Happy New Year!  This year I'll be posting a wider variety of work, comings and goings in my studio, and art musings. I'll still do some of my Tiny Paintings Projects, and offer downloads, just not on the weekly schedule. 

To start with, I did some illustrations for issue 20 of Uppercase Magazine! There is not another magazine that so clearly encompasses my interests, and introduces me to new ones. And Im thrilled to be part of it.

Watch this show and look out for my hat paintings.

My Turducken Target, Bow, and Arrows was also mentioned on the Design Mom blog. I love that Gabrielle Blair is now an East Bay local.

This week: BELLS AND WHISTLES

YAY! A year of craft posts accomplished. Nearly one a week. Looking at my progress on Pinterest, I can see a style developing and my projects are cleaner and simpler.  So I’m celebrating with bells and whistles.

 GET THE ARTWORK HERE

Or, get the artwork in the "artwork downloads" column to the right. Print it out on 4" x 6" photo paper, and make sure the print size is 100%. You might need to save the file and print using a photo application.

This art is only for your personal use, and may not be reproduced.  And please, if you use my artwork, send me a picture of what you made, so I can pin it to my pinterest board.

FIG. 1 Supplies: Two pipe cleaners, wide and thin ribbon, chipboard and metallic poster board, bells and whistles*, awl, tacky glue, printout, scissors, and a mat knife if your cardboard is thick.

 * I painted the red whistle with gold paint so it would match the others. Don’t do this if kids are going to be putting it in their mouth.

 FIG. 2 Tie ribbon around the any whistles that don’t have loops.

FIG. 3 Tie the bells and whistles into a cluster with a loop at the top.

FIG. 4 Measure enough wide ribbon to fit over your head. Fold it in half and then into a point. Put a dot of glue under the fold.

FIG. 5 Measure the same amount of thin ribbon. Thread the thin ribbon through the loop in the cluster of bells and whistles. At the half-way point, tie an overhand knot with both pieces of the thin ribbon together. Place the knot over the point in the wide ribbon. Glue the thin ribbon to the top of the wide ribbon.

FIG. 6 Cut out the art. Place it on top of the chipboard and draw around it. Cut out the chipboard.

FIG. 7 Glue the art on top of the metallic board. Let it dry. Cut just outside the art to make a gold border around it.

FIG. 8 Punch two holes in the chipboard circle.

FIG. 9 Cut a pipe cleaner in half and make two loops through the circle.

FIG. 10 Glue the badge to the messy side of the chipboard, so the loops are on the back. Wrap the edge with a pipe cleaner and glue it in place. Press the whole stack  between sheets of wax paper or something non-stick.  When it is dry, thread the ends of the ribbon through the loops, and slide the badge down until it covers the knots.  Tie the ends of the ribbon together, slip it over your head, and you’re ready for spontaneous celebration.

 This Week: TINY REINDEER BOOK

These books are about the size of a matchbox. Decorate a new one everyday for an advent calendar fleet of reindeer pulling a sleigh. They can also be used as gift toppers or ornaments.

GET THE ARTWORK HERE

Or, get the artwork in the "artwork downloads" column to the right. Print it out on 4" x 6" photo paper, and make sure the print size is 100%. You might need to save the file and print using a photo application.

This art is only for your personal use, and may not be reproduced.  And please, if you use my artwork, send me a picture of what you made, so I can pin it to my pinterest board.

FIG. 1 Supplies: Printout, ruler, pencil, heavyweight chipboard, letterweight paper, baker’s twine, washi tape, glue brush, X-acto knife, Tacky glue, detail scissors, stapler.

FIG. 2 Cut twelve pages 1 7/8” x 1 7/8.” Stack two signatures of six pages each. Fold them in half and staple the centers.

FIG. 3 Cut two 1” x 2” pieces of chipboard, and one piece 3/8” x 2.”

FIG. 4 Cut out the artwork. Don’t cut between the hooves. Fold the legs in half and glue the sides together.

FIG. 5 Glue the legs to the cover pieces. Make sure the legs are walking toward each other.

FIG. 6 Glue the last page of the signatures to the covers, on top of the legs.

FIG. 7 Put a deer body face-down underneath the top page. Line up the lower back corner of the deer to the page. Put glue on the deer body, but not the head and tail.

FIG. 8 Fold the page down to stick it to the glue.

FIG. 9 Glue the top pages of both signatures together.

