Help/advice needed - birthday prezzi

[pencil shavings]

Its my friend Marys birthday on May 20th and I have figured out what to get (make) her. Shes been a really good friend to me and helped me though some stuff so I really want to get this right, so Im calling on the .org for wisdom as I dont have the time to make the mistakes myself.

The idea:
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/untitled-1.jpg
the line down the middle is a wire/string, the balls are butterflies.

I want to cut the butterflies out of wood or cardboard?? then attach them to the wire some how and paint them. (painting before attachment)

It would hang down the side of a door.

Hopfully that makes sence. I only have 20 days to make this, so ive got abit of a time limit!

I think it would be better to make it out of wood, but I dont have access to cutting tools. Painting and varnishing would be simple enough.

Help me please!!

Thanks

[kitkat]

why not make the butterflies out of material, much easier. You can buy foam craft balls that are very light and get craft wire and thin organza material in different colours.

my friend always used to make me presents as she was arty and they mean so much. unless they are crap of course which is why I buy not make stuff

[pencil shavings]

why not make the butterflies out of material

oh thats a nice idea

How would I be able to keep it ridgid though?

[rigor]

How would I be able to keep it ridgid though?

Think dirty thoughts ;)

Seriously though.... starch spray?

[pencil shavings]

hmmm, would that leave a residue?

(not thinking dirty thoughts ;) lol)

[Mrs Blue Pete]

What about that modelling clay stuff - Fimo, I think it's called? Think our kids have made butterflies and worms out of it and you can roll it out quite thinly. You might be able to find a biscuit cutter in the right shape to keep things ordered. BP seems to think that you can 'layer' it so you can decorate each butterfly individually. If you buy sparkly jewels you can really go for it!

HTH

[missyburd]

What a lovely idea :) I should think she'll love it however it turns out, tis the thought that counts after all :D

why not make the butterflies out of material, much easier. You can buy foam craft balls that are very light and get craft wire and thin organza material in different colours.


or mesh in different colours, or is that what the organza is?

or how about thin wire that can be shaped into butterflies, with little beads threaded on the wire?

[Lozzo]

The idea:
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/untitled-1.jpg
the line down the middle is a wire/string, the balls are butterflies.



Butterflies might be a bit scratchy and not give the desired effect, I'd suggest you go for solid balls increasing in size, just like every other girl wants

;)

[kitkat]

you can make the butterfly wing shape using thin craft wire and cover with the organza (thin voil stuff) you get organza in lots of lovely colours and you wll only need a wee bit so it will be cheap. get a pack of the foam craft balls and use a couple for the body and a wee one for the head. the covered wire will be able to be pushed into the foam balls. that way when they are hanging from the door, any gusts of wind will make the butterflies dance - ooh I talk a good art project.

[missyburd]

I want to make one now lol!

[pencil shavings]

Thanks for the ideas girls, I was hoping more of you would imput rather than the one track minded men :rolleyes: lol

organza - sounds good - wire, organza and craft balls - easy!! :cool:

What would be the best way to add detail to the organza? pen/paint/laying the organza? :confused:

fimo - sounds like alot of fun, but harder to get right, I will play with that another time!

[Baph]

Butterflies might be a bit scratchy and not give the desired effect, I'd suggest you go for solid balls increasing in size, just like every other girl wants

;)
Lozzo, that's what I thought he was making too...

I'm sure our present would be much more appreciated. :D

I actually saw the picture & my first thoughts were: "So is that to the U-rating on the .Org?" :lol:

[SoulKiss]

Go to your local Butterfly Sanctuary, take pics, realise that its going to be hard to make realistic looking butterflies.

Kidnap a bunch from said sanctuary and superglue them to some fishing line.

Put a lead weight on the end of the fishing line

Job Done

[pencil shavings]

Lozzo, that's what I thought he was making too...

I'm sure our present would be much more appreciated. :D

I actually saw the picture & my first thoughts were: "So is that to the U-rating on the .Org?" :lol:

LOL, I honestly didnt even think about that while I was doing my amazing graphic!

Go to your local Butterfly Sanctuary, take pics, realise that its going to be hard to make realistic looking butterflies.

Kidnap a bunch from said sanctuary and superglue them to some fishing line.

