Time's Fun when You're Having Flies

 

I went to an estate sale and found a few garden frogs to color. The only thing I like better than frogs are mushrooms, but I also spied some garden birds. The whole lot cost me $5 and I've just finished the first five of the ten frogs I found.

The first frog I painted and named George. I placed him under a trio of very large mushrooms growing in my neighbor's yard across the street. He's catching some shade in the summer's heat today. He is only 3 inches high, but mercy, look at the size of those mushroom caps!! If they were edible, they would have been in my frying pan and eaten already...

I painted another four frogs and placed them on the steps of my front deck. Arranging them from top to bottom, they seem to be looking and moving toward the front lawn. The next frogs I paint I plan to place them across the ramp that runs the width of my house, up against the deck. The ramp is no longer in use so I'm putting a caution tape across the ramp (temporari;y). I also bought a brass garden sign that warns visitors that the area is a "frogs crossing area" that you can see between the deck and the ramp. I have more frogs to color, which will end up  in the small garden surrounding the lamp post across the yard.

I used acrylic paints; Posca paint markers for the detailed work. Next up will be the birds, but first I've got a big garage sale for which I've been decluttering. I need to price all the craft supplies I'm letting go of (and whatever else I toss into the for sale pile) in just 2 weeks---YIKES!!'

Welcome to the 31 Days of Halloween - DAY 26

 

Last year I created Skull sunflowers. This year I've made eyeball sunflower! After rummaging thru mt flower supplies, I grabbed the sunflower bunch I had purchase last year. They're smaller than the ones I glued skulls onto,  so I gathered a couple of plastic balls from my stash (I feel like Felix the Cat and his Magic Bag of Tricks-anyone old enough to remember that vintage Saturday morning cartoon?). I cut them in half and spray-painted them white.

I used Posca markers to draw on the irises of the eyes, decorating the "whites of the eyes" with dark red lines to look like veins. They didn't look much like real eyeballs until I used Gloss Varnish on each and then they really popped. I had to trim them to fit into the center of each flower, adhering them with a combination of E6000 and hot glue.

I stuck my flowering eyeballs in a black plastic cauldron and filled it with foliage, autumn leaves, fake pumpkins and spiders, as well as adding a couple of bricks to keep my cauldron from falling down or blowing away. I placed my decor in the middle of my small garden surrounding my front light post. I also added a few other bits of decor from this year and last year and am almost finished with my Halloween garden...

Leaping into Inspiration

I was out walking Honey, my little terrier, and as I passed the house of a good friend and neighbor, I saw a rusty, older-than-dirt garden deco in the tiny patch of garden where the lamppost resides. He was one ugly toad, but he still managed a big smile. The "before" photo is below.

The photo above features the happy little frog after giving him a makeover. I sanded most of his surface and put on a layer of white gesso. The I pulled out my acrylics and gave him a healthy new look. I even painted the back of Mr. Happy (my name for him) so it would retard the rust. Then I sealed front and back with Gloss varnish and he now looks like he's leaping for joy. Below, he's pretending to be happy but I could tell he wanted a little help...

 Challenges I am Entering:

Perfect for a Fairy Garden

 My daughter's best friend (and my daughter-by-another-mother) is getting married this year! I'm so happy for her. Besides planning for a wedding, she's designing her garden. She asked me if I could make a few mushrooms for it. Well,  I can't "make" mushrooms, but I dug into my stash and found some from  Hobby Lobby on clearance last winter. There were six plaster mushrooms, so of course I bought them all! LOL

Once home, I put a base coat of white on each. I used acrylic paint and ended up with these five. Don't ask about the sixth one (Taps playing softly). Besides, unless you're arranging them in a specific pattern, an odd number is best, don't you think?

I also have a small gnome figure from Dollar Store that has been gathering dust. I was going to paint him, too, but does anyone know if gnomes and fairies even like each other, let alone share their living space? Please leave a comment and let me know...I don't want a turf war! LOL

Challenges I am Entering:

the Crafty Addicts - Anything Goes (A/G)

A Place to Start - A/G

Crafting from the Heart - A/G (no cards)

Use Your Stuff - Anything Goes using your stash