FIG. 10 Apply glue all over the remaining deer body and sandwich it to the first.  So the stack should be: face-down deer body, two pages, face-up deer body.

FIG. 11 Close the book. It’s ok if it wants to open.

FIG. 12 Put two strips of washi tape along the spine chipboard.

FIG. 13 Apply the spine to the closed book. I like to leave a tiny gap between boards.

FIG. 14 Tape a piece of twine inside the cover. Wrap it loosely around the book to keep it closed when the deer stands up.

This Week: TURDUCKEN TARGET, BOW, AND ARROW

Let the hunt for the elusive turducken begin! This bow and arrow makes lovely Thanksgiving table décor, but be aware, it really shoots! Take a nice walk and hunt for twigs, these are about 7" long, then come inside and get crafty while dinner cooks.

 

GET THE ARTWORK HERE AND HERE

Or, get the artwork in the "artwork downloads" column to the right. Print it out on 4" x 6" photo paper, and make sure the print size is 100%. You might need to save the file and print using a photo application.

This art is only for your personal use, and may not be reproduced.  And please, if you use my artwork, send me a picture of what you made, so I can pin it to my pinterest board.

FIG. 1 Supplies: sharp pruning clippers, pocket knife, detail scissors, Tacky glue, corrugated cardboard, two printouts, tiny clips, masking tape, three colors of twine, glue brush, pencil, mat knife for cardboard (not pictured), rubber bands, and twigs*. 

* Cut straight twigs from a live tree, so they are flexible and easier to work with. The small twigs for the arrows and target stand are 7" long and about half the diameter of a pencil. The larger twig for the bow is almost the diameter of a pencil. If your twig doesn’t bend enough for the bow you can try soaking it.

FIG. 2 Cut out the target artwork. Trace around the target onto the cardboard. Cut two circles. Stacked, they should be as thick as the edge band art.

FIG. 3 Glue the circles together, then the glue art on top. Glue the corrugated edge and wrap the  art around it. Trim the third piece to fit. (If it is frustrating getting all four pieces to stick down at the same time, glue and rubber band one piece at a time drying in between).

FIG. 4 Wrap rubber bands around the edge while drying.

FIG. 5 Make a hinge for the center stand. Loop a piece of tape over the top of the twig. When you pinch it together, you should have a ½” tab on the top.

FIG. 6 Look at the front of the target and place the twig on the back at the top. Glue it in place.

FIG. 7 Dry-fit the sides of the stand. With the target facing you, place a twig on the back.  Holding the twig in place, turn the target over and draw a line along the twig. Put glue on the line and place the twig. Let dry.

FIG. 8 Unfold the tripod stand and trim the ends of the twigs so it stands correctly. It should be slightly angled back. Tie the legs.

Fig. 9 Target

FIG. 10 Make the bow. Carve notches in the ends of the bow. Clip the ends at an angle.  If you don’t want to use a knife with children, you can probably use the clippers to carve the knotches.

FIG. 11 Put a bit of glue in the notch. Wrap the twine around twice and tie a square knot. Bend the twig, to get tension in the twine, and repeat on the other side.

FIG. 12 Decorate your bow. (I added a braid, but you can paint stripes or use washi tape too.) Cut three 10” lengths of twine. Put them together and tie a knot in the end with ½” ends. Braid about 3”. Put a little glue on the bow just above the notch. Wrap with the braid coming out the top.

FIG. 13 Put more glue going up the bow. Cross over the braid and continue wrapping up the bow. Trim the ends and glue them down.

FIG. 14 Make the arrows. Cut out the feather artwork and glue the matching sides together. Clip a 2” notch vertically in the end of a twig.

FIG. 15 Dry-fit, make sure the feathers will slide into the notch with enough room to tie above. Put glue in the notch and slide in the feathers.

Fig 16. Wrap twine twice around the ends and tie with a square knot.

FIG. 17 It is easier to tie tiny knots if you hang the end of the feather off the edge of the table and weight it down with something heavy.

FIG. 18 Lay the arrow flat on the table and whittle the ends flat like a flat screw driver. The flat plain should be parallel to the plane of the feather.

FIG. 19 Cut out the arrowhead art keeping the points stuck together. Glue the back of the art and fold it over the end of the arrow. Wrap twice and tie a square knot.

