Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Styrofoam Bird Tutorial


My gosh is there ever a commotion among the characters of my craft room. It seems the postal workers of Creative Breathing are complaining there are just TOO many BINGO cards left about when I am crafting.


They have assigned the title of Bingo Collector to the representative of the July Button Keeper Challenge. He is slightly nervous about being the first and hopes to be joined by other Button Keepers.


BODY: Press Creative Paper Clay onto the surface of large and small Styrofoam balls. Roll between palms to smooth. (Clay found at Michaels, $10.00) Dry shapes in front of fan.


LID/HAT:  Three Bingo cards are used to make Bingo Collector. TIP: Use same household items repeatedly to create shapes to give a consistency to crafts.


Create card stock base to glue decorative strip upon wide enough to cover edge of container top. Cut out center of hat brim.


(Canning Jars-WalMart 12 for $7.50.) Glue seal to ring. Fill depression with cardboard. IMPORTANT STEP: With any lid used make sure to hot glue card stock base to EDGE of lid. (Note the slight space between paper and lid) Glue decorative strips in place.


Trace around edge of papered lid to create template. Trace onto printed card and pink along drawn line. Glue pinked round to lid, glitter along drawn line.


HAT: Glue edges of BINGO strip together. (Small strip of paper on inside helps) Apply glue to top edge of BINGO circle and position around FREE SPACE. Trim away excess. Apply glue to base of BINGO and adhere to hat brim. Glue Tinsel stem, feather, button in place.


FEATHERS: Pleat crepe 25 times, press pleats firmly together, pink one edge, trim to length.


It seems the little BINGO Collector is making a case for additional help.


PAINT: Body and head white using large round brush, eyes black using liner brush, cheeks pink using dry brush technique. Apply craft varnish to eyes.


GLITTER: Working quickly, apply thin coat of Mod Podge around eyes and front half of head. Apply glitter. Repeat with head back. Holding pipe stems, glitter body front, body back.


ASSEMBLY: Immediately glue feet to lid. Glue button markers, hat, and beak in place. Let body glitter dry several minutes before adhering feathers and tie.


Apply glue to flat end of crepe tail, adhere to body and fan pleats. Hold in place several seconds.


Apply thin bead of glue from back to front along body side.


Position flat end of wing in center of body, fan pleats towards back to adhere, towards front to adhere. Hold in place several seconds.


YEAH! It seems he won his argument and has additional help in picking up all the BINGO cards that can be found in my craft room. I hope you will stop by next month to see my August Button Keeper. Perhaps you will have one to share with me as well!


ROCKETEER GIVEAWAY WINNER: Leslie of Craftyles



34 comments:

  1. OMG!! Those little button keepers are so darn cute!! I love the red, white, and blue color theme that you are using to make them! (cause I am an obessed collector of anything that looks patriotic done up in those colors) Thanks so much for sharing the name of the paperclay you use! I have it wrote down to pick up next time I go to Micheals. Thanks so much for the how to on how to make these cute button keepers.
    Hugs,
    Lynn from Life on the Wienee Ranch

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  2. The button keepers are very cute!! Because you have posted a tutorial, I will attempt to create a button keeper to share each month. EEK!! I can't believe I'm promising to work with clay but why not try something new...you make it look sew easy!!

    chris

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  3. Wow! I'm usually a lurker here, but every time I see what you are crafting, I just smile because everything you do is just so darn cute!

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  4. Chris, I am unable to link back to you. You can make any button keeper at all. You don't have to copy mine! Thanks for visiting! E

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  5. These are just darling! Great inspiration!

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  6. Button Keepers! Such a cute idea Mz E!! They could also hold any small crafty multiples like beads and such. Thanks for the tutorial...I'd like to try playing with PaperClay. Also have to check out the little canning jars. Such a darling project, as usual!!! *heart*

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  7. Oh E,
    He is so cute, and the tutorial is awesome!!!!!! One for every month? I cannot wait!!!!! I think I could even do this....:) Sandy

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  8. He is adorable, Elizabeth! I am glad he got some help! : ) I'd like to try the clay this year to make a snowman {is it too early to say that?}. I love snowmen and I don't think I've made one of my own yet out of anything!

