Candy Container Update

I know the picture is out of focus but I liked the colours and the bugs eye view. The next day and for several days after the sky was overcast. The days were wet and grey. The temperature was a little colder for this time of the year. It was more like early autumn weather. For those of you who don't know what a West Coast autumn is like think "Wet Coast". I like the rain.

I thought that I would give you a little up-date on the candy container ornaments. Ta-daa. The very messy studio work table. My approach to painting the pieces is probably a little unconventional. I like to build up the colours of the item that I am painting, it gives more depth to the colour. I suppose I am more painterly in my approach. This picture shows the first layer of paint that goes on. Most of the time it is very bold. You can just see the bumpy squash in behind the cat head, it was painted with two different yellows. I painted a 1" to 2" area in one yellow and then used the other yellow blending the edges. Sometimes I know what I am doing and other times I go for broke just to see what will happen if I use a different colour as a base coat. This step forces me to come up with solutions to what could be a bad decision on my part. I love challenge and often create mini "obstacles" to overcome. This also gives results that are unexpected and better that planned. There have been disasters, but they are few and far between.

This is the second layer of paint that goes on the piece. Sometimes I brush it on, other times I will scrumble it on with the brush to give the colour visual texture. I might use a small piece of sea sponge or even my fingers to put paint on and take it off. I am a product of the 80's faux finishing fad. I have used these techniques for building props. I like them because it gives me a more realistic look to the finished piece. I am not going to show any more of the pieces until they are done. I hope that has wetted your appetite a little. I am working on the accessories for each candy container ornament. They can take a while to produce as well. I like detail. Am I obsessive-compulsive?

Socks on a Mexican blanket

There was a low tide at 8:30 yesterday morning so my wife and I went down to the beach for breakfast. I burn, so yes, I was wearing long pants, a long sleeve shirt, and shoes. I took my shoes off and liked the colour of the Mexican blanket and my H and M socks. I sat there and took about 8 pictures of my feet on the blanket.

This is my favourite picture. I did crop it to just zero in on the checkered pattern of the socks and the bold colour of the stripes.

I don't just take pictures of my feet. These are the latest set of Hallowe'en candy container ornaments that I am working on. There is a cats head, assorted squash, pumpkins and gourds, a moon, a mushroom head, an acorn head, an apple, a crow, and an owl. I am looking forward to seeing the finished pieces. All of these are hollow and will hold candies, chocolates for those with a more refined pallette or non-edible treats. I have trimmed them and now they are drying. I must get going as I have work to do.

Happy Birthday Canada!

Have a fun filled day everyone. Enjoy your friends. Eat lots. And don't miss the fireworks.

These book covers that I have placed on the Canadian flag are from a set of 1950's/60's school readers.

I have 12 of the 16 titles. These were used for social studies. The interesting thing for me is that some of the pictures in the books were photographed in Victoria.

All of the photos in the postman were taken in Victoria.

We have come a long way as a nation. Happy birthday to us.

The pumpkins are here, the pumpkins are here!

I have been trying to get to my blog and let you know what is going on. The main problem is either I need more arms and hands or another one or two of me. Enough of the tap dancing and excuses. I have just listed these Hallowe'en candy container/ornaments on Etsy. Go to my Etsy shop for more a detailed look, descriptions of these candy container/ornaments, and prices.

"Treats.....Please."  SOLD

Set of 5 mini Jack-o-Lanterns. SOLD

"Puttin' on the Ritz". SOLD

"King of the Patch". AVAILABLE

"Jack and the Party Rattle". SOLD

"The Very Big Party Horn". SOLD

"Jack and Bob". AVAILABLE

"The Starlight Shoe - From the Haunt Couture Collection." SOLD

"The Party Hat." SOLD

"Bert's Autumn Bouquet." AVAILABLE

Happy Fathers Day - Again!

I have the correct day. When I did my last post for Fathers Day I did not post any pictures of ties. Here they are. Just what every Dad needs, a Fathers Day tie.

The centre tie looks like three flying UFO suckers ready to take out your brain and use your body as a repository for an alien being. That observation comes from watching too many cheap budget 50's and 60's sci-fi movies.

I don't usually wear ties and I have never worn these ties in particular. I have a few more vintage ties that I will post at some time.

The pumpkins and squash are coming along and I will have a post about them in a few days.

Happy Fathers Day.

Baby Shower Update

I thought that you would like to see the decorations for the baby shower. These flowers I had originally made for our oldest son's wedding party that we had for him and his lovely Swiss wife Sabine (pronounced Sah-BEE-nay). They came over a few days after the wedding and wanted a big party as soon as they were here so that they could get it all of that over with and then just relax. I had put so time in making them out of crepe paper I couldn't throw them out.

This small round table was in the centre of the room. You can see one of the guest tables with two of the arrangements on it and the gift table in the back.

This is a close-up of the vintage felt stork and a baby crib vase filled with pastel candy marshmallow peanuts. The candy colours were perfect and the taste less than perfect. Think sugary marshmallow with artificial flavourings. Once you tasted one though they were a little addictive. People remembered having them as kids.

These vases were on the head table. I used the candies as recyclable confetti on the tables. Any that weren't eaten were tossed. A little greener than plastic confetti.

This is the gift table before any gifts were on it.

Here is a close-up. That is a token gift from my wife and I because the main gift (with many more to come) had not arrived yet. I used the green bucket to make the table look asthetically pleasing without gifts and later to hold gifts that were a little unstable standing up.

The gifts are starting to arrive.

A cake from the Dutch Bakery. It was very sweet, not to my taste, but it did look wonderful.

I had finished an hour early so I went for a walk and came across a garage sale. Two little old ladies had all kinds of stuff. Most of it was common garage sale stuff. I bought this Art Nouveau bisquit jar for $2.00! It has a silver lid and handle. When I got home I immediately put it the mantel.

This 15" oval platter was 50 cents. Amazing prices and an amazing day. I also had a birthday party to go to in the evening. Bed looked great that night.