A Sled Make-Over

I saw this cute painted sled

on my girlfriend's front doorstep ...

... and it wasn't the first time I'd

admired it, because she puts it out every

year.  Thing is ... it's been, what,

like seven years since it was just the

three of them?

So I asked her whether she would

let me add a couple of

snowmen to her sled.

I believe her exact words were,

"If you have time!

I know you've said YES to

every project that has come your

way and you're completely overbooked

and overextended and you're

thoroughly stressed about getting all

the projects you've taken on

completed on time,

but I would LOVE for you to repaint

this sled and add my other

two children to the picture!"

Or something like that.

Heh heh.

But, in all seriousness, sometimes I really

need a quick and inspiring project to

complete for instant gratification;

especially when I'm completely overbooked

and overextended and

thoroughly stressed.  It relaxes me.

I know.

I'm weird.

It really didn't occur to me that

maybe she didn't want it repainted?

That maybe she wanted it

just the way it was when she bought

it??  But, I'm sure she

would have just said No Thank You.

Right??

Anyway, here's the part where I notice

that the thirty-two sketches

I drew before I finally found a design

idea that I really liked

had somehow just never made it

into my camera.

In other words, when it takes me

that many sketches to get something

right, I start to get really anxious
that maybe I won't
be painting anytime soon,
which sort of triggers this chain-
reaction of anxious thoughts
like, if I'm not painting soon,
then I'm not finishing painting soon,
and if I'm not finishing painting soon,
then clearly I'm not completing
my project, which is most definitely a
prerequisite to getting that
feeling of instant gratification.

In my state of anxiety,
I clearly forgot to take step by step
photographs.  I am so annoyed
with myself!  On the bright side,
however, I did remember to take at
least a few photos.
So I will make this blog post
work with the few photos I took.

And lots of text.
Ha.

Pic of sled I miraculously remembered
to take before I started to
change it completely.

Pic of sled I took after forgetting
to take pics of the base-coated sled,
the sanded sled, the "I've just
transferred my main pattern lines" to sled;
but before I shaded my snowmen.

Pic of sled after some light shading
and highlighting ~ but before I added
the final details.

 
Pic of sled after all shading, highlighting,
outlining, snow-spattering,
personalizing,
and detail-adding were complete.
I also sanded the edges of the sled
and applied a coat of oil-based stain
to protect the painted surface.

I wanted to have a photo that
showed the sled's runners and rope
handle - too cute!

And finally, a little close-up shot.
I love these snowmen
with their all their points and angles!
Fun, fun to paint!

Now everyone in the family is
represented by a snowman!
I asked the daddio if he knew which
snowman was him ...
he pointed to the smallest one.
He is SO MUCH like my hubster.

~ Merry Christmas! ~

Can't wait till next year when she
puts her sled out on her porch!  I'm going
to stop by and take a pic so
you can all see it looks much better
on her porch than it does propped
up against my studio wall.
;)

Peace and a Family of Snowmen

Beaded Snowmen

* Beaded Snowmen *

also previously referred to as the

particular ornament 

"specifically requested ... by my 11-year-old,

which would be difficult and time-consuming

to make for his 14 classmates"

Above photo is the beaded ornament

I made several years ago;

here is this year's Beaded Snowmen ornament:

 

 Here are the supplies you'll need for

each ornament:

three 5/8" wooden beads,

six buttons (3 red, 3 white)

tiny wreath ornament,

pink powder blush and a cotton swab,

acrylic paint in white and black,

Tulip Dimensional Paint in orange,

and an 18" length of craft wire.

An 1/8" dowel and a paint roller

to make painting the beads easier,

and a paintbrush and stylus

for touch-up painting and dip dots.

In order to paint these beads more

efficiently, I threaded them

onto a 1/8" dowel

and used a paint roller dipped in

white acrylic paint.

