Snowman Pocket Tin

 All the Christmas decorations

are 30% off at Hobby Lobby this week!!

(Or is it 40%?!?)

So I picked up a few of

these pre-painted tin pocket pails.

Pre-painted, to me, means "already

base coated and ready for the fun part!"

I used one of my patterns from

last year.  You can upload it here.

(But please, if for some reason it doesn't

work, let me know)!!  I'm learning

to upload my patterns and it's been a

rough ride.  I'm technically challenged,

you know.  (At least, now you know). 

Moving on ...

I sanded the surface of the tin

pocket to give it some "tooth".

(Paint just doesn't want to stick to

a slick surface.  It sort of floats

there and it doesn't dry evenly and

overall it's just plain unsatisfactory.

I don't like it, is what I'm saying).

So to avoid all that nonsense,

I use a sanding block to rough up

the finish a little.  You can

always go back once you've completed

your project and add a coat

of varnish if you want a shiny look.

Use tracing paper to make a pattern

of the snowman, and apply

it to the pail using transfer paper

and a stylus.

Once I had painted the snowman

head with a brush, I realized that

it would look a lot more interesting if I

used a sea sponge to apply the

base coat.  See??

Next I painted the earmuffs with

a bright lime green paint.

I LOVE a lime green and a real red

at Christmas!!  Fun colors.

Then I shaded the earmuffs and added

the head piece with a kelly green.

I used a paintbrush handle dipped in

black paint to make the eyes and the mouth.

I pounced three or four times in the

same area so that I could achieve a

rough "coal" look, as opposed to the perfect

circle dots.  I've done those too,

you just get a completely different look

for your finished project.

I painted the carrot nose with orange.

I used a damp toothbrush dipped

in white paint to lightly spatter the

surface of the tin pocket,

and I brushed on a Multi-Purpose sealer.

Once your sealer, or varnish, has

dried completely, you can take a permanent

black marking pen and outline the 

details.  I like to give my guys a little

eyebrow/attitude.  Kind of a surprised look.

 

Fill with tiny Christmas sprigs

or Christmas candies and give these

as gifts!  Cute and simple!!

Peace and Little Tin Pockets

 

Decorating

Decorating for the holidays this year,

I noticed something.

Actually, I noticed several "somethings"

but the one I'm referring to now is:

I thought I was finally past the days when I

have to child-proof decorate.

You know, all fragile ornaments above

average short-person reaching distance?

But ... now I have to Kitty-Blu-proof decorate.

You know ... all fragile ornaments nowhere near

the tree because she can climb it and

nothing is safe??

Good thing I paint wooden ornaments.

 

(sigh)

 

At least the tree will still look fully-loaded -

just not quite up to "Meggan" quality this year.

Peace and Kittens

Delegation

Sometimes I delegate.

Not often, but sometimes.

Roughly ... twice in the past fifteen years.

Today, I purchased a tier-type carpet-covered

DIY climbing apparatus for Kitty Blu.

I thought to myself,

"self ...

you could put this together

while the kids are in school

and it can be a big surprise when they

get home and see it"

Then I thought, ya know what?

My kid is thirteen years old

and if I can do it, then HE can do it,

and he would derive much more satisfaction

from putting this together for Kitty

than I would.

So ... he opens the box,

we check to make sure there are 

instructions and all the parts are there.

Then I leave to run my errand.

I come home to this:

Umm ... why are you staring at the ceiling?

Seriously, what?

What is on the ceiling?

Is it a spider??

 

Oh!

Oh, geez!

That is really, really, really tall!!!

I ... I ... I ...

... I had no idea ... I thought it was

maybe four feet tall ...

Well.

That's what I get for not reading

the packaging.

At least Kitty seems to like sitting

near the ceiling!!!

 And Brady did a fine job assembling it.

Of course, I knew he would.

 Peace.

And Delegation.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday