I hope you will enjoy creating my bluebird of happiness ornament. If you have purchased this pattern to help Wendy and Kevin Young….Thank you so very much!
Supplies needed to make Bluebird Ornament
- 2” x 4” paper mache cone
- Quikwood (QW)
- 2” styrofoam ball
- 1.5” styrofoam ball
- 1” styrofoam ball
- 1/4” dowel- 1.5” & 7.5”
- 20 gauge wire
DecoArt American Paints:
- Foliage Green
- Indian Turquoise
- Marigold
- Soft Black
- Tomato Red
- Turquoise Blue
- Warm White
- DecoArt Maple Gel Stain
Other Supplies:
- Basic Painting Supplies & Brushes
- Sculpting Blade or knife for cutting QW
- DecoArt Extender for blending QW
- Super Glue Gel
- Avon Silicone Glove – optional but helps to keep QW from sticking to hands.
- Parchment paper
- DecoArt spray varnish – optional
- old brush for applying Antiquing
- Baby wipes
- Scissors
Quikwood Basics:
- Quikwood is a two part resin. When mixed together you have about 20 minutes of open time before it begins to cure. It will fully cure in 24 hours.
- Only cut off as much as you need at a time.
- Make sure it is thoroughly mixed together (no swirls of color) or it will not cure.
- Do not wear jewelry especially rings when working with QW.
- Apply Avon Silicone Glove before starting and as needed when working with the QW.
- Use DecoArt Extender to blend QW being careful not to use too much or it will make your QW gummy.
Video on Quikwood Basics:
Creating Wings and Tail:
- See Pattern at end of document or use Wing and Tail Pattern Here (PDF)
- Cut 1″ of QW, blend and divide in two with one ball being slightly larger than the other. Use the smaller ball for the tail. Divide the larger ball again in two for the wings.
- Lay a piece of parchment paper over your pattern for the wings and tail.
- You will be making a cone for each section of the tail and wings. To make a cone roll the clay into a ball. Place the bottom of your hands together and lay the clay between your hand. Begin rolling your hands back and forth to create the cone. the distance your hands are apart will determine if your cone is fatter to thinner. The closer the hands are together at the top the thinner your cone.
- For the tail pull off a piece of clay the size of a pea and roll into a cone. Place in the center of the pattern. Continue pulling off a piece of clay the size of a pea for the two sections on each side of the center and roll into a cone. Place next to center and press against center to attach. The two outside sections will be slightly smaller. Divide the remaining clay and roll each piece into a cone. Place each on outside edge of tail. Press slightly to join to adjoining section. Using extender blend bottom together.
- For wings pull off piece the size of a pea and create cone. Place on top section of wing pattern. The top sections bends up slightly. Pull off another piece slightly smaller than the last one. Roll into a cone and lay next to top section. Press slightly to attach together. Continue making the next two cones in the same manner with each one slightly smaller pressing to attach each time. Using extender blend bottom of wings together and fit clay to pattern. Repeat for other wing.
- Allow to cure before attaching.
Video for Creating Wings and Tail:
Head and Body:
- Insert 1 1/2″ of 1/4″ dowel into 2″ Styrofoam ball.
- Press 1″ ball onto top of dowel leave 1/4″ showing for neck.
- Cut 1/8″ of QW, blend and roll into 1 1/4″ coil. Wrap around neck. Blend coil into Styrofoam starting at the bottom, then blend onto top ball. Continue blending until everything is well blended. Allow to cure
- Cut 1/2″ of QW. Blend, roll into a ball and then press into pancake keeping the center thicker and the edges thinner. Start at front and lay over head. Press and blend until the head is covered.
- Blend into neck using extender if needed. Shape head by patting with hands so that it is smooth and the QW fairly even. Allow to cure.
Video for Head and Body:
Creating Beak:
- Cut 1/8″ of QW and blend together.
- Pinch off two very small piece for the eyes
- Roll into a ball and then slightly flatten bottom and sit on finger. Using finger and thumb of opposite hand pinch both sides creating a pyramid shape.
