I’m working on a little group of things – bats and perching owls mostly. I’ll put some of these things in the shop next week – most likely in time for delivery  (in the US)  before Christmas.

I’m working on a little group of things – bats and perching owls mostly. I’ll put some of these things in the shop next week – most likely in time for delivery  (in the US)  before Christmas.

And The winners  of the first ever ann wood handmade caption contest !

The voter chosen at random ( # generated by random.org) is:

comment # 15 – Geiger.  Who is apparently a black cat with a recently replaced hip.

And  for a variety of reasons  I have decided to award birds to the top 2 vote getters and those winners ( it was very close) are:

7. Lauren
“Now witness, dear friends, as David Blainebird prepares to package himself alive for 6-10 business days! Don’t try this at home!”

and

8. Cari
Darlene had told only her best friend, Eliza, but by the time her mail-order groom was set to arrive, the whole town had heard about it.

Thank you and Happy Holidays to all participants ! (winners – I’ll be in touch for address etc.)

P. S.  - Another first ever for me – I’m going to teach a workshop!! (boat making). I’m something beyond excited about this and plan to go on and on about it next week but you can find more info right now here if you like.

There is a template you can download here.  And lots and lots of photos and instructions.  If you do make teacups I’d love to see and you [...]]]> A paper mache teacup pattern to  mark the 5 year anniversary of my blog, my experiment.   A  perfect time to say thank you and give you a present.

There is a template you can download here.  And lots and lots of photos and instructions.  If you do make teacups I’d love to see and you can upload a photo here if you like or leave a link to your photo in the comment section below.

What you need:

• Click here to download the template
• paste –  I use golden harvest wheat paste ( wall paper paste)
• light cardboard – cereal or frozen pizza box is great and a bit of thicker cardboard for a base
• newspaper – it’s nice to have different colors
• scotch tape ( not the invisible gift wrap  stuff- the shiny sticky stuff)
• glue – elmers, glue stick, hot glue  - whatever you like
• pencil, scissors, exacto knife, and paint and brushes, glitter, fabric – whatever you’d like for decoration.

Click the photos for larger images.

Cut out the templates for the teacup, handle and bottom  and trace them onto your cardboard. I had the best results with a Kashi frozen pizza box.  Cut out your pieces and  very lightly and  gently score the the teacup where the dotted lines are on the template with the BACK of your exacto knife.

Make a very  tiny snip  - really tiny -just a 16th of an inch or so where the sections meet. Next bring the bottom sections together one at a time and tape together on the outside (the printed side). Then turn it over and taper the bottom inside.  Do this for each section – always taping both sides…….

When the bottom sections are all taped  join the top together and tape – inside and out.  Next  push the seams out from the inside and tape on both sides – go all around the teacup – shaping the seams with your fingers and taping both sides.

Tape in the bottom.  It should be looking pretty teacupish now. If you would like a base you can make a little ring of cardboard and tape it in place or trace the bottom onto some thicker cardboard  and cut it out just a little larger and glue or tape it to the bottom.

Your ready for paper mache!  I usually start with the bottom and one layer is fine  but you can do as many as you like.

You don’t have to paper mache the handle – you can paint it or glitter it  or something. If you do paper mache it use very tiny pieces of paper and curl it into  a handle shape before it dries.  I  tried something new on the black teacup above – painting paper mache while it’s wet  - and I like the effect. I used black newspaper and then black watercolor over the wet paper.

When your teacup has dried glue your handle in place and decorate  as you please. I painted a little ship on a stormy sea on one and I  like putting a dusting of mica or glitter  on the inside  - it’s fancy.

The End!

I hope you make teacups!

A fancy valentine, for you to print and make and give. Download a zip file here with images and some instructions. Just print the images on card stock and follow my instructions or come up with your own stuff.

Happy Valentine’s Day! And if you make one I’d love to see – you can [...]]]>

A fancy valentine, for you to print and make and give. Download a zip file here with images and some instructions. Just print the images on card stock and follow my instructions or come up with your own stuff.

Happy Valentine’s Day! And if you make one I’d love to see – you can share a photo here.

