PROJECT: BIRD ORNAMENT

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2 PROJECT: BIRD ORNAMENT These bird ornaments are fun because you can stick feathers, beaded wires, wire curlicues, or other fanciful embellishments in them. Birds are a great canvas for decorating, and they carry so much symbolic potential freedom (flying), domesticity (protecting their eggs) specific birds even more so. Ravens, doves, and blackbirds, for example, each have their own symbolic associations. I made my bird ornaments purely from imagination. They re not modeled after any birds I ve ever seen. The technique of wrapping the bird-shaped foam core in rice paper applies to wrapping any curved shape. To make these, I first established several basic bird shapes on paper. You ll undoubtedly create your own variations. You ll need: Template 10 (see page 137) or your own A small piece of foam core The basic tool kit (see Tools, page 18) Two pieces of rice paper, for wrapping the foam core Collage and paint material Paper or Angelina fabric (see Basic Angelina Sheets, page 77) for the wing Craft wire Jewelry pliers Awl or pushpin Feathers of your choice Ribbon for hanging Foam core coated with matte medium A 1. Trace the template (or make your own bird as you can see, the shape is open to interpretation) onto your foam core and cut it out with a craft knife. 2. Glue the foam core bird to the piece of rice paper, and then cut the rice paper so that there s about ¾-inch overhang all the way around the bird. 3. Make cuts in the rice paper from the edge of the bird to the edge of the paper, all the way around the bird. (See photo A.) 4. Fold and glue the rice paper over to the backside of the bird, allowing the tabs to overlap or spread out as necessary. They will overlap on the outside curves and spread out on the inside curves. Clip where necessary. (See photo B.) B 5. Cut out the bird shape from a second piece of rice paper and glue it to the back of the foam core bird, covering the turnedunder tabs. 6. Paint and collage the bird as you like on either one or both sides. I used various papers with green in them and then painted over them with green acrylic paint. 7. Using your jewelry pliers, twist a length of craft wire into two or more toes, and then cut the ends of the wire, leaving an inch or more extending from the foot to form a leg. Repeat with another length of wire for the second foot. (See photo C.) C SHRINES AND ORNAMENTS 101

3 Cyan Magenta Yellow Black 8. Cut out the wing from your chosen material. I used a small sheet of Angelina fabric. I also made a small sheet of very loose Angelina fabric to further embellish the wing, but this optional and entirely up to you. 9. To attach the feathers, use your awl or a pushpin to poke holes in the flat back end of the bird about 1/8-inch apart. Stagger the holes rather than place them in a straight line for a fuller feathery effect. Strip about ¼ inch off the base of each feather. One at a time, poke a feather into a hole, and add a tiny drop of glue. Once the feathers are all in, let the glue dry completely. D 10. Attach the feet by poking holes in the bottom and pushing them in. Add a drop of glue to each hole. You can add little head ornaments as well if you like (see above right and opposite, top). 11. For the hanging mechanism, make a little loop of craft wire and twist the ends together. Cut the twisted end to about ½ inch. Attach this to the top of the bird. (See photo D.) TJ IMUS 7/CRA234-Adventures In Mixed Media W:8.5" X H:10.875" 175L 128 Gold East M/A Magenta(v) 12. Glue on the wing(s) and the optional Angelina embellishment using a small dab of white glue or PVA. 13. When all the glue is dry, thread a ribbon through the hanging loop, and your bird is finished. This bird ornament got her very own handmade gift box (see Message Box, page 57) and a nest of purple silk fibers. She even laid a few eggs! h 102 ADVENTURES IN MIXED MEDIA 102 TJ P L CTP.indd /11/10 5:18 PM

4 Cyan Magenta Yellow Black I made a similar bird using my sweetie s photo for the face. I made this tail out of Angelina fiber rather than feathers. My red bird ornament sports beaded headgear and a beaded hanger. The wing is made from two layers of glitter tulle fused together. h SHRINES AND ORNAMENTS 103 TJ IMUS 7/CRA234-Adventures In Mixed Media W:8.5" X H:10.875" 175L 128 Gold East M/A Magenta(v) g 103 TJ P L CTP.indd /11/10 5:19 PM

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