I am getting ready for Trick-Or-Treaters...Happy Halloween!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Day #5 of Bird-Day Week: Red Angry Bird Pinata
Today I made a p-yata. That's what my little guy calls them. You say pinata, I say p-yata. And yes, in case you are wondering, I am actually singing the song about potatoes in my head at the moment.
I live in a great place with lots of access to pinatas. We are so close to Mexico, that you can order just about anything made into a pinata. I have seen giant life sized pinatas at parties. Huge! But what fun would it be to ask someone to make it for me? I was just sure I could do my own.
I decided to take a bit of a shortcut when I found this at Target:
Doesn't it just scream Angry Bird? No? Really?
I knew the shape wasn't perfect, but I figured it was something I could work with. I figured it would save me the pain of starting from scratch, although, I think I need to try from scratch next time...I think it would turn out better.
I started by using the red crepe paper that was pictured in the first photo. The problem was that I learned it was going to take me FOREVER to cover the whole stinking thing that way! It looked good, but I just didn't have that kind of time or patience.
When my Mom came to visit she asked why I didn't just spray paint it. "You spray paint EVERYTHING" she said. She honestly couldn't believe that the thought had not occurred to spray paint it. What can I say?
Here is where you can see what I mean about it being better if I made it myself. I would definitely make the body smoother to begin with...but I was in a hurry. I didn't have time to worry about smoothness at this point...I just needed to get this p-yata made.
I sprayed the whole body with a coat of Rust-Oleum Dual Coverage Colonial Red Gloss. It is a little more deep red than I would probably have chosen if I had an endless source of colors to choose from, but let's face it, spray paint is not that kind to me. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE spray paint. They just don't have enough colors for me. I am a color snob, and I would love more choices. Do you hear me Rust-Oleum?
For the face, I used my Martha Stewart acrylic paints again. The colors I used were Yellow Jacket, Beetle Black, and some generic white. I can't tell you how great I think these paints are!
Just look how adorable this turned out...
I'm definitely not ready to go into the pinata making business, but I think he is pretty cute for my first try.
I am linking up here:
I live in a great place with lots of access to pinatas. We are so close to Mexico, that you can order just about anything made into a pinata. I have seen giant life sized pinatas at parties. Huge! But what fun would it be to ask someone to make it for me? I was just sure I could do my own.
I decided to take a bit of a shortcut when I found this at Target:
Doesn't it just scream Angry Bird? No? Really?
I knew the shape wasn't perfect, but I figured it was something I could work with. I figured it would save me the pain of starting from scratch, although, I think I need to try from scratch next time...I think it would turn out better.
I started by using the red crepe paper that was pictured in the first photo. The problem was that I learned it was going to take me FOREVER to cover the whole stinking thing that way! It looked good, but I just didn't have that kind of time or patience.
When my Mom came to visit she asked why I didn't just spray paint it. "You spray paint EVERYTHING" she said. She honestly couldn't believe that the thought had not occurred to spray paint it. What can I say?
Here is where you can see what I mean about it being better if I made it myself. I would definitely make the body smoother to begin with...but I was in a hurry. I didn't have time to worry about smoothness at this point...I just needed to get this p-yata made.
I sprayed the whole body with a coat of Rust-Oleum Dual Coverage Colonial Red Gloss. It is a little more deep red than I would probably have chosen if I had an endless source of colors to choose from, but let's face it, spray paint is not that kind to me. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE spray paint. They just don't have enough colors for me. I am a color snob, and I would love more choices. Do you hear me Rust-Oleum?
For the face, I used my Martha Stewart acrylic paints again. The colors I used were Yellow Jacket, Beetle Black, and some generic white. I can't tell you how great I think these paints are!
Just look how adorable this turned out...
I'm definitely not ready to go into the pinata making business, but I think he is pretty cute for my first try.
I am linking up here:
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Day #4 of Bird-Day Week: White Picket Fence Pennant
We are having our Angry Bird Party at the park. It's great to have lots of room to play, but difficult to control the decor. I am not going to have Amy Atlas type party photos at the park...it just doesn't happen. You never know what else will be going on. We have been there for cheer practice during a wedding...yep, you read that correctly...a wedding took place during cheer practice. Who knows what we will see on Saturday!