I made the ship above  as a prop for a TV commercial a couple years ago.  I assembled some boxes and parts of boxes into a shipish shape and then added all sorts of stuff – pipe cleaners, dixie cups, part of a birthday crown, wooden ice cream spoons, buttons, felt, [...]]]>

I made the ship above  as a prop for a TV commercial a couple years ago.  I assembled some boxes and parts of boxes into a shipish shape and then added all sorts of stuff – pipe cleaners, dixie cups, part of a birthday crown, wooden ice cream spoons, buttons, felt, etc. etc. The castle collage below was for an ad as well. I think they would be fun for little people to make ( with some grown up help).

Both  involve using the die cut sections of boxes for details .  I can’t resist a good piece of cardboard – I live near a fancy grocery and their recycling is full cartons and boxes with  interesting cutouts and shapes.

]]> http://annwood.net/blog/2010/03/11/things-to-do-on-a-rainy-day/feed/ 10 http://annwood.net/blog/2009/12/11/paper-mache-boat-pattern/ http://annwood.net/blog/2009/12/11/paper-mache-boat-pattern/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:18:22 +0000 annwood http://annwood.net/blog/?p=2406 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.

What you will need: download [...]]]> 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.

What you will need:
download pattern here
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……

Bring the edges together and secure with lots of scotch tape – they shouldn’t overlap but just meet and last tape the front tips together.

Trim any  excess  so the back edge is smooth and now you should have a little boat shape. Cut a strip of cardboard that’s about 1 ” by 3″.

Bend that strip into a little triangle shape that fits inside your boat and tape it in , just a little closer to the front (bow ) than the back (stern), this will hold your mast. You’re ready to paper mache – I recommend 2 layers using different papers – so you can see when a layer is complete. You don’t have to let the boat dry between layers but I like to. I start with the inside of the boat closing up the little triangle space – you don’t have to fill it – just close it up.

Notes on paper mache – I find it easiest to do the edges first and  the smaller the pieces of paper the smoother and stronger the finished result.   I use golden harvest wheat paste. Add your second layer of paper, let it dry completely then paint it. I used a mixture of latex and water color.

Now you’re ready for the mast and yard ( part that attaches to the sail) . There are a number of things you can use  – dowels , skewers, twigs – today I’m using a bamboo skewer for the mast  and an 1/8 inch dowel for the yard. I have painted both. Poke a little hole with your exacto knife and insert your mast  ( insert the pointy end of the skewer), secure it with glue and trim the top to the desired length  – this will depend on the size of your boat ( if you have made the pattern larger or smaller) – my mast is 9 inches tall and my yard  is 12 inches long. Use your exacto knife to cut a little notch in your mast about an inch and 1/2 from the top.

The notch will help the button you’re going to tie on stay in place. Tie the button as tightly as you can with your string and secure with a dab of glue.  Place the boat on a large piece of paper and lay the yard in place – we’re going to make the pattern for the sail. Hold the yard in place but slide the boat out and draw a triangle shape for your sail.

I like to make a note on the pattern to remind me which side the mast goes on.  Cut out your sail. embellish as desired and use a heavy duty thread to sew it to the yard.

Poke holes in the boat for attaching buttons for the rigging. This is a pain in the ass and you need to use something very sharp, I used a really big embroidery needle. You can use as many buttons as you like. I like to have lots of rigging options so I used 4.  Once the buttons are on lay the sail on the mast and find the best spot to attach.

Add a length of about 4 inches to the sail where you would like it to attach to the mast  and just wind the string around the button on the mast. Attach several inches of string to the bottom corners of the sail and wind those around the buttons on the boat.  Tie a loop of string the the mast for hanging, secure it with glue and tie an extra piece of string around  to make sure it stays there.

That’s it!  I hope you make boats!

You can share your boats here if you like:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1315046@N23/
I’d love to see!

And I’ve just added new birds to the shop.

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 [...]]]>

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.

What you will need: top hat pattern (click to download pdf), black poster board, scissors, manicure scissors ( for trimming the little curved bits),  elmer’s glue, floral tape, large paper clips, a light color pencil, a dowel or something for  curling the poster board  and black [...]]]> How to make a tiny tophat (in excruciating detail).

