Tag Archives: craft

Barton birdhouse

20 Wednesday Jun 2012

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I always listen to music while I’m making art in my studio, and the two go hand-in-hand for me. My music tastes are varied, but right now, I’ve got the album Barton Hollow by The Civil Wars on repeat. This little paper fella danced right out of it all a few nights ago.

The template for the birdhouse comes from one of my favorite craft books, Papercrafting In No Time by Clare Youngs. The birdhouse is small, standing about two inches high, and it’s made of a cardstock frame with patterned paper pieces layered on top and for the roof.

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Part of what I love about this project is the challenge of mixing several patterns into a harmonious whole. The tiny bird, named Barton of course, is made from a third type of patterned paper, a sprightly, pale blue paisley. This little guy and his humble abode took an enjoyable hour start to finish, not bad for such a charming companion. :)

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Easy-Peasy Friday: Jam Jar Luminaries

08 Friday Jun 2012

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Time for another Easy-Peasy Friday! This week’s quick and simple project is an homage to three of my favorite things: glass jars, candles, and paper tape. These Jam Jar Luminaries take just a few minutes to make, and their candlelit glow produces instant ambience. I couldn’t resist the romantic twilight photo above, but others taken during more reasonable daylight hours are below so that you can better view the construction. I have already decided my pair will need a few more partners, then take their place under a glass cloche as a centerpiece on my dining room table. (And for you science geeks out there, don’t worry — I’m using flameless battery-operated votives, so no oxygen required. ;)

The real star of the show here is paper tape: self-adhesive rolls of either tissue or craft paper, available in myriad prints, colors, and sizes. I’ve been just a wee bit obsessed with the stuff ever since I used about 90 yards of Tim Holtz vintage tissue paper tape to cover a printer’s tray. Paper tape made a second appearance in my valentines this year, and I was officially hooked.

There are quite a few varieties of paper tape on the market now, sold in stores specializing in everything from crafts, to paper goods, to containers and gift wrap. My only caveat would be that, with the exception of one Japanese brand I purchased from the Container Store, all of them seem to be lacking in the adhesive department. Just think of it as temporary glue, meant to hold the tape in place long enough for you to seal it with a coat of decoupage or gel medium.

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To make a luminary, you will need:
a clean jam or mason jar, no lid required
paper tape (mine used about 24″ each)
decoupage or gel medium (I like Mod-Podge or Golden)
embellishments of your choice
a sponge brush or paintbrush to apply decoupage or gel medium

1) Wrap the center section of your jar with strips of paper tape. I found it easiest to wrap only the area of the jar that was symmetrical and without a raised pattern.
2) Apply a coat or two of decoupage or gel medium to the tape and allow to dry completely.
3) Embellish the wrapped area as desired. On one, I used hand-dyed ribbon and a transparent, beaded sticker. The other is decorated with twine on which I threaded tiny flower-shaped beads made of wood and stone.

Other ideas for embellishments include wire, paper tags, glass beads, metal charms, paper shapes, ribbon, bottle caps, snippets of vintage greeting cards — you are limited only by your imagination here.

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I am already making another set of these as a housewarming gift for dear friends who are moving this week. Any June weddings coming up out there? I think a series of tabletops scattered with tiny tealight luminaries would make for a nighttime wonderland — all you need is a passel of baby food jars and some paper tape. What do you think? How will you decorate yours and where will you put them?

Sculpey Wonderland

27 Sunday May 2012

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After battling a bad case of bronchitis and tonsillitis the last two weeks, the time I normally spend in the studio and blogging was replaced by hours on the couch nursing cups of hot tea and consuming unreasonable numbers of cough drops.

Fortunately, with my crafty daughter Kenzie around, there is never a vacuum of artsiness in the house. Despite its entirely delicious, real-size appearance, the yummy sundae above is actually a tiny clay charm, made by our 12-year-old sculptor-in-residence.

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This inspiring girl of mine excels at transforming little bits of polymer clay into diminutive feasts for the eyes. She has certainly inherited her mamma’s affinity for both the gourmet and the miniature. But really, who wouldn’t love an inch-wide plate of waffles, complete with itty-bitty butter and a sliced fruit garnish?

