not totally sure if it was the smartest thing ever,
committing to an ornament swap that is.
but, i just couldn't help myself.
after being at Janne's and messing with DAS
i decided that this was going to be my medium for this year's ornament.
here is the one i did last year.
first i made little armatures out of tin foil.
i probably didn't have to do the arms and legs but it made it easier in the long run.
making the armatures also cuts down on the amount of DAS you have to use and makes the drying time much quicker.
i used my hands and a sharpened pencil for the shaping.
i think some simple carving tools would have made things go quicker and easier.
next time!
they'll naturally air dry in a few days.
i was running out of time so on the second day i popped them in the oven with the door open at 200º for about 20 minutes.
i squeal with delight at how each one inherently ends up with their own personalities.
sorry i didn't take more pictures of the process. :(
for paint i used acrylic's. slightly watered down and layered.
instead of glitter i opted for a bit of Golden's Interference Gold which gave them a nice subdued shimmer.
i've always hated having to use shiny metal in my art.
a few years ago i learned about this awesome product that takes that away.
just make sure that your metal items aren't coated or galvanized and it'll work beautifully.
my mom made the cute hangers for me.
probably cause it was midnight and she wanted me out of her house! ha!
using a hot glue gun i warmed their necks with felt scarves.
and if you're making ornaments, don't forget to put your name and the year.
the recipients will appreciate it as forgetfulness sets in over the years.
(speaking from experience!)
all wrapped and ready to send out in cute gnome bags from ikea.
i'll post the other ornaments from the exchange as soon as i receive the rest of them.
xoxo,michelle
