Christmas Birds, Part 1

I made a crazy amount of stuff for Christmas. Here's post no. 1, which includes all of the gifts I've already given away or are similar to those of people who probably won't be checking this blog any time soon.  :D

I spent several days basically making enormous messes. My parents were very gracious.

   Dinorawr. This one was made for my cousin's very small son!

  The Hat. For Don Pablo!

Le argyle. For Kimberly!

Another Dinorawr. For Zach!

Paperclip earrings. For Kimberly! I did not invent these, even though I have tweaked some of my (not-yet-posted) versions. For the original/a nice tutorial, go here. 

Altered sweater with felt flowers. For Mom! (I felted two wool sweaters I found at the thrift store by washing them on the hot water cycle in the washing machine and then drying them on high heat.)

L'Etoile du Nord (Star of the North). For Josiah!

Altered notebook. For Zach!

Mr. Mustache. For Chris (obviously)!

Tea tray. For Renee!

thirty-fourth bird

Take something old and make it look new.


This is a 1979 edition of The Elements of Style by Strunk and White.

The Elements of Style was originally written by a dude named William Strunk, Jr. in 1918 and was specifically written for students at Cornell University. 

William Strunk, Jr.

Strunk taught lots of folks, including a dude named E.B. White.

E.B. White

E.B. White, by the way, is the author of Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, and The Trumpet of the Swan, all of which are tremendously lovely.


In 1959, MacMillan and Co. commissioned White to revise The Elements of Style. He modernized and expanded it, and today it is informally known as "Strunk & White."


Since the book is so old, and since it was on the freebie table at work, I decided to make it a brand new cover.


Which I did in about half an hour.

I really think it shows...

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!

don't look a gift bird in the mouth

Most of my crafting time lately has been devoted to makin' stuff for folks. Which I can't post until after I've given them away.


So, here are some of them:

Josiah's thesis.

Zach's altered suspenders.

Zach's altered hoodie.

Rawr.












Random, supposedly Chinese proverb of the day: "A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song."

twenty-third bird

Transform an old book into something new by cutting, folding, gluing, and so on.


I found an old Reader's Digest book with the most amazing cover, so I made a journal.

Since it had epic seahorses on it, I had to do a Jacques Cousteau quote. Here is the man himself, awesomeness personified in a red hat: 

twenty-first bird

Waste not. Dig in a recycling bin for all of today's materials.


Well, I couldn't think of a recycling bin that I trust that was easily accessible, so I decided that "recycling bin" could equal "Library Freebie Table." It's sort of safer.


I found four educational art prints:

Mona Lisa by Leonardo DaVinci

The Plains of Heaven by John Martin

The Grand Canal near the Rialto Bridge, Venice by Canaletto

The Water-Lily Pond by Claude Monet






















These four paintings have been altered and, therefore, reduced in value, aesthetic, and grandeur. But, I get a kick out of them.


I give you:

Ramona

They're Here to Take Us Away!

Casting a Large Shadow

It's the Code for Love.






Unfortunately, the pictures are all too large for my scanner, so I had to find a place in the cave (aka, my apartment) that had enough lighting. Brightest place: the washing machine closet. And I still think it could have been brighter. Most likely, it would have been best to wait for daylight. But, I was feeling impatient.

fourteenth bird

Still sick. Just to make that disclaimer.


Make something inspired by and/or that goes over an eye (yours or someone else's).


Ok, so, this one stumped me for a while. But then my Dayquil kicked in, and I thought, "blooming eyes!"
Yes.


So, this is called, "Blooming Eye."

Here are the materials I decided to work with.
Are you nervous?


Decongestants. You've been warned.

I tried to smile, but the raffia was poking me in the eye. Also, it's a picture of myself. Also that.


But, I clean up pretty good for a plague-sufferer.

It's reversed because I took it in the mirror. It was hard to get a clear focus on my eye. Silly camera.

And, flipped. Just because.

And, another flipped close-up. 








Don't say I didn't warn you.


I thought about forcing Chris to wear it. But then I decided to be kind.