2015 #23 PA Twits Pin {By Lauren Hatwell}

 2015 Topic 23: Christmas Gifts and Cards

Hi everyone, long time no see. It's Lauren Hatwell here. 

Give a PA Twit a home this Christmas! I've exercised my "thinking outside the box" skills for this one to give you an idea for a quick and easy Christmas present. I think it's a really fun, adaptable idea and I hope you will like it too!

 (I've used ELB23 for my project)

Step One: I painted a scrap piece of Grungeboard with Fresco Finish Paint in Blue Oyster, Tango and Snowflake. Two coats of each colour should do it.

ELB23

Step Two: Next, I stamped and embossed the images I needed from ELB23...

Step Three: I carefully cut out all the pieces. I did the bits for the eyes with a round punch and then edged the pieces with black ink.

Step Four: I stuck all the bits together on another thin piece of card to stabilise the piece and then cut the bird out in it's entirity so I had one piece to work with. Once you have a single piece, draw around it and cut out an extra piece of card, felt or Grungeboard to use as backing and set it aside.

You'll notice the edges are a bit rough where I've cut them. I sanded them at the end when the whole piece was stuck together to neaten them.

Step Five: I triple embossed my Twit with clear UTEE to seal everything and make him look like he was enamelled, but you could also get a similar effect with Glossy Accents, GOlden Gloss Gel Medium (High Solid, Heavy), Art Basics 3D Gloss Gel,  Fresco Gloss Varnish (a few coats for increased gloss) or some spray on acrylic varnish; whatever you prefer. 

Step Six: Last thing to do is stick the feathers onto the back of bird before adding the backing piece  and attaching a brooch pin. I added some gems to the centre of his eyes for pupils.

Easy!

So, as promised, it really couldn't be easier. You could easily adapt him to be a Christmas decoration, pen topper, book mark or handbag charm. I've made a few already and they really take no time at all.

Lauren Hatwell (Bluebertie on Twitter)
Marvelous Mechanical Mouse Organ (Blog)

I noticed you omitted to confess to plucking one of your resident chooks for the feathers...is she bald yet with all the additional brooches you've been creating? Poor lass, winter is here you know! As ever, thanks Lauren for very tweety post! LOL ~Leandra