Seal Polymer Pup

Boy-oh-boy am I in love with polymer clay. So is our Munchkin!! Where else could you get such quick animal toys. For this project, all I did was shape some polymer clay in the basic shape of a seal based on this picture I took on our last vacation.

We called this seal Phoebe. She was a regular at the low tide rock island in front of our cottage.  Once I finished shaping the seal, I baked it according to the directions on the package. Once dry and cool I put on a coat of heritage white acrylic paint over the entire seal. Then, I sponged on a light grey and finally a darker grey/black. 

For the face I used a tiny paintbrush and some black ovals for the eyes, nose and mouth lines. Grey for the cheeks and the forehead line to the nose. I sponged a bit more grey around the face and that was it. Munchkin named it Dasher as first (Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is a perennial favorite in our house) but soon changed the name over to Phoebe once I mentioned what picture I used for my model. :-) 

We're heading off for our Munchkins first tenting expedition. It's about a 4 hour drive away to the middle of nowhere. Should be fun (fingers crossed)!! I'll tell you all about it when we get back and hopefully I'll have some pictures to share. :-)

Here are some parties I am linking up to:

Thrifty Thursday

Frugalicious Friday

Plant a Punkin Seed Party

Frugal Friday
Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays 

Kiddo Craft-o's: Watermelon Slice

One of the things I do for volunteer work in my community to run a weekly craft-time at our local library. It's a total blast and it gets my brain working to come up with new and fun crafts. Some are off the top of my head and some have been inspired by others (duly credited, of course). I thought I'd do a weekly progression of the crafts we've tried out.

This week was so darn-tootin' hot, I thought it would be fun to cool down with some watermelon slices. Wish we could have eaten them!!

To do this craft you need:

Paper Plate

Salt

Red and Green Paint 

Marker

Used Tupperware

Paint Brush

Glue

Water

Spoons

Black Oil Sunflower Seeds

~Pour some salt into a tupperware and mix it up with a splash of red paint that's been watered down. Do the same in a separate container for the green salt. 

~On the paper plate sketch a triangle for the watermelon, rind included:

~ Water down some glue in a container and mix it up. Use a paint brush to paint the rind section of the picture entirely with glue.

~Spoon some green salt over the rind section. Patting down when need and gently shake of the excess onto a paper towel. 

~Now paint with glue the entire melon section, pour the red salt over it, pat it down, and shake off the excess.

~To glue the sunflower seeds onto it, scrape a little hole in the melon salt where you want the seed to go and put a dab of glue in the hole, then press the sunflower seed on top of it. Let the whole thing dry and VOILA!! A slice of melon. Cute, huh??

I am sharing this project here (check them out and be inspired!!):

Thrifty Thursday

Plant a Punkin Seed Party

Frugal Friday 

Periwinkle Patience

The world was filled with a fragrance of fir-balsam and the faintest flavor of seaweed from the ledges, bare and brown at low tide in the harbor. It was so still and so early that the village was but half awake. I could hear no voices save those of the birds, small and great,- the constant song of the sparrows, the clink of a yellow-hammer over in the woods, and the far conversation of some deliberate crows.

~ Sarah Orne Jewett
The Country of the Pointed Firs

There is something all together different about living on the coast of Maine, if only for a week. Time is gauged by the tides. The sea, the shoreline and all it's mysteries beckon.  Crabs hidden in the seaweed, sea glass sparkling in the sand, stones rubbed round and smooth, wild roses, high bush blueberries, lobster feasts, and clothes sun drying on the line. And, through it all I feel the tug of the tide on my heart.... I always find such great opportunity for emotional healing in the sounds of the waves.

We kept a keen eye out for animals. One harp seal in particular used a rock near our cottage at low tide to stake it's claim and take a well needed break from seal responsibilities. 

Lobstering is serious business in Maine. We watched the boats come in all day long and pull the traps, choose the catch to keep, throw the old bait to the hungry sea gulls, add new bait and drop the trap again. Old men and young, women too. Boats with names like the Redeemed or the Available.

We did a lot of collecting. Rocks, shells, sea glass, and favorite memories.

What child wouldn't want to explore on this beach?? What adult wouldn't, for that matter??

Suddenly, as we looked, a gleam of golden sunshine struck the outer islands, and one of them shone out clear in the light, and revealed itself in a compelling way to our eyes. 
~The Country of the Pointed Firs

One could learn a lot about patience from a periwinkle.