The Astronomy Display (Free Science Printables)

Astronomy models for the lab

With the introduction of the astronomy science project display from AG, we (Kana, Shep, and I all agree on this) have decided to make our own science project.  It's not quite up to the human's standards of science projects yet, but she has her own problems at the moment and can't make us that working computer setup yet.

In this case, we're expanding on the astronomy theme from AG with a model of the structure of the sun, a lunar globe, and a star chart.  These were originally from Canon Creative paper projects (here), but the human resized them.  I'd recommend a heavy paper (matte photo paper, maybe cardstock) for this.  The human used plain copy paper, but it's on the flimsy side.

Construction tips:
You will want a pair of very small, very sharp scissors.  And about 2-3 hours of free time to make each globe.
Use a toothpick to apply the glue to all the little tabs.  There are a lot of little tabs, especially on the globes.

Model of the sun and a mini science book

The model shows the cut-away of the interior of the sun, and all its layers.  It's the hardest and most complicated of the three to make, mostly with all the little slices of the interior layers.  The little science book has 16 pages of text and glossy pictures.  (Some of the text ended up being white-on-white.  Oops.)
Model of the Sun
Science Book
Instructions

Lunar globe with facts inside

The lunar globe shows all the named features of the moon, and opens up to reveal little cards with extra information about the moon.  This is going to be simple compared to the solar model.
Lunar Globe
Instructions

A star chart for the Northern Hemisphere

The star chart is the easiest of the three projects.  It really spins around, and you can see what constellations are in the sky at any time of the year.  It's set for a latitude of 35 degrees N, so constellations are going to be different if you're at a different latitude.
Star Chart
Star Chart Instructions

Lily and her laboratory

 

I'm Lily Cordelia Evans, the newest member of the crew of Jinjia Mixed Goods.  I firmly believe that sufficient advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, and as such, would like to be the best scientist and mage possible.

My lab originally started out as an Our Generation retro diner, but that didn't suit anyone here very well at all.  I've since claimed it for myself and my equipment.  We took the black board, bakery case, and counter off the floor.  The blackboard and counter were repainted to get rid of the pink.  And the formerly pink phone is now the emergency phone because every lab needs one.

I keep the counter pretty bare normally.  Just enough things for taking notes and doing a literature search.  I don't think anyone really needs a giant stack of science papers to read right now though.

I do have a full set of various glassware, most of which is stored in former bakery case.  We'll pretend it also functions as a fridge for when I fill those petri dishes.  The little wire thing you see coming out of a beaker is actually a spreading tool for streaking plates with bacteria.  I'll be showing that off in the near future.  The test tube holder is made from cardstock.  It fits those little bottles you buy in a pack of 9 at Michaels or another craft store.  In the background you can see my new digital scale.  It's actually a tiny working jewelry scale, and I have plenty of weigh boats for it.

Test Tube Holder Printable:  print on cardstock for best effect

My favorite part of the lab is the bookshelf.  We've been looking forever for a small bookshelf that actually fits all the books we own, and after many attempts, gave up looking and built our own from a sheet of foam core.  It's ~20" tall, 6" wide, and 3.5" deep with 5 shelves for books and other goodies.  Four of the shelves are 4" tall and the last one is 2.5" tall (the numbers add up once you factor in the thickness of the foam core.)

From the top down, we have:

• Astronomy models of the sun and moon (papercraft, tutorials to come later)
• A tiny mineral collection
• The old AG science set with microscope, test tubes, and slides
• Spell books (I did say magic earlier) and fossils
• More spell books, a Book of Hours, the Voynich Manuscipt, a star chart.  And my wand.
• Historical readers and math books and any other book that needs a place

 The human went to a rock show the other day, and picked up the herring and the trilobite fossils for me.  We've had the ammonite fossil for some time, but this is the first time it's had a display stand.  All the display stands are made from cardstock scraps.

And if you were wondering what sort of spell books I had, wonder no more.  I'm slowly acquiring all the books a Hogwarts student needs, starting with 'The Standard Book of Spells', 'A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration', and '1000 Magical Herbs and Fungi'.  (I actually have all 7 books of standard spells, and the intermediate and advanced transfiguration books too.)  All the books  have at least 22 pages of text and images, and have a hardcover style binding.  I'll be getting 'Magical Drafts and Potions' and 'A History of Magic' soon.  Also, 'Quidditch Through the Ages'.

Tang Dynasty outfit for Kana

This is an outfit based on Tang Dynasty (690-900AD) costumes for women.  It consists of an under-robe of very lightweight cream silk.  The sleeves of the robe fall over the hands.  The skirt is very full and ties just under the arms over the bust.  Alas, Kana does not actually have a bust, so the skirt keeps falling down.