FIG. 19 Clip the sides of the arrowhead together until dry. Decorate the shafts of the arrows by gluing and wrapping with twine.

This week: Hide-a-log

Add your own decorations to these log boxes according to your theme.  They could be secret hiding places for woodland fairies, or camp themed wedding favor boxes. Or, put numbers on them and scavenger hunt instructions inside. This red ribbon is looking like a Valentine’s jewelry box, or a Christmas place setting. I used manila card stock as lining, but these logs would be great with some glittery or velvety lining.

GET THE ARTWORK HERE

Or, get the artwork in the "artwork downloads" column to the right. Print it out on 4" x 6" photo paper, and make sure the print size is 100%. You might need to save the file and print using a photo application.

This art is only for your personal use, and may not be reproduced.  And please, if you use my artwork, send me a picture of what you made, so I can pin it to my pinterest board.

FIG. 1 Supplies: Ruler, cardstock (or manila file folder), masking tape (I like ½”), rubber bands, Tacky glue, pencil, glue brush, printout (one for each log), tiny diameter hole punch, ribbon, twine, labels, fine point scissors and/or X-acto knife.

FIG. 2 Cut wide squares around the log ends artwork. Glue it to the cardstock leaving room around it. Press and dry.

FIG. 3 Roughly cut circles about ¼” around the log artwork.

FIG. 4 Snip into the notches, up to the black line. So you have extended the tabs on the artwork.

FIG. 5 Fold the tabs over, up to the black circle.

FIG. 6 Finished end caps.

FIG. 7 Find the grain of your cardstock.  Roll or bend the paper in one direction, and then the other. You should notice that one direction bends more smoothly than the other. The grain of the paper is running parallel to the valley of the fold when it bends smoothly. Cut out the wood grain artwork and place the grain parallel to the grain of the cardstock. Draw around it. Draw a line 3/8” down from the top of the 4” dimension.

FIG. 8 Roll the cardstock into a tube and tape it closed, overlapping at the 3/8” line. Dry-fit the end caps to make sure they will fit. Adjust the tube size accordingly. Double-check that the wood grain will fit around the tube without a gap.

FIG. 9 Glue the overlap on the tube closed and tape in place.

FIG. 10 Put a tiny dot of glue underneath each flap on the end cap and spread it evenly.  Stick the flaps to the outside of the tube while simultaneously wrapping tape around the tube to hold the flaps down.

FIG. 11 Brush an even coat of glue on the back of the wood grain. Get the rubber bands ready. Wrap the art around the tube and secure it with the rubber bands while it dries.

FIG. 12 Cut open the flap. This is easier with an X-acto knife. If you’re using scissors, pinch the side cutting line and snip a hole, then insert the end of the scissors. Don’t cut the straight hinge line.

FIG. 12 Fold the hinge line and crease it back-and-forth.

FIG. 12 Decorate your box. Punch holes and tie it closed with twine. Add a label.

This Week: MOTHS

Whatever your Halloween costume, adding a swarm of moths, will creep it up. You could paint them with glow-in-the-dark paint for extra effect. They are mounted on hairclips, but make sure to have some landing on your shoulders and back too. Print extra cards and make a bunch.

GET THE ARTWORK HERE

Or, get the artwork in the "artwork downloads" column to the right. Print it out on 4" x 6" photo paper, and make sure the print size is 100%. You might need to save the file and print using a photo application.

This art is only for your personal use, and may not be reproduced.  And please, if you use my artwork, send me a picture of what you made, so I can pin it to my pinterest board.

FIG. 1 Supplies:  Glue gun and glue, glitter, detail scissors or X-acto knife, tiny hair clips, printout, Tacky glue, dark colored crepe paper.

FIG. 2 Cut out the artwork. Apply Tacky glue to the back of the body, but not the wing tips.

FIG. 4 Glue the moth to a piece of crepe paper with the grain running horizontal. Cut wide around the wings and close around the body.

FIG. 4 Let the glue dry. Stretch the crepe paper on the wings in opposite directions to make ruffled edges. Put dots of glue around the wings and sprinkle with glitter.

FIG. 5 Let the glitter glue dry. Apply dots of hot glue to the outside edges of the wings of the hairclip. Don’t get glue in the spring.

FIG. 6 As the glue is cooling, pinch the edges of the body into the valleys on the sides of the spring. 

