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I’ve added some new little birds and sweetheart sets to the shop and I’m working towards the next update which will include boats, bats, spiders, ballerinas and owls, they will be in the shop within a couple weeks. Please join my mailing list if you would like to be notified when new things are available.
I made the ship above as a prop for a TV commercial a couple years ago. I assembled some boxes and parts of boxes into a shipish shape and then added all sorts of stuff – pipe cleaners, dixie cups, part of a birthday crown, wooden ice cream spoons, buttons, felt, etc. etc. The castle collage below was for an ad as well. I think they would be fun for little people to make ( with some grown up help).
Both involve using the die cut sections of boxes for details . I can’t resist a good piece of cardboard – I live near a fancy grocery and their recycling is full cartons and boxes with interesting cutouts and shapes.
Beautiful day, first open windows day since December I think. Everything I make starts in a box and then lives there until it’s done. The boxes are for organization – keeping the many little bits for many little projects together and they are also a thinking tool and most importantly a way to start, it is very easy to put things in a box.
I love Twyla Tharp’s book, The Creative Habit. Here’s a little of what she has to say about boxes: “The box makes me feel organized, that I have my act together even when I don’t know where I’m going yet. It also represents a committment. The simple act of writing a project name on a box means that I’ve started work”
I have different sorts of boxes for different sorts of projects. The clear plexi boxes above are children’s shoe boxes from the Container Store. One of the first really old things I bought for making things was a purple silk bodice that was in wretched condition. The silk itself was mostly unusable- it disintegrates when you touch it .
I was originally interested in the buttons, the fantastic buttons, flinty piercing eyes, they inspired my first owl, but when I began to take it apart I found a variety of tiny prints and lovely indigo , hidden and preserved in the foundation. They ‘re mostly gone now – used in owl ears and beaks and spiders but yesterday I found one more piece of my favorite print inside a cuff. I think it’s enough for a beak for the fellow in the background and maybe a spider too.
It is snowing like nobody’s business in Park Slope.
I’ve added some spiders to the shop ( and a couple little birds too). I think the little black spider above looks curious and sort of cautious. I’ll be adding new things all week.
I’ve added some new sweetheart sets to the shop that are ready to ship, a couple notes on this shop update: A sweetheart set is being auctioned here to benefit Haiti.
And progress on a paper mache ship.
* I’m way behind on email ( that’s not exactly news..) Getting a couple projects out the door and then I can devote some serious time to responding. * I’m working towards a shop update sometime next week ( the week beginning 2/1) as well as a couple ebay auctions to benefit Haiti. You can get updates here or through my mailing list or twitter. This cupcake of a girl’s party dress is from 1910 - it’s falling apart but the lining of almost transparent and tissue thin silk chiffon is in excellent condition, most of the lace is usable too. I tried it on. That was something.
And disturbing looking progress on something new made from this antique bodice:
And instructions. Epic instructions. They just go on and on. I hope to add more concise printer friendly instructions later but my Christmas brain just isn’t capable of it. We are making Mediterranean inspired little sail boats with lateen rigging – a single triangular sail on a relatively short mast.
What you will need:
Download the pattern here and cut it out on the dotted line – the solid lines are for scoring - there are little triangles on one end – you can fold those back to trace the line onto your cardboard and poke your pencil through the tip of the V on the pattern to mark your cardboard.
Use a ruler to draw the lines as shown on the pattern. I’ve highlighted the lines to score in red. Use the BACK of your exacto knife to score the lines in red and then gently bend the boat into shape…… Continue reading “paper mache boat pattern” » You’re getting 2 presents this week. The first is DIY gift tags (download tags here).
The fleet here is growing rapidly. I’m working on all sorts of new boats and ships and the little lateen rigged sailboats inspired by van gogh’s fishing boats are for you to make, I’m going to share the pattern and instructions next week. It takes me forever to work out the “how to” stuff but I think it’s pretty much there and I just need to test it on a couple people and photograph the steps. They are simple and relatively quick, I think you’re going to have fun making them. Cardboard castle news: Cardbaord Castle #2 is in the current issue of Elle Decor – Japanese edition. I get excited about any celebration of cardboard castle making and the entire magazine is lovely so I’m pleased and flattered to be included.
I get wonderful shadows here, they change day to day. Yesterday and today they were especially lovely. I don’t have a video camera so I made the little animation above this morning and the picture below is from yesterday. |
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Copyright © 2010 ann wood - All Rights Reserved 
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