertee.

What's okay is each time I return to writing for the ACL, my style improves. During the rewrite for 2020 I found so much good new source material it was almost as exciting writing as it was when I first found the theory in 2000. But the legal research is a brain drain, and I decided to take an extended break from the ACL. Now, I am suddenly engaged in a discussion about Communitarian Law with Peter Myers. Regular readers are familiar with my reposts of his elists. Myers is a highly educated national socialist from Australia (as opposed to the international socialists) whose research website called Neither Aryan nor Jew was tremendously helpful to my early and continued ACL education. I've been reposting his research for eight years now, and he's never shown much interest in discussing globalized communitarianism, let alone global communitarian law. This means I will, by default, be working on the ACL again! I will be revising the ACL Communitarian Law pages, using my back and forth with Peter to form my presentation. It's perfect that the first page back up at the ACL will be the law.

Last fall Nordica and Fred helped me finish the 20" interior. My 3 yr old grandson sat and looked into it for several minutes before he stated simply, "Gramma, I want to live in there."

My Gertees and I were featured in an article by Lori Leahy in the April 7, 2011 edition of the Copper River Record, under a story line called "True Alaskans."

1st Alaskan Miniwerks Display opening at the Merc June 10

Alaskan Miniwerks Display
featuring art by me,
with creations on the way from
Sharon Rose, Patty Barr, &
Catherine Fletcher-Gilbert

Filling 2ml glass jars with dried cilantro,
dillweed and savory, soaked in extra virgin olive oil.

Filled 4 2ml jars with wild Iris seeds.

Playing with Sharon's spices

built the step platform from barnwood siding

and the rest of the exotic hardwoods

Fresh Alaskan wildflower bouquet

Top of the display, not for sale

Alaskan Wildflower mini bouquets

Making several versions of
mini bumperstickers
and
Alaskan magazine covers

Will also have:
2ml bottles of Alaskan fresh "bottled" water

and...

a mini scented oils section starting with
Alaskan wild rosehips soaked in olive oil and water

My Alaskan dude is sneaking out the back
with his fishing gear

My centerpiece

Alaskan Wildflowers in a rusty bucket
Got them all in water, will see how long they last.
May sell fresh wildflower bouquets daily.

%"Who will buy my sweet red roses,
two blooms for a penny?"%

The display when I stopped tonight
All we need now is a logo, lables and pricing.

Niki's Mini Mall

Monday, June 1
Made 4 more crates last night, adding them to this post since it's all the same topic, heh. I'm sure there are people who are confused by my sharing pictures of every project I attempt. But these projects are how I survive and it's good to get feedback and "test" the market on people who don't come here to shop. I absolutely appreciate all the gertee feedback so far, and if I can get that up and going this summer I will. The minis are a more immediate possibility for a small income over the summer and I'm so thrilled to have a store to put them in I've been working day and day (the sun barely sets here now).

I've been contacted by another Ph.D., this one's a community builder who's concerned that their organization may become co-opted by the communitarians. He's asked me to help him understand their language so that he can avoid their traps. I've barely had time to write lately but I agreed to correspond with him because he asked very nicely and I believe he''s sincere. I haven't heard back from Professor Wong, I suppose I should have held off blasting his entire premise for his theory until he got to know me a little better. All these Ph.D.'s and university regulars do make me think that I should get an honorary degree out of all this some day, or that someday I might be invited to teach an anticommunitarian seminar somewhere for real pay. :) Until then, I'll just keep making minis and gertees and do the best I can with what I have.

Teas from TJunction in a whole new style

This is out of recycled drainboard, holds 8 jars
I'll make these for all the large sets

This one has a perfect bottom
(which was a total waste of time since you can't see it!)

