Sunday, September 25, 2011

Christmas Clay Decorations Toy Soldier

These are very cute and found all over during the holidays in Arizona.
I do not know who created them but True Value hardware and every one has a copy of these darling door decorations.
The little ones are cute but the large ones about 6 feet tall are spectacular.
They used 16 inch pots to create them.
Some were even decorated with real buttons and thrift found hats.Painted eyes
The plans are created to James Carey and Morris Carey

Your Checklist of materials
5 five-inch flower pots
3 cans of spray paint (red, black and blue)
Blue painters tape
Masking paper
2 wood tongue depressors (Alternative: Paint stir sticks)
Masonry adhesive, hot glue gun or Velcro connections
Gold ribbon
Sticky-back felt
Regular felt
Brass ring
Gold-colored plastic “cabochons” (or regular buttons)
Gold-colored beads and gold sequin (Alternative: Gold-colored braid or rope)
Plastic eyes
Pipe cleaner (black or red)
Red-colored yarn tassel
 
Instructions
Creating a Toy Soldier from Clay Pots

by James Carey and Morris Carey

Add to your holiday decor with a handmade 18-inch tall “toy soldier” made from flower pots, spray paint, a few pieces of felt, ribbon and a few odds and ends.
This fun decoration is a great family project and adds a festive touch every year, especially if there are youngsters around to share the experience.
You will need five 5-inch flower pots and three cans of spray paint - red, black and blue. The rest is, in large part, up to you.
Our toy soldier can easily be converted to an angel, Santa, an elf or whatever else suits your fancy.
First, the clay pots should be spray painted. Two pots are painted blue, one black, one red and one is left unpainted.
Next, add a black stripe to the rim of the unpainted pot and to one of the blue pots. Use blue painters tape and masking paper to prevent paint from getting onto any surface other than the rim. Two wood tongue depressors should be spray painted red andset aside for use later. If tongue depressors aren't available, trimmed paint stir sticks will do the trick.
Permanent assembly can be achieved by using a masonry adhesive or a hot glue gun. However, if storage is a consideration, use Velcro connections instead. This will allow partial disassembly and the placing of some of the pots inside one another.
Assembly begins by placing the blue pot with the black rim, rim-side down, on the work surface. Next, connect the bases of the two blue pots, making sure to align them. You've now created black shoes and blue trousers. Next, attach the rim of the red pot to the rim of the blue pot. Then, connect the base of the unpainted pot to the base of the red pot. Finally, add the black pot to the top, rim down.
The next step is to add red stripes to the trousers, a white stripe and a black collar to the shirt, a black belt where the trousers and shirt meet, and a gold hatband to the hat.
We used gold ribbon for the hat band, sticky-back felt for the trouser and shirt stripes and regular felt for the collar and belt.
A simple brass ring was used for a belt buckle and, although regular buttons can be used, we used a package of gold-colored plastic "cabochons." The absence of a stitching protrusion on the back made them easy to attach with a hot glue gun.
Twenty or so small, gold-colored beads strung together with a gold sequin at each end can be used for the hat decoration.
Gold-colored braid or rope is an alternative.
The arms are made from the tongue depressors (paint sticks) that were painted red earlier in the project.
Now, it's time to add white gloves. Each consists of a pair of opposing pieces made from sticky-back felt. Red cuffs can be
added in the same manner. A sequin is used at each cuff for a button. And a short piece of gold ribbon is wrapped around the
top of the arm to simulate an epaulet. Now attach the arms to the body. The face can be painted. In our case, because we're not
artistic, we used plastic eyes and a felt mouth. A short piece of black or red pipe cleaner rolled into a ball can be used for the nose.
Finally, a store-bought red-colored yarn tassel should be added to the top of the hat. Or you can purchase the yarn and make your own tassel.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Quick Fire Starters

Fire Starters


Safe and economical,
these fire starters are a must for your next camping trip.

You need:
Small Candy Mold or
Star Candy Mold
Wax or Old Candles
Saw Dust from Untreated Wood
Disposable Container and Spoon
Broken Crayons (optional)
Instructions:

Melt candles or wax in a double burner on stove top. Add broken crayons for color if desired. Mix equal amounts of saw dust with melted wax in a disposable container. Pour into candy molds. Let harden. Pop out of of molds.
Light with a wooden match to start your camp fire or cooking fire.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Fall Garden

Spring Divisions Caring for Your Flower Beds Budget Gardening: Increase Stock with Cheap or Free Garden Plants
Some perennials do best if divided in the spring, some do best if divided in the fall, and others may be divided in either fall or spring.
The following may be divided in the fall with good results. I think you will be surprised at how many perennials can be successfully divided in the fall!

Propagation by division assures the new plant will be an exact match with the original.
Division is an inexpensive way to increase your stock of a favorite plant, or to create extra plants for swapping with friends.

1 Dig up the clump, taking care to get as much of the roots as possible without damage.Most roots are in the top 12 inches of soil, and the root’s mass will usually be the diameter the plant plus 3 to 6 inches beyond the plant. For digging and transplanting, going larger than this shouldn’t be necessary.

2 Use a sharp spade to cut or cleanly break the clump into two or more pieces (divisions), each with an obvious growing point and some roots.Work on the clump quickly so the plant parts don’t dry out too much (you can cover them with a tarp or mist them occasionally if need be). Discard any unproductive portions and any shriveled or rotten parts. Leave the roots surrounded with the soil to protect the root hairs from drying out and becoming damaged.

You can pry apart fibrous-rooted perennials with your bare hands; all others require sharp, strong, clean tools that are equal to the job: a stout knife, a trowel, even two spades or gardening forks braced back-to-back.

3 Replant the new pieces.Plant some in the same spot and the others perhaps elsewhere in your yard (or share them other gardeners).

Many perennials can be left in place for at least several years before they need dividing
-- and a few such as peony and baptisia -- rarely need dividing, if ever. But if you have plants that need to be divided, see if they are listed. If so, do it this fall and both you and your plants will get a good jump on spring!

These Perennials May Be Divided in Fall
Listed Alphabetically by Botanical Name

Achillea
Aconitum
Aegopodium
Ajuga
Amsonia
Anaphalis
Anchusa
Anemone
Anthemis
Arenaria
Armeria
Artemisia
Aruncus dioicus
Asarum
Astilbe
Aubrieta
Aurinia
Baptisia
Brunnera
Campanula
Centaurea
Cerastium
Chelone
Cimicifuga
Convalleria
Corydalis
Coreopsis
Crocosmia
Dianthus
Dicentra
Disporum
Dodecatheon
Echinops
Eremurus
Erigeron
Eupatorium
Euphorbia
Filipendula
Galium
Gaura
Geranium
Geum
Helenium
Helianthus
Hemerocallis
Heuchera
Heucherella
Hosta
Houttuynia
Iris (early fall)
Kniphofia
Lamiastrum
Lamium
Liatris
Ligularia
Lilium
Linum
Liriope
Lobelia
Lycoris
Lysimachia
Monarda
Nepeta
Paeonia
Papaver
Physostegia
Platycodon
Polemonium
Polygonatum
Potentilla
Pulmonaria
Ranunculus
Rodgersia
Salvia
Saponaria
Sedum
Senecio
Sidalcea
Smilacina
Solidago
Stachys
Stokesia
Tanacetum
Thalictrum
Tiarella
Trollius
Uvularia
Veronica
Viola
Yucca

Wednesday, September 14, 2011