more bonnie birds … an obsession in papier mache!

It’s funny how an idea can sprout wings and take-off (dreadful pun entirely intended), such as it has been with these bonnie birds.  It’s rather refreshing to have something I can make out of papier mache that doesn’t take forever and a day and that isn’t a bowl!  Aside from this pair I’m hatching three more and they should be fully fledged in the next few days (and yes, that was a couple more of dreadful puns that were entirely intended).

This pair seem to be diametrically opposed in terms of form, one’s short and fat and the other a bit leggy with a great fan of a tail, the tail’s something I can see me repeating and refining on future versions.

Of course, like all birds that flock, it doesn’t take long for them to catch-up with more of their own kind …

… I imagine this flock will be growing as they, ahem, get to know each other better … well, it is almost Spring!!

All of these birds are available for sale in our shop.

wise little owls

I made some more little owls for a commission (actually for an old school friend of mine).

These are made from ecospun felt.  I found that wool felt is too thick and it made them a funny shape – it’s probably just me, but it does feel good to make something nice from all those nasty plastic bottles.

Anyway, these are destined for a group of nursery children and I really do hope that they enjoy playing with them as much as I enjoyed seeing their little characters emerging.  Looks like the start of a beautiful owl relationship to me.

I am more than happy to make more of these to order…you can buy them through the shop.

Bonnie Birds!

I’ve been watching Jolene create her fabric finches for months now, I suppose it was inevitable that I would end up taking some inspiration from them and feeding it into what I’m doing myself … indeed, Jolene alluded to as much here.  The WIP previews she gave there though have long since been finished, and discarded on the basis that they were, well, rubbish!

I’m rather proud of the these ones though, the refined and finished product if you will.  Being me, they’re predominantly papier mache with a bit of wire and armature thrown in for good measure before being finished in acrylics and a tough high gloss varnish.

The design is based on some rather fabulous silk that Jolene bought from a seller in India for another project that she’s working on, also from discussions with Jolene about Paisley pattern – a very simplified tear drop has been adopted for the wings here – and I’ve also been listening to some Deva Premal which has no doubt fed in to the general feel of the pieces … although I’ve no idea where she’s from!?!

OK, google sorted out the latter one there … she’s from Germany and wiki says:

is a musician known for her meditative spiritual New Age music, which puts ancient Hindu mantras into atmospheric, contemporary settings.

Am I becoming an old hippy?  Actually never-mind, people were accusing me of being an old hippy before I was even 20 … actually I think the term they used was “weirdo”!!

These Bonnie Birds are available to purchase in out Coriandr shop.

a new bird design

I made a new bird.

The process has been somewhat arduous and there have been many poor deformed creatures along the way.  It’s taken me such a long time of thinking before I finally plucked up the courage to create a new design.  It seems so silly now but I was so pleased with the original bird design (for the fabric finches) that I was scared I wouldn’t be able to produce anything even approaching the quality and that would be a waste of my limited time and materials.

I finally arrived at a flying bird that I am reasonably happy with.  It’s supposed to be a goose but the kids think it looks like a seagull.  I’m pleased that it even looks like a bird at all!

I’m thinking about making a mobile with a whole flock of them.  I think that would be cool.  I say thinking but there’s always a huge gap between thinking and doing so please don’t hold your breath.

Meanwhile, Alasdair has been busy and has been making some very funky paper and wire birds; more on those when they’re finished but in the meantime a picture of them drying following the first coat of paper.

wire bird

I spent an hour or two this week ogling at Joel Henriques’ blog and artwork.  I was particularly struck by the simplicity and beauty of these wood and wire toys:

So inspired was I, that I had a go at making my own wire bird…I think it’s ok for a first attempt.  I’m pondering a range of wire owls…

I had to take it outside for a photo opp.  It’s still so dark and dreary here despite us being south facing.

Good news though…the daffs are pocking their heads out…spring will be with us soon enough.

wedding cake toppers

A few weeks ago I posted about my Music Print Bird that was an idea for wedding cake topper “love birds”.  It was ok as far as ideas go but not quite lush enough.  I set off in search of something a little bit special and came across some dupioni silk from India.  I couldn’t resist using it to make a set of love birds.

The groom is entirely made of the silk.  The  bride is silk with a lace and seed bead detail.  I’m really please with this pair and I’m sure they’re all set for many years of wedded bliss.

She’s thinking about the pimms!