I still love my little bears

Should I brew home beer and fill the jars with it?

original post follows

Handmade Alaskan Gifts

New room scene under construction

Cheap souvenier pictures (not made in China)

My first crate model

Second crate model made with a saw
Olive oil, sea salt, Balsamic, Sesame oil, herbs

Made a 2x2' model "mini store" for the Merc this summer. In addition to my hutch and room boxes, the store features 2ml bottles with corks filled with Alaskan wildcrafted balms, lotions, tinctures, and oils prepared by Catherine Fletcher-Gilbert of TJunction. We're also filling some bottles with our own locally picked rose hips, dill weed, parsley, yarrow and savory in olive oil. The Alaskan Red Salmon Spice Racks have dried garlic, onion, dill and seasoning salt.

Mall display for TJunction

Store display for Red Salmon Seasonings

Made a display shelf for individual bottles

My Alaskan cooking, recycled furs and miniatures

Cooking over a woodstove
December 6 to March 28, 2009

New woodstove after 4 months of winter :)

Melt wax, pour in cartons, let cool. To start fire,
break off one "egg", place between 2 logs and light.

Spagetti and meatball sauce, salad and garlic bread

beans, rice and cornbread: my Alaskan staples

Butter Fried Copper River Reds with sliced fresh onion

Baked Copper River Red Salmon
with dried garlic and onion chunks,

cilantro, dill weed, salt & olive oil

Canned chicken breast, whole stewed tomatoes,
garlic, basil, onion salt, over bed of white rice

Sauteed red bell pepper, fresh onion,
peeled diced oranges, dried apples, herbs

How we feel about the wolf "controversy"

Tim got his first wolf of the year today

The fate of the Fabian symbol in Alaska

Recyling old fur coats and hats

60x72" sheared beaver and fur seal blanket
(3 vintage coats, cut and pinned it tonight!
Will put trim on edges, black piping and line it
with 2 layers of fabrics, linen and sheer)

Recycled mink hat with lining for sister Kathy

Alaskan Miniwerks

Miniature of TJunction, Chitina, Alaska

A small piece of home for my Marine

Nolan's mini Alyeska work camp

I put a mini Iditarod Alaska scene on ebay!

Alaskan Iditarod Miniature Scene
by Niki Raapana 3/3/09

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110359425142

Ongoing projects

winterizing a 20 foot gertee

10 1/2 feet diamond willow center post

shiny new entryway has a dresser now

Put up a center pole for extra strength and the base for my loft. Figuring out how to arrange all our things, we want more storage and open space for Fred. Made sure I left room on both sides of the doorway, one side for wood storage and the other for a 50 gallon water bucket. Put 5 more ropes over the roof cover after the winds came and showed me where I missed. Ran out of materials but I may be eligible for Sarah's 1200. PFD energy bonus and if I get it I'm buying R-16 insulation for the walls and roof, another pool roof cover and heavy duty tarps and ropes. If there's anything left over I'm buying cords of wood because I am getting too lazy to cut it myself.

Fred's first day of homeschool

I can't believe how many things we're behind on, but Nordica keeps reminding me I camped all summer and built 3 yurts and a museum. We both forget how much time Fred takes up because he's such a fun little guy. But I finally gave her my edits on Jack's book and decided to revise the manifesto one more time before we go to print; I want to add one more article and that's it. We're also getting good advice on setting up internet marketing for our books, and writing a business plan for Camp Redington. I'm just not going to have much time to follow the election anymore, and if it wasn't for Palin I never would have given it the time I have. I decided the prediction/theory that made the most sense to me was the one that said McCain and Palin will win and then Hillary can save the country from the Republicans when she runs for president in 2012, maybe even against Palin. Whatever the outcome, we're in for a hell of a feminist future.

Making new mini scenes for ebay. Gotta get going on selling them or I can't justify the space. This one features a picture "window" of the Chugach Mtns over the Matanuska Valley from the Glenn Highway in Palmer. It has almost all handmade exotic hardwood furniture, Alaskan dried flowers, bottled herbs and teas (from T-Junction). I haven't named it yet, any suggestions?

Alaskan miniwerks