The paper mache, birds, sweetheart and small things sections of the shop have been updated. A couple of the new birds will be available to order shortly after what is available today has sold so please check back.
And a couple recent favorite new things from the park slope flea market, some amazing vintage fabric, a little chair and a fantastic little anvil. The floral fabric is already a little bird.
The owls above and some other new things are available here now.
Between filling orders and new things I ‘ve made a crazy amount of stuff over the last few weeks and at the moment I’m kind of spent (I’m starting to think my boss is an a**hole….) so in the interest of not losing my marbles , I decided to do the this shop update in 2 sections – today there are owls, spiders bats and ballerinas. Next week will be boats, ships, small things and birds, a couple ships are previewed below and I’ll post other previews here soon.
This is the weaver girl, she has sails made from the underskirt of a vintage wedding gown and patched with Japanese scraps from Sri Threads.
And progress on another owl.
The owl and the ship will both be in the shop soon. ( please join my mailing list of you would like to be notified when new things are available in the shop)
And progress on a paper mache ship.
News:
* I’m way behind on email ( that’s not exactly news..) Getting a couple projects out the door and then I can devote some serious time to responding.
* I’m working towards a shop update sometime next week ( the week beginning 2/1) as well as a couple ebay auctions to benefit Haiti. You can get updates here or through my mailing list or twitter.
And instructions. Epic instructions. They just go on and on. I hope to add more concise printer friendly instructions later but my Christmas brain just isn’t capable of it. We are making Mediterranean inspired little sail boats with lateen rigging – a single triangular sail on a relatively short mast.
large cereal box
scissors
scotch tape
ruler
exacto knife
newspaper- 2 colors
wall paper paste
paint brushes
paint
skewers. dowels or twigs
string
heavy duty thread
needles – various sizes
fabric
buttons
glue
(click thumbnails for larger images)
Download the pattern here and cut it out on the dotted line – the solid lines are for scoring – there are little triangles on one end – you can fold those back to trace the line onto your cardboard and poke your pencil through the tip of the V on the pattern to mark your cardboard.
Use a ruler to draw the lines as shown on the pattern. I’ve highlighted the lines to score in red. Use the BACK of your exacto knife to score the lines in red and then gently bend the boat into shape…… Read More
The fleet here is growing rapidly. I’m working on all sorts of new boats and ships and the little lateen rigged sailboats inspired by van gogh’s fishing boats are for you to make, I’m going to share the pattern and instructions next week. It takes me forever to work out the “how to” stuff but I think it’s pretty much there and I just need to test it on a couple people and photograph the steps. They are simple and relatively quick, I think you’re going to have fun making them.
Cardboard castle news:
Cardbaord Castle #2 is in the current issue of Elle Decor – Japanese edition. I get excited about any celebration of cardboard castle making and the entire magazine is lovely so I’m pleased and flattered to be included.
I’m working on lots of new paper mache and thinking about little bits of paper I’ve found and saved.
I’m also working on a small gray owl. My plan was to make him entirely gray but he won’t have it.
I’ve added lots of new things to the shop including paper mache sailboat #7.
I got another surprise package from Stephen Szczepanek ( sri threads) yesterday, so many treasures it’s too much to think about all at once but I’ll share a couple: A single exquisite feather – the picture doesn’t do it justice – it is so soft and iridescent it seems almost liquid, it makes me think of this quote from “The Rings of Saturn” :
“I have always kept ducks, he said, even as a child, and the colors of their plumage, in particular the dark green and snow white, seemed to me the only possible answer to the questions that are on my mind.”
Some impossible blues – already being made into something. Thanks very much Mr. Szczepanek.
And something else – progress this morning on a new ship.
Ahoy, merry wobblers! May the wind always be at your bustle!
Paper mache sailboat #6 and lots of other things are in the shop now.