Put a lead weight on the end of the fishing line

Job Done


Umm, she likes butterflies, so killing some might not be a good way to say thank you to her! unless I can find away of keeping them alive while they are glued to the line.........

but no, Ive got my M.O.T. at 4.45 so I will go to the craft store afterwards and see what I can scrounge/beg/get student discont on [-o<

[kitkat]

use superglue to stick wee beads and sequins onto the organza. take a pic of the final product

[Baph]

wee beads
Beads made out of what??? :shock:


Hey look, that's my coat!!

[pencil shavings]

use superglue to stick wee beads and sequins onto the organza. take a pic of the final product

ahh good plan! (im going to store all this info incase I have a girl child... that sounds rly weird.....)

Im going to do a step by step photo diary so I can be guided in the right direction! :cool:

[missyburd]

use superglue to stick wee beads and sequins onto the organza. take a pic of the final product

+1, we need to have photographic evidence that a biker can be light and delicate when making pretty butterfly ornaments :p

[pencil shavings]

well after taking the bike to get M.O.Ted (passed fine) I went to a craft store and went inside to look for some of the stuff I might need. Boy did I feel like I was in the wrong shop! There were afew uni girls getting stuff for art projects and a couple a mothers with kids.

No men.....

And no bikers lol

So i went and had a look, found some craft balls (to make the body) 1mm thick sliver wire (to make the wings) some little black fluffy balls, packet calls them pom poms (for the ends of the anteni) and some super glue.

I have also ordered some organza from ebay in different colours.

I took some pictures of the bits but I cant upload from my phone for some resaon, will have to try and find a camera tomorrow.

[missyburd]

There were afew uni girls getting stuff for art projects and a couple a mothers with kids.

No men.....

And no bikers lol



I see....or not....can a biker not be a man? :confused:


:p

[pencil shavings]

+1, we need to have photographic evidence that a biker can be light and delicate when making pretty butterfly ornaments :p

ahem

can women bikers not be delicate? :mrgreen:

I see....or not....can a biker not be a man? :confused:


:p

there were no men = superflical common ground
there were no bikers of either sex = superfical common ground

i didnt list any other superfical listing of people, as not seeing a team of footballers was hardly suprising, or relvant :mrgreen:

I think ive got you on this one!! :smt042

[missyburd]

ahem

can women bikers not be delicate? :mrgreen:
see the following correction :)
+1, we need to have photographic evidence that a male biker can be light and delicate when making pretty butterfly ornaments :p


there were no men = superflical common ground
there were no bikers of either sex = superfical common ground

i didnt list any other superfical listing of people, as not seeing a team of footballers was hardly suprising, or relvant :mrgreen:

I think ive got you on this one!! :smt042

Was just the way I read it then

"No men.......And no bikers"

Bikers being a different gender/species :D

[kitkat]

so you know where to go to pull - no competition

[pencil shavings]

Right, pictures! Step by step and 8 days till B-day! :p

The craft balls only had a hole in one end, so I had to use a big safey pin to make a hole all the way through.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0622.jpg

Three craft balls with holes all the way through, super glued together. This will make the body.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0623.jpg

Then I got some of the siliver wire and just bent it into a wing shape with my hand, and it came out somthing like this

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0624.jpg

infact exactly like that. Then I made holes in the body and glued the wing in place.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0625.jpg

The next wing didnt get made quite so easily and nicly, oh well, hopfully it wont be noticable

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0626.jpg

Same process of holes and super glue

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0627.jpg

the next step was the hardest so far, the fabric stuff just wouldnt stick to the silver wire. So eventually I decided it would be best to put the fabric (organza i think its called??) on both sides of the wing and let the superglue dont on the organza rather than the siliver wire. I cut out slightly too big squares so they could be trimmed down to size afterwards.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0628.jpg

Then the other wing, same method as the 1st wing, so much quicker the second time, but still fiddly

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0629.jpg

This project has given me a nice break from revision, I can pick it up and do abit when my brain is getting tired. Here it is with one wing trimmed.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0631.jpg

i found that trimming it loosed the bond of the superglue so I had to do abit of re glueing afterwards. Here it is with both wings trimmed and glued and solid.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0632.jpg

Thats not the finished version, going to make some antenis and put glitter glue stuff on the wings to make them bling! lol :cool:

[missyburd]

very pretty, those craft balls are effective! :)

are you going to put any additional decorative bits on the wings?

