DRAGONFLY CHRISTMAS LIGHT BULB

My project for this Christmas! Funny little dragonfly magnets.

I used the large and small size Christmas tree light bulbs, pipe cleaners, marbles, wire, beads, sculpey clay, glass paint and a glue gun.

The ones with thick furry pipe cleaners on the bodies look very "pretty". Others have the metal showing for a more clean look. Some have the clay eyes which were time consuming to sculpt and others have marble eyes painted with glass paint. Originally I wanted to bead the wings but attaching the wire to the metal light bulb was tough! So I went with sparkle pipe cleaners.

I made 40 little guys in all. My favorite ones are made with the smaller version of the Christmas light bulbs. So cute! I added magnets to the back....some people wanted ornaments but I thought this year I would try magnets. My SIL did get an ornament version:

I NEARLY PASSED OUT!

These little ornaments were glazed with nail polish. A very noxious experience. I'm sure I've killed some brain cells. I don't have many to spare so this is not a good thing.

THE PROCESS: First I use clay that you bake in the oven. After the clay cools down I clear glaze (with nail polish) the eyes and the hook in the top of the ornament to keep them in place. Next is the colored nail polish. Some of the animals I use clay with a specific color. Some of them were totally covered up with nail polish color. Sparkle polish and glaze polish work the best. Probably because you see every stroke you make with the brush. It is really hard to get any details with the color. The expensive nail polish works better as far as color goes. Glazes and sparkles are fine, cheap or expensive.

This project took a really long time. I'm not sure I will try this again, well any time soon. I think if I could find a mold, wood or ceramic piece to paint that would be better. I don't like sculpting, baking, painting, and drying then more coats and so forth. The whole thing is monotonous.

ORNAMENT PROJECT 2008

One of the little dragonflies I made for Christmas gifts. This one went to my neighbor Cheryl. She has a birthday close to Christmas. I found a new and wonderful paint to glaze the fimo with after baking. The paint seals the clay and gives the ornament a finished sparkle that I love! Now should I share the secret "paint" with the world or keep it to myself?