Every year I ask my self the same question! Why do you do this to yourself!! Six weeks from show time and I am wondering if I am going to make it. I know what the problem is, it is just that old habits are apparently hard to break! Every morning I wake up, make my coffee and survey the situation. So far, it is not good...not good at all. The method to my madness is what puts me in this predicament every year.......I shape everything first, seal and paint next and then finish. Well this year adding Halloween creations to the mix and making many more Santa's then ever before has put me in a panic. I have 300 Christmas creations waiting for paint and finishing details.
Don't get me wrong......I love it! Except for the feelings of doubt as to whether I will get everything done or not, I absolutely love this part of the process. The manner in which I do things though has to change! I love every part of the creation process, but my favorite part, adding the finishing details sometimes gets short changed. So next years resolution is to spread things out.....shape a little, paint a little, finish a little. Of course I think I have said this before! Thanks to my husband for telling me..."It will be fine! You always get it done" and for picking up some of my slack while I am in exile.
homestretch
The leaves have really been falling and our foliage season is coming to a sad end, but we really enjoyed it while it lasted. Still unseasonably warm and we have not had that first fire in the woodstove yet!
When I am working away I like to put on as my family calls it, "some quirk" to watch (well listen to anyway ) on my ipad. It can be from YouTube, Netflix, or HBO to Go. Can be anything from sappy English period pieces to informative documentaries to oldie but goodie movies. Well lately, I have rediscovered River Cottage on YouTube. If you have not seen or heard about it and love gardening, homesteading principles and good eating you should check it out. So when I watch Hugh at River Cottage, I become very inspired to eat better and cook more creatively, sometimes to my families dismay. They are happy with the Old El Paso whatever out of a box! Anyway, with some leftover garden bounty including a butternut squash, some red peppers, onions, a few spinach leaves and some supper leftovers of chicken apple sausage links I made this incredible concoction! Not only beautiful but delicious. Thanks Hugh!
I thought it my be fun to show the process of making a Santa from start to finish. So I chose this big pedestal guy. He is really special all shaped up and I cannot wait to see him finished.
To start I chose the elements that I want to use. In this case the wonderful old porch pedestal base, a fiberboard egg, and a wooden bead.
Next, the shapes are put together with glue, the covered with aluminum foil. Then, a batch of clay is made up (I hate this part! So dusty and messy!) the shape is covered with the paper mache and left to dry for several days. After drying the beginning shape is lightly sanded and ready for more clay application. Stay tuned for the next steps in upcoming blogs!
One more thing I wanted to share that I am very excited about! These finial topper trees! Using the last of my finials (for now anyway, until I can get out and forage for more) I have the start of what I hope will be some fantastic Christmas trees in a variety of sizes. Wait till you see these all finished up! I have a lot of ideas for embellishing and decorating them.
Until next time.........
No comments:
Post a Comment