What a Bust!

Tomorrow is creativity day for the civilization class that I am currently taking (this is the class that Stacey and I made the 10 hour mosaic for). The mosaic was a cake walk compared to the newest addition of “creativity”. For the final project worth the majority of our grade we had to make something that creatively related to the semester. We studied how creativity effected the growth and power of different civilizations from the beginning of time through the year 1500, as you might have guessed a lot of that dealt with the Roman Empire. Aside from making mosaics, one thing that those crazy Romans loved was busts….statues of heads that is, for anyone who thought of something else when I said “Romans love busts.” So I thought I would just whip up a bust of myself only I didn’t want to carve it straight out of stone. I did the next best thing, I had my cousin Jason and his wife Shannon along with Stacey pour dental alginate over my head to cast my face (it’s the same stuff the dentist takes impressions with). Well we did it twice and it turned out pretty good… the second time. After the alginate hardened they wrapped plaster casting strips around that and then finally cut me out. In order to be able to leave the mold with my hair still attached to my head I combed in at least 8 to 10 ounces of Vaseline (like a baby bottles worth) ...and I had to do this twice remember. Combing it in was one thing, getting it out was another. Shampoo and soap were completely useless, the vinegar worked to break it up a little but not remove it. So, how do you get Vaseline out of hair?? Flour... yup just work it in and it binds to the Vaseline and then big globs of white junk come out of your hair...just incase anyone was planning on putting Vaseline in their hair. We filled the mold with cement and after it hardened I went to work carving it out a little more with a dremel tool. I could go on and on about the insane feeling of having to breathe out of one nostril through a straw or trying to hold your face still for an hour but I think the pictures will do it justice. I have to say thanks to the crew I couldn’t have done it without them. I will update all of you on creativity day. Enjoy the madness.
Oh and incase anyone was wondering I have decided what I am going to do with the head after it's graded. I noticed a lot of great updates on a lot of your blogs about all the new decks, the yards and even the boat sand box. I haven't noticed any pictures of Tom and Wendy's garden and I figure they would obviously put up some pictures if only they had something to be really proud of....so I have decided that the head will find a final resting place as the center showpiece lawn ornament in Tom and Wendy's garden where it can be enjoyed by all who should see it. So it is written so it shall be.