After I rolled several coats of paint

onto each bead, I used a paintbrush dipped

in white paint for the touch-ups

(the paint roller didn't reach the area of 

the bead nearest the holes)

Use the cotton swab to apply pink powder

blush to the cheeks of each

snowman bead.

Tape the dowels securely to the table

to make painting the details easier.

Dip the stylus into black paint

and dot the eyes and the mouths on

each of the snowman beads.

Use the Tulip Slick Dimensional Paint

in orange to apply the carrot noses.

To see step-by-step photos

of blushing the cheeks,

dotting the eyes and mouths, and

creating the dimensional noses,

click here.

Fold the 18" length of craft wire

in half around a paintbrush handle to create

a loop (do not twist to close ... yet)

Put the loop over the bottom

of the mini wreath ornament and twist the

ends to secure the wreath.

This will be your hanger.

Thread your beads and buttons

in the following order:

snowman bead, two buttons, snowman bead ...

alternating until you have an ornament

with three (or more) snowman beads

and a red and a white button

on the bottom.

Twist the ends of the wire to secure

the buttons and beads;

use the paintbrush handle to curl

each end of the wire into

a spiral curly cue.

Hang ... and Enjoy!!!

(NOTE: I used a small dot of

hot glue to attach each red button to

the snowman bead so the

heads wouldn't spin around).

On my old ornament, I painted a face

on both sides of the bead so

the extra glue wasn't necessary.

Peace and Beaded Snowmen!!!

THREE - Snowman Snowflake

Here is the third in a series of five

Quick and Easy Bazaar-Worthy craft tutorials.

(you thought I wasn't going to post today, huh?)

haHA!!!

Some days, I even surprise myself.

Moving On ...

 

Snowman Snowflake

I debated making this a magnet instead

of an ornament;

and I've made enough of them that I

could do both.  My kids are always bringing

home artwork from school that

they like to see posted on the fridge - and what

better way than to post them with

a super fun snowman snowflake magnet!

The Basics:

wood snowflake cutout,

1" wood button plug,

acrylic paint: white, black, sparkle glaze

sanding block for smoothing surfaces

pink powder blush and cotton swab or sponge dauber,

stylus for dotting eyes and coal mouth

Plaid Slick fabric paint: orange

Crop-o-Dile, hand drill, drill press, or hubby

(to drill the hole if you're making an ornament)

6" length of wire or ribbon for hanging

(you won't need a hole if you're making a magnet)

glue gun and glue sticks

appropriate sized paintbrushes:

sponge roller or 1" wash brush for snowflakes,

1/2" flat brush for snowman heads

Getting Started: 

Once again, my motto is:

Always Paint in Multiples!!!

(if you're even the slightest bit curious

as to why this is my motto, please read the

previous post, where I explain)

Base coat your snowflakes and your button plugs

with two coats of white acrylic paint.

I'm showing a 1/2" flat brush in the photo,

but you could use a sponge roller if you're making

several snowflakes - it'll go much faster.

Don't forget to paint the backs and sides

of your ornaments!  They will look

more "finished" if you do this, and if you're

personalizing these, you'll have a nice smooth surface

for your paint pen or marker.

Which brings me to ... sand the fronts and backs

of the snowflakes to smooth the wood grain that has

been raised by the acrylic paint.

Sand the edges of the snowflakes more heavily.

Brush a coat (or two) of Sparkle Glaze onto

each painted snowflake.  The more coats you apply,

the more shimmery and glittery your snowflake will be.

(I don't add Sparkle Glaze to the backs).

Blush the cheeks with pink powder blush

and a clean cotton swab or sponge dauber.

Use a circular motion to "scrub" each cheek til it

looks flushed and blushed!!

I use a stylus dipped into a small puddle of

black paint to dot the eyes.

Re-dip your stylus before each dot to ensure

same-sized eyes.  Likewise, dotting

twice before reloading with paint will give you one

eye slightly smaller than the other.

Whichever suits you.

For the noses, practice first on a piece of paper

until you're please with your carrot results.

