Since becoming a part of this creative community, I am having such fun revisiting the pages of Home Companion with the thought that perhaps I can make for myself some of the wonderful crafts to be found. I thought I would share with you my attempt to recreate this adorable snowman candy container in the hopes that you will be inspired to create one as well.
With my "use what's on hand" crafting philosophy, an empty vintage jar with a lovely shape will become my base. Learned from Meri Wiley, Imagi Meri Creations, a Styrofoam ball becomes the perfectly perfect base for my snowman. Creative Paperclay purchased at Michael's for $6.00, a bit of water to wet your fingers.
I am like you in that I don't know if I can make something I see, but I do have faith that I can "work at it" until the cuteness reveals itself to me. Flatten Styrofoam by pressing it on hard surface. Keep clay you are not using in saran wrap to keep from drying out.
I have no idea what proper technique I should be using, but I know I need a snowman shape! Press small amounts of the clay with your thumb onto the surface of the ball. You want to "feel" the same thickness under your thumb. A thin layer will dry more quickly.
I notice in the photograph the cheeks seem slightly raised, two round balls created as well as carrot shaped nose; I have used my pencil point to scar the clay for attaching pieces.
Press shapes onto surface. Dip fore finger into water and begin to smooth edges of shapes. The paper clay is magical and very forgiving to beginners. I just kept working at the shapes until they appealed to me.
Check the photograph in the magazine, check my work, close enough! Let dry overnight.
While my snowman is drying, I work to create a base for him to rest. My jar does not have a lid, thinking cap on again. I have traced the mouth of my jar on cardboard, and then cut slightly larger to accommodate the jar's threading.
Trace cutout cardboard circle twice onto printed paper, pink around drawn line. Cut strip of paper to fit over threads of jar neck, two printed paper, one cardstock. I have pulled them between my thumb and pen surface to give them a rounded shape. Glue stick layers together, the "Sandwich Method".
Fit strips to jar neck, hot glue overlapping edges.
Bead of hot glue along strip edge, center round base. I have created crepe ruffles for the snowman's collar. (Tell me PLEASE why JoAnn's and Michael's both do not carry this product! I can only find it at my grocery store.)
Hot glue edges of ruffles to form circle. Apply dallop of glue to center of round base, form rosette twice.
I have used craft paint and a slightly stiff brush to apply the simple colors shown in the magazine example. Paint white, repaint cheeks white again adding small amount of pink while still wet. Back of paintbrush is used to make black face dots.
At this point I'm not sure my funny little snowman will end up looking like the example, but I forge on!
A step I should have thought of earlier but didn't, my pencil inserted in the bottom to hold the head as I glitter. I used Modge Podge as my adhesive because it is what I had on hand, but any white craft glue with a little water will work just as well. GLITTER I said! Julie, Pieceful Bits, has been trying to bring me over to the Glitter Pink Girl's world from day one! It was so much fun! I used MS glitter purchased at Michael's. It is very fine and just wonderfully sparkly.
Completely out of crepe to make the hat, what's on hand does the trick. A paper cone and tinsel stem, hot glued in place. My little snowman is not exactly like artist Joann Sayler's wonderful original creation, but it is as sweet as can be for me and a perfect place to hold my white poms, a little skier girl add charm to the scene.
I love to craft, I am sure you can tell. Something I have always kept secret until finding this community. Please know what a joy it is to find there are others who also love to create such cute things.
This is my hard working snowman. He's all business keeping my Christmas red ribbon collected in one spot. Vintage green buttons a gift from Lisa, Always Home.
I'm smiling, I hope you are as well.
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I hope you will know that crafting is about shapes that are already familiar to you and techniques most of which you can learn through trial and error. Now when you look through your craft magazines, I hope you will be inspired to create a favorite seen item for yourself!
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