Monday, March 12, 2012

Bunny Sweater Brooch..... or Still Chasing The March Hare.

I'm a big fan of 1950's fashion. I own many cardigans and thought what a better way to dress up a cardi for Easter than to add a bunny on wheels pin. This is a pretty easy project and would make a great gift for any cardigan wearing relatives this spring season. Hope you like it as much as I do!


Products needed to complete this project:
12 gold color eye pins
20 gauge wire
Two one inch gold brooch backs
E6000 jewellery adhesive

Tools needed to complete this project:
Basic plastic modelling tools and roller tool
Double round nose pliers with wire cutter
Non food use baking sheet
Oven



 Roll out the shapes you will need to make the bunny out of FIMO soft chocolate. You will have one body, one back leg, one tail and one ear. Use the pictures to help you create the shapes. Place the front leg onto the bunny body as shown blending the back edge of the front leg into the body.

Roll out some FIMO effects aqua to a 1/8 inch thick sheet and press a piece of textured ribbon or fabric onto it. Cut ¼ inch wide strips of this ribbon clay. Place a piece of the ribbon clay onto the neck area of the bunny body to act as a collar.

Assemble the rest of the bunny by adding the back leg, the tail and the ear as shown.



Roll small lengths of the ribbon clay around the end of a knitting needle or pencil tip to form curls of a bow. Place these curls to look like a tied bow.




Roll out some yellow clay to make a rectangle that will fit along the bottom edge of the bunny. Cover a one inch thick worm of aqua effect clay with a ¼ inch thick sheet of yellow clay. Trim the yellow clay to be even with the aqua worm and roll to smooth.




 Slice two ¼ inch thick discs of the yellow wrapped aqua worm to make tires for the toy. Place a small ball of yellow in the middle of each tire and flatten.



 Make a half egg using the FIMO soft white clay that is about an inch wide by an inch and a half long. Adorn the egg in aqua color ribbon clay as you did the bunny.



Push the sharp end of a head pin into the front of the yellow bar beneath the bunny and into the bottom of the decorated egg just under the ribbon.




Make a worm from the aqua clay and the yellow clay that are about ¼ inch thick. Cut equal segments from each that are about ¼ inch long. Roll these segments into balls and then pierce them with a length of 20 gauge wire to form beads. You will need 10 beads, 5 of each color. Bake these pieces according to the package instructions and allow to cool.




To assemble the pieces, put a headpin through each of the beads and using the double round nose pliers turn a circle in the other end of each pin. Join these head pins with beads into an alternating yellow, aqua bead chain. Attach one end to the bunny and the other to the eggs headpin. Don’t forget to add a pupil in the eye using a permanent marker.




Use the E6000 jewellery adhesive to attach the brooch pins to the backs of the egg and bunny pieces and let them dry.




Still haven't caught up to that March hare! I'm getting closer though. Lets see how many bunny projects it takes for me to catch up with him.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Comic Book Nail Art

 
Removed the red tipped Fimo cane slice Gel nails and decided on just a fancy polish on short nails for this week. I'm working away on some detailed sculpting projects that require stubby bail lengths. I've jumped on the comic book superhero nail art bandwagon. 



Here's the right hand in action. I usually don't post pics of this hand. The nail art isn't always the best because it's done by my left hand. I'm right handed but can use my left for most things unless it's very detailed. I took this picture by accident and decided to include it as an example. I haven't cleaned up the slopped polish on my fingers yet. Do you guys have problems painting that other pesky hand?

Racing Bunny Bangle......

Sometimes while you're working on a project you can suddenly see some of the components as something else. The Racing Bunny Magnets morphed into a bracelet during their construction. One design with two finished projects. 
Do you ever morph projects like this?



Products needed to complete this project:

Elastic beading thread

Tools needed to complete this project:
Basic plastic modelling tools
Toothpick or skewer
Non food use baking sheet
Oven




Roll out the block of chocolate color FIMO soft clay into a six inch long snake. Cut the snake into three equal pieces and cut a half inch piece from the end of each snake piece. You will have three one and a half inch pieces and three half inch pieces.



Form the larger snake pieces into flat bottom pear shapes. These will be the bunny bodies. Roll out the half inch pieces into one quarter inch thick worms.  This worm can be divided into a tail and two ear pieces.




