Hand and foot Doodles

New Year 2013 - Happy New Year to all.  This new day and year inspired my (after finishing Lady of the Garden yesterday) to revert to my favourite activity - doodling!!
I decided that instead of doodling any shape that comes to mind - I need to focus and maybe use shapes that I know. So what better than hands and feet!!  My husband volunteered to be the guinea pig and I promptly traced the outline of his hand on a piece of paper.  I decided to start with his name initial G and from there I doodled along and ended up with this.

I have cut it out as I want to make collage with his face in the background. So watch this space for the final product:)

As if this was not enough on new year's day - while I took many obligatory drips in the pool (it is very hot today) my hubby decided that I need to doodle his footprint as well.   So a quick paint on the bottom of his foot and a print on white paper, I had to think how I was going to do this one. We use grey paint to do the print - wrong choice in hind sight ..... I would use a lighter colour next time.

Anyhow - this is how it turned out.  I decide to use words to bring my meaning across and it is titled:  "Tread lightly on the Earth". Here is a picture - you can see the grey outline of his foot in the background.  I have cut it out and will use it in a collage with the hand.

 

Lady of the Garden

Part 2: Lady of the Garden - finally finished !!!

 

    

I have finished off the Lady - grouting and new bling and here are some photos.  I did the front part with blue grouting - my husband didn't like it and maybe I will now change it with another type of tile - or will go looking for a pretty plate at the local OpShop that I can smash up and make into a pretty dress for her.

Part 1: Lady of the Garden - mosaic make over

Reviving Lady of the Garden - cement sculpture with bling...
A couple of years ago I made a cement sculpture - from scratch with metal frame chicken wire body stuffed with paper and covered with cement.  Long wavy hair and a crown of some sparkle stone  - she adorned our garden for the past 3 years.  I always wanted to finish the body part but everybody said that she looked lovely.
Today I decided - enough - she needs a makeover. Some mosaic and bling stones to make her look new And here is the process:

I have used:
PVA Glue
Smashed up old dinner plates
News paper
Small hammer - to smash the plate
2 x Coloured imitated stones (Crazy Clark $2.99 a packet)
Paintbrush - to paint the glue on
Plastic gloves - to protect my hands from sharp bits of the smashed up plate (and I have just painted my nails and couldn't stand glue on my new pretty nails.
White Grouting - Keracolour (Sanded grout with Polymer) $8.99 from Masters

This is The Lady before the makeover.
She is quite heavy - 20 kg of solid cement.









Mosaic body
I drew an outline on the body where I wanted the mosaic tiles and decided that a cloak would do nicely. I took some old plates (sitting in the back of the cupboard) and smashed them up.  Put newspaper down, then put plate on newspaper and cover the plate with an old towel and smash away.  The towel keeps all the bits from the plate from flying around.  Do not ever smash any glass / porcelain without a cover.  The splinters can fly up and cause serious damage to your eyes not to speak of the sharp bits on the floor.  Be very careful and clean the working area regularly.  There is nothing more annoying than digging a piece of glass out of your foot....

 Smashed up bits

Anyway...

I glued the big stones around the neck and did two rows of blue and clear stones down the middle. I added mosaic tiles to define the inner bits of the pattern.
I then filled the space between the small mosaic tiles with the pieces of the blue plate.
                            

This is the result.

       

I need to wait for the glue to dry  - this will be overnight - and then continue to fill the spaces between the tiles with grouting. I will post the final product on the blog tomorrow.  So look out for Part 2 - Lady of the Garden. Feel free to comment on the process. 

Angel of my Heart