Mother and Son..

My Son is the worlds best scavenger and is often coming home with treasures for Mummy, a few months ago he came home with this lovely bit of wood from a walk in the forest and I knew I just had to use it somehow. So that's why I was over the moon when Lynne sent me some Paverpol in my first DT pack and I knew I just had to use it with my piece of wood. I originally had the idea of making a Forest Fairy but the shape of the wood looked very comfy so my fairy laid down, and then it just reminded me of the lovely times every parent and child enjoys playing 'aeroplanes' So it became a tribute to every Mother and Son and the special relationship they enjoy. Ok I may have just made my legs longer and my waist slimmer but I can dream cant I?

Here is the piece of wood... beautiful don't you think? or is it just me?

After my post yesterday a few people have asked me what Paverpol is. It is a Textile Hardener which allows you to sculpt with fabric. It is Weather/Frost Proof so can be used to make stunning Garden Ornaments, but it can be used in loads of ways, figurines, jewellery, pots... the only limit is your imagination!

To make a figure you start with a wire armature , which you cover/pad out with aluminium foil

This is then covered with strips of T-Shirt material and then 'dressed' I used a pre-dyed piece of muslin for this project but for the last figure I made I painted 'Tilly' with acrylic paint (if you use paint and want to put your figure outside you will need to varnish it)

Check out YouTube for some better explanations than I can give or check out http://www.paverpol.com/

Paverpol is available here

Be warned its very messy

Be Warned its great fun

Be Warned you will get addicted!

Just Experimenting and Playing with Paverpol

Lynne of The Altered Element sent me some transparent Paverpol for my first Design Team Challenge. I have used Paverpol before when I made 'Tilly' for my best friends birthday last year, but I haven't used it before for it's transparent properties. I have a Work In Progress (sneak peak on post below) but I wanted to see just how transparent it is and what effect it would have on coloured/patterned materials. Mostly Paverpol seems to be used to make figurines but I wanted to try something a bit different, so I made a bowl.
I played around dyeing some ordinary dishcloths with some colourwash sprays, and although I liked the result, the colours aren't right for the WIP so I cut some into thin strips and dipped into the Paverpol and wound very randomly around a metal bowl which I had prepared by covering with clingfilm - PP will stick to metal but not plastic.

I also used some strips of organza to add some 'form' to the shape - this worked OK but did lose its 'shimmer' and some Angelina fibres to add some sparkle  - left it all to try overnight and i am really pleased with the result. It is really very firm and therefore quite usable. When it was dry and I was able to remove it from the bowl and remove the clingfilm, I gave it a very brief blast with my heatgun to tamper the Angelina fibres down a bit

So here is the final result with a light spray of Cosmic Shimmers - I really like it

Upcycling seems to be the 'buzz word' ATM and I have been contacted by Betty Jones asking whether I would be willing to mention her site and her 100 amazing upcycling ideas - take a look, some brilliant ideas, I have already started knitting with carrier bags! also whilst blog hopping I came across this lovely site
Going Green Crafters and Artists - worth a look!

Right I'm off to play some more with the Paverpol - if you want more info about it check out http://www.paverpol-uk.co.uk/

Meet Tilly.... My Paverpol Gal!

Well that's what I have called her, but it's not up to me cos by the time you read this she will be living in Kent with my Best Mate, Sparky. If you ever visit Kent (which is a brave thing to do in itself!) then you can spot her house quite easily cos it's full to bursting with my old tat!





It's her birthday today - Happy Birthday Matey - and Tilly is her pressie, I know she really yearns for an M&S voucher, a bunch of flowers and a Birthday cake, but she will never get the last two from me ever ever ever again (long story........ but how ungrateful some people can be is unbelievable .....!!!!) so that just leaves the M&S voucher for next time.


Anyway back to the plot, Tilly is made from a bit of wire, silver foil, my old tee shirt and some lovely stuff called Paverpol, which is a fabric hardener... so messy.... so much fun! Then a bit of paint and this and that. Edward found the log at Blickling Woods - Blickling Hall was once the home of Anne Boleyn and it is said she still comes to 'visit' her old house and grounds.. perhaps it was her who left this evenly cut log in the middle of the forest!?? - and the Ivy leaves are made from polymer clay.

You probably can't see the twiddly bit's.. tendrils I think they are called.... I must give credit to Matthew for them or else he will sulk, but (and don't tell him I have said this) but they do add a nice finishing touch.

Whether she has survived the ride to Kent in the back of the posties van remains to be seen!

So HAPPY BIRTHDAY SPARKY, hope you have a lovely day and thank you for being just who you are xxxx

Now off to find another old t-shirt to cut up as Edward, my little scavenger has found another lovely bit of wood which is begging for another paverpol person to sit on it... he has a keen eye my son for what other people see as 'junk'... in fact he announce the other day (he is 7 years old) that when he grows up he wants to work in a scrapyard so that he can get big bits of metal to weld together to make sculptures..... That's my Boy!!!!

Or should I get on and finish the abacus I started a while a go....

To be honest I am just twiddling my fingers until the next lesson of the AB course is published!!