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I really appreciate her attention to detail, from little individually formed sprinkles, to twisted wafer cookies as big around as a toothpick. She meticulously pipes clay “frosting” out of real cake decorating tips, and brushes her Sculpey cookies with golden brown chalk dust to give them that freshly baked glow. And you haven’t seen cute until you’ve seen a dozen little glazed chocolate crullers on a charm bracelet.

As it turns out, I am what you might call culinarily impressionable. The only problem I have found with her creations so far is that I inevitably find myself in the kitchen making the real-size, edible version soon after. So stay tuned: I may be the first person on record to commission a bowl of minuscule clay broccoli… ;)

Bond. James Bond.

05 Saturday May 2012

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My book reviews usually trend toward papercrafting and multimedia collage, with a healthy dose of whimsy thrown in for fun. Depending on your point of view, Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction 2: Build A Secret Agent Arsenal could be said to combine all three. Regardless of its genre, it has kept my 15-year-old son and I occupied and inspired for many afternoons.

Imagine Macgyver and James Bond trapped in an office supply store, and you have a good idea of the projects featured in Mini Weapons 2. The projects require a selection of cannibalized office supply parts (ballpoint pen housings, disassembled binder clips, empty glue stick tubes, and mechanical pencil innards, to name a few), held together with liberal amounts of hot glue and duct tape.

As if that wasn’t cool enough, author John Austin also calls for a variety of candies and their packaging, ranging from Mentos gum containers (ammo clips) to Altoids tins (catapult housings). All the book’s directions are detailed and easy to follow, and every step features a full-scale diagram to be sure you understand steps like “disassemble a plastic ballpoint pen by removing the tip and ink cartridge.”

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The mom in me appreciates that we have such an entertaining way to re-use all the flotsam of everyday life, from orphaned pen caps to empty tape dispensers. The dried-out highlighter that used to go in the trash now gets harvested for parts: its housing is the Golden Gun barrel, and its cap becomes the sight on a Shark with Laser Beam. How can you resist a book that reminds you to save the cap of your used glue stick for a Q-tip blowgun?

Our most recent creation is a candy-calliber PPK that fires balloon-propelled Tic-Tac ammo at distances of up to eight feet. (Not exactly deadly force, but enough to fuel energetic gun fights that send candy flying and our toy poodle scurrying for cover.) The picture below, taken mid-assembly, gives you a good idea of the sort of items used. Right now, we are saving up pieces for the Rubber Band Derringer and a mini-Bowler Hat Launcher that would make Oddjob proud. If we don’t have all the supplies needed, a quick trip to the dollar store always suffices, but we try to use what we have on hand as much as possible.

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Life carries some weighty responsibilities, and there always seems to be another load of dishes to wash and another errand to run. But I say, if you’re too busy to build a watch that fires paper darts, then it’s time for some re-prioritizing. :)

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(Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction 2: Build A Secret Agent Arsenal; Chicago Review Press: 2011; ISBN 978-1569767160)

Beachscapes

31 Saturday Dec 2011

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I find most people naturally gravitate toward a certain type of landscape. For some, the mountains are the only real destination, and nothing excites or calms them like hiking and camping in the midst of thick forest, on the edge of cold lakewater. There are those who thrill in wide open, wavy-hot, golden plains, the kind of land where the views go on for miles, uninterrupted and clear.

My own heart’s cry is unmistakable: I love the beach. There is that moment every time when I first see palm trees and smell the salt on the breeze, and I just know I am home. This fall we visited the beach for the first time in years; the first time since my world changed because of unexpected, lasting illness; and only a few short months after I almost lost my life this summer. (Typing that makes me uncomfortable, but I am resisting the urge to tone it down because it is also true. If I don’t acknowledge yesterday’s pain, I think I lose some of today’s victory.) Going back to the beach was a homecoming of the sweetest sort, one of those precious times when you recognize every moment for the gift it is and can enjoy every part of it, from sunburn to sandy toes. I smiled for days, until my cheeks hurt and I had a tan that matched the laugh lines on my face.

