Will Kalif's Blog: Will's Blog, page 4

The Amazing Growth of Mead Making

Modern Technology has had a profound effect on this Ancient Art

When I first started making mead (Some 15 or so years ago) the internet was young. Not everybody was connected, and Youtube wasn’t even born yet.

So, it was difficult to get information on the secret art of mead making. There were two books about it on Amazon and once youtube got going I could only find one video about it.

Since then the hobby of making mead has become very popular. And for good reason. It is an alcoholic beverage that you can very easily make yourself. SO, once a thing that nobody knew how to do… now has become something that everybody can easily learn how to do! Don’t you just love the internet for the positive things it brings?

And another by-product of this boom in mead making is the boom in small meaderies that are springing up all over the country. Fifteen years ago you had to really hunt around to find some mead here in the USA. I made a dozen phone calls and finally found some – that was only a thirty minute drive from my house.

I am building an interactive map of meaderies in the US. You can check that out right here: The Mead Map

It’s an interesting case for the internet being a modern day library of Alexandria! It’s really true and it is something that is growing exponentially on a daily basis.

I think it is amazing. And I am grateful for it.

Mead making is easy

If you want to make mead. It really is very simple to do. I have a tutorial for beginners right here: How to Make your First Batch of Mead

Some of my most medieval projects!

I love projects that have a medieval feel to them. It’s a bit difficult to describe what I actually mean by “Medieval” but once you look over these projects you will know what I mean. They all have a flavor and feel of arts and crafts from the middle ages.

And they cover a wide variety of disciplines so you are going to find something that you really like.

I will give you a link to the web page on my website where I have gathered together my favorites but first let’s take a look at some of them.

Make Medieval Paint – This is a really fun project that you will find very satisfying. All you need is some pigments from around the house materials and raw eggs. Then you can use the paint to paint! Just like they did it in the middle ages.

Make a sword – WOW! Yes, I actually show you how to make a real sword. You don’t actually need a whole lot of stuff.

Make chainmail – Ok, if the thought of making a sword is a bit much for you but you still would like to do some medieval metal work then you might want to try making chainmail! Very little is needed in terms of tools, and you just need to get some wire. I do it and show you exactly how to do it yourself.

Make a Stained Glass Window or other project – I absolutely love stained glass. It is a wonderful hobby and art. And you can do it too.

Make a medieval Wax Stamper – If you like to write you might love to have an official wax stamper that you can apply to letters or seal envelopes with. It’s a very fun thing to do and I have mailed many letters that I wax stamped! It doesn’t take a whole lot and I show you exactly how to do it.

Okay! These are just a few of the medieval projects I have for you to make. And the important thing is that I make the actual project and show you how to do it step-by-step. And each project includes a video if you like that way to learn.

So, if you would like to make something medieval then check out the web page I have for you right here on my stormthecastle.com website:

Medieval Projects you can make

Why I am so very proud of the worst book I have ever written

Odd title but there is a lot of truth to it.

I wrote my first novel a very long time ago. And since then I have gone on to write many other books. But that first one, is flawed, yet I am so very proud of it because of the way it changed the course of my life.

First off, here is the book: “Fulcrum Shift”

My first novel

It is available on Amazon.com right here

It’s been out a long time and a couple of years ago I re-read it. And, probably just like any other writer I had the urge to re-write it! There are things about it that I would definitely change. This includes sentence structure, grammar and even plot!

It’s not my best work. That’s because I am now a better writer.

But let me tell you a couple of stories that will shed light on why this book is my proudest book.

It was many years ago and I was working a very challenging job in a factory. The work was tough. Well, one day my sister called me because her gas cooking stove was not working right. It wouldn’t get hot. So I went and looked at it. The pilot light was off so I had to re-light it. So, there I was, with my head in a gas oven and struggling to get the pilot light lit! It wasn’t easy. And for some reason, maybe it was the gas fumes. I reflected on where my life was going. Particularly the struggles at a challenging job. And I made a promise to myself. “I am going to write that novel I have always wanted to write”.