This week: SQUIRREL ZOMBIE BONES

Caution! Undead Squirrel Zombie Bones may, or may not, start walking around on Halloween looking for some brains to gnaw on.  I used real chicken bones. But, I’ve also included instructions for Vegan Squirrel Zombie Bones. Vegan Squirrel Zombies eat “grains.” 

THEY GLOW IN THE DARK!

GET THE ARTWORK HERE

Or, get the artwork in the "artwork downloads" column to the right. Print it out on 4" x 6" photo paper, and make sure the print size is 100%. You might need to save the file and print using a photo application.

This art is only for your personal use, and may not be reproduced.  And please, if you use my artwork, send me a picture of what you made, so I can pin it to my pinterest board.

Vegan Squirrel Zombie Bones Instructions:

FIG. 1 Clip twigs into 1”– 3” sections. Try to get sections with branches starting at both ends.

FIG. 2 Sand the ends smooth, and flatten them a little.

FIG. 3 Sometimes the bark falls off. It’s OK either way.

FIG. 4 Paint with white acrylic or latex paint. Rub off spots with a paper towel.

FIG. 1 Supplies: Bones*, Tacky glue, glow-in-the-dark paint, scissors, printout, glue brush, an Altoids tin, twine, flat black spray paint.

*To prepare bones: make chicken soup, pick out the thigh, wing, and wishbones. Scrub the gack off of the bones with a green scouring pad and dish soap, let them dry in the sun for a day.

FIG. 2 Paint the bones with two coats of glow-in-the-dark paint. (You can blow-dry them between coats.)

FIG. 3 Spray paint the outside of the box.

FIG. 4 Cut out the artwork. Glue the cover on the box.

FIG. 5 Tie the bones together with twine, then tie the tag to the end.

This Week: HAUNTED OWL SKELETON

Use fishing line to hang several of these haunted owl skeletons about the house. Try hanging the line at an angle so the bird slides down the line and looks like it’s flying. You could also paint over the bones with glow-in-the-dark-paint like I did to the evil eyes last week.

GET THE ARTWORK HERE

Or, get the artwork in the "artwork downloads" column to the right. Print it out on 4" x 6" photo paper, and make sure the print size is 100%. You might need to save the file and print using a photo application.

This art is only for your personal use, and may not be reproduced.  And please, if you use my artwork, send me a picture of what you made, so I can pin it to my pinterest board.

FIG. 1 Supplies: Watercolors and a wide brush, small diameter hole punch, scissors, masking tape, Tacky glue, gold paint, tracing paper, printout, decorative backing paper like cardstock or construction paper*, paperclip, small brads (paper connectors).

* If you’re tricky with the photo editing software, print a copy of  art in reverse. Then you can have a two-sided owl.

FIG. 2 Brush a watercolor wash over a piece of tracing paper. I used blues, purple, and a little black. Let it dry.

FIG. 3 Tape the printout to the cardstock on the sides. Cut out the art. If your cardstock is two-sided (mine isn’t), place the wrong sides together.

FIG. 4 The cut-out art and backing. You’ll see the other side of the backing when the bird is finished.

FIG. 5 Cut a 1” strip of the painted tracing paper and fold it in half long ways. Cut feather shapes about ¾” long, along the fold.

FIG. 6 Unfold the feathers. Put a dot of glue on the top of each one. Glue the feathers to the back of the wing bones, starting with the smaller lighter-colored ones, and working to the darkest ones.

FIG. 7 Two finished wigs.

FIG. 8 Repeat the process, gluing the feathers to the outside of the leg bones.

FIG. 9 Glue feathers to the top and bottom of the body.

FIG. 10 Turn the body over and tape a paperclip to the back of the head, so the loop sticks out above the head.

FIG 11 Dry-fit the backing paper, then apply the glue and stick it down.

FIG. 12 Punch the holes. I used a tiny punch and tiny brads.

FIG. 13 Attach the limbs behind the body. Flatten down the ends of the brads.

FIG. 14 Dry-brush a tiny bit of gold paint over the folds in the feathers.

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This Week: EVIL EYES

Evil eye charms are meant to reflect bad luck that is willed onto you by others. If someone gives you stink eye, your charm will send it right back to them.  So, with all the Halloween boogiemen running around this time of year, I thought it wise to hang these everywhere: on your backpack, in the trees, over your bed. P.S. They glow in the dark, so they’ll be fun around the campfire.

