A BIT OF AUTUMN: PART 2

PART 2

                                 A BIT OF AUTUMN

                            “Autumn, the year’s last, loveliest smile.”

                                                                          William Cullen Bryant, 1784-1878

Welcome back to the "farm"!  Hope you enjoyed part one of this

project (well actually I know you did by the wonderful response

it recieved, thank you)  and are ready for part two.  Here we go!

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                                      SHAKER-STYLE GRAPE BASKET

Cut basket bottom from matboard.  Cut sides and handle from manila folder paper.

Starting on a long side, glue side strip around bottom piece, bottom edges flush.

Overlap serrated end of side piece and glue in place.  Lay handle in palm of hand

and roll over it with a round pencil until it curves to prevent creasing.  Glue handle ends

in place on inside of basket.  Before or after assembly, basket may be weathered/aged

with a light mixture of brown acrylic and Delta’s Gel Stain Medium.  Add a dot of

glue over the nail marks on the serrated section of the side.  When glue has set color

these nail heads with black pen or acrylic.  Fill with grapes.

                                                           

                                                             

                       Copy pattern to your computer; print at 3.56" W x 1.33" H for 1" scale.

                                                                GRAPES

Make a mixture of black (½), blue (1/4) and transparent (1/4) Fimo. Roll into a 1/16”

 diam coil. Use a single edge razor blade to cut the coil into 1/16” pieces and transfer

these in a group to palm of left hand (assuming you are right handed).  Use middle or

ring finger of right hand to gently roll each piece into a round.  Transfer individual

“grapes” to a piece of glass or ceramic tile on which they will be baked.  Group 9-12

grapes together, to form a rough circle.  Top the first circle of grapes with increasingly

smaller groupings until the cluster is the size you desire.  Gently turn the cluster over

and add single grapes here and there until the desired shape is reached.  For stems,

roll a small piece of brown Fimo into a very thin snake; twist slightly and add to base

of grape cluster.  Bake according to Fimo package direction.  When cool, sporadically

dab with a very light white acrylic wash.  When wash is dry, coat grapes with a

satin acrylic finish.   For interest add a few small (approx. 3/8" W.) maple leaf shapes
punched from matt green paper; emboss veins with a pointed stylus.

                                                           PRODUCE BOXES

Use pieces, as is or trimmed as needed, from Woodsie Rectangles (craft store

purchase) or cut your own from basswood.  To age, wash all sides of all pieces with

black-brown watercolor & press flat till dry.  Add lettering to side pieces as desired

( for method used see Sign instructions in an upcoming post)).  Glue face of side pieces

to edges of bottom piece and face of end pieces to edges of bottom & side pieces. 

                                  Copy pattern to computer; print at 3.627" x 1.0"H for 1" scale.

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RUSTIC BIRDHOUSE

Note: This birdhouse is not the same one as pictured in the scene.  That one
is an very inexpensive wood piece purchased from Michaels Crafts.  http://www.michaels.com/

1.  Print birdhouse pieces on cardstock (I prefer Epson’s Matte Premium
Presentation Paper  http://www.epson.com/ ). 

2.  Before cutting out, score house… between tab section and side, & between

back & front & sides; score from the center top of front section down to the
front/side corners, repeat for the back section.

3.  Carefully cut out.  Use 1/8” and 1/16” round paper punches to punch
holes in house front.  

4.  Color the wrong sides of the house and roof with a dry colored pencil in
dark gray (this does not have to be a perfect job; it is just to lightly cover
the white). 

5.  Fold house inward on all scored lines.  Glue back section over tab to hold; glue

bottom tabs to inside.

6.  Cut out roof piece and score along eave/roof sections on all 4 sides; score

across center of roof.  Clip eave section to roof at the center score, on both sides. 

Fold the eave sections in at approx. 45 degree angles to roof.

7.  Glue the roof, centered over the top of the house, on the triangle tabs and the

edges of the sides.  When the glue has set a bit make sure the front & back eave

edges are at 45 degrees to the roof and then glue one clipped end over the other

at both the front and the back peaks. 

8.  Carefully crease the side eaves inward so the corners are inline with the
cornersof the front & back eaves; add just a tiny dab of glue to these corners
from the underside to hold them together.

9.  For perch, cut an approx. 3/8” length from a round toothpick, starting at a

pointed end.  Round off the fat end with sandpaper.  Color the perch with

black and brown water color pencils for a weathered look.  Glue the pointed

end of the perch snugly into the 1/16” hole in house front.

                                                       
                                                 RUSTIC BIRDHOUSE PATTERN
         Copy pattern to computer and set to print out at 4.392" x 1.984" for 1" scale.
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                                                                  SCARECROW

1.  Cut head from tan or natural color, lightweight, closely woven fabric. 

Gather into pouch shape with a needle and thread and stuff with cotton batting

but do not tie off the stitching.   Insert a 1/16” to 3/32” thick  by approx. 4” long

dowel or stick up into head and tie off gathering threads tightly around it.   Adjust

gathers so that all are to one side (the back), leaving the other side (the front) fairly

smooth.
2.  On the smooth side of the head paint a face with acrylics.  Remember, it is a

scarecrow, so it does not have to be perfect but it should make you smile a bit!
Click on pattern and then save image to computer.  Set printer to print image at
4.44"W x 2.67"H.

