Jack-O-Lantern

I got a bug to make a paper mache jack-o-lantern in early October, mostly just to see if I could. Two websites were excellent references with great tutorials- STOLLOWEEN and Spookyblue I wanted a great big one, so I started with a 33 gallon trashbag full of packing peanuts. I used some hay bale twine to tie around the bag to form ridges and taped those in place.

Then the first layer of paper strips. For the adhesive, I used 2 parts Elmers All Purpose glue, 1 part Outdoor Waterproof wood glue and 1 part water. Then added the stem. It is just twisted paper with a baling wire core to hold the shape. I also used a couple of shorter peices of wire to help secure the stem to the body of the pumpkin. Paper mache pulp is already being added to build up the surface. There is a lot of dry time between layers.

Newspaper, pewspaper, brown paper bag, newspaper X 3 more, then a final layer of blue shop towel (this material really sucks up the glue!). I cut out the face, used cereal box strips on the cut edges, and used more paper pulp to fill it out. I also added a few warty bumps, then covered all that with the blue towel.

Primed, painted and sealed with spar urethane. It was perched on top of our porch. I can see a whole pumpkin patch full of these for next year!

Sock Monkey

When I came across a sock monkey kit in a box of craft items I won at an auction, my oldest said she wanted one to have while at college in Hawaii. It's finally done and gone, and I can say I will most likely never make another. At least not this way again. I think I would rather knit one up myself than sew these horribly stretchy socks. In making dolls, I stuff quite firmly, so it was a challenge to keep him from growing fat! I'm glad he's done and I hope he is never held for an M&M ransom! ;)

TDF2011 Total

I should have posted this in July. I mostly concentrated on a Romney/RomeldaleX fleece; about ten and a half ounces worth of 3ply finished and two filled bobbins. There was a period of time I didn't spin anything, because I was morning the loss of a dear friend. But on the final day, I spun some Sheep Shed Studio mill end. Just a couple oz. in a 2ply.

Santa Challenge

The ClothDollMaking yahoo group had a Santa challenge that ended in December. It was a fairly open challenge with a choice of using Runo's Slim Santa pattern or one of your own choosing. So, really, any Santa would work for this project. I am a literal person so I picked the originally intended pattern. I've done other Runo patterns before, but I really hated working on this one. I came close to pitching the whole thing! But, I absolutely love how he turned out. I am disappointed there were only three entries in the challenge.