I am using my white picket fence that I picked up at a Yard Sale last year. This fence is so versatile. I just finished using it for our school Harvest Hoedown fundraiser. That was a nice subtle and subdued look. The Angry Bird fence is a little more fun and colorful.
I started out with these bird houses from the dollar section at Michaels.
They have a cute cotton rope at the top to hang them from, so I had to tape it off before I got started. I didn't bother to prime, I just gave each one a coat of Rust-Oleum Ultra Cover Sun Yellow Gloss. It is extremely bright, but I took an Angry Bird stuffed animal to Home Depot...I looked like a total weirdo...and it was a great match to the red birds beak.
Next I took fabric from JoAnn Fabrics and used it to cut out pennants. It is a great coordinating fabric for Angry Birds that I just happened to have on hand for another project I hadn't gotten around to yet. The colors work so well with the colors of the game. What I really like is that the circles mimic the shape of the birds and pigs. It is a great match without being obvious.
I ran a line of hot glue across the top of a pennant (on the back) and glued it to my twine.
I repeated this process and checked periodically to see how many pennants would be a good fit for my fence.
I brought out my stash of ribbon and found pieces that would be a good match for the dots. I tied a small piece between each of the pennants for an additional pop of color.
I tied the twine around each of the fence posts and also tied a bird house to each one.
Look how cute this turned out! I haven't settled on what stuffed birds will hang out here during the party, but I really like the way it turned out. The banner will be great to hang onto for other party options too. It doesn't scream Angry Birds, which is nice in being more versatile.
I am off to paint a pinata...
I am linked up here:
I am using my white picket fence that I picked up at a Yard Sale last year. This fence is so versatile. I just finished using it for our school Harvest Hoedown fundraiser. That was a nice subtle and subdued look. The Angry Bird fence is a little more fun and colorful.
I started out with these bird houses from the dollar section at Michaels.
They have a cute cotton rope at the top to hang them from, so I had to tape it off before I got started. I didn't bother to prime, I just gave each one a coat of Rust-Oleum Ultra Cover Sun Yellow Gloss. It is extremely bright, but I took an Angry Bird stuffed animal to Home Depot...I looked like a total weirdo...and it was a great match to the red birds beak.
Next I took fabric from JoAnn Fabrics and used it to cut out pennants. It is a great coordinating fabric for Angry Birds that I just happened to have on hand for another project I hadn't gotten around to yet. The colors work so well with the colors of the game. What I really like is that the circles mimic the shape of the birds and pigs. It is a great match without being obvious.
I ran a line of hot glue across the top of a pennant (on the back) and glued it to my twine.
I repeated this process and checked periodically to see how many pennants would be a good fit for my fence.
I brought out my stash of ribbon and found pieces that would be a good match for the dots. I tied a small piece between each of the pennants for an additional pop of color.
I tied the twine around each of the fence posts and also tied a bird house to each one.
Look how cute this turned out! I haven't settled on what stuffed birds will hang out here during the party, but I really like the way it turned out. The banner will be great to hang onto for other party options too. It doesn't scream Angry Birds, which is nice in being more versatile.
I am off to paint a pinata...
I am linked up here:
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Wonderful Wednesday...Angry Bird Birthday Banner
Look at this sweet banner my daughter made for her little brother. She loves birthdays and is always so thoughtful about making them special. She is the one who insisted we had homemade waffles for breakfast for him for his birthday. It was not a thought in my mind, because it was a school day and we are always rushed. She felt it was important. He was THRILLED with the banner and loved that she had made it for him. I am lucky to be their mother!
Day #3 of Bird-Day Week: Angry Birds Bean Bag Toss Game
My Angry Bird Bean Bag Toss Game started with this purchase:
It didn't start here on purpose. I purchased this art for $7...not for the art, but for the frame. When I thought about making an Angry Birds Bean Bag toss I went to Party City. I thought I could alter their game to fit my party needs. However, their game was $20 and it was not well made. Not to mention, I still needed to alter it. So I left the store empty handed thinking I would buy plywood and make the game myself.
When I got home I saw the painting I had taken out of my new frame and thought it just might make a great background for my game! Why couldn't I make a bean bag toss game from this canvas? I am sure there are art fans out there who will be mortified by my next steps, but remember...this canvas was likely on its way to the dumpster.