Once I got that gas stove going I got in my car and drove right down to my local CVS and bought a spiral bound notebook and a package of pens. I went home, sat at my desk and started writing that novel. With this: “The figure walked quietly down the cobblestone alley with purpose.”

From there I wrote, longhand with pen and paper every night after work. It took me almost a year but I finished the book then self-published it.

Let me tell you one bit more before I finish off this article.

I talk to and meet with a lot of people. Because of what I do I get a lot of questions from people and lots of requests for help. And just last week I had two conversations of note. Two young men in their twenties. The first young man expressed the thought that he had a great idea for a film documentary. It was really burning inside him. And the second young man really was motivated to start his own sports podcast where he would mix humor and sports commentary.

They both lamented how they didn’t have the things they needed to get the job done. They both needed money and resources.

Well…. I didn’t agree with their lamentations. It’s that kind of thing that makes the difference between success and failure. And in both these cases it comes down to failure to even start.

I spoke to both young men this week and neither of them has done anything at all to move forward in their dreams. Nothing at all….

And you see…. this is why I am so very proud of that very first book. I actually found it within myself to get started. And then I found the fortitude to keep going until the goal was completed.

And it doesn’t matter that much that the book isn’t great. What very much matters is that the book is done. I learned a lot and gained in my abilities through writing that book.
You see, you can’t get good without first being lousy at anything at all.

If you have a big goal but have done nothing to move toward it. It might be because of the fear of being lousy. I say just move forward. Be lousy. It is the only way to get better.

Castles in America

I recently took a road trip around America. I visited all 48 states and logged over 20,000 miles. It was a wonderful trip that lasted over five months. To be truthful that trip was one of the highlights of my life.

I had several goals for the trip, one of which being to see as many castles as I could. And yup…. there are castles in America! Lots of them in all kinds of shapes, styles and sizes. And every one of them has a story to tell.

Well, if you are interested in the castle in America I have written all about them and all about my trip around the country on my website here:

http://stormthecastle.com/medieval-america/index.htm

Bishop Castle in Colorado

Interested in Blacksmithing?

I have an ebook, in various formats, that you might be interested in.

I wrote this book this year specifically for beginners who are unsure what to do and how to get started in blacksmithing. I walk you through all the basics in a clear manner with lots of pictures and images. This book will bring you to an understanding of blacksmithing. You can order it and learn more about it on my website here:

Will’s fast start blacksmithing ebook

Friday Fish & Chips 23: The Night Sky

Medieval America Episode 33

This is one of the most magnificent castles in America.

In this episode I travel to Napa valley to visit a castle that is also a working winery. And the amazing thing about this castle is that it is an authentic 15th century Italian castle. The builder did it the way they did it back then! He even hired in real Italian stone masons.

This image shows the Great Banquet Hall

A Cardboard Tank!

The neighborhood kids really love this project – although the wheels didn’t last long!!

The Cardboard Tank

I put this together with a random mish mash of cardboard boxes. THere is an entry door in the back and a hatch on the top so the tank commander can stick his head out and look around. Just like a real tank!

This project is not going to be in my cardboard projects book but….. just like the cardboard rocket, if I write a book of big cardboard project this is definitely going in it. And I will surely upgrade those wheels.

Make a 1 Box Cardboard Castle

It is a very popular project and a cardboard box lends itself perfectly to making a castle.

My website is called stormthecastle.com and that is because I love everything castle! I already have lots of castle making projects and this one is my newest and my most funnest. You can turn a single cardboard box into a nice little castle -easily.

Watch my youtube video to find out how to do it:

A proposed cover for my new book

This book is not published but it is written. Here is a fun cover that I made.

It is all about making functional projects out of an Amazon box. The focus is on creativity and fun!

Possible book cover.

Let me know what you think about this cover! And… let me know what you think about the book! We are all getting lots and lots of boxes from amazon and they don’t all get recycled. So… don’t throw it in the trash.. make something with it!!!