This project was the Christmas gift from my boys to my parents. They each got to help in small ways, and we all had fun. When it came to wrapping it, we had to improvise by taping cardboard on top of an open box. and stuffing packing peanuts around it. Bug had loads of fun doing that. What's more fun than a trash bag full of packing peanuts that you're allowed to "play" with, right?
But the packaging isn't the point here. The penguin is. And here is his story. . .
Gourdy was originally slated to become a snowman. After the naked (raw) gourd was clean and dry, I made a top-hat out of a stiff, sparkly felt. I thought this would be easy, but I didn't have a circle cutter. Thus the circles look like the boys drew and cut them. I also ran into the problem of having to cut the solid circle I had made for the brim. In order for the hat to go over the stem and sit down on the then-snowman's head, I had to cut out the center. Easier said than done.
When it was finally fitted, I played with the positioning. Mostly because it looked huge sitting directly on top. It looked better on the side.
I started painting the white for the snowman. Here you have to remember that gourds are round, so when painting I have to go in stages. I started with the front of this gourd, and I'm glad I did.
When I painted the front of the naked gourd white, he shouted, "I'm a penguin! I'm a penguin!" Yes, he spoke to me, and I know how that sounds, but it's art, people.
So I painted the black around the sides and back. I was going to get creative with the wings and make them three-dimentional, but that was too much trouble. So I painted them, too.
I envisioned the little guy holding a wreath. That vision morphed into a wreath with a picture of the boys' faces in the center. I took a few pictures in front of the Christmas tree, printed the best one in a size that would be suitable, and glued it on.
Next came the wreath. I gave Tommy a stippling brush and some green paint, and let him have at it. Bugs turn came when the wreath was dry. He got to paint the berries and bow. I had to direct his little hand a bit, otherwise poor Gourdy would have chicken pox.
I used a plaid flannel and made a scarf for Goudy. On impulse, before I glued it around his neck, I stitched the year "2012" at one end. I also added a band around the hat. That band did a lot to dress up the hat and make it appear a little smaller. With the scarf hanging just below the wreath, adding the hat band tied the whole project together from top to bottom.
 |
| Instagram Collage |
Please, tell me what you think.
