1. Built by Gabriel Amadeus, a Portland-area designer extraordinaire and fun-enthusiast. When not riding bikes or organizing bike events you can find him building and welding every sort of bike imaginable. And some that aren’t.
Photographer: ichad

2. “This is Sailor Neale, with another of his crazy creations. This particular bike is jointed in the middle, just behind the handlebars. It folds fully in half if you don’t pay attention. You steer by using your hips to swivel the central joint, and then using the handlebars to simultaneously steer the front wheel.”
Photographer: doviende

3. The Reverse Cowgirl, built by Mark Veno. “It was displayed at PDX Airport when they had the Oregon Handmade Bicycle Exhibit. I was the only non-professional builder exhibiting.”

4. “West Coast Chopper”
Photographer: tinou bao

5. The Ross Island Explorer, a fully amphibious human-powered tallbike-paddleboat.
Photographer: megulon5, member of C.H.U.N.K.

6. Burrito-recumbent, complete with suspension and sound system / Builder: Doc
Photographer: Mark Veno

7. For when you really don’t want to worry about getting a flat.
Photographer: RJL20

8. “A rock n’ roll/punk kid rode this to the Coffee Bean in Playa Vista the other day. Love that it has an old-fashioned horn on the handlebars.”
Photographer: pink_fish13

9. Good for carting around…whatever. / Builder: Chris Martin
Photographer: Mark Veno

10. Alan Sikiric’s Mutandem: “Only from the fields of muck and hazardous grime known as the Jerz could something so horrifying arise!”

11. The very definition of an art bike.
Photographer: anarchosyn

12. One of the craziest tall bikes out there, and pannier-ready to boot!
Photographer: doviende

13. A burrito built by Mark Veno: “When I moved to Portland I was inspired by the existing bike culture and built my first tallbike. I try to make my freakbikes as usable as “real” bikes. Soon I’ll be moving to San Diego to spread the freakbike love to SoCal.”

14. “No idea about who this is riding the chopper, just happened to snap it on Wells Street. I think he is part of the Chicago Critical Mass group.”
Photographer: swanksalot

15. Not quite training wheels…
Photographer: BruceTurner

16. Five bucks to anyone who can categorize this bike, being paraded by a member of Rat Patrol.
Photographer: JOE M500

17. When two wheels just aren’t enough, you need the Six Wheelie.
Photographer: bilbord99

18. There are choppers, and then there are these.
Photographer: tandemracer

19. Not exactly a freak bike, but there is something freaky about these kids and their penny farthings.
Photographer: Mild Mannered Photographer

20. Tank! / Builder: Sailor Neale of the East Vancouver PedalPlay metal studio.
Photographer: Foxtongue

Community Connection

Matador has published some of the best bike-related content on the web, covering topics such as The World’s 15 Most Bike Friendly Cities, 6 Reasons to Go By Bike, How to Be Good (Better) Drivers and Cyclists, and How to Choose a Touring Bicycle.

Many members of the Matador community are bike freaks themselves, including one of our newest arrivals, Doubleclutch. Browse the community profiles to discover more folks fired up on bicycles.

Feature photo by Pinot & Dita. Photo above by brenbot.

Spending time with your favorite little people this holiday season? Channel your inner Martha Stewart and get them into these 7 craft projects. No fancy materials or complicated tools are required.

1. Pop-up Cards

Sound hard? They’re not. Thanks to websites like pop-up book creator, you can download free greeting card templates. There’s something for everyone, from traditional holiday icons to insects and animals. Just print, cut out, and assemble.

Pages from mail order catalogs work just as well as card stock or construction paper. Also, search the web for free envelope templates.

Photo by absentmindedprof.

2. Origami Ornaments

Origami is an fun brain bender, and you can turn these little works of art into holiday ornaments. The idea behind origami is to create a representation of an object (almost anything, really) using geometric folds and crease patterns on just one square sheet of thin paper.

Again, scour the web for free patterns, including step-by-step diagrams. Some figures are quite complex so if you’re new to this, don’t get too ambitious on the first try.

3. Animal Feeders

Photo by Gare and Kitty.

String day-old popcorn (easier to work with than fresh) and raisin garlands, hang them outside, and watch the birds and squirrels dig in. You can also make a feeder just for the birds. Take a large pine cone, wrap wire around the top for hanging, spread peanut butter into the crevices, and roll the whole thing in bird seed.

