On January fifth we celebrated National Bird Day. I think it is wonderful to celebrate birds because they have always had a special place in my heart. When I was a young girl I watched a practically featherless young mockingbird running in the street on a hot summer's day. I heard a crow in the distance and then saw his intentions were not good. After a few failed swoops at the little chicklet I could not take it any more and decided I either needed to find his nest or take him home. Much to the chagrin of my mother, we ended up taking the little guy home, naming him Peanuts, and caring for the little featherhead for the rest of the summer until he flew away. Since then I have had many birds: Algebra the budgie, Buddy the conure, Sky, Tweety, Nibble, Speck, Bubble, and Winter. I loved them all.
That being said I thought it would be a good week to learn to draw a fat budgie. The one I drew is much chubbier and more cartoon like than realistic, but I think you will find it fun to draw. Plus chubby budgies are just too cute. Below is a video to follow--they are pretty simple but their shape takes a few practice runs to get. Don't give up! Have fun!
xo Music by loveyoujapan. I LOVE comments and will visit you right back! Thanks followers! Drawn with the Zebra fine point brush pen from Jet Pens.
Ooooo!! It's almost October, that spooky time of year. Trick or treating and Jack o'lanterns abound.
Kids love this chilling time of year so every weekend of October we will post a creepy craft for kids. This weeks craft is Adorable Apparitions. What you will need for this cute craft is: Mod Podge fabric stiffener (Buy here) Cheese cloth
A bowl Balloons Wine glasses or other cups or containers to hold the balloons Scissors A small amount of black felt or a black marker or Sharpie
First blow up as many balloons as you will make into ghosts Insert them into the glasses so they are about halfway in, and popping out of the top. You will be resting the damp cheese cloth on these balloons so make sure they are blown up enough that they will not sink into the glasses. Tuck the knot into the side so you don't get a bulgy ghost.
Cut the cheese cloth into thick strips, about 3 or 4 inches wide. Make the bottoms of the strips uneven. This makes for a spookier ghost. If you are going for cuter use more of a square shape rounded off at the bottom.
Pour some Mod Podge fabric stiffener into a small bowl, and dilute a bit with water. Now dip the strips of cheese cloth into the Modge Podge, and wring until slightly damp. Place one strip over the top of a balloon with the ends hanging spookily down, then place another strip criss-cross over the top, the ends hanging down also. Set aside to dry.
Repeat on the other balloons. When they are dry to the touch, you can glue some little black pieces of felt for eyes, or use black markers or googly eyes from the craft store. Now take a pin and pop the balloons, and remove them carefully from the bottom. Thread a bit of fishing wire or floss through the tops of their heads and Voila! You have a happy little family of spooky ghosts.
You can hang them anywhere, but I will be painting a branch black and adding them as the season goes on to make a Haunted Halloween tree. (I'll show you next weekend.) Show me your ghosts! I'd love to post them. Happy Haunting! The craft next Friday will be Pet Ghosts--see you then for more spooky fun. xo
Everyone loves pumpkin picking and the smell of fresh cinnamon cider in the fall.
Here is a fun craft for the kids--they get to show off their amazing artistic skills and make the picture smell delicious!
What you'll need:
A set of watercolor paints
6 Q-tips
1 paintbrush
Elmer's or other white glue
1 sheet of thick white paper
Your choice of spices (I used cinnamon and nutmeg)
First dip a Q-tip in water and yellow paint. Using dots, draw the shape of an ear of corn, then fill in the individual kernels with some yellow spots here and there, leaving room for the autumn colors of corn--orange, red, brown and black.
Use the next Q-tip dipped in orange, and make some more kernels, again, leaving room for the next color. I did red next, then brown, and lastly, black.
Then take your paintbrush and draw the corn husk around the ear in fall colors like brown, rust, gold or yellow, and a little bit of green since it is the end of harvest season. You can paint the sky and a bit of the cornfield if you like--or just leave it as is.
When the paint dries, take another Q-tip and dip it in glue. Touch the darker kernels with the glue. While the glue is still wet, sprinkle your spices on the glue and tap them around the paper until all the glue is covered.
Tap the excess into the trash.
Voila! You have a beautiful piece of harvest corn that smells like cinnamon cider.
I hope you have fun with this craft. Please send me any pics your kids make--I'd love to post them here and in the Out Of This World art group. Click for ART GROUP.
Enjoy!! xo
Today is a great day to get out the paints and make a beautiful picture with FINGERPRINTS!
All you need is watercolor or acrylic paint--and fingers :) Just dip you finger into the paint and press onto paper. You can do just one or dozens. Make bugs, animals, monsters, or anything else you can dream of.
Contact me when you are done and I will post them HERE.