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I brought back plenty of shells and a bag full of sand from the beach, and I determined to build a miniature beachscape to live on my dining room table. The ever-faithful T.J. Maxx offered a host of inexpensive choices for clear glass containers, and our local home and garden store stocked a few succulents that are also native to the San Diego beach we visited. The rest was highly therapeutic sorting, pouring, planting, and arranging.

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I love to try new things; that occasionally gets me into trouble, and it quite often gets me elbow-deep in glue, paint, potting soil, or cake batter. (never simultaneously thankfully :) This time it got sand in my teeth and bits of seashells under my nails, but it was delightful. As soon as I finished my little bowl of beach zen, I was ready to make another one.

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I made a second run for plants and glassware, and constructed two more terrariums for close friends, plus a small one for my husband to take to work — a little bit of permanent vacation in the midst of fluorescent lights and upholstered cubicle walls. You don’t need a particularly green thumb to make or keep a beach terrarium with succulents. A splash of water every week or two is all these require.

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After I finished my inaugural efforts, I went in search of a book to learn more. I knew I’d found like minds as soon as I opened Terrarium Craft: Create 50 Magical, Miniature Worlds by Amy Bryant Aiello and Kate Bryant. The title pages picture a terrarium almost exactly like the first I made, complete with sand, shells, reindeer moss, and succulents. The book is a fantastic resource with all the basic how-to’s and ideas for dozens of containers, plants, and decorative additions.

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I love how easy terrariums are to personalize — beaches or mountains; lush and flowering or spare and clean; elegant table centerpiece or quirky office decoration. Terrariums are also a great way to house keepsakes from your latest vacation, a reminder of that dream trip you haven’t taken yet, or your favorite pieces of home. And you don’t need any special gardening or crafting skills to put one together, just a willingness to get your hands a little dirty. Feel free to post your questions, and let me know how yours turns out. :)

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(Timber Press: 2011; ISBN 978-1604692341)

It’s a small world

15 Thursday Dec 2011

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As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a sucker for life in miniature. (It dawns on me that perhaps it’s not coincidence that we own a toy poodle and a chihuahua…) While there is a time and place for chocolate chip cookies that require two hands, I generally gravitate toward the bite-size. And in the studio, I love the challenge of small, intricate artwork. If life is in the details, I’m living well. :)

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It should come as no surprise, then, that I was so excited to read Microcrafts: Tiny Treasures to Make and Share by Margaret McGuire and friends. It contains patterns and pictures for 25 little whimsical projects. Among my favorites are matchbox-size felt monster babies, walnut shell sailboats, and mini-fabric bunting just crying out to decorate the top of birthday cupcakes. However, there was no contest for which piece I would try first: as soon as I saw the itty-bitty solar system mobile, I was already reaching for my art supplies.

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I recently tried my hand at felting for the first time (the process of making handmade felt from wool roving), so I already had a bin full of hand-dyed alpaca wool waiting to be turned into little planets. The process itself was fairly simple and the only other requirements were soapy, warm water, a bamboo mat (like the type sushi is rolled on), and a little patience.

This turned out to be a great do-together for my daughter and I, as we took turns rolling and shaping the wool into various heavenly bodies. (The only drawback was that our hands smelled like wet alpaca for days. I can now add “smelling like a llama left out in the rain” to my list of Weird Things I’ve Done for Art.) The finished felted spheres range in size from 3/4″ to 1 1/2″ in diameter, and as you can see from the pictures above, they are a fraction of the size of the wool balls with which we began.

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After a day of drying time, assembling the mobile was also pretty straightforward — just a matter of threading embroidery floss through each piece and tying them on. I harvested a couple of twigs from the tree in our front yard to use as the hanging frame (quite possibly the only useful contribution a Bradford pear tree ever made). I already knew my complete lack of scale wouldn’t be winning me any new astrophysicist friends, so I threw in Pluto too. Really, how could I possibly make a miniature solar system model and not include our diminutive neighbor? (Don’t worry Pluto, you’ll never be too small for me.)

(Microcrafts, Quirk Books: 2011, ISBN 978-1594745218)