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  9. They are too cute E! And even better, they serve a purpose! You were generous to show your "tricks of the trade"! That "Paper Clay" is my favorite brand too! I've been thinking that I need to get back to making art. I've been too focused on buying vintage things! Haa!
    Thanks for sharing these cuties!
    Erica :)

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  10. Oh wow! Thanks for the step by step instructions....I can't wait to try my own Button Keeper! What fun it will be!

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  11. So adorable - I love that cute little bird- you have the eyes and faces down to perfection!

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  12. Good grief. I am smitten. Heaven knows a shelf of these would just be darling. Oh to find a shelf? I am so on this. Glad you told us how to do this I was always stumped. Smiles...Renee

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  13. SOo cute! Thanks for sharing how you put that together! So nice of you!! :) xo Holly

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  14. Absolutely charming Elizabeth! Love the tutorial and may need to try my hand at it (no needle involved so should be safe to attempt) The wings and tail are awesome. Clever, clever girl!

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  15. See how popular a tutorial is? I was intimidated by working with the clay until I tried it. I made my buttonkeep this afternoon!

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  16. You all inspire I got out my paper clay and now working on my own Knic knac keeper. I have an old cigar box to use. Thank you for the inspiration I been in a crafting void lately this is what I needed

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  17. You all inspire I got out my paper clay and now working on my own Knic knac keeper. I have an old cigar box to use. Thank you for the inspiration I been in a crafting void lately this is what I needed

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  18. I love those Miss E. The little crepe paper wings and tail feathers just made me smile. As always another darling craft presented in such a wonderful story. So glad to see you crafting again!!!!!
    Hugs,
    Julie

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  19. So beautiful and sweet! Thanks for always haring your sweet tutorials!! Have a wonderful rest of the week! xo Heather

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  20. Everything you make is so magical!

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  21. Thank you for another wonderful tutorial, E. Your button keepers are just magical. I'm especially smitten with the use of bingo cards.

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  22. Your creations just have personalities. I have to try one of these. So cute.
    The flamingoes were near the new stingray exhibit. I don't know if they are there all the time. If I remember right it seemed they were just in a roped in area with the zoo keeper. That ones was so affectionate.....I never knew them to be like that. The kids loved petting them. The zoo just keeps growing. It is so widespread.......more than my legs can do in one day for sure.
    Hey, we should meet there someday in the fall. Wouldn't that be fun.

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  23. I love this little guy! He just makes me smile SO much. I wish I had a stash of red, white & blue Bingo cards. I really have to give the paper clay a try. I think I have everything else to make this one. Heading back to save your pattern and directions. Thanks!

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  24. So cute - love the button keepers.

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  25. Thanks so much for stopping by and saying hello on my blog Elizabeth, so very sweet of you.

    Love your paper clay guys, so darling. I so want to try my hand at making some.

    Happy almost weekend!

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  26. You just keep getting better and better! Thanks so much for sharing the tut on your button keepers...cannot wait to see what else your wonderful imagination comes up with~xoxo

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  27. oh E, these are precious, precious, precious! I love the little bird and how he is looking out over the top of his eyes, SQUEAL!!!Thank you for the inspiration, xoxo Nan

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  28. Oh My GAWD!!! These are just too cha cha for words!!! I adore you for sharing this! What a sweet darlin' you are!
    just me...smilin' from ear to ear...jan

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  29. Congratulations, Leslie! How absolutely wonderful!!
    Elizabeth...You are so artistic...so clever...and so kind to show us step by step how you create your magical little characters! They ate adorable!
    Blessings,
    Carolynn xo

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  30. Thank you so much for what you share here.

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  31. I thank God I can still pick an apple off my tree and eat it on the spot without having to worry about chemicals.

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  32. Great placement is here when i saw that i am really so shocked and also i am very impressed with your post can you more share here i will back soon as soon possible.

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Your kind words mean so very much to me. Thank you for your visit! Elizabeth