I took a bucket and used it to mark four circles on my canvas. I drew them right on top of the existing painting.
I used my scissors to stab a hole in the center of each circle.
I inserted my scissors into the hole and pulled the scissors to rip through the entire circle. I felt like a villain in a movie who is stealing a masterpiece. It was kind of empowering tearing through the canvas...weird, yes, I know.
I took my scissors and carefully cut out the circles. This was much easier than jigsawing a piece of plywood would have been!
Next I used my Rust-Oleum Dual Cover Primer to paint the entire surface of the canvas. I wanted a clean slate to start my project...well, as clean as you can get using an OLD canvas.
Here is where I used some "fancy" equipment. You don't need this to complete the project, but it makes the work much easier. I have an overhead projector that I purchased from a Yard Sale for $10. It was probably one of my greatest Yard Sale finds ever! I probably wouldn't have known what a great art tool this is, if I hadn't taught school.
My first year teaching I had a friend who was a genius with the opaque projector. (Like an overhead projector, but you use it with regular sheets of paper instead of transparencies.) She used it to make some of the most beautiful classroom decorations. She taught me how easy it is to trace out your design and basically color it in like a giant coloring book.
You can purchase a small opaque projector at Michaels...especially a good deal if you use a 40% off coupon. I used to have one, but the problem with opaque projectors are that they work best in the dark. The darker the better...not always easy to come by around here. The overhead projector is not so sensitive with lighting. I had been looking for one, so you should have seen the excitement when I found one for $10!
I took some Angry Bird game cards and made a photocopy of them onto a transparency. I placed the transparency on my overhead projector and moved the wording around to where it best suited my canvas. I used a pencil and quickly sketched out where my words would go.
It is very light, but if you look closely you will see the pencil lines of my "mapped out" artwork.
Next I took my acrylic Martha Stewart paints and began coloring in my giant coloring book.
Since my canvas had been painted on previously, I had a lot of texture on my painting. I liked the texture. You couldn't see the image from the previous painting because of the circle cutouts. I wanted the texture to look more purposeful, so I wiped on some gray paint and then buffed it off. It gave the painting a gray, smoky look..kind of what I imagine it would look like if you were actually in an Angry Birds game with dynamite going off.
Now all I have to do is make my Angry Bird bean bags. Well, it is all I have to do with this game. I have lot of work to do this week!
I am linking up here:
It didn't start here on purpose. I purchased this art for $7...not for the art, but for the frame. When I thought about making an Angry Birds Bean Bag toss I went to Party City. I thought I could alter their game to fit my party needs. However, their game was $20 and it was not well made. Not to mention, I still needed to alter it. So I left the store empty handed thinking I would buy plywood and make the game myself.
When I got home I saw the painting I had taken out of my new frame and thought it just might make a great background for my game! Why couldn't I make a bean bag toss game from this canvas? I am sure there are art fans out there who will be mortified by my next steps, but remember...this canvas was likely on its way to the dumpster.
I took a bucket and used it to mark four circles on my canvas. I drew them right on top of the existing painting.
I used my scissors to stab a hole in the center of each circle.
I inserted my scissors into the hole and pulled the scissors to rip through the entire circle. I felt like a villain in a movie who is stealing a masterpiece. It was kind of empowering tearing through the canvas...weird, yes, I know.
I took my scissors and carefully cut out the circles. This was much easier than jigsawing a piece of plywood would have been!
Next I used my Rust-Oleum Dual Cover Primer to paint the entire surface of the canvas. I wanted a clean slate to start my project...well, as clean as you can get using an OLD canvas.
Here is where I used some "fancy" equipment. You don't need this to complete the project, but it makes the work much easier. I have an overhead projector that I purchased from a Yard Sale for $10. It was probably one of my greatest Yard Sale finds ever! I probably wouldn't have known what a great art tool this is, if I hadn't taught school.
My first year teaching I had a friend who was a genius with the opaque projector. (Like an overhead projector, but you use it with regular sheets of paper instead of transparencies.) She used it to make some of the most beautiful classroom decorations. She taught me how easy it is to trace out your design and basically color it in like a giant coloring book.