If you’re in a cold climate, make suet or lard cakes (they tend to go rancid in warm temperatures), an energy-packed snack birds love. Melt the fat, pour it into a paper-lined muffin tin, and add ingredients such as rolled oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. Chill until hardened. Young ornithologists will enjoy discovering the foods that attract particular species.

4. Natural Soap

Photo by Julie K in Taiwan.

‘Tis the season for giving but feeling the economic pinch? Pass along a handmade present like soap. It’s inexpensive, useful, and a cool chemistry experiment for kids.

Soap is basically made from combining an acid (any vegetable-based oil) and an alkali like sodium hydroxide (also known as caustic soda or lye, an old-fashioned drain unclogger). Everything has to be added in precise proportions and at the same temperature for saponification to take place.

Borrow a book, such as The Soapmaker’s Companion from the library or check online sources for more details on the process, appropriate safety measures, and recipes.

5. Recycled Paper

Paper making is another simple, frugal activity that’s great for kids. All you need are old magazines or newspapers, a piece of window screening, and some kitchen items you probably have already.

Tear the paper into small pieces and soak them overnight in a dishpan filled with warm water. The next day, add more water and hand beat the mixture into a pulp. You can also use a blender to pulverize it further, but this is optional. Mix in whole flower heads, petals, or whatever you like for a more interesting look and texture.

Spread the pulp evenly on the screen, place a towel underneath, and press out excess water with a flat object such as a cutting board. Once the sheet is dry, use it as wrapping paper, thank you notes, or gift tags.

6. Felt Dolls

Photo by g_cowan.

Felt is a craft-friendly fabric. It doesn’t unravel, comes in many colors, and can be used for a variety of simple sewing projects, including dolls. Design your own pattern or choose ones that the kids love, from animals to characters like Yoda and Hello Kitty.

Japanese duo Aranzi Aronzo have published several amusing how-to books about felt dolls, or mascots, as they are called. From pandas and sheep to aliens and kidnappers, exaggerated cuteness reigns. Kawaii overload!

7. Map Puzzle

Photo by Indie Wench.

And for budding young travelers, make a world map puzzle. It’s a fun way for kids to learn geography as well as for you to point out where you’ve been and where you want to go.

Simply color copy a map, glue it to a piece of cardboard in the same size, draw puzzle piece lines on the back, and cut them out. Instead of using cardboard, you can also laminate the pieces and trim them, leaving a small border of plastic.

Love these craft projects? Have some ideas of your own? Share your ideas for winter crafts for kids in the comments below!

Feature photo by Meryl CA. Above photo by Robyn Johnson.

Not just a tattoo motif for 20somethings, sugar skulls play a significant role in Mexico’s holiday of remembrance, Dia de Los Muertos. If you’re looking for a creative and tangible way to honor your departed loved ones, consider making this unqiue effigy.

Note: Drying times/ amount of water needed vary depending on humidity in your area and size of molds—the following directions are for extra large sugar skulls and a Mediterranean climate zone.

Mix

Ingredients: granulated sugar, meringue powder (can be purchased at baking supply shop), and water

-Mix one teaspoon of meringue powder per cup of granulated sugar. You’ll need around 4 cups of sugar for one skull.

-Add at least one teaspoon of water per cup of sugar mixture until it reaches the consistency of wet sand—you should be able to hand mold shapes that retain their definition.

Photo by Robyn Johnson.

Mold

You can buy sugar skull molds at specialty shops or go straight to the source at Mexicansugarskull.com.

-Heap sugar mixture into the mold, making sure to pack tightly. Scrap off any excess to level the back side.

-With flattened fingers, press sugar down to ensure the mold is fully filled and add more if needed.

-Place a piece of cardboard over back of mold, gently flip it right side up, and ease off the mold. Let dry for around 12 hours

Photo by Robyn Johnson.

Make

-Once the two skull pieces feel dry enough to handle, scrap out the insides, leaving an inch thick perimeter—like a brain cavity.

-Let dry for around three more hours

-Using royal icing, glue the two skull hemispheres together, making sure to wipe off any excess icing at the seam. It should dry relatively quickly—maybe an hour or two at the most.

Photo by Robyn Johnson.

Decorate

-Use colored royal icing in pastry bags and use other fun materials like dried flowers, sequins, colored foil, and gems to create your own designs .

-Once you’re finished, place the skull on the grave of your loved one or save it as a memento. Sugar skulls can be kept for several years.