Flatten some of the quarter inch thick worms into ear shapes keeping the ends pointy. Smooth one end of each ear onto the head of the bunny and blend by gently rubbing the seam. Use a bit of the quarter inch thick worm to make a flat teardrop shape for the tail. Push indents for eye sockets using a sculpting tool.  Pinch off a small amount of white clay and make two eye balls. Pinch off a teeny bit of pink clay and make a small triangle nose.



Use a toothpick or a skewer to make holes sideways through the bunnies at the neck and hip. Bake according to manufacturer’s instructions. Allow them to cool.



Using the STAEDTLER permanent marker, draw on pupils for the eyes.



Cut two sections from the light pink, aqua and lilac FIMO effect clay and four sections from the white FIMO soft clay. Make worms of each of these colors and twist the worms together, re rolling and twisting until you are happy with the marbling. I rolled and twisted mine six times.



Cut this new pastel marble clay into three equal sections and form flat backed egg shapes from each section. Make two holes sideways through each egg as you did for the bunnies. 



Roll out some white FIMO soft into a ¼ inch worm. Cut ¼ inch sections from the worm and roll them into bead shapes. Use a toothpick or a skewer to poke holes through each bead. You will need 12 white beads. Bake according to manufacturers package directions. Allow to cool. 



Cut two 12 inch lengths of elastic cord. One cord is for the top hole and one for the bottom of each bunny and egg bead. Add small white beads between each larger bead to add length to the bracelet. Tie off the elastic using three or four knots when all the beads have been added and snip off the loose ends. Hide the knots inside a bead.

Still searching for the March Hare! 


Thursday, March 8, 2012

Racing Bunnies.... Easter Magnets For The Fridge.

I thought I would include this rough sketch of how my projects begin. I almost always draw ideas out before I make them 3D real projects. I have three giant black sketch books for keeping these idea sketches in. Sometimes I'm surprised at how closely the actual project resembles the idea sketch. Do you have an idea book where you doodle projects that you want to complete? Having these books helps keep me motivated and organized, and I prefer these hands on real world idea books to the virtual variety. Although I must admit I do understand the lure of the pin.
:)


Products needed to complete this project:

Six heavy duty ¾ inch flat magnets

Tools needed to complete this project:
Basic plastic modelling tools
Non food use baking sheet
Oven


 Roll out the block of chocolate color FIMO soft clay into a six inch long snake. Cut the snake into three equal pieces and cut a half inch piece from the end of each piece. You will have three one and a half inch pieces and three half inch pieces.



 Form the larger snakes into flat pear shapes. These will be the bunny bodies. Roll out the half inch pieces into one quarter inch thick worms.  This worm can be divided into a tail and two ear pieces.



 Flatten two lengths of the quarter inch thick worms into ear shapes keeping the ends pointy. Smooth one end of each ear onto the head of the bunny and blend by gently rubbing the seam. Use the last bit of the quarter inch thick worm to make a flat teardrop shape for the tail. Push indents for eye sockets using a sculpting tool.  Pinch off a small amount of white clay and make two eye balls. Pinch off a teeny bit of pink clay and make a small triangle nose. Push the bunny onto a magnet so the magnet is embedded into the bunny’s belly flush with the clay edges. Bake according to manufacturer’s instructions. Allow them to cool.



 Using the STAEDTLER permanent marker, draw on pupils for the eyes.



 Cut two sections from the light pink, light blue and lilac FIMO effect clay and four sections from the white FIMO soft clay. Make worms of each of these colors and twist the worms together, re rolling and twisting until you are happy with the marbling. I rolled and twisted mine six times.



Cut this new pastel marble clay into three equal sections and form flat backed egg shapes from each section. Embed a magnet into each egg back as you did for the bunnies. Bake according to manufacturers package directions. Allow to cool. 

These little guys have been on our fridge for a while now and everyone who comes into our kitchen makes them speed up and down the fridge. These bunnies are built for speed!
I told you I was on a bunny kick..... only half way through the bunny obsession.

Stay tuned for more Bunny tails.
;)

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

In The Beginning There Was Hugo

I came across a box of old slides while I was reorganizing the studio. We watched them on the weekend in Mom's room. We turned out all the lights and loaded them into the old slide projector and saw the pictures on a sheet on Mom's wall.  It was a pretty good time. I highly recommend it.


