Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
The Birthday Chair - The History and The How-to
"The History of the Birthday Chair"
I have had to adjust the light, the colour, and the sharpness of these old photos. Most of the pictures were taken on school mornings so it was dark and a flash was used. I don't like flash because it flattens the image, but we wouldn't have had the pictures otherwise!
This is the very first Birthday Chair.
I used to decorate with garlands for the kids birthdays but I had the living room and dining room filled with silk flowers for a local mall's "Bridal Fair". I decided to decorate a chair with the silk fabric and the cabbage roses that were going to be used in the display. The roses created a bower that came over, Melissa. I was talking to her about the chair recently and she mentioned that it was magical.
This chair has a desert/cowboy theme. Not all of the chairs were works of art but the chair was there for only the child's birthday and gone the next morning when they got up. It was their chair for their special day.
I was doing freelance window display at the time so I had lots of props. This chair is a magic show. The hand holding the magic wand is a stuffed glove.
Sometimes I would grab what was at hand. I think the theme was celebration but who knows what I had in mind for Micheal's chair!
Robin, our oldest has a September birthday so he would get a lot of autumn themed chairs.
This chair, covered in hand dyed silk and decorated with faux flowers, is asymmetrical. One side of the chair back is higher than the other.
Robin, with another autumn themed chair.
How to make a Birthday Chair.
I use dowel for the basic shape of the finished chair. Masking tape the dowel to the chair back, I prefer an armless chair. Tape a good 12" or so of the dowel so that it is firmly attached to the chair and will not move. It is also possible to use a solid back chair, probably with a lot more tape!
These green curtains are from a booth that I used at craft fairs. I tied the first one hanging down one side so that it would create folds. The next piece of curtain was tied in the same manner on the opposite side. Another curtain was tied underneath the folds of these two curtains to hide the back of the chair. The last curtain was tied over the front of the chair to create a throne-like appearance.
Make certain that the fabric doesn't bunch up on the floor, it should just about touch the ground. The chair needs to be able to be moved and if there is any fabric on the floor at the feet of the chair it may get caught causing the chair to fall. The taller the chair the more impressive but also the more top heavy it may become.
Chartreuse fabric was tied at the top of the chair and then tucked into the folds of the green fabric. Hide all of the knots in the folds of the fabrics.
The purple sari fabric was tied and hung over the top.
Here is a close-up of the fabric knotted together. Fabric normally drapes because of it the way it is constructed but it does not drape into beautiful folds without careful attention on your part. Take hold of the fabric part way down the selvage, bring it up to where you want to knot it and look at the folds, if it isn't full enough go down the selvage another foot or two and take it to the same position. To get those beautiful folds that you want it takes a lot more fabric than you realize.
Here is the fabric pulled back exposing the knots.
All of the fabric is now arranged to hide the knots.
I love fake fur in outrageous colours. The green carpet was on clearance in the baby department at the department store that I worked at. The yellow cushion was in the children's section of the bedding department at the same store.
Voila! The finished "Birthday Chair" fit for a king or queen.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Time is running out!
Don't forget to spread the word about EHAG's "1st Annual Next Generation Hallowe'en Art Contest". It is open for children ages 10-14. Click here to go to the blog post about the contest. The lucky winner will get a $100.00 Gift certificate to an art supply store of their choice.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
OH NO!... OH MY!... Oh well...
I mentioned a while back how quiet and uneventful it was around here. I didn't realize that Jack and Black Cat were "helping me". I have been very busy with deadlines looming. Black Cat wanted people to see me the way that he and Jack see me. I tried to explain that I didn't mind a little mystery when it comes to my personal life.
I'm not certain if I happened to raise my voice a little, I was trying hard not to but Black Cat mentioned something about a big head.
I happened to say quietly, "I don't think that will happen around here".
It went on for a bit until, Jack, mentioned that even bad publicity is good publicity!
It's not that I'm vain, who wants to be seen with ashes all over them (and their glasses bent for that matter), their mouth gaping open, or looking like they are in the midst of a feeding frenzy!