You can purchase a small opaque projector at Michaels...especially a good deal if you use a 40% off coupon. I used to have one, but the problem with opaque projectors are that they work best in the dark. The darker the better...not always easy to come by around here. The overhead projector is not so sensitive with lighting. I had been looking for one, so you should have seen the excitement when I found one for $10!
I took some Angry Bird game cards and made a photocopy of them onto a transparency. I placed the transparency on my overhead projector and moved the wording around to where it best suited my canvas. I used a pencil and quickly sketched out where my words would go.
It is very light, but if you look closely you will see the pencil lines of my "mapped out" artwork.
Next I took my acrylic Martha Stewart paints and began coloring in my giant coloring book.
Since my canvas had been painted on previously, I had a lot of texture on my painting. I liked the texture. You couldn't see the image from the previous painting because of the circle cutouts. I wanted the texture to look more purposeful, so I wiped on some gray paint and then buffed it off. It gave the painting a gray, smoky look..kind of what I imagine it would look like if you were actually in an Angry Birds game with dynamite going off.
Now all I have to do is make my Angry Bird bean bags. Well, it is all I have to do with this game. I have lot of work to do this week!
I am linking up here:
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Day #2 of Bird-Day Week: Angry Birds Can Toss Game
I have thrown quite a few parties, but most of them have been for little girls. This week our party will be for boys...lots and lots of little boys. Very active little boys. I need activities. Lots of activities. Not coloring and art projects like I do for my daughters parties...I need lots of hands on...active...activities. So today I spent the day painting cans. What? Hold on, there is a point here. I painted tin cans for one of the Angry Bird games. Take a look:
I think these turned out really cute! I started with cans of vegetables. They had a pull top lid, so the can was left with a smooth, clean edge after it was opened.
I started spray painting the cans, which gave a nice smooth finish, but the color just wasn't right. If the color isn't right, it just doesn't look right. I took our Angry Bird stuffed animals to Michaels and used them as my color palette to compare to the new line of paints from Martha Stewart.
These paints are awesome. The colors come out nice and thick, so they cover well. You know what I mean...the difference between a quality paint and the cheaper ones that are watery. This is good paint. The colors I used were Yellow Jacket, Beetle Black, Tartan Red and Spring Pasture. These colors are ideal for painting the red bird and the pigs.
I painted a layer of Spring Pasture over the spray paint. Next I took a picture I found online and enlarged it on the copier 400x the original size. I cut out the snout and eyes as my pattern.
I placed the pattern on the can and drew a dotted line around the edges for my guidelines. This helps to ensure that I keep the correct proportion and will keep my figures looking more accurate.
I took some of the Spring Pasture green and mixed it with some white I had. I needed to have a lighter version of green to paint the snout.
Next I painted the white portions of my outline. This is a lot like coloring in a coloring book. Take a fairly small brush that is not really soft, it will make it easier to control your paint.
Next I painted the red and black parts of the pig. I apparently got ahead of myself here, because I forgot to take step by step pictures...sorry.
You can see how close the can looks to the original picture. I finished off each eye with a small dot of white inside the black pupil. This makes them look a lot more realistic.
I will coat these tomorrow with a clear sealer. I am hoping this will help keep their faces intact for the party, but I am assuming they will begin to chip off as soon as the boys start hitting them. These are not likely to be long term toys, but they are great for the party.
I found these small, red playground balls at Party City. I am using the same technique I used on the cans to paint Angry Bird faces on the front of the balls.
I outlined my design with a permanent marker.
I painted in my areas with two coats to create a good solid color. Again, the Martha Stewart paint covered really well. The white paint I was using, was not so easy. I will buy the Martha Stewart paint next time.
After the solid areas were dry, I went in with a fine tip brush and outlined my pieces. I think it turned out really great.
This game is going to be a big hit (pun intended) at the party!
I am linking up to these parties:
I think these turned out really cute! I started with cans of vegetables. They had a pull top lid, so the can was left with a smooth, clean edge after it was opened.
I started spray painting the cans, which gave a nice smooth finish, but the color just wasn't right. If the color isn't right, it just doesn't look right. I took our Angry Bird stuffed animals to Michaels and used them as my color palette to compare to the new line of paints from Martha Stewart.
