thirty-first bird

Day 31: Make something with wire.


Well, it just so happens that I have done this very thing! 


My awesome friend Jordan had a birthday party in which costumes were (basically) mandatory. And not just any costumes! Super costumes.


Chris and I decided to attend as the epic The Tick and his sidekick Arthur. 
Since these costumes are not in high demand amongst the loyal patronage of our local Walmart, we made them.
Well, I made them...
(Sorry, Chris. You've been outed.)

This picture was taken by the fabulous Josie! It was stolen with permission.

And here are the original supers:

I think I did pretty well!


And, here is the part of the costume that qualifies this not only as a wire project, but also as an official bird post:

I made these wings. With wire. Also, paper. (And glue, ribbon, and packing tape.)


Just in case you're wondering: I also made Chris's mask out of a pair of blue shorts and some pipe cleaners; my mask out of a small girl's tank top, wire, and ribbon; and our bug eye goggles out of Walmart sunglasses and plastic cross stitch sheets. 


I'll leave you with this:

old feathers

Once upon a time, I had a fit of creative energy and I started messing around with appliqué. Then, I stopped.


I really liked appliqué. I just stopped when I got really busy, and never started again. 


Are you seeing a pattern?


Anyway, I found the pictures the other day, had an "Oh, yeah!" moment, and decided to post them. Because, I know you totally want to see every art/craft project I've ever done. I see the eager greed in your eyes.

 

And, there you go!


Update: Why? Why is there highlighting? WHY?

this bird brought 21 lunches

So, when I looked at my summer schedule and considered how much trouble I'd already had with doing something creative every day, I decided to pare way back to a) give myself a break and b) remove guilt. So I decided to not do any more challenges from the book my darling husband gave me that I mention here, and instead to focus on making birthday presents and on my lunch.
Yes.
With volunteers coming most of the summer, I usually need to bring a lunch rather than go out to eat (which is handy on the pocketbook anyway). To make this fun, I decided to decorate my lunch bags. I didn't do it every day, so I didn't post my bags every day. Also, I like saving things. 
Chris and I are moving (don't worry, it's not far!), and the packing has become the main deal when we're home, so I'm giving myself less time for doodling in the morning. Because of this, I've decided that today is the day to share.
First, here are some boxes. 

Also, here is my lovely box label that I made because I wanted to.
Also, it's helpful.




















OK. Lunches.

"So dear"

"Sheep be true!"

"Egging you on..."

"Old bean!"

"On being tall"

"Birds of a feather"

"Beautiful moth!"

"Hit the road, Jack"

"Olive u!"

"Mmmm...salad!"

"It's Friday, Friday"

"When pigs fly"

(I didn't have time to take a picture of this one before I went to work, so it got a bit crumpled.)

"Banana!"

"I'm the real shady."

"Hi, honey!"

"The button"

"Batty"

"Brown cow"

"When life gives you lemons"

"Bean puns are fun"

"Holy cow, holy smokes, holy Moses!"

If there are more, I'll post them in another...post. Yeah.

That is all.

Batik for you, too!

Because I failed 7 million times (ok, four times), at other plans which I did not document because sometimes I forget to document (and sometimes I delete the evidence), I made Carroll a batik shirt for her birthday. So, here is a lovely batik shirt, even though my last post was about batik shirts. But, this one is a different color!

Also, because I had a lot of wax left over, I made an experiment shirt.

I like the tree one better.

working bird

Batik is fun. Here is a video about it:

We're doing basic (very, very basic) batik at the library for a program this afternoon. I made a shirt to practice on because of course I did.

Here it is! I melted white unscented candles. Always use a double boiler to melt wax. DO NOT melt the wax directly over the stove because it will CATCH ON FIRE. AND EXPLODE. ALSO, POSSIBLY, BURN A HOLE IN THE OZONE LAYER.


If you are like me and you don't have a double boiler, use two pots of differing sizes. It sort of works ok enough to keep the world safe.


