Winter berries

dc122: everyday objects

My favourite mug is white with birds on it. One of them, a black bird eating red berries, inspired me to try a drawing using oil sticks. I used my usual used tea bag paper which held up well considering the force I used with the sticks. Now the paper is a lovely greasy textured mess of sorts. Here is my mug:

Here is the visual that started me thinking of drawing a mug in the first place. I hope that Cathy is not insulted. HA! Thank you to dear Kristen for being the host for this challenge, and for choosing such a fun theme that got me going on the oil sticks. To see more contributions to this challenge visit Kristen's blog where you will be linked to all who are playing along this week. Thanks for dropping in and I hope to see you again soon, Hugs, Norma, x

My etsy shop is up and running again...

...with one listing! Well one has to start somewhere hey? Here is what is up for sale:

You've seen my birds. I'm selling them in my etsy shop now. They've been selling in shops in Vancouver, and will still be there, but they've been anxious to fly farther afield. I did offer them in my shop some years ago and am doing so again. Have a peek if you are interested.

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope to see you again soon! *smiles* Norma

Angels in the wings...

Angels have come calling to my muse. I'm dreaming of them and of making them. I'm wanting to draw them and I am making one of papier mache in a sort of 'construction.'

The mold I was making worked well and here you can see it separated into the two halves, and the start of an angel figure (bust) which has been cast from the mold you see.

I'd mixed up a batch of air dry clay so that I could push it into the areas where I wanted good detail. In this case, the face area. Once dried I placed it back in place inside of the mold and just continued on with the usual paper strips and boiled paste method. Together these will give me detail and a lighter weight overall.

My angel bust will have wings cut from metal from an old cookie tin. I plan to adhere them by a screw and nut combination so I need great strength in the back area where they will be attached. I decided to make an air dry clay back and made a paper strip shell which will have the clay section fit into the inside of the back. The air dry clay is as strong as a rock. Shockingly strong. It is a new material for me to work with so I'm just playing to my heart's content. I'll be making and attaching the wings before I put the two separate pieces together because I need to be able to work on the inside of the back. I've not done this before so it's a learning curve. I was most fortunate to be gifted a tutorial on how to work with plumbers putty and gold leaf in a kind of sculptural way. Once I get the wings in place, I plan to work in a bit of plumbers putty on the outside and then gild it. I don't know if I'll gild the wings or not. I will see when I get there.

My original plan was to have wires coming up from the wings where they join the back. They would come up and over the head and have jewels hanging freely from each end. But you know how the muse works! Even at this very early stage the muse has told me that this angel does not want the wire halo. This angel wants a circle of tiny amethyst chips strung onto wire and wound round itself into a wreath and placed on her hair. I always obey the muse.

Well, thanks for dropping in today. Nice to see you. I'll be working away on this when I'm not tied up helping my daughter make stock for her Christmas Fairs. See you soon I hope! *smiles* Norma

Pink Duct Tape

The brand name is Duck Tape which makes it fun. I'm not sure that it is as sticky as the silver duct tape that we all know and love, but it sure makes me happy. I feel the 'happy vibes' firing up when I work with this instead of the silver. Life is funny. Anyway, here is the pouring of the first half of a mold of a bust (oh yes!!) that will be an angel bust shelf decoration when I'm finished:

She's been given a coat of vaseline to act as the resist when I try to take her out of the hardened plaster of paris mold, which is the very last procedure. I'll pour the second half maybe tonight, or even better, tomorrow. Thanks for dropping in today, and I hope to see you again soon. I've been swamped with helping my daughter make stock for her Christmas Fairs!