GET THE ARTWORK HERE

Or, get the artwork in the "artwork downloads" column to the right. Print it out on 4" x 6" photo paper, and make sure the print size is 100%. You might need to save the file and print using a photo application.

This art is only for your personal use, and may not be reproduced.  And please, if you use my artwork, send me a picture of what you made, so I can pin it to my pinterest board.

FIG. 1 Supplies: A saw*, dark colored crepe paper, Tacky glue, glow-in-the-dark paint, natural fiber twine, printout, sand paper, a branch with a diameter a bit bigger than the eye art, paintbrush, scissors.

* my new saw

Cut the branch into coin-sized disks and sand any rough spots on the edges.

FIG. 2 Paint two coats of glow-in-the-dark paint on the eyes. Avoid the black dots in the center.

FIG. 3 Cut a 14” length of twine, and fold it in half. Tie an overhand knot to form a loop.

FIG. 4 Tie half of a square knot (right over left).

FIG. 5 Put a very thin bead of glue, or a few small dots, around the edge of the wood.

FIG. 6 With the twine on the table, place the wood inside the loop seen if fig. 4.  Pull the ends tight around the wood and finish tying the square knot (left over right). Make sure it ends up directly below the loop. Use your fingernail to push the twine evenly to the center of the wood edge, and scrape off any big glue globs. It should dry clear, so no need to be too precise.

FIG. 7 Tie another overhand knot ½” below the square knot.

FIG. 8 Cut a strip of  crepe paper 4” x ½” with the grain running the short direction. Fold it in half and put a very thin bead of glue down the center.

FIG. 9 Press the twine end into the glue

FIG. 10 Turn it over and repeat on the other side. Trim the ends into points.

FIG. 11 Cut out a pair of eyes and glue them on both sides of the wood.

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This Week: PAINT-BY-NUMBERS

We spent Labor day at The Alisal for a family reunion vacation – thank you Sonja and Bill. The vintage décor brought me back to childhood summers on vinyl webbed patio furniture. So this week, a paint-by-numbers landscape inspired by the ranch.

GET THE ARTWORK HERE

Or, get the artwork in the "artwork downloads" column to the right. Print it out on 4" x 6" photo paper, and make sure the print size is 100%. You might need to save the file and print using a photo application.

This art is only for your personal use, and may not be reproduced.  And please, if you use my artwork, send me a picture of what you made, so I can pin it to my pinterest board.

Remember, this is the Tiny Paintings Project.  So if you don’t like to paint in miniature, I suggest you print this out bigger than the usual 4” x 6”

FIG. 1 Supplies: acrylic paint*, tacky glue, miter box and saw, printout, chipboard, #2 paint brush with a very pointy tip, pencil, scissors, mat knife, ruler, water cup, paper plate, paper towel, straight sticks aprox. ½” diameter, medium coarse sandpaper, and ribbon for hanging.

*I encourage you to use paint that you might already have, and to make up your own colors. New paint can get expensive. Add a little white to each color to create a vintage look.

FIG. 2 Mix one color at a time, so they don’t dry out. They should be the consistency of heavy cream. Here's how I got the colors I used:
#1 Manganese blue + white
#2 Permanent violet dark + Manganese blue + white
#3 Raw umber, yellow ochre, manganese blue + white
#4 White + yellow ochre
#5 Yellow ochre + white
#6 Jenkins green + white+ yellow ochre + hansa yellow
#7 Jenkins green + white
#8 Raw umber + white

FIG. 3 Colors 1 – 4 painted in. Tiny painting tips: Don’t dip your brush so deeply that you get paint up on the silver ferrule, it spreads out the bristles. Frequently rinse out the brush and dry it on a paper towel, even if you aren’t changing colors, so the paint doesn’t get gummy and dull the point.

FIG. 4 Finished painting.

FIG. 5 Miter two angles and dry-fit the sticks. (The painting is not glued down)

FIG. 6 Using one angle as a guide, draw a line where you want to make your next cut. FIG. 7 When you have mitered the ends of one long and one short stick, make duplicates.

FIG. 8 Dry-fit the frame and draw a line around it on the chipboard. Cut out the board.

FIG. 9 Sand the back of each stick so they lay flat.

FIG. 10 Glue it all together

FIG. 11 Glue the art in the center.

FIG. 12 Glue the ribbon on the back.

FIG. 13 Hang it in your fort, tent, or cabin.