I used a glass and a shot glass to make the pattern: dip the rim of the glass in the melted wax, stamp on shirt, repeat.


I used RIT dye to dye the shirt. 
Note: this dye is not ideal. You are supposed to use cold water dye, but I couldn't find any on short notice. I mixed the dye with warm water and then let it cool. If you put the shirt in the dye while it's hot, the wax will melt and you will cry. And cry.

Here is a close-up of the pattern.

Here is my outfit! Chris said I look, "Surprising."




Surprise!

Here is my outfit again, but with a dragon.

And here is my face. Because it is so charming and I know you wanted to see it.

UPDATE:

I forgot important information.

Ok, so I put wax paper inside the shirt to keep the wax from bleeding through the whole shirt. I did stamp the back, but I didn't want a mirror pattern. 

When I was done, I let the shirt sit for a very long time to let the dye get as dark as possible. 

To get the wax off, you are supposed to put the fabric in a pot of boiling soapy water. However, since the dye is a hot-water dye and I didn't want to lose all of the color/pattern, I put it in a pot of hot, but not boiling, soapy water. Use lots of dish soap! (Don't use detergent. All of the websites agree that this is bad.) I had to sort of scrape at the wax with a spoon since the water wasn't boiling, but it still worked. Then I washed the shirt in cold water and dried it. And, yay!

bird games

I have invented a matching game for you! Read the quotes below and match them with one of the options from the word bank! 

REMEMBER: options from the word bank may be used more than once, and not every option will be used.

"I don't like my water bottles to pee. Or poop."

"I really should have eaten supper. Um. I mean, breakfast."

"Which of these things is not like the other: cherries, cheese, or milk?"

Cherries.

"No! Milk!"

What? But, milk and cheese are both dairies!

"It's because milk is unhappy."

Milk is a very happy food! Unless they take away all of its fat. Then it gets depressed.

"Can I renew these cds?"

No. I'm sorry, but you've already renewed them one time, so they'll have to go back on the shelf.

"When can I check them out again?"

After they've been shelved. It may take a couple of days.

"Well, so, I can't have them now?"

No.

"Can you go shelve them right now so that I can have them now?"

No.

"Why can't I have them now. It doesn't make sense."

Well, since these are public library materials, we want to give other people in the community a chance to enjoy them.

"Can I buy them?"

No.

"Should we go shelve?'

NO. There are so many kids in there right now.

"How many kids?"

So many.

"I think I might shelve. I haven't shelved yet today."

Don't do it. It's horrible in there.

"What happened to you?"

"Where's the bathroom?"

It's down that hallway. *points* Here's the key. The ladies' room is the third door on the right.

*points down the stairs* "Down here?"

No, ma'am. Down the hallway right behind you.

*points up the other stairs* "Up there?"

No, ma'am, it's down the hallway.

"The hallway?"

*gets up, shows patron the hallway* Third door on the right. 

*points at first door* "This one?"

No, the third door.

*points at second door (labeled "Men")* "This one?"

No, the next one.

*points at third door, (labeled "Women")* "This one?"

Yes.

*tries key* "The key don't work."

*goes to door, turns key, unlocks door* Here you go. Just leave the key in the door.

"Leave the key in the door? And I'll be able to get out?"

Yes, ma'am.

"Do you remember whether Starbucks has a good chai?"

No. I almost never get chai.

"Do you remember if I've ever had a chai there?"

...

WORD BANK:

Laura

Anna

Zach

Anna & Zach

Volunteers

Teens

Patron

Anna & Teen

Anna & Patron
Anna & Laura




Post your guesses in the comments! Compare answers! Discuss!

birds of a feather have birthdays

Apparently, I didn't take any pictures of the journal I made for Josie. So, I have drawn you a picture in paint, so that, just in case you didn't see it, you can know what it looks like.

I think I should make more. Don't you?


Also, this is what I made for Kimberly for her birthday.

I stole the idea from somewhere and tweaked it, but I can't find the original. So, I send the credit out into the void! Thank you, Void!