In general, you'll start at the base

(or the largest part of the carrot) and move to

the right, gradually applying less pressure so that you

end with a small "tip"

Try using a tight back-and-forth scribble motion

until you like the way your carrot looks.

Keep in mind, all carrots look different and

very few are just The Perfect Size and Shape,

so you need to be "okay" if they're not perfect.

Trust me, a big orange triangle on a round white face

is most definitely going to look like a carrot.

Dip dot the mouths in the same manner as the eyes.

I start in the middle of the left cheek,

reload my stylus for the first three dots so they

are the same size, then I don't reload before I dot

the last two dots ... therefore

they look smaller as if they're going away from

your point of vision.

Does that even make any sense??

This isn't my sharpest time of the day.

Use the glue gun to apply the snowman face

to the center of the snowflake:

here's a pic of me glue gunning a snowman face

to a completely different project,

but you get the idea:

Press.

Hold.

Stuck.

Instant Gratification.

I love my glue gun.

Punch a hole with your Crop-o-Dile,

or drill a hole with your hand drill, your drill press,

or your hubby's drill press,

and thread a ribbon through and knot the ends.

I added a red bow just because I had

some red bows that hadn't been dedicated to

any specific projects yet.

OR ... you could use your

glue gun to attach a button magnet to the

back of your snowflake for instant

fridge decor.

I'm off to spend the next three hours on the road,

make an appearance at the school fund-raiser

tonight (which hubby will attend without me)

and hopefully I'll find the time to

read my camera manual,

because I am not liking the pics I'm taking.

I'm sure it's the operator -

that chic should really read the manual.

*Peace and Fridge Magnets*

TWO - Snowman Snow Sign

Here it is!!

The second in a series of FIVE tutorials

for making Quick and Easy

Bazaar-Worthy Crafts!

Snowman Snow Sign

Just in case this is the first

or only project you're looking at today,

I'll stick with the same format.

The Basics:

(what you'll need to make this craft)

3" x 4" wood rectangle sign,

1" wood button plug for the snowman;

acrylic paints: white, black, light blue, dark blue;

snowflake stencil; stencil brush;

foam roller or 2" wash brush;

sanding block;

tooth brush and jumbo craft stick

(for spattering)

pink powder blush and a sponge dauber

or cotton swab for blushing cheeks;

stylus for dotting eyes and coal mouth;

glue gun and glue sticks;

Crop-o-Dile or hand drill for holes;

12" length of ribbon, string, or craft wire

for hanging

Here's a note for beginner painters:

There are certain stencils that never go

out of style.  I bought background stencils

fifteen years ago that I still use -

stars, snowflakes, stripes, checks

these are good staple purchases you won't regret,

and I use them in almost all my projects.

Especially the snowflakes -

every project looks like it has a little more depth

when it's lightly stenciled.

Getting Started:

Again with the motto:

Always Paint in Multiples!!!

If you're thinking you only need one,

remember: these make great package tie-ons

ornaments, or hostess gifts -

(hanging around the neck of a bottle of wine);

you'll never regret making a few extras,

but you might be reluctant to pull all the "stuff"

out again just to make "... one more ..."

Base coat your rectangle signs with

the light blue.

I like to mix up a few colors

(such as light blue, dark blue, and white)

on a palette and then roll them onto my surfaces

with a paint roller.  It makes short

work of the base coating, and frankly,

I find the splotchy look more interesting.

When the paint is dry, flip your rectangles

and paint the backs and sides.

Use the sanding block to smooth the surface

of the rectangle sign, and

press hard enough on the edges to remove paint.

Next, thin a small drop of dark blue paint with water,

and dip the toothbrush in the inky paint.

Blot the toothbrush on a paper towel.

(See previous post for pics)

Then run the craft stick along the bristles

moving away from your body -

the result is tiny paint spatters on your signs.

Here's a basic tip you need to know if you

are planning to do any stenciling:

A LITTLE goes a LONG way!

