Thursday, June 30, 2011

"K" is for Kaleidoscope!



Helloooooo, and welcome once again to Alphabe-Thursday, where anything can happen and anything can be written, as long as it is PG. Jenny Matlock of Off On My Tangent, sponsors this weekly homework assignment allowing us to get creative each week with a letter of the alphabet! This week’s letter is “K” and I would like to report on a hobby of mine, which is collecting Kaleidoscopes. It’s a small collection, and my pictures are far, far, far from professional, but I hope you enjoy it, nonetheless.


(This is a professional picture!)

The word kaleidoscope derives from the Greek word Kalos (Beautiful) and Eidos (Shape). It was invented by Sir David Brewster in 1816. A kaleidoscope is a tube of mirrors containing loose beads, pebbles or other small colored objects. The viewer looks in one end and light enters the other end, reflecting off the mirrors to create unique and spectacular images. The multi-colored murals created within the kaleidoscope can be enjoyed by all ages for years to come

Modern kaleidoscopes are made of brass tubes, stained glass, wood, steel, gourds and almost any other material an artist can sculpt or manipulate. The part of the kaleidoscope containing objects to be viewed is the 'object chamber' or 'object cell'. Object cells may contain almost any material. Sometimes the object cell is filled with liquid so the items float and move through the object cell with slight movement from the person viewing.




Cozy Baker (d. October 19, 2010)—founder of The Brewster Kaleidoscope Society—collected kaleidoscopes and wrote books about a few of the artists making them in the 1970s through 2000. Baker is credited with energizing a renaissance in kaleidoscope-making in America. Craft galleries often carry a few kaleidoscopes, while other enterprises specialize in them, carrying dozens of different types from different artists and craftspeople.


I hope you enjoyed my project, especially the picture of giant outdoor kaleidoscope in San Diego.



Please click on Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday logo below and check out what others have written about the Letter "K".

Jenny Matlock

Have a great Thursday!

13 comments:

Heather{Our Life In a Click} said...

So interesting! Love the photos too!

Susan Anderson said...

kaleidoscopes are kool

=)

Rocky Mountain Woman said...

I loved kaleidoscopes as a kid! I always had one hanging around my room...

Amanda said...

Those look awesome! I find Kaleidoscopes inspiring. :)

Rebecca said...

I always loved to buy those cheap kaleidoscopes as kid. So simple and fun. :)

I'm visiting from Alphabe-Thursday. Have a great weekend!

Judie said...

I have always loved kaleidoscopes! The are just fascinating! The photos are really kool!!

Jingle said...

cool K take.

Jeanie said...

What a fun collection to have....and perfect for the letter "k".

lissa said...

they're wonderful!

Claudya Martinez said...

I'm going to San Diego in a month. Where is that giant one?

storybeader said...

I thought that big outdoor viewer was a telescope or a binocular! Wow! Neat collection. {:-D

Vicki/Jake said...

Awesome post, I love tham too:)

Jenny said...

I've enjoyed seeing the kaleidoscope pictures this week. I always loved them as a child. I still have one on my desk but I rarely look into it. I will tonight, though.

Thanks for a charming link!

A+