CRAZY BIRD TUTU CANVAS by KASSA HAYSELDEN - DAY 3

I did wonder how I would get on today because my reading glasses broke last night! However, a quick trip out this morning and I managed to buy 2 new pairs. Also, I checked how much coloured netting I had and found a piece of purple and a little piece of red. That meant a trip to Abakhan where I bought this little lot.

Only cost £1.80!! Bargain.

There was nothing much on tv last night so I suffered artificial light, albeit a daylight one, and set to colouring my crazy birds.

I used watercolour pencils blending and drying as I went along. Karen has used some amazing colours in a most ingenious way so that was a learning point for me - how to mix colours. I really enjoyed myself.

Once I got back from the little shopping trip - and after having to do Ho*****rk!!!! - I die cut all the birds and their hats etc.

I just have to tidy the white edges and make their tutus.

I may be a while cutting, sewing and gluing so will pop back tomorrow with what could be the final stages to a finished canvas.

CRAZY BIRDS TUTU CANVAS by KASSA HAYSELDEN

I've completed a bit more of my canvas and have to admit to finding it a bit scary today. 

It looked an awful mess to begin with mainly because I didn't really know if I was applying the paint, gesso and re-inkers properly. I seemed to have a lot of harsh edges so in the end I resorted to softening them with my fingers!

I managed the first bit of painting ok.

and the black gesso seemed to go on just fine. However, here was my scary moment

I really really loved how vibrant the re-inker was, making the paint 'pop' off the canvas. I kept going and adding paint and re-inker until the canvas was covered.

This was the point when I considered starting another blank canvas because mine just didn't look anything like Karen's. But, I didn't and kept going.

Thank goodness I did, because the following steps in the tutorial brought the whole thing together and at the moment I am content with it. I am at the point of using Distress Markers to emphasis various areas. I may be some time so I'll get on with that and hopefully come back with more tomorrow.

CRAZY BIRDS TUTU CANVAS by KASSA HAYSELDEN

I first saw this canvas on Facebook and almost squeezed with glee at it because the colours are so vibrant and those birds are just everyone's favourite. BUT the background is really what caught my eye. If you pop over to www.rangerink.com and have a look at their blog, Karen has generously written a step by step tutorial - with photos - so we can all have a play and make one similar.

I've even spent a couple of days going round every store within 30 miles of my home looking for a deep edge 12" X 6" canvas. Guess what, I found 3 in Southport.

Once I got back home after a gorgeous day out in lovely sunshine - look

I ripped open one of the canvases and made a start.

It's drying at the moment and I plan to leave it for today as its getting late now. 

Thank you Karen for the tut. I'm going to enjoy this little play.

WINTER DOOR WREATH

I started this little project of making door wreaths last year after admiring the gorgeous creations in America. The idea isn't new to them but one we only seem to uphold around Christmas. 

They have houses with verandas or enclosed front doors giving protection from the weather to their wreathes, whereas, most of us cannot admit to that luxury. I certainly can't and unfortunately, my front door faces south west and therefore is susceptible to the rain and wind. We all know how much of that we have endured these past weeks.

With that in mind, my wreaths have to be weather proof or as near as I can make them.

So, this is my first wreath of 2016 - winter.

I really wanted some 'snowball' bush flowers, but not being able to find any I settled for plastic gypsophyllia. The greenery is plastic too. I found 3 pine cones in my stash and sourced the pale willow wreath from Home Sense. 

Despite hanging on a white door, it actually stands out and I'm very happy with it.

2016

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2016 crept up didn't it?  What happened to 2015??

I haven't Blogged much for ages, Facebook seems to have taken over my life. Also, the fact that my computer is so old now means I use my iPad all the time, and I mean ALL the time. Ok you might say, you can Blog from your iPad.... yes I can, but if I have to copy a link ie the link to a blog post, then I'm stumped and that led to some problems for me over the last couple of months when trying to enter my tag into #timholtz 12 tags of 2015. 

I can copy and paste but that doesn't copy a link just whatever you happen to highlight. I need to sort that if I am to continue with 12 tags this year. 

Mr Mojo needs finding again certainly as far as paper crafting goes, and I hope to enjoy more sewing, especially finishing the patchwork throw made from all the left over fabric from my outside cushions. 

I hope you all achieve your goals in 2016 and above all, stay healthy.