Bird Construction Zone

On my worktable (ahem! I mean my daughter's dining room table) is the panorama that is bird making in progress!
This pink robin is awaiting a coat of black paint on its' beak; then a light sprinkling of silver acrylic. AND the all important coating of glitter along its' back. Then it'll be banded (number of bird) and will be ready to fly! Well, after the legs get a coat of something that will cover the yellow string and shiny metal, and a hanging thread strung, that is...



Cut, sew, glue, cut, sew, glue, cut, sew, glue...



An early starling joins the fray! Each bird gets its' own armature!!



I am so excited! I finally scrunched up enough nerve to contact a retail outlet to see if they might be interested in selling my birds...and they want to meet me to see them in person. I'm nervous and excited all at once. So I am in full on bird making mode. BUT MY DAUGHTER GETS BACK TOMORROW! (Can you hear the pounding timbal in the background? No, wait, that is my heart!) Time to clean up!

Thanks for dropping by! *smiles* Norma

To see more fabulous artists who show us what is on their workdesk today, drop in here!

A Flock of Seagulls

Make that one seagull, one starling, one dove (use your imagination~he's generic), and two house sparrows.






What's wrong with these pictures! EVERYTHING! And that is why they made it to this post. Because today is 'Failure Friday!' I came across this post and just loved it so. This very day I'd planned on saving some failures in my bag; and so timing is everything here. In actual fact, I've already 'saved' a lot of what is wrong but I keep giving away the birds I make so never have any on hand. First, all beaks get a kiss of silver or gold acrylic. I mean a 'kiss.' All eyes are no longer a seed bead because they roll over. Now I use bugle beads that have a flat plane to rest on. And I've developed a technique for construction so that the eyes don't have to go through the ordeal of being manipulated through a sewing machine phase. Believe me they don't want to have to go through the sewing machine phase. The best 'save' is the seagull feet. I was originally (this is my very first prototype in fact) going for feet that kind of bend back (you know how pathetic bird feet are of deceased birds? The kind that pull your heartstrings) but these are ridiculous. I wanted some bulk in the legs so wrapped them in fabric. Forget that noise. I've figured out the feet on my birds.
Each bird I make has a number (like on real birds who are banded with a metal ring on their leg) as well as a word or two of 'inspiration' such as JOY or LOVE, etc. These are inspirational birds after all. I painstakingly hammered the metal letters to spell the word on used aluminum can metal. Forget it; they break in two in no time at all (by the way for folk who are reading this who have received one of my birds as a gift, I apologize for the breakage; if it's happened to your bird). Now I am going to try banding them with paper. It's a work in progress let's just say.
The glitter is heavy and rubbing bare in some places. Wrong kind of glue. I've got that sorted too! And that dove? Skinny as a rail. Maybe he is not a dove after all. We'll have to see.

So there can be a lot wrong with one's art. Someone once said something like: "Art is just figuring out problems." I like that.

Thanks for dropping by! *smiles* Norma

p.s. for those wondering when their birds will arrive; know I haven't forgotten you!

Halloween Witch

She is waiting to be made. Her bits and pieces surround her earlier today.



She stands made. Looking out of the gothic window at who knows what? A magic pumpkin coach arriving to take her to a party perhaps.





At the window in the next room a bride catches her breath.



Thanks for dropping by to see what I am working on today. To see other fantastic artists pop on over to this site. Every Wednesday it is a party!

*smiles* Norma

Gothic Bride

She always was a rebel so she wore white.



This wee thing was a complete inspiration due to having come across this post by Wendy at Bliss Angels. Have you ever seen something on line that you just have to have immediately and so you have to make it? That's what happened to me.
I am house sitting for my daughter currently so used the cardboard from a Kleenex box in her living room, and then I routed around her stash of supplies. This is what I was able to come up with. I plan to make more.

Talk to you soon! *smiles* Norma

Fall Collage Sheet

On my workdesk today is a sheet of collage elements that I made for a paper swap hosted by LaWendula. I made other sheets as well but am just showing you this one.





These images are meant to be cut out or torn apart and used in other collage projects by my swap partner. Sometimes using anothers' creative bits throws your own art endeavors into a different space.

Thanks for dropping by! *smiles* Norma

To see more fabby artwork for What Is On Your Workdesk Wednesday, go here!

HALLOWEEN FUN!

My altered matchbox has been completed and is ready to be mailed off to my swap partner, Karla! This is my contribution to the Vintage Dragonfly's Altered Matchbox Swap hosted by Joanne. Karla will receive two flat paper artdolls which don't fit into the matchbox so will be catching a ride on the outside of the box. I don't want to say too too much about what's inside the box as it is a surprise!

Please put up with my lousy photographic skills everyone! I am on a learning curve with the photo edit program on my new computer system. It'll take me a bit to really feel the sway and roll of this saddle!

Lovely to visit with you all again!

Thanks for dropping by! *smiles* Norma

Fabby Giveaway!

Wouldn't you love to own this little treasure! You have a chance to!!



Hello friends! I've had computer woes and now have a brand new (to me) used laptop loaded up with Ubuntu so I'm on a learning curve not only for Ubuntu (I love it so far) but really more importantly [to me] for the ins and outs of this wonderful powerful laptop. I need a manual!!
So I haven't been posting and I miss you all.
I found a gorgeous and fun giveaway that I wanted to tell you about. If you go to this blog post you'll get all of the details.
Just as soon as I learn how to upload photos on this laptop I'll be back in the blog saddle. Meanwhile, I am thinking of you all! *smiles* Norma