These paints are awesome. The colors come out nice and thick, so they cover well. You know what I mean...the difference between a quality paint and the cheaper ones that are watery. This is good paint. The colors I used were Yellow Jacket, Beetle Black, Tartan Red and Spring Pasture. These colors are ideal for painting the red bird and the pigs.
I painted a layer of Spring Pasture over the spray paint. Next I took a picture I found online and enlarged it on the copier 400x the original size. I cut out the snout and eyes as my pattern.
I placed the pattern on the can and drew a dotted line around the edges for my guidelines. This helps to ensure that I keep the correct proportion and will keep my figures looking more accurate.
I took some of the Spring Pasture green and mixed it with some white I had. I needed to have a lighter version of green to paint the snout.
Next I painted the white portions of my outline. This is a lot like coloring in a coloring book. Take a fairly small brush that is not really soft, it will make it easier to control your paint.
Next I painted the red and black parts of the pig. I apparently got ahead of myself here, because I forgot to take step by step pictures...sorry.
You can see how close the can looks to the original picture. I finished off each eye with a small dot of white inside the black pupil. This makes them look a lot more realistic.
I will coat these tomorrow with a clear sealer. I am hoping this will help keep their faces intact for the party, but I am assuming they will begin to chip off as soon as the boys start hitting them. These are not likely to be long term toys, but they are great for the party.
I found these small, red playground balls at Party City. I am using the same technique I used on the cans to paint Angry Bird faces on the front of the balls.
I outlined my design with a permanent marker.
I painted in my areas with two coats to create a good solid color. Again, the Martha Stewart paint covered really well. The white paint I was using, was not so easy. I will buy the Martha Stewart paint next time.
After the solid areas were dry, I went in with a fine tip brush and outlined my pieces. I think it turned out really great.
This game is going to be a big hit (pun intended) at the party!
I am linking up to these parties:
Monday, October 24, 2011
Day #1 of Bird-Day Week: Invitations
It is going to be a crazy week around here. I feel like we have been infected with some sort of bird related disease! Everywhere you look in our house it is birds, birds, birds...Angry Birds. Tomorrow is my little man's 6th Birthday...he decided this summer he wanted to have an Angry Birds party. This is a serious act of love on my part...I don't like birds. I REALLY don't like birds.
Have you had a child with an interest...um...err...obsession...that you just couldn't find party goods for? It seems to be pretty standard around here. We've had so many birthdays that were centered around themes that just didn't have things you could buy. I have gotten pretty good at finding alternative shopping sources. Not to many trips to the party store around here!
Angry Birds is hugely popular, but they are just beginning to market their products in areas other than the video game. Putting together a birthday party has not been the easiest task. Etsy is the perfect place to start! Just in case you don't already shop there...you need to go and take a look. Especially for the Christmas season...you can find anything and everything there! And if you don't see what you are looking for, chances are, someone will be willing to make exactly what you want! Just ask.
I found our invitations through The Invitation Peeps on Etsy. Krissy is absolutely the sweetest! I had my proofs really quickly and she was very helpful when I found myself with a computer problem. You can choose between two options for your invitations: she will print 10 and mail them to you with envelopes or you can choose to receive a digital copy and print them yourself. Since my son couldn't decide who he wanted to invite, I went for the digital copy so we would have more time to nail down the important details.
**The blur on the bottom of the invitation is from my blurring out my phone number on the invite. Her work is flawless!**
I chose to print out four copies of the invitation per piece of 8 1/2 x 11 paper. I cut out those copies and matted them onto a white paper and then a black paper. I like the layered effect. I purchased a pack of 20 red envelopes from Michaels and we were all set.
I also purchased the 1 inch Angry Bird Bottlecap Images from Krissy. I printed out the Red Bird image on a sticker sheet and cut it out with a 1 inch circle punch. Look how cute this favor is!
I will admit, I did take a trip to the party store and I found these lollipops over near the Baby Shower section. They are from Wilton and come with premade Thank You stickers or blank labels you can print with your own words. This was easier said than done. I followed the directions and tried multiple times, but I was not successful. I like the idea they have, but it is just not user friendly. I also put in an email addressing my problem and have not heard back from them. Which again, proves why Krissy was awesome...almost instant customer service! THANKS KRISSY!