[kitkat]

the craft balls look effective when coloured with felt tip too.

good job

[pencil shavings]

felt tip - top tip that! (wow, that is aliteration in mega form! lol) I will give it ago.

yep, ive got some gitter glue for the wings, anything else I shoudl think of trying?

[Speedy Claire]

Looks really good....

You can buy little tubs of tiny sequins and sparkly things, they might look nice glued on

[Mrs Blue Pete]

Wow! That looks really good! :D Would love to see it when it's finished. Only a few days to go...will it be revision or butterflies?? How many more butterflies are you going to make?

[pencil shavings]

Wow! That looks really good! :D Would love to see it when it's finished. Only a few days to go...will it be revision or butterflies?? How many more butterflies are you going to make?

Well, hopfully revision wins, becasue I do want to pass! lol

Im not sure on the amount, but at least 5, I think the amount is dependant on time.

[Mrs Blue Pete]

Well, hopfully revision wins

Ah, but it doesn't win every time...I remember it only too well. And it doesn't win even now when I'm supposed to be marking/planning and I end up being sucked into the ether that is t'internet.

[Rhiwbina_Squirrel]

Make a wire frame and cover it in material or, as Mrs Blue Pete said, Fimo. It's brilliant stuff. Just don't overcook it or it'll go all sorts of funny colours!

Alex

[pencil shavings]

Make a wire frame and cover it in material or, as Mrs Blue Pete said, Fimo. It's brilliant stuff. Just don't overcook it or it'll go all sorts of funny colours!

Alex

did you miss the middle of this thread? ;):p

[Rhiwbina_Squirrel]

Yeeeeh... 'fraid so :P Feel a bit stupid now!

Alex

[pencil shavings]

Yeeeeh... 'fraid so :P Feel a bit stupid now!

Alex


:D

dont worry! the advice was sound, if abit late ;)

[pencil shavings]

Its gone midnight and Im making betterflies! I think there is somthing wrong with me!

[missyburd]

hehe wish I was doing something creative - revision just don't cut it! have stayed up till 4 in the morn sketching before now, dint feel too good in the morning though and had to miss work, too much concentrating late at night! don't do it too late! :D

Hope she appreciates all the effort you're putting in a this hour :p

[pencil shavings]

yeah, i hope so to! lol :)
I cant do this in the day becasue im using the time my brain is functioning to do revision.
I think its tea break time!

[pencil shavings]

update

I found that it was actually really hard to get the butterfly onto the wire, so the next one I decided to build on the wire from the start.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0643.jpg

And heres one that I built on the wire

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0645.jpg

This is the origional one now with some glitter on the wings, might do some more so I have somthing going on in the wings, but that might be extra??

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0644.jpg

2 days and counting

I have to figure out how to get the 1st butterfly onto the wire...

[missyburd]

I have to figure out how to get the 1st butterfly onto the wire...

looking really good :D

have you got a long skewer? metal one would be better I guess. is it easy to poke it throught the middle of the balls and then poke the wire in after it?

or maybe shape the wire in a sort of figure of eight shape around the ball body with a bit of glue to stabilise it a bit.... these are just things I'd try maybe on a practice one first.

[pencil shavings]

Finally it is done, I finished it this morning inbetween last minute revision for my exam, which actaully went really well all things considered. :thumbsup:

So, final pics...

To get the wire nice a curly for the antenni I had to wrap it around the safty pin, which resulted in me getting lots of stab wounds to my finger lol

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0651.jpg

Here is the 1st one again with the antenni and the black pompoms on

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0652.jpg

At the point it was quite late at night, had the NW200 highlights on in the background and I kinda got slack with taking photos.
So here it is, taken this morning finally finished.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0654.jpg

I had a nightmare trying to get the wire to stick. I ended up having to stuff the holes with tiny balls of toilet paper, as they were good for absorbing the super glue and then sticking to the wire, and it worked............. eventually.