- Decide on where you want your beak. Remember this will play a part in how your bird is looking. Place beak on bird and blend edges. Reshape beak if needed.
- Roll two small eyes and place on bird.
- If you want your bird to have an open mouth wait until the QW starts to stiffen. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes. Keep checking you do not want it to get too stiff.
- Using Exacto begin cutting at the tip of the beak and cut back on one side. go to the opposite side and cut from tip to side. Use knife blade to lift open the mouth. Shape mouth if needed. Allow to cure.
Video for Creating Beak:
Attaching Tail:
- Cut 3/4″ of QW and roll into a ball. Decide where you want the tail in relationship to the head. Place ball on back of bird and blend edges into body.
- Press tail into ball of QW. Blend QW onto top and bottom of tail using extender.
- Realign if needed and blend excess QW onto body. Allow to cure.
Video for Attaching Tail:
Attaching Wings:
- Cut 1″ of QW and divide into two. Roll each piece into a ball and place on each side of bird. (Think bird shoulders) Blend edges of each ball into the body.
- Working on one wing at a time press wing into ball of QW. Blend QW onto top and back of wing using extender. Repeat for other wing.
- Realign wings if needed and blend excess QW onto body. Allow to cure.
Video for Attaching Wings:
Attaching Dowel, Hook, and Cone:
- Cut off tip of cone with scissors a little bit at a time until the dowel goes through the cone.
- Before inserting dowel in bottom of bird decide on the position of the bird in the nest. Push dowel into bottom of bird. Reposition if needed. Cut 1/4″ of QW and divide in half. Roll a coil about 1″ and wrap around dowel. Blend onto Styrofoam ball and then onto dowel.
- Cut a piece of 20 gauge wire 2″ long and fold over to make a hook. Also cut a piece about 4″ long and fold up one end to make a hook to test and see if your ornament is hanging straight.
- Insert hook in top of bird body. Insert longer piece of wire in hook and hold up to see if dowel is hanging straight. Reposition hook until ornament is hanging straight. Use half of remaining QW and make a coil about 3/4″ long. Wrap around hook. Blend QW onto body.
- Use the remaining QW to cover any Styrofoam areas on the bird. Pinch off a piece, press it flat and blend it onto the area, continue until all areas are covered.
- Cut 1/2″ of QW. Pull off a piece of QW the size of a pea. Roll into a ball and place on cone, and slightly flatten. Continue adding dots to cone. Use any remaining QW to cover Styrofoam areas on bird.
Video for Dowel, Hook, and Cone:
Painting:
- Base bird Turquoise Blue, Beak Marigold and eyes Soft Black. Paint Indian Turquoise stroke on left side of eye and Warm White highlight on right of each eye. Paint belly of bird Indian Turquoise.
- Paint dowel Warm White, cone and ball on bottom of dowel Tomato Red, and dots on cone Warm White. Paint Foliage Green stroke beside each dot on cone and stripes on dowel (#2 or #4 shader).
- Spray with light coat of DecoArt spray varnish, allow to dry and antique if desired.
- NOTE: It will be easier to paint and antique bird and cone before assembling.
Finishing:
- Using sculpting tool or pencil start hole through 1.5″ Styrofoam ball, then push dowel through ball. place in cone and decide where dowel should come out of the cone. Remember you want to have enough room to place straw in top of ornament and have the bird look like it is sitting on it.
- Mark where dowel comes out of cone with a pencil. Cut a silver of QW. Remove dowel from cone. Roll QW in small coil and place above mark on dowel. Insert back into cone and allow to cure. Hang if possible or position so ball does not get misshaped.
- Cut 1/8″ of QW and roll into a ball. Attach to bottom of dowel if needed use a little super glue gel to hold. Reshape ball if need and hang to cure.
- NOTE: I would have all of the pieces painted before assembling, then add ball and paint and antique just the ball.
- Spray with a coat of DecoArt spray varnish, allow to dry.
- Fill nest with Kraft crinkled paper.
Enjoy!
Jane Allen
Blog: https://janeallencreates.blog/
Website: http://www.janeallencreates.com/