All has quietened down around here. I must get back to the studio.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
More about Len.
"Your titles aren't very good, Black Cat."
"Be constructive, Jack, or don't help at all."
"So far, Black Cat, you have been the one doing all of this so called help."
"I don't want to argue, I have a blog post to do."
"Don't get so self important, this isn't your blog and I don't think, Len, will be pleased."
"Jack, remember the other day with the honey and the ice cream..."
"And the bees."
"It all worked out."
"You ran. We're not as fast as you."
"No one got stung. Here is a picture from the other day before the bees."
"That is a terrible picture, Black Cat."
"Be helpful not hurtful."
"You sound like a fortune cookie."
"He won't like this, it looks like a feeding frenzy!"
"The camera moved."
"He looks like he has two faces with a big flappy thing under his chin."
"The camera never lies."
Monday, August 16, 2010
More candid shots of life with, Len.
"That is a pretty uninteresting title, Black Cat."
"Can you come up with a better one, Jack?"
"No."
"I'm just trying to help."
"I don't know if this is helping to sell his art work, B.C."
"People want to get to know the artist. They..."
"I don't know if I want to do this."
"...want to feel like they know him as friend."
"Oh no."
"They want to..."
"There's a bird."
"Where? Now I lost what I was thinking about. Here is the next picture, Len, decorating the tree with streamers."
Saturday, August 14, 2010
We're here to help.
"I don't know if we should do this, Black Cat."
"Of course we should, Jack, he needs our help."
"What are you going to say?"
"We could sneak some pictures of him working and let everyone know..."
"It's supposed to be secret."
"We could..."
"We could stop before we get in too deep."
"Where is your sense of adventure, Jack? This will be fun. What could go wrong?"
"Oh no."
"We'll show him around the house the way we see him. He cleaned the fireplace in July when we were getting ready for visitors"
"He doesn't like that picture, B.C., because his glasses are bent and he says that he looks like he smelled something bad."
"Pish posh. This is what we are going to do. We will give behind the scene pictures of everyday life. Everyone will be entertained..."
"I'm sure they will."
"...and Len will be surprised..."
"You can count on that."
"...and delighted with our helping out."
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Lots of work to do.
The title says it all. I have a ton of work to get ready for September and that is all that I am saying about that.
Don't forget to spread the word about EHAG's "1st Annual Next Generation Hallowe'en Art Contest". Click here to go to the blog post about the contest. The lucky winner will get a $100.00 Gift certificate to an art supply store of their choice. That is one wonderful prize!
I will be back in about a week just to update my progress, maybe with a sneak peek of some work. I have been told that I don't give very good sneak peeks, that I am stingy with previewing my work. I like it to be a surprise. Let me know what you think and what you would like to see. I also have almost completed a post about the history of the birthday chair and how to make your own birthday chair with step by step pictures.
See you in a week or so.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
The "I'll get around to it if only I knew syndrome"
Go to my Etsy shop to purchase "King of the Patch".
I love the Man-in-the Moon and here is his rattle "Large Double Sided Portrait Rattle". The first side is called "The Amazing Levitating Lantern" and the other side is called "The Man-in-the-Moon Loves Magic Tricks". This item is currently in my personal collection.
Go to my Etsy shop to purchase "Portrait Rattle - Black Cat's Party Preparations"
"Pansy" is SOLD.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
EHAG is Having Our 1st Annual Next Generation Halloween Art Contest
What: A Kid's Halloween Art Contest
Who: Children ages 10-14
When: Now thru August 31st, 2010. The winner will be announced by September 7, 2010
Where: Online at the EHAG Facebook Page and EHAG Blog
How: Parents email an image of your little ghoul's Halloween themed artwork to ehaagartists@hotmail.com along with the young artist's name, age, date, contact info, title of piece and medium used.
Prize: $100 gift certificate for art supplies from the winner's art supply store of choice.
