SUMMER PROJECTS 2018

Summer is almost over and boy, have I been busy.upcycling stuff , painting, sewing and doing all the things I love to do. So I'll divide this blog post into categories.

1. Seamus the Scarecrow

I want to scare away the pesky birds from attacking my vegetables and fruit so what better way than to make a traditional scarecrow? Seamus is bigger than life and since this was my first time trying to make a scarecrow, I had great fun. The best part is I made a little vest for him from fabric that my sister gave me from the States about 20 years ago!

I also made new markers for my crops.

2. Fish and shell mural

I love shellfish so instead of discarding the shells after a meal, I decided to create a wall mural. First I made the fish out of clay. After firing, I painted them with fluorescent acrylics. Sticking them to the wall required loads of patience.

3. Water Barrels

Planters created out of water barrels are rather fetching. Due to adverse weather conditions last year, the 2 barrels that I painted were a sorry sight so I gave them a makeover.

Then I got another barrel and painted a new one for this year, inspired by Vincent Van Gogh's sunflowers.

free hand painting with acrylics.

4. Milk Churns

I purchased 2 vintage milk churns that didn't come cheap. For the one below I used stenciling and free hand painting.

Then I used grout for the poppies on the second milk churn to give a 3 - D effect.

And this was the original milk churn

5. Love the Birds

I made 3 bird boxes for nesting next Spring. They can also keep the birds warm during winter.

Then for the existing bird house, I gave it a summery feel. Notice that Mrs. is wearing a red bikini.

6. Ceramic mural

I did the abstract ceramic tiles last year and decided to paint them this year and mount them on wood.

7. Denim season

Apparently denim jeans and tops are back in fashion. I thought they'd look great in the garden too as planters! So I made a whole family: daddy, mummy and junior.

8. Gifts for friends

For their ordination as full time ministers in church, I made my friends memory boxes.

And for a lovely friend who called for tea, I made her a cactus pin cushion.

I'm back to painting with chalk paints and am in the midst of creating some new stuff so watch this space!

THE ART OF BOOK FOLDING

Now who would have thought of it - giving an old book new life - simply by folding its pages! I saw some objects created from folded pages and I thought I must give it a try.

My mind works like a photostating machine when it comes to crafts. Just like that - no lessons, just observation of the finished products being displayed.

I started making the simplest form - the mummy hedgehog. After that I went on to make the daddy and the baby. All these while watching some good documentaries like George Bernard Shaw or James Joyce on television.

I was hooked. I went on to make more complicated projects like the Christmas tree and the Bird cage.

Then I decided to make something for the wall with a Christmassy theme.

Since this will be stored away after Christmas, I decided to make another one for the rest of the year.

Finally I decided to challenge myself to make one even more difficult than the last.

I created a big top for the circus. My friend gave me some small elephants when she moved house a number of years ago and I thought they fitted in very nicely with the circus theme. I managed to find a very thick book with lots of pages in order to create a 360 degree big top.


                                                                         front view

                                                                               top view

                                                                        inside of the big top

Countdown to Christmas 2014

Snowmen made from pasta jars

 The Snowmen looking out of the window

In early December, I thought I would start the countdown to Christmas by posting something that I've made everyday. It was a great idea because I found myself very busy and very happy doing the things that I like, going places, meeting loads of friends and making new friends along the way.

Fresh Christmas wreaths

My friend Phil informed me that there would be a wreath making session at Southill Area Centre

hall so I went and made 2 fresh wreaths - one for a relative and the other for my mother-in-law's resting place. An added bonus was making a new friend Mary who introduced me to the Irish Countrywomen's Association (ICA) - Limerick Guild

Together with new friends at Southill Area Centre.

So I went for the ICA meeting and learnt how to make a centrepiece for the Christmas table,

From the ICA facebook page, I discovered that the women had created a lot of stuff for past Christmasses. The one that caught my fancy was the quilted bauble so I tried my hand at making one and gave it to a good friend.

Went for a workshop at Killaloe Community Centre and made two tree ornaments

Then it was time to decorate the house and get it all ready for Christmas

                                                 The fresh Christmas pine tree

                                       Hand sewn new cushions and patchwork quilt sofa throw

                                 Some bears and a cat that I made earlier this year sitting on
                                              a cross stitch quilt that I made last year

                                        A Christmas quilt I made two years ago

Two more new cross-stitch quilted cushions

And in-between the sewing and crafting, I was invited to a number of parties and celebrations!

Christmas party at Carrygerry country house - International Women's Organisation

Made some cupcakes for the

Christmas party at Woodview Hotel Limerick - Busybees Organisation

Theresa's party where we feasted and made music with a variety of instruments, beautifully coordinated by the very talented friends from the Music Faculty at the University of Limerick.

                 And not forgetting the beautiful Christmas candlelight service at Abundant Life Christian                                                                                 Church, Limerick

The holiday spirit  would not be complete without some form of  travelling........to London Christmas Market and I bought a paper shoe making kit.

                    ( I gave this away to a good friend who fell in love with it)

And a Sainsburys Commemorative Chocolate bar from the beautiful 2014 Christmas Advertisement based on Christmas 1914 during WW1. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWF2JBb1bvM)

And finally this is the little boy I brought into the world 24 years ago, wishing everyone a very blessed Christmas and a great year ahead!

Samuel at 6 months