3..Cut hat from golden color felt.  Mark center.  Saturate with a half and half

solution of glue & water.  Stretch over the pointed end of a glue bottle or

something similar that has been covered over with plastic wrap held in place

with a rubber band. Hold felt in place with another rubber band.  Let felt dry

completely before removing it from form.  Set aside.

To save pattern to computer, click on image & copy & paste. 
Set you printer to 2.12"W x 1.91"H

4.  Cut shirt on the fold from a piece of fine plaid or checked fabric.  With right
sides together sew underarm seams.  Glue a hem back on bottom and on sleeves. 
Turn right side out.
5.  For gloves glue two pieces of white felt together for a double thickness.  Cut out
using pattern.  Glue gloves into sleeve openings.  Stuff sleeves with cotton batting.
Tie off sleeve ends with thread.  Slip shirt on stick under head, thru hole in top of
shirt.  Slide shirt up to head and glue gathers on bottom of head over shirt.
6.  Make pants by cutting dark blue or black fabric on double thickness.
Hint: Look for fine denim in baby clothing at 2^nd hand stores).  Place right sides
together and sew seams.  Glue back hems on legs.  Turn right side out and stuff
with batting.  Glue top of pants inside of shirt with stick to back and outside of pants. 
The amount of pants glued inside shirt will determine the length of your scarecrow. 
Tie length of buttonhole thread around waist for belt. 
7.  Stuff bottom of legs with bits of straw, shredded raffia, or sea grass.  Tie
buttonhole thread around bottom of legs.
8.  With glue, tuck some wisps of your straw material hanging out of bottom of shirt,
out of sleeves and around gloves.  Tuck straw into gathers of neck area.  Glue straw
on head for hair.  When glue has set, glue hat over hair.  Tie length of thread around
hat just above the brim.  Trim and adjust straw hair. 
9.  A light black acrylic wash may be used to weather scarecrow as desired. 
Drill hole in scene base where you will place your scarecrow and insert stick
with glue. 

Click on image to enlarge; copy & paste to your

computer.  Set printer image to 5.56"W x 1.96"H

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  SIGNPOST

1.  For the post cut a 6” length of 3/16” sq. stripwood.  Whittle the bottom

¼” into a point.  Paint with a deep green acrylic and when dry lightly sand

the edges here and there &  use a light black acrylic wash to weather the

post.

2.  Cut signs backings from 1/16” sheetwood or use Woodsie precut

Rectangles.  Weather with a light black watercolor wash. 

Press flat till dry.

3.  Signs may be hand lettered and worded as desired or they may be done

using a direct transfer (as opposed to mirror image)Iron-On transfer using

the images given.  I prefer to use Click-n-Craft Iron-on Transfer 2 (Joann’s

Fabrics or online vendors).  It is easy and gives terrific fool-the-eye results. 

Desired images may be created on the computer and transferred to the

paper with an inkjet copier, following the package instructions. 

Once the image is on the transfer paper you
will cut the paper to desired size or slightly
larger. You now pull the backing off the
transfer & with the wood sign laying on a flat
surface place the transfer smoothly on it. 
A provided piece of parchment paper is
placed over the transfer and a heated iron is
applied.  For miniature purposes a mini
Clover Needlecraft iron (Joann’s Fabrics)
is very convenient & does the job easily. 
Apply the heat smoothly until the transfer
adheres to the wood & the transfer backing
all but disappears. 
 Let it cool for a second or two and then pull the
parchment paper off.  The iron can easily melt off any paper
                   extending over your wood.                             

                            

As easy as that you have the look of hand lettered work. 
At this point your imagination should really kick in and
you will think of many applications for this technique.
This is how the lettering was applied to the wheelbarrow
and the produce box in Part 1 of this project. 

Glue the signs to the post, spaced as
desired.  Let glue set.  Drill a hole thru the
base where you want your signpost to sit
and push/twist the post into the hole with a
bit of glue to hold.

Copy & paste signs to your computer. 
Set printer to:
1.28"W x 1.07"H for top of post sign.
5.98"W x 1.15"H for the produce signs.
3.17W x 2.96"H for the wheelbarrow & box signage
Of course you may want to design your own signage using your name.

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                                                                        CROW

The crow as seen on top of the signpost was “bashed” from a Lemax Spooky

Town (https://.lemax-spookytown.com/ ) accessory piece.  Detailed crows in

various positions show up in several of these very inexpensive resin pieces. 

With dust mask in place I used a Dremel Moto Tool to cut the crow off

of the piece (some will actually pull free with a few twists. To keep with a true

crow  beaks are actualy black.

 If your talents or interests are such you may choose to create your own crow

by sculpting with Fimo or carving from wood. 