Then I hung it up, only to find that the bottom would swing away from the wall really easily, so I had to get 2 little glass thingys and super glue them together and use it as a weight.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0655.jpg

And heres a view from below, not really sure why I took this pic, maybe its the crazyness setting in!

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0657.jpg

Mary bought a box a little while ago for a friends birthday, I was shocked 'you can buy boxes!' But thankfully you can, as I needed somthing to put the butterflies in!

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0658.jpg

Job done!!

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/100_0662.jpg

She said she liked them, and she better have ment it! lol :smt077

And just so you can see who Im talking about, Myself (funny face time), Mary (looking normal, which is rare for her) and Mide (very drunk, which is normal for him)

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g165/verismo_2001/n502162343_430689_8333.jpg

Thanks everyone for your help! Couldnt have done it without the girl power from the .org!! :thumbsup:

[missyburd]

Wow, that looks reeeally good, so effective! Are those glass nugget things at the bottom then? Very creative, and you didn't think you had it in you!

Good job :thumbsup:

[pencil shavings]

Wow, that looks reeeally good, so effective! Are those glass nugget things at the bottom then? Very creative, and you didn't think you had it in you!

Good job :thumbsup:

thanks MYC!!
Im really glad I got it done and it looked half decent. Hopfully I showed the doubters biker boys can be creative!! :cool:

they are little glass balls that have been squished flat, like flatish marbles? People use them in fish tanks I think?

[missyburd]

they are little glass balls that have been squished flat, like flatish marbles? People use them in fish tanks I think?

yep thems glass nuggets, hehe. I may steal your idea at some point if you wouldn't mind, very nice prezzies, was she chuffed then?

[Rhiwbina_Squirrel]

They look great. You could make a few more and put them on ebay as a little earner!

Alex

[pencil shavings]

yep thems glass nuggets, hehe. I may steal your idea at some point if you wouldn't mind, very nice prezzies, was she chuffed then?

no problem, I have some bits left over if you want them? drop me a PM.
yep, she seemed abit taken aback, then sent me a really nice message about an hour later, so I think I did good :)

They look great. You could make a few more and put them on ebay as a little earner!

Alex

I thought about that, for about 2 seconds, then thought no. It was very time intensive to get it to look good, and I doubt the sale price would reflect that. But if the price is right, I would! :cool: Actaully it might be an idea to put the pictures of the one I just made on ebay, then if it sells for a decent price, make another one, if not, just end the auction!! 8-[

[missyburd]

no problem, I have some bits left over if you want them? drop me a PM.



Lol, I couldn't, you should make more anyway save them for the next mother's day/birthday/christmas lol!

Ebay sounds a good idea, any money is good money (you are a student are you not? lol), as long as it covers the cost of the materials :cool:

[Rhiwbina_Squirrel]

I thought about that, for about 2 seconds, then thought no. It was very time intensive to get it to look good, and I doubt the sale price would reflect that. But if the price is right, I would! :cool: Actaully it might be an idea to put the pictures of the one I just made on ebay, then if it sells for a decent price, make another one, if not, just end the auction!! 8-[

Or you could produce some instructions, supply the bits and sell it as a little kit, possibly even do both! I should imagine that would have some appeal as you still get to build it, making it personal, but you don't have to deal with all the unknowns like you did!

Alex

[pencil shavings]

Lol, I couldn't, you should make more anyway save them for the next mother's day/birthday/christmas lol!

Ebay sounds a good idea, any money is good money (you are a student are you not? lol), as long as it covers the cost of the materials :cool:

yeah, student power! (last exam at 9am tomorrow!)

Or you could produce some instructions, supply the bits and sell it as a little kit, possibly even do both! I should imagine that would have some appeal as you still get to build it, making it personal, but you don't have to deal with all the unknowns like you did!

Alex

That is a good idea actaully, I might give that a go, I have the pictures for the guide!!

Might have a few weeks free time after exams so I could have a play then! :thumbsup:

[missyburd]

yeah, student power! (last exam at 9am tomorrow!)

Lucky bugger! I have one at 2 tomorrow then my last one is on saturday at 9.30am....9.30 on a saturday, yuk :smt085 lol

I like the little kit idea too, I'd buy one off ya haha