We came across this pic of me when I was about 10 years old. Mom and Dad got me a Hugo! Master of Disguise doll. He came with all kinds of makeup and prosthesis you could apply to change his appearance. I can still smell the glue stick that came with him. He was awesome! This is proof ......  I can totally blame my parents for my bizarre Halloween obsession.




I obviously took those early experiences to heart. I have simply upgraded from a Hugo doll to a Mr. Jimmy. Did anyone else have one of these guys? 
(a Hugo doll.... not a Mr. Jimmy.)
;)

Monday, March 5, 2012

Studio Makeover Progress

This is seriously a load of work.


 The space is approximately 25 X 15 not including the fabric room. That's another 12 X 12 space that will store my fabric and patterns.


 I can already find things I need at a glance. 
 All the adhesives I could wish for on one shelf!


I've thrown out dozens of dried out or separated paints.... so sad.



A shelf just for glitter and sparkles.



 Oh and the beads and jewelry findings....


 There are ten drawers like these ones filled to overflow with earring clips and chains and jump rings and bezels and brooch backs.......

There has been heaps of progress. I know because of the thirty or so storage boxes I've emptied and recycled. It's still such a jumble though. I'm half excited about being able to use the space and half crippled by depression about the amount of work ahead of me before I can call it done. 
My chin is up...... I'm going back in! 
Wish me luck?

Spoiled With Maggie Cake


Maggs made us some delicious cake this weekend. I asked her where she got the recipe and she said. "Jeez Mom, I know how to make cake." She makes me laugh. I still use cake mixes because I can never seem to get a consistent result without one. Here she is at seventeen, not only just winging a basic cake recipe... but elaborating on it.


She's made it chocolate mint. Brown layer chocolate.... green layer mint. We were out of icing sugar so she used our tried and true method for 
Cake and tea for breakfast anyone?

Friday, March 2, 2012

My Glowing Mushrooms are in Polymer Cafe Magazine!

I really enjoyed making this project and I got loads of technical help from everywhere. I couldn't have written the wiring instructions as clearly if my cousin Gavin hadn't told me the story of the bank teller and the Christmas lights.... um.... don't ask me to repeat it..... Our grocery store shipper and receiver, The Mighty Chris.....(Hi Chris!) helped out with  clearing up any confusing detail in my wiring sketch. Sometimes a simple project can get very very complicated when you try to write it down and I rely on many family and friends to proofread my instructions before they are submitted. I thank you Mom and Mr. Jimmy!!!



April 2012 Polymer Cafe Magazine has my instructions for my glowing mushroom driftwood mood light. 
The instructions start on page 44 and as always, if you have any questions just drop me a line here on the blog.


Here's a shot of the cover. Click on it to be taken to the publishers page and grab up your copy today.


Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Soft Chalks on Acrylic Ground for Pastel... or How to Relax With a Bunny Portrait

I have been enjoying some colour blending and thought I'd share. It's very relaxing.....



I guess it's no big surprise that I'm a bit of a STAEDTLER fan. I think one of my favorite things to play with to relax are their Karat soft chalk pastels.


I've been playing with them for ages. They're my go to feel good medium. I especially like to play if I have added some grit to my drawing surface. I use Golden acrylic ground for pastel to give my surfaces tooth. It's kind of like drawing on a fine sandpaper. The eye sketch above was the first time I used the two mediums together. It was about eight years ago? in Toronto at a course given by Golden to art instructors.



I usually add some colour to the acrylic base. This time I added a metallic pink.



I secured my thick paper to a flat surface until after this prep coat dried.



I like to leave brush strokes and I usually don't mix the paint up completely. I think added texture and colour make drawing more interesting.



I've added some colour and used a dry, soft, flat brush to blend the chalks into the background.



After the chalks are all filled in where I want them to be. I add some black lines to define the shapes. This time I grabbed my black STAEDTLER Karat watercolour crayon and scribbled onto some scrap paper.



I used my Heinz Jordan series 681 needle point brush to pick up the colour.



This is an awesome brush! It holds loads of paint and has the teeniest tip. I can paint forever without reloading and still get fabulous detail.


Here are some of the steps I took while blending out the chalks. There was no plan so there was nothing to stress about. I just played.....
Seriously addictive!

I think I need a series of bunny folk for the hallway now.