I used four different types of kimono silk to make this outfit, one for the robe, one for the collar and scarf, and 2 for the skirt.  I had to dig through a lot of my silk stash to find these since color choices for Tang Dynasty outfits don't match color choices for modern kimono.

No, this is not a kimono.   No, this is also not a hanbok.  And no, this is not a qipao or cheongsan.

Yes, this is based on historical patterns for Chinese clothing.

'But why does it look like a hanbok or a kimono?'

That's because China was a very cosmopolitan place in 700AD, and emissaries from surrounding countries (including Japan and Korea) took a lot of cultural inspiration from the Tang Dyansty.  Including writing systems and fashion.

Thifty Pamphlet for Kit

A replica of a 1918 pamphlet on the values of thrift and how much a child costs their parents.
Get the doll sized version here.

Random Crafting

In progress science/alchemy/potions lab

Chocolate frogs

Fantasy coins

Tres Rich Heures de Duc Barry

Kana desu.  Here we are again with myself and Shep as the official spokesdolls for Jinjia Mixed Goods at any and all SCA events our human attends.  We were up in Maine this past weekend at the Great Northeaster War, and we just got back.  I'm in another new yukata that has pink, white, and silver balls on a black background.  Shep is less than pleased because our human stuffed her into a dress to show off the belts and journals and quill pens for sale.  It's probably a good thing our human made sure Shep didn't have any weapons with her this time.

(We will also not mention the number of times someone was sure Shep was completely evil and out to kill them.  It's her eyes, I think.  Don't tell her I said that.)

Shepard:  The dress is fine.  The hair clip is not.
Kana:  BUT IT HAS A TINY ITTY BITTY PAPER CRANE ON IT!  How can you not like it?!
Shepard:  Because I'm not you.  I bet the human would give you one too if you asked.  Or didn't ask.
Kana:  She tried already and couldn't get it in my hair because it's pulled back too tight.  And she wouldn't let me take my hair down...

But, now that I have found my glasses (I can't read anything without them), it's time to show off the main attraction:  Tres Rich Heures de Duc Barry

Our human made this right before we left, and she kept playing with it the entire weekend.  I hardly had any time to read it myself.  Please do admire the blue leather cover.  It's a light gloveweight leather in royal iridescent blue, and the picture does not do it justice.

(Yes, that is a jar full of paper cranes.  No, our human will not run a raffle to guess how many cranes are in it because then she would have to count them.  By our best estimate, there's something like 2700 cranes in there.)

And  TA-DA!  This has 92 pages of illuminations and text, including the calendar in the very beginning.  It didn't photograph well, so our human isn't showing it here.  This little book has the full calendar, the first section of text, and after that, every full page illumination that the real book has.  The blue of the cover matches the blue in the illustrations perfectly.

 

What do you think?  If you want a copy for yourself, I suggest you contact our human at jinjia.mixed.goods@gmail.com or through her etsy shop here for a custom order, because I'm not going to give up my copy.

A medieval scriptorium

OK, human, why am I the one practicing calligraphy for you?  Why can't you get one of the other girls to do it?

...it's because I'm the only one who's decently dressed right now isn't it?

It totally is.  Maybe next time you won't use aggressively seasonal prints to make our clothing.  I saw you eyeing that box of horrible Halloween prints this morning.  Just no.

That said, I really like this journal.  And pen.  Do I get to keep them?

Wait, why am I asking?  We NEVER get to keep anything you make.  They all vanish somewhere a week after you make them.  Except for the horribly seasonal doll clothes.  Those we're stuck with, and even we don't want them.

Oh well, it's not like you're expecting me to illuminate a copy of a Book of Hours for you or anything.  This notebook isn't big enough for that.

...you actually did want a Book of Hours.

I hate you, human.

All complaining from Nellie aside, I made a bunch of little leatherbound notebooks and matching quill pens this past weekend.  The pens actually write.  The books have 32 pages, and the paper is all high quality calligraphy paper with gold or silver swirls.  The binding is actually leather, and the inner covers are lined with scraps of origami paper.  If these do well at the event I'm going to this weekend, I'll think about adding some to my Etsy store.

If you'd be interested in a set, please let me know.
 

And for a bonus non-sequitor, I finally got around to clearing up enough space to set up the OG diner with all the various little food bits from other sets I have.  I think at this point I vastly prefer OG food and accessories to AG.  I'm not willing to pay double or triple the price for something I can get that is 'cute enough'.

Of course, no sooner had I set all of this up did the girls ask for the diner to be converted into a science lab.  And since one Valerie Felicity Frizzle is expected to move in this fall, it's probably not a bad idea.  I'll keep you posted on future developments of the Friz and her lab.