Monthly Archives: December 2007

I made bookplates again this year for the books I gave my babies for Christmas. (I’m a book giver, it’s genetic.)

They turned out really cute. There are more than these four, but these are the ones I like best.

Our Tree Named Steve

Calvin & Hobbes

The Giant Jam Sandwich

Where the Wild Things Are

I made each of the kids a paper mache something for Christmas this year. For Calvin I knew right away that I would re-create the Lemon Galleon (check back later and I will pics of that project). For Olivia . . . at first I thought I would make a hot air balloon, but that seemed too tre passe. Instead I decided a flying fish was the way for a two year old girl to travel through the universe.

First I drew out my idea . . . I wanted the fish to be pink and silver with flecks of gold and moonlight in her wings. I also determined that an Olivia doll needed to be made in order to give the full effect . . . this wasn’t just a fish hanging from a ceiling. She was a mode of transportation!

I set out to make the fish, paper maching her and painting her a generic pink. I found a champaign gold paint that I diluted down to transparency to add a little sparkle to her eyes and lips. I also painted scales in various places. In addition to the paint, I used an irredescent pink paper as well as a goldish-green paper with purple irredescent glitter to cut out and glue down as scales.For her eyes I painted her eyelids a soft lavender color with a purple and gold eye liner. I then used fake eyelashes from the beauty department of my local grocery store to give her a little something extra. I painted her eyes blue and used dark blue jewel beads that I had on hand for her pupils.

I used a pink irredescent organza for her fins and tail. I wired her tail with floral wire to make it stand up. I also used feathers in pink, peacock green, and fuscia on her appendages. My friend Andi made a feather fish in college once, and I’ve always admired that, so I thought I’d add the feathers in honor of her genius.

For Olivia I started with a pre-made doll from the craft store (I never knew they had such things, but it cut out a lot of time in having to make her myself). All the doll was was a muslin body. I added hair using embroidery thread in a flaxen gold color. I tied them in Olivia’s typically wild pig tail fashion with some pink wax thread I had on hand. I also made her clothes just with some felt . . . her overalls and a pink shirt. I debated about putting a mouth on her, but embroidered a small one with some salmon thread. I attached her to the fish using sticky velcro. This way she can come on and off.

And there you have it, Olivia’s flying fish, her ride through the universe.

I was wrapping presents the other night, and Wyatt said to me, with a sarcastic tone: “Are you done with your art project yet?”

To which I replied incredulously “It’s not an art project, I’m just wrapping presents.”

And Wyatt said, “No, wrapping presents is sticking it in a brown paper (grocery) bag and twisting the top so they can’t see what’s inside. That’s an art project!”

And there lies the most fundamental difference between Wyatt and I.