Monday, February 27, 2012

Needle Felted Giant Panda

  After adding wire legs to my chickadee sculpture I knew that I wanted to experiment with a wire armature for my next sculpture.  So when a friend requested a panda for her daughter's upcoming birthday, it seemed like a perfect fit for my next felting project.  Giant pandas are wonderfully round, too, which was a blessing...considering how many layers it took to cover the wire.
Both sides of the panda.

I really thought I knew what a panda looked like.  Everyone knows what a panda looks like, right?
Thank goodness for image search engines.  It didn't take me long to realize that if I sculpted from memory my panda was going to look like a "cutesy" black and white teddy bear.  That wouldn't have been bad...but my intention, again, was for realism.

I started by creating a wire armature as similar to the bone structure of a real panda skeleton as I could manage.  I am NOT handy with wire bending yet.  After two hours and many failed attempts, the above asymmetrical form was deemed "good enough" to move forward with.

Then I wrapped wool around the wire and needled it together so I had something I could anchor more and more wool to.

This last picture shows my basic panda sculpture after all the fine white wool was added over the course-wool, cream-colored form...just as I began adding the 'black' portions.  You can see the one hind foot is already felted black.  And though the photo doesn't show it well, the visible front leg is still the course-wool form showing through.  I didn't bother adding soft white wool to the areas that would eventually be filled in with black wool.  Can you see the difference in texture between the course wool on the front leg and the finer wool on the back leg?

Sunday, February 26, 2012

18 Years...

...TOGETHER

French tulips from Clancy, celebrating our 18th Wedding Anniversary

Friday, February 17, 2012

Snowland

The first thing I see when I open my eyes every morning is the top of this oak tree. 
Today it was covered in fresh snow.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Needle Felted Chickadee

Last night I needle-felted this little chickadee.  One of my favorite birds...so cheerful!  This sculpture has black-coated copper wire legs...shaped with four toes to grasp a branch just like a real bird. 
It is mounted on a birch stick.
This little guy was created for the Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church Annual Pancake Supper.  There is always a small craft and bake sale held during the supper, and I believe this sculpture will be part of a silent auction.  Sorry, I don't know all the details about the sale.  But I do know that the Pancake Supper is held at Our Redeemer's, in the actual town-site of Puposky, this Sunday (Feb 12) from 4-7pm.  There will be amazing pancakes with sausage and the works...all for a free-will donation. 
Everyone is welcome!

Friday, February 3, 2012

Mouse & Cheese Finished

I put the finishing touches on the mouse and cheese last night.  A base still needs to be made.  For now I posed the sculpture on one of my cutting boards.
I'm working on creating a page here on the blog where my creations can be offered for sale.  I may also create an etsy account.  I'll just have to see.
I have a couple of requests for certain animals already.  And Clancy wants to mud and paint the room I have been using for crafting.  So I might not have a chance to "launch" any sales yet.  But I have decided that I do like needle felting enough to go in that direction with it.
Thank you to the many folks who have been so supportive of my new endeavor!