Art

The exceptional Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra, starring Michael Douglas, proves why film still needs Steven Soderbergh, says Robbie Collin.

Michael Douglas has donned the wigs and braid which defined Liberace's stardom in the new Steven Soderbergh film, Behind the Candelabra. But the pianist was not the only musician fond of fancy dress: Alice Vincent picks her favourites.

Filed under: Card of the Day

My first ‘commission’ – well, a request, anyway… 5” in diameter, 2” high Cellulose, briwax

Take one

Spring Quilt Market was in Portland this year…so just a short drive down from Seattle for me.  By now the set up is pretty simple….I hauled my big blue dresser down (it’s so heavy!), hung some quilts, and we were done! My booth was in the Windham Fabrics section across from Heather Ross.  I had such a great time getting to know her and she’s just as sweet as she looks…even after I told

A simple game

Ever heard of Wrangel Island? I didn't too till Galya sent me this FDC. It is an island in the Arctic Ocean, between the Chukchi Sea and East Siberian Sea. Wrangel Island liesastride the 180° meridian. The International Date Line is displaced eastwards at this latitude to avoid the island as well as the Chukchi Peninsula on the Russian mainland. The closest land to Wrangel Island is tiny and rocky Herald Island located 60 km (37 mi) to the east. The distance to the closest point on the mainland is 140 km (87 mi). It is believed thatWrangel Island may have been the last place on earth where mammoths survived.Nearly all of Wrangel Island, and Herald Island, are a federally protected nature sanctuary administered by Russia's Ministry of Natural Resources. The island, and its surrounding waters, were classified as a "Zapovednik" (a "strict nature reserve") in 1976 and, as such, receive the highest level of protection and excludes practically all human activity other than for scientific purposes. The Chukotka Regional government extended the marine protected area out to 24 nautical miles in 1999. As of 2003, there were four rangers who reside on the island year-round. In addition a core of about 12 scientists conduct research during the summer months.Wrangel Island is about 125 km (78 mi) wide and 7,600 km2 (2,900 sq mi) in area. It consists of a southern coastal plain that is as wide as 15 km (9.3 mi); a central belt of low-relief mountains; and a northern coastal plain that is as wide as 25 km (16 mi). The east-west trending central mountain belt, the Tsentral'nye Mountain Range, is as much as 40 km (25 mi) wide and 145 km (90 mi) long from coast to coast. Typically, the mountains are a little over 500 m (1,600 ft) above mean sea level. The highest mountain on this island is Sovetskaya Mountain with an elevation of 1,096 m (3,596 ft) above mean sea level. The east-west trending mountain range terminates at sea cliffs at either end of the island.Wrangel Island belongs administratively to the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug of the Russian Federation. This rocky island has a weather station and, formerly, two Chukchi fishing settlements on the southern side of the island (Ushakovskoye and Zvyozdny on the shore of Somnitelnaya Bay).Wrangel Island was commemorated with the issue of this stamp on the lovely minisheet affixed to this lovely FDC postmarked 27.2.2012. This wonderful first day cover was given to me byGalina.

From Woodcraft June/July 2012. Case made from ¾ cabinet grade pine plywood from Home Depot. Drawers made from ½ birch plywood. Blade support shelves made from tempered hardboard. Top made with one ¾ inch plywood topped with ¾ inch Melamine, trimmed with red oak raised ¼ inch above Melamine and chamfered. Drawer fronts and blade shelf fronts made with red oak also chamfered . Case and pulls painted with general finishes Cypress Green Milk Paint. Drawer fronts and blade shelf fronts finished with blo, amber shellac, and paste wax.