I have to say that it doesn't feel like a year since I did my last Halloween Special post. (Well, technically speaking, it's not quite a year, but let's not quibble about it.)
And so the Quernus menagerie has evolved over the past year, and they have taken playing with accessories to new extremes. So I'm delighted to introduce this year's Halloween creatures!
First up are the Witchy Moles. I do love how they look furry - I've developed a millefiori technique to create this fur effect, and you can read about the early development of the technique here. I made the hats by rolling out a thin sheet of black clay and cutting a large circle in it. I cut the circle in half, and then rolled it into a cone shape. By pressing the edges out between thumb and forefinger, I made the brim of the hat. The broomstick is made from a trusty cocktail stuck topped with extruded brown clay.
After making the Witchy Moles, I had in my mind the thought of a mouse flying on a broomstick. As you do. I had to work out how to make the mouse stand up and holding the broom and looking like she was flying. It's all engineering, you know! Getting the angle of the broom handle just right, strengthening the hind paws with wire, and making sure the front paws were attached to the handle - all clever stuff!
Halloween wouldn't be complete without a Wee Bat, and this is a first for Quernus! I cut small circles from thick clay for the wings, and then attached them to the body with a piece of wire for strength.
This wee mouse was spotted trundling away with a large pumpkin of his very own.
The Witchy Mice have found a way of giving you a fright with this Boo! flag! I created a JPG image which I then printed on glossy paper and laminated with tape, before fixing it to another trusty cocktail stick. This wee chap has proved very popular on my Etsy shop, having appeared in 20 Treasuries since he was listed a few weeks ago. He's also available in brown and white on my Folksy shop.
I found these brilliant little resin cauldrons on eBay (they're about 1.5cm tall). A trainee Witchy Mouse immediately wanted to make up a tasty brew, but the wee frog had other ideas! I made the large wooden spoon from (you guessed it) a trusty cocktail stick, to which I added a clay 'bowl' at the bottom, and a clay knob on the top. The mouse is fixed to the cauldron with liquid polymer clay. (That stuff is just wonderful). I have two more cauldrons left, so more Witchy Mice will be listed soon. Probably with different creatures in the brew.
Last but not least are the Wee Pumpkin Mice. The tiny pumpkins are made by Louise of Dinky Delights, who is now Chief Supplier of Mouse Treats. The pumpkins are very small - about an inch high. Working out how best to add mice to them was a lot of fun! For the brown one in the middle, I used a wire armature for his tail to support the pumpkin lid. You can see more of Louise's amazing work on her Facebook page.
Happy Halloween!
Oh my the cuteness is never ending! The witch mice are a new favorite. The mice in the pumpkins have me squealing with delight!
ReplyDeleteI love them! Especially the mouses.
ReplyDeleteAll your pets are so cute! Very nice job!