Valentine Fabric Finch

Hmm…wonder what these are

If I turn my back will they move?

Nope…but they did get shinier…you saw that, right?

Oh well, best be on my way now.

In the shop now

Tartan Owl Ornament

This tartan chap was created as a commission this weekend.  In keeping with our attempts to reduce waste, he’s made from a piece of tartan that would have otherwise been binned and some ecospun felt.  Stuffed, as usual, with reclaimed polyester stuffing.

He’s got a bit of a problem though.  Whilst out for his morning walk, he came across a very strange object.  It looked like a grassy mound but he couldn’t be sure.

At first he stood next to the mound, he thought it enhanced his green wings and the green stripes in his tartan, but after a while he became suspicious that the object wasn’t a grassy mound at all but an owl eating alien so he made a hasty retreat to his new home.

Music Print Bird and Bird House

I was messing around at the weekend and decided to try out something new with the bird pattern.  It’s the same pattern but made with printed cotton rather than felt.  I quite like the finish.

This is very much a prototype.  I’m working on a series of love birds for wedding cake toppers and this little lady was born out of an idea of using wedding march music on some part of it.  I’m waiting for some satin and lace, hence why she’s entirely made out of cotton.  I like it though and think with a few tweaks she could become a new offering in the shop.  In the meantime I finally get to have a fabric finch of my very own.  Some might say I deliberately made this one less than perfect  just so I could keep it and maybe they’d be right!

I also decided to make her a little papier mache house to keep her warm and dry on these cold winter nights.  That didn’t go so well but I think the idea is sound so I will persevere.  Perhaps I’ll enlist Alasdair’s help to make a little wooden hut.

Felt bird give-away!

Hard as it is to believe the blog here has been on the go for a year, the first post being made on 27th December 2008.  I think we’ve both come a long way since then both in terms of style and approach!

The blog was initially conceived as a venue for sharing our arts and crafts, Jolene with her varied needlework projects and me with my rather tribal carvings and papier mache projects, and whilst it certainly has provided that it has also provided something of a focus to make sure that particular projects get done … of course I have projects which will be entering their second year quite soon!

One thing that the blog has shown us is that there is definitely an appetite for what we’re doing, the growth of the blog if nothing else has shown us that and the hundreds of followers and tens of thousands of views confirm it!  So I think we owe a great big “thank-you” to everyone who has visited, commented and is currently following.  It means a lot to us, so:

THANK – YOU!

In light of the support we’ve been shown in the blogoshpere I think it’s only fair that we give something back, or maybe more specifically we give something away, or perhaps even more specifically we give this away:

Fantastic fabric finch flapping far and away for a fabulous fan of flappy fabric finches!?

All you need to do to become the lucky owner of this little fellow is have a look through the posts from the past year and tell us which post is your favourite and why … leave your comment below.  We’ll then choose a comment at random to whom this gorgeous fabric finch will be sent!  The draw will be made on Saturday, 2nd January 2009 and announced the same day.

According to the software we use for the blog  these are this year’s top ten posts (by views):

1. Matroyshka Dottee Doll;
2. Felt Bird Sculpture;
3. Character from Dickens Novels … ;
4. Handmade Christmas tree decorations;
5. Book binding … (coptic binding);
6. Cartoon Dinosaur … ;
7. The devil’s monkey … ;
8. The world’s best christmas cake … ;
9. “Stained glass” birthday cake;
10. Little felt owl and a few plant … .

Although I’m not sure that this makes them the best, here are my own favourites for the last 12 months:

January:  What to do with all those vintage buttons?

February: Papier mache spring flower bowl

March:  Papier Mache works in progress

April:  Vintage fashion ATC’s

May:  Lion dottee doll

June:  Ernest Eric – wood carving

July:  Houndstooth scotty dog

August:  Traditional scottish macaroon

September:  Commissions – mobile phone cosy

October:  More hand carved plant pokery plant pot decoration fun

November:  Sock creatures

December:  Handmade Christmas wreath

The next year for the blog, and the new year, will see a load more posts and projects featuring our preferred mediums as well as some more experimental and varied stuff, we both have our hopes and plans for our crafts and the site although I think we’ll keep them under-wraps right now!

Again thanks to everyone who has been following, those who have commented and those who have lurked, we look forward to taking you all with us as our crafting adventure continues … slainte!

COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED.  THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN TWO TICKS.