September 18, 2006

•  ‘The Box’ – Part II

  In the previous entry, I revealed that my little gig on “Veronica Mars” ended a long period of inactivity for me acting-wise.  And in an older entry, I mentioned that time not spent on the set/auditioning would be funneled towards making a cardboard playhouse for Avery.  The last time I showed ‘The Box’ (made from a Martha Stewart patio set box) it looked like this: A hatch, swinging doors on each end, drawbridge, tincan telephone system, “Silence of the Lambs“-esque mailbox and three geometric shaped windows on the other side.

  Well, three months elapsed since that entry and the “VM” gig. 

  Here’s what it looks like now.

  I always wanted to paint the box but knew that any paint, other than oil-based, would just weaken and warp the cardboard.  Then someone said, “How about contact paper?” 

  Brilliant.  So I went to work.

  I first added some metal rebar to key areas of  ‘The Box’ to reinforce the structure as it was beginning to sag under the Hatch (you can see a diagonal hump of the rebar in the center of the box, under the Hatch).  Then beige contact paper.  Then white contact paper on the lower half cut and drawn to look like a picket fence.  I jazzed up the mailbox.  Above the mailbox I added in a Bay Window used from the plastic packaging of an action figure to bring in some light.  A literal door “bell” was added onto both doors at each end.  The mysterious numbers and Dharma Initiative logo from “Lost” were added onto the Hatch . 

  Then I covered up the drawbridge’s exterior with a drawing of some trees and foliage — so that to the common passerby, it just looks  like some innocent, everyday vegetation.  But when the drawbridge is pulled down – it reveals the true entryway into the BatCave.

  I also pulled the circuitry from those greeting cards that play music when you open them up and taped it to the opening crack in the drawbridge.  So now whenever it’s opened, it plays the Beach Boys’ ”Fun, Fun Fun.”

  Then on the other side of  ‘The Box’ I wanted to add some googly eyes and draw a simple face around them.  And what other character doesn’t have any eyelids?  Well, anyone of Jim Henson’s creations.

  So I drew an Elmo in the center.  But he looked so small and pathetic in the middle by himself.   I decided I needed a well known duo to share the 2 flaps of the rectangle window.  My wife suggested Bert and Ernie — and it was done.  (In hindsight, I think I should’ve drawn those two bearded, purple monsters attached to each other – one with horns turned up and the other’s turned down.)   

  Anyway then I thought, “Man, I can’t leave out the two guy synonymous with googly, bulging eyes — so I had to add Cookie Monster and Beaker next to the triangle window (Bunson was easy since he has no eyes).  And finally, I drew Barkley on the bottom because Avery always barks whenever she sees him.

  I added velcro backing to the eyes so that you can do stuff like: Pull off Elmo’s big eyes and stick them each onto Bert and Ernie to make them look like a Cyclops.  

  I also color-coated the backs of the velcro to each character’s fur/skin so that Avery can someday learn which eyes belong to whom — by matching up the colors.  But right now, she just likes to stick ‘em in her mouth. 

  But otherwise, she’s gotten pretty acclimated to ‘The Box’ and utilizes mostly everything. 

  She knows how to open the drawbridge, go into the side doors, open and close the hatch with the pullstrings, places toys on the bay window’s ledge, sends stuff to us through the mailbox and can escape out the rear geometric windows… and then tries to eat the Muppets’ eyes.  

  Once I got the call that I booked “VM“, worked ceased on “The Box’.   Good thing too because I was starting to draft plans for a cupola.

  Work will continue to be suspended on it as I will next be off to speak at Wellesley College’s ASU on Sept 22 — stop by if you’re in the area.  

  • 2:29 pm
  • 28 Comments