Be as creative as possible and all artwork must be created solely by the young artist. We ask that no gore be depicted. Artwork will be judged based on originality and use of medium, and all mediums will be accepted. (All EHAG family members are excluded from participation.)
The artists of EHAG are obviously not the first generation to create Halloween art, and we certainly will not be the last. So, we decided to sponsor a kid's art contest that both celebrates our most favorite holiday and nurtures their creative spirit! And, as we know that there must be children out there that love both art and Halloween, why not begin to encourage them today!
Good luck, and we look forward to seeing your creative Halloween art entries!
Spread the word!
I'm finally back in the studio - an update of the last week and a half.
Well, a lot has happened in the last week and a half, besides finishing my piece for the Ehag Emporium.
Our daughter, Melissa, was here for a week and is now back in Toronto.
Mike's girl friend, Nicole, is here for 3 weeks. Thursday, the day before Nicole's birthday Mike proposed and Nicole accepted! We were aware that this was going to happen. Mike has been planning the proposal and her birthday for quite a while.
He asked me if I could make her a birthday chair and of course I said yes! Friday morning before everyone got up I put together the birthday chair. That evening we had a birthday dinner.
This is the chair that I made for her birthday.
Phoenix was here for the weekend. It was her birthday on Saturday, her mum had a party for her in the afternoon. We had a party for her and Nicole on Sunday.
Saturday we cooked for Sunday's party.
Sunday morning I decorated the crab apple tree with streamers.
I had 24 bundles of hand cut streamers that I tied in the branches of the tree. I do tend to get carried away with decorating!
Here is the finished tree, it was wonderful.
There were lanterns with LED tea-lights tucked here and there in the branches as well.
Here is another view. If you decorate a tree with streamers make certain that you use crepe papier and not ribbon. The wind, even gentle breezes for that matter, tangle the streamers in the branches. It looks very beautiful but if it was ribbon they would still be there not looking as pretty as the day of the party. Clean-up was a breeze.
I also tucked some vibrant coloured columns in among the shrubs.
Once in a while I made it into the studio. Things are back to normal sort of. I have some finished pieces sitting in the studio and I want to show them but I can't. You will have to wait to see them. There is a little something coming up in September and that is the first little tease for now. Black Cat and Jack have been very good and are staying out of the way but are helping when they can. No mishaps so far.
I must get back to the studio, there is a lot to do.
Our daughter, Melissa, was here for a week and is now back in Toronto.
Mike's girl friend, Nicole, is here for 3 weeks. Thursday, the day before Nicole's birthday Mike proposed and Nicole accepted! We were aware that this was going to happen. Mike has been planning the proposal and her birthday for quite a while.
He asked me if I could make her a birthday chair and of course I said yes! Friday morning before everyone got up I put together the birthday chair. That evening we had a birthday dinner.
This is the chair that I made for her birthday.
Phoenix was here for the weekend. It was her birthday on Saturday, her mum had a party for her in the afternoon. We had a party for her and Nicole on Sunday.
Saturday we cooked for Sunday's party.
Sunday morning I decorated the crab apple tree with streamers.
I had 24 bundles of hand cut streamers that I tied in the branches of the tree. I do tend to get carried away with decorating!
Here is the finished tree, it was wonderful.
There were lanterns with LED tea-lights tucked here and there in the branches as well.
Here is another view. If you decorate a tree with streamers make certain that you use crepe papier and not ribbon. The wind, even gentle breezes for that matter, tangle the streamers in the branches. It looks very beautiful but if it was ribbon they would still be there not looking as pretty as the day of the party. Clean-up was a breeze.
I also tucked some vibrant coloured columns in among the shrubs.
Once in a while I made it into the studio. Things are back to normal sort of. I have some finished pieces sitting in the studio and I want to show them but I can't. You will have to wait to see them. There is a little something coming up in September and that is the first little tease for now. Black Cat and Jack have been very good and are staying out of the way but are helping when they can. No mishaps so far.
I must get back to the studio, there is a lot to do.
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