Taking Flight

My bird house art project is finished.  I worked this piece as a dimensional collage using scrap paper, colored tissue paper, acrylic paint, crocheted elements and wrapped wire sculptural pieces.

First I created pattern pieces from thin notepaper to use for cutting out the fitted pieces of scrap booking paper that would be the base for the collage on the front, back and sides of the birdhouse.

After lightly sanding the birdhouse I painted all the surfaces with gesso to provide for better adhesion of the other elements.

Then I used decoupage gel medium to collage the roof of the birdhouse with various colors of tissue paper.

In the meantime I also crocheted the embellishments that I would be using in the last stage of the collage.

Next was the painting of the details on the roof line and front of the birdhouse also sponging paint on the roof to tone down the colors of the tissue collage.

Then I adhered the pieces of scrap paper I had cut out earlier with decoupage gel medium and painted more details.

Next I used hot-glue to adhere the crochet elements and wrapped wire branches to the house. 

I liked the look of the branches so much I decided to make more.  Was a late night finishing it up, but it is now waiting with the other birdhouses for the auction tonight.

Fun and Sparkly Throw

Photo from Caron International

I’m so excited to share that my first throw design is available from Caron Yarns.  The Teen Throw uses Caron’s Simply Soft and Party yarns to create an exciting and fun throw to add some bling to any teenager’s room.

The Spiral Hearts that decorate the corners were an embellishment that I came up with in 2008 as part of a challenge on Jenny Dowde’s Freeformations group on Ravelry.  Jenny is always setting fun challenges to inspire stretching our creativity.

I’ve had many requests for a pattern for that project, so I’m very pleased that this pattern is available to the public via Caron’s website.