For miniature perfection check out miniature artisans like Linda Master. http://www.miraclechickenurns.com  

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                                                      GARDEN GLOVES

Make copies of gloves onto lightweight paper.  Cut out a front and back for

each of 2 gloves, cutting between fingers.  Glue together in sets, wrong sides
together, by their very outer edges, leaving the opening unglued.  It will help to
insert

something like the large flat edge of a cocktail/sandwich pick into the

gloves to make sure the opening does not get glued together and for

something to hold on to while working on them.  When the glue has set,
stuff the gloves lightly with cotton. 

For the brown leather gloves, stipple over the brown color with a

slightly darker brown watercolor (water color pencils work great for this). 

Add a coat of matte Mod Podge to the green hand pad.  When all is dry,

paint on a coat of neutral color Shoe Polish.  Allow to dry and buff to a

sheen.  Gently shape completed gloves for a natural look.

For the white cotton gloves, color the wrist band red with acrylics or

permanent pen.  Insert something into a glove to act as a handle, see

above.  Coat both sides of a glove with a coat of matte Mod Podge and

immediately cover with a piece of bathroom tissue, using your brush to

make sure that the tissue is saturated & flat to the paper.  Once the
Mod Podge has dried trim off the excess tissue around the edges and
re-cut between fingers as needed. This will give the gloves a cloth look. 
Stuff glove lightly with cotton; shape as desired.

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                                                           PAPER GARDEN MUMS

                                                             CHRYSANTHEMUMS

Years ago a miniaturist, whom I can’t recall, sent me a pot of yellow

“chrysanthemums”.  She said that they were actually a dried plant that

grew in her state (Montana?).  I used them in one of my scenes, never

to be seen again.  Jump ahead quite a few years and being in need of

some quick, fill-in flowers I searched the internet to see if I could find those

same ’mums…and there they were, LONAS INDORA, also known as

African Daisy.  I was able to find bunches of them locally and have used

them ever since as fill-ins or when I don’t have the time or patience to

create paper ones.  Lonas are multi clusters of small yellow flowers on stems. 

I use them as is or use water colors to create other shades of chrysanthemums. 

I also use a pick to fluff them up a bit if they are overly dry.

They are fast and easy to prepare and very fool-the-eye in many settings.

For this project, group assorted colors together in pots or pails. 

To find Lonas do an internet search or check  your local craft/floral shop’s

dried floral section.

If you would like to make paper mums here are instructions for SMALL
GARDEN MUMS:
Cut 1/8" wide strips 3" long of Art Tissue Paper (for this quality tissue paper
look in art supply stores).  Measure and mark a pencil line that divides the strip
in half LENGTHWISE.  Fold the strip into fourths widthwise.  Cut half of the
of the strip into a very fine fringe with small, sharp scissors (gingher 5"
large handled scissors are a wonderful additon to your tool chest.  Hint: Look
for discount coupons from Joann's Fabrics to use for these scissors.  And
if you purchase them put a Mr. Yuck sticker on them to remind yourself &
anyone else who is tempted to use them for anything but fine cutting to STOP),
using the pencil line as a guide.  Unfold.  Cut  a length of thin green floral wire
(non-cloth covered) & dip an end into thick white craft glue (I use Crafters
Pick Ultimate http://www.crafterspick.com/ ).  Place the glued end of the floral
wire on the non-fringed section of one end of the prepared paper strip.  With
the aid of glue on the non fringed section, wrap the paper smoothly and as
evenly as possible around the wire.  Use glue sparingly with a light touch,
keeping it off the fringe.  Make the blossom as full as desired.  Cut off any
excess paper.  Pinch and roll unfringed section of paper on wire between
fingertips to taper and compact it as much as possible.  Paint this section
with leaf-green acrylic.    With the aid of a needle tool pull fringed petals
down in layers, leaving a slight clump in the middle.  This center of the flower
may be tinted lightly with water color of a slightly darker shade than the flower.
Cut the wire to size desired and paint it to match the underside of the flower,
using it to even out the underside of the flower/stem join.
Leaves may be punched from leaf green paper; use needle tool to score
veins.  A mini oak leaf is a good choice...it  is approx. 1/4"W x 3/8"H.

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                                                                      EXTRAS

-Punch maple leaves from lightweight yellow paper that you have sponged
with various fall colors for a mottled look.

Use a pointed stylus to accent the veins.  Spinkle here and there on you scene.

-Gather a bunch of dried grass or stems left over from dried flowers and tie

around the center for a bundle.  Stand on end.

-Add a holiday touch to your scene with a Thanksgiving turkey.  Safari Ltd. http://www.shopatron.com/home/index/740.0
has a nice Tom Turkey.  Check online vendors and your local miniature
& craft stores.


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So that is the end of my contributions to

A Bit of Autumn.  Use them as you may to

add a bit of the season to your home…

maybe even as a centerpiece on your

Thanksgiving table, flanked by candles.

The Christmas season is hovering in the

background and nudging my creativity,

so be on the look-out for a little  holiday

gift that will becoming your way soon.

Joann

PS

Don’t forget those Food Banks!