What you will need: top hat pattern (click to download pdf), black poster board, scissors, manicure scissors ( for trimming the little curved bits),  elmer’s glue, floral tape, large paper clips, a light color pencil, a dowel or something for  curling the poster board  and black glitter.

Trace the 3 pattern pieces onto the black poster board and cut them out. I use a large paintbrush handle to curl all the pieces a little as shown below. I feel this step is key to your success as a tiny tophat maker. Next, overlap the edges of the cylinder about a 1/4″, glue, and clamp with a paperclip.

When the cylinder is dry trim off any extra bits you might have so the bottom and top edges are pretty smooth, apply glue liberally to the top and bottom edges and place the brim and top.  I use floral tape to hold it all together while it dries.

When the glue has dried trim off any excess on the top and brim and shape and smooth the brim with your fingers. Use the exacto knife to poke a hole in the bottom and then insert the little scissors to cut the opening.

Paint it quickly and completely with elmer’s glue, give it a roll or shake in the glitter, leave it to dry and brush off the excess glitter with a stiff paint brush or old toothbrush. Finished!

Hello tiny tophat!

It’s available [...]]]> I’m  pleased and excited to be included in “Play All Day – Design For Children” published this year by Gestalten. I’m also pleased to live in a world where you can have a blast making  castles out of old cardboard  boxes and on top of that! somebody will publish them in a lovely book.

It’s available at amazon now – check out  pages 48 and 49!

And a couple notes:

* Fill in the Blank Gallery is having a cardboard horse making workshop on Sunday, if you’re in Chicago check it out – all ages and skill levels are welcome and it’s free!!

* Henchard and some other new things ( including some ready made sweethearts and  a new set available to order)  will be in the shop sometime next week. If you are on the mailing list you will be notified when the shop is updated.

In 2006 I started making cardboard horses. They were a self imposed assignment, a daily creative task intended to motivate and loosen me up, little experiments, paralysis prevention. My plan was to make a cardboard horse everyday, Monday through Friday until I had 100. [...]]]> Or: How to make a cardboard horse.

In 2006 I started making cardboard horses. They were a self imposed assignment, a daily creative task intended to motivate and loosen me up, little experiments, paralysis prevention. My plan was to make a cardboard horse everyday, Monday through Friday until I had 100. I did and exhibited the group at Tinlark in Los Angeles  in 2007. I’ve made 3 patterns, two adults and a colt, to share and I hope you make a cardboard horse or two or three or maybe a little family or maybe your own stampede!

What you will need:
pattern
cardboard- you can use any kind – I think a medium weight is good, I’m using cardboard from a gift box.
scissors
manicure scissors
pencil
hammer and one nail
buttons
thin wire
pliers
paint and brushes, glue, paper, fabric, lace etc. – whatever you like, whatever you’ve got.

First download and print the patterns, cut out the pieces and trace them  onto your cardboard.  I like to use a pair of manicure scissors for the difficult small bits – corners etc. I included an optional tail and mane in the pattern.  I’m foregoing those for this horse and will add a tail and mane of antique lace.

(Click the images for a larger view)

›

You can finish your horse with collage or fabric or pencil  – the possibilities are endless – but if you choose to paint  then paint both sides to prevent curling. I’m using latex paint for the base, adding some dapples from my water color box and some splatters of ink, you can use a stiff paint brush or old tooth brush. I used a fine sharpie pen to draw on a very simple  eye and mouth.

Next I’m adding the antique lace mane and tail using a glue stick ( or elmer’s glue if you prefer).
Once that is dry we’re ready to assemble.

Arrange the legs with the body sandwiched between and use the nail to make a hole through all three layers. You’ll need to put a piece of wood or heavy cardboard underneath to protect the surface you’re working on. Thread the wire through the button holes and then pass both strands through the legs and body. Thread both wires through a small button on the back,  pull it tight  and twist to secure and trim the extra wire with pliers. Add  another piece of wire for hanging by twisting it around the buttons. I like to give all my horses a name, this is Sebald, horse #101.

I’ve hung sebald amongst the snowflakes with horse #71 winston.

You can share your horses here if you like:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1315046@N23/
I’d love to see!