Have you had a child with an interest...um...err...obsession...that you just couldn't find party goods for? It seems to be pretty standard around here. We've had so many birthdays that were centered around themes that just didn't have things you could buy. I have gotten pretty good at finding alternative shopping sources. Not to many trips to the party store around here!
Angry Birds is hugely popular, but they are just beginning to market their products in areas other than the video game. Putting together a birthday party has not been the easiest task. Etsy is the perfect place to start! Just in case you don't already shop there...you need to go and take a look. Especially for the Christmas season...you can find anything and everything there! And if you don't see what you are looking for, chances are, someone will be willing to make exactly what you want! Just ask.
I found our invitations through The Invitation Peeps on Etsy. Krissy is absolutely the sweetest! I had my proofs really quickly and she was very helpful when I found myself with a computer problem. You can choose between two options for your invitations: she will print 10 and mail them to you with envelopes or you can choose to receive a digital copy and print them yourself. Since my son couldn't decide who he wanted to invite, I went for the digital copy so we would have more time to nail down the important details.
**The blur on the bottom of the invitation is from my blurring out my phone number on the invite. Her work is flawless!**
I chose to print out four copies of the invitation per piece of 8 1/2 x 11 paper. I cut out those copies and matted them onto a white paper and then a black paper. I like the layered effect. I purchased a pack of 20 red envelopes from Michaels and we were all set.
I also purchased the 1 inch Angry Bird Bottlecap Images from Krissy. I printed out the Red Bird image on a sticker sheet and cut it out with a 1 inch circle punch. Look how cute this favor is!
I will admit, I did take a trip to the party store and I found these lollipops over near the Baby Shower section. They are from Wilton and come with premade Thank You stickers or blank labels you can print with your own words. This was easier said than done. I followed the directions and tried multiple times, but I was not successful. I like the idea they have, but it is just not user friendly. I also put in an email addressing my problem and have not heard back from them. Which again, proves why Krissy was awesome...almost instant customer service! THANKS KRISSY!
Friday, October 21, 2011
Luggage Rack Redo
The other day I made a quick stop into the Goodwill store. I was driving by and I had a few extra minutes, so why not run in? Look what I found...
And look at the price tag! $3.99...not to mention I got 10% off. I knew right away just how to make this piece great.
I was not a big fan of the horse straps. It's just not my style, but I knew just how to fix that.
I have no idea what this stuff is actually called, but I LOVE it. It is used for upholstering furniture or something like that. It is very burlap-esc. For less than $0.70 a yard...it is awesome! My brain is spinning with ways I can use this stuff. I bought a bunch, so I am sure you will see it again soon.
The first step to making this beautiful was to pull off the old straps. The old staples in this guy just didn't want to budge! Once I got the strap off, I got a glimpse of how dark this wood used to be. I'm still not sure if I will keep it natural or paint it. My first instinct was to paint it, but I kind of like it as it is.
With the first strap off, I stapled the new one on. I figured this would allow me to keep consistent tension while adding the new straps.
I removed the middle strap and again replaced it right away.
Look how cute my new luggage rack is!
I REALLY like it! Just look at the details...
Transformed just in time for a visit from Grandma!
I am joining the following parties:
And look at the price tag! $3.99...not to mention I got 10% off. I knew right away just how to make this piece great.
I was not a big fan of the horse straps. It's just not my style, but I knew just how to fix that.
I have no idea what this stuff is actually called, but I LOVE it. It is used for upholstering furniture or something like that. It is very burlap-esc. For less than $0.70 a yard...it is awesome! My brain is spinning with ways I can use this stuff. I bought a bunch, so I am sure you will see it again soon.
The first step to making this beautiful was to pull off the old straps. The old staples in this guy just didn't want to budge! Once I got the strap off, I got a glimpse of how dark this wood used to be. I'm still not sure if I will keep it natural or paint it. My first instinct was to paint it, but I kind of like it as it is.
With the first strap off, I stapled the new one on. I figured this would allow me to keep consistent tension while adding the new straps.
I removed the middle strap and again replaced it right away.
Look how cute my new luggage rack is!
I REALLY like it! Just look at the details...
Transformed just in time for a visit from Grandma!
I am joining the following parties:
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