Trust me on this one!  Please!!

Even just the smallest drop

of extra paint will leak up underneath

the stencil and ruin your crisp edges.

Dip the stencil brush into the paint puddle.

Then wipe bristles in a circular motion

onto a clean, dry paper towel.

You want to remove as much paint as possible!

Even if you think there's no paint left in those

bristles, once you touch those "dry"

bristles to your surface, you'll see what I mean.

Hold (or tape) your stencil firmly in place;

"pounce" stencil brush in an up-and-down motion

until you've transferred your snowflake.

(NOTE: You don't need this specific snowflake stencil;

any snowflake stencil will do.  Small, large, ANY snowflake).

If you think the stencil is too "dark" -

wait until it is completely dry and then

use your sanding block to remove some of the paint.

I used graph paper to write the word "snow"

this way I was able to keep the

letters the exact size I wanted them.

I like to use transfer paper and a stylus

to apply my letters;

this way I am able to center them exactly

where I want them on my sign.

Add clean water to a small puddle of

white paint, making an inky consistency.

Use your liner brush to "trace" over the letters

you've transferred to the sign.

I used the end of my paintbrush handle to

add little 1980's dots to the

ends of each of my letters.

You could use dashes instead of dots ...

I love to use pink powder blush on my faces!

I've always used a clean cotton swab

to apply the blush, and it looks great.  

Sometimes I have to reshape the tip of the swab

if I'm making multiple faces,

so I started using Plaid's sponge-tipped daubers.

Great idea!  Perfect little cheeks

every time!!

Next, we'll dot the eyes and the coal mouth.

I like to use a stylus for this,

but you could use a toothpick or the end

of a brush handle ... just test your

dots on practice paper first to make sure

they aren't too big!  Too small is easy to fix -

just dab directly over the too-small-dot with a

fresh dot of paint.

(Actually, I dotted all the eyes, THEN

I added the carrot noses,

gave them overnight to dry before

I added the dip-dot coal mouths).

If you don't want to stop in the middle

of your project and begin again the next day,

just dot the mouths the same time

you dot the eyes, and leave the

carrot noses for last.

(They still need overnight to dry)

Now for the carrot noses.

If you want to see a tutorial for the noses,

you can click here.

Basically, I use Tulip Slick Fabric Paint

in Orange.  Starting at the base

of the carrot, I squeeze a tiny dot out -

without lifting the bottle, lessen your "squeeze"

as you pull the paint into a tip.

Practice on paper first!

Get a "feel" for your "squeezing"!!

Now we'll glue the snowman head to the sign.

I would love to tell you that I have one big old

glue gun that I've loved and used for years,

and it's covered in paint and bits of stuff and things that

got stuck to it (after all, it's a glue gun)

and I would love to tell you this because then

I would sound ... normal ...

... but ...

the truth is, I have lots of glue guns.

And they're ALL covered in paint and

bits of "stuff" and "things"

that have gotten stuck to them

over the years of crafts I've been crafting.

I have a fetish for glue guns, you see.

Admitting you have a problem is the

first step towards recovery.

I'm not sure which step requires you to show

a picture of your obsession,

but I'm still at the first step - so it doesn't really matter.

Flip that snowman button plug over

and add a dollup of glue

to the back (which I left unpainted)

( I paint the backs of all my projects.

I think it makes them look "finished".

I don't paint the backs of anything that will

be glued down ... because

I think that makes it easier to fall off

with time and use.

I could be wrong.

I'm just sayin').

Stick it right where you want it,

press and hold for like ONE SECOND,

and it's stuck!  I just LOVE glue guns!!!

Talk about instant gratification!!

Now you want your Crop-o-Dile or

your hand drill or your drill press or your

hubby to put some holes in the

top corners of your sign.

I used a ribbon hanger this time,

just 'cause.  No real reason.

Here it is:

*** peace and snowflakes ***