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rufnut Mar 9, 2006

Matilda I came across some Emu Egg shells at a local farmers market here in Melbourne.  They would be ideal.

matilda Mar 9, 2006

Karen, he's a fat little critter that sits in the palm of my hand.  I would love to use real eggs, like emu and ostrich
but I would like tobe able to have more of a creative control on it.  If all else fails well?...............
Emu eggs here in Fremantle are expensive. I'm talking $20 -$30 odd  for just one egg.
There isnt any hurry for this as I'll be keeping him in my hug.
Something within the same theme, I'm thinking maybe ,for my sister. She turns 50 this year.I'd like to make something special for her. :hug: cause I luv 'er. I do.
spotya Matilda

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner SponsorMar 9, 2006

Matilda, in my last post (on page 1) I put in some links where you could get some paper mache eggs.  Both places have several sizes.  Good luck!

matilda Mar 10, 2006

Thankyou for re reminding me. Sueann,   I'm easily distracted will check it out now. 

I checked them out Sueann. Had a wonderful couple of hours (oops hope not) browsing through the first one. Great shop that one. prices are good even for my aussie $. The second one, well the price were all over the place . No consistency.    I worked out the a 6" er is what I'll be needing.  They have some other stuff that I wish to put on my order sheet for next month.
Thankyou for your help everyone!!
Again you have all come up trumps  :hug:

Eileen Mar 11, 2006

Matilda--

Look what I found:

I can't even remember where I found the image, but the shell looks wool wet-felted to form, then painted.

Does anyone know anything about wet-felting?

Eileen

matilda Mar 13, 2006

"BUGGA"   Looks good toooo!  Oh well, I make a shell for junior and then I wont make any more.  I dont see any need to reproduce what others have done before me.    Are there any "ORIGINAL' ideas LEFT out there!
Thanks for the pic Eileen.  It is very close to the way I pictured my shell. MMMmmm

Matilda    

rufnut Mar 14, 2006

Yeah I have seen a sample of wet felting, the wool roving is segmented in layers crisscrossed on plastic bubble wrap then wet with water and soap detergent mix and then  rolled and a gazillion times until it felts, the end results when dry look fantastic.

Yeah I agree with you Matilda, the coming up with original ideas is harder and harder.   

Are there any "ORIGINAL' ideas LEFT out there!

Eileen Mar 14, 2006

Whoa, Halt, Stop and Hang On, There!! No discouragement or self-flagellation allowed.  :hug:

I don't think this felted eggshell is a totally original idea--no offense to the very accomplished artist whose name I still can't find (but will one of these days). Nor is the style of chick--my daughter has a similar version I bought at a drug store ages ago. Not nearly as appealing or well made, of course, but similar.

Here are some of the first pages that came up when I googled 'wet felting'--

http://www.achildsdream.com/handwork_su … g_kits.htm
http://www.marrhaven.com/feltsuply.html
http://www.woolery.com/Pages/felting.html

All of them feature some dimensional (not flat) wet felting over forms. The first shows a wet-felted flower calyx, the second a hat form for wet felting, the third (scroll down) a children's kit for making wet-felted eggshells over a form. Given another few minutes I could have found more.

There is nothing new under the sun, kids!

Eileen

matilda Mar 14, 2006

No self
flagellation happening here, Eileen. Honest.hahahah I actually collect little critters hatching. Pottery glass metal wood. that sort of thing. When I thought of putting junior in an egg shell I had actually forgotten about my collection Go figure.hahahah
I was only taken by surprise . what I wanted had already been done with the results that I had wished for . That's all. The least the designer/artist could have done was a lousy job. But NO!!! they had to do an excellent job, didnt they. hahahahahahahah   
I'll go and check out your links now.......Matilda

Well that was worth the fare.....Loved the first link Eileen, and on the second , a portable needle felting machine.
Now that I think is pretty cool. 

Eileen Mar 14, 2006

That needle-felting machine nearly did me in too! This month I'm trying to be strong, keeping my credit cards well away from my computer!

Eileen

Eileen Mar 15, 2006

Karen, plastic bubblewrap sounds like a good surface. I've read about using washboards (they're still sold in our local hardware store!) and bamboo mats. Gotta try this soon.

Matilda, If I've caused you to give up on shelling Junior, I swear I'll go and play in traffic. Junior is much, much more original and appealing than the cute little chicky thing in the photo I uploaded. A shell's just a shell.

Eileen

matilda Mar 16, 2006

Eileen!!!!! Please!!! STEP AWAY!!! FROM THE TRAFFIC!!!!!

I still plan to shell him!! I'll still do a needle felted one. And I wish to try the TimeTex.
There will be alot of things learned by doing them., that can/could be used for other projects.
I'm already thinking ducks feet with the TimeTex. So I will have two egg shells. Will have to do another critter to put in it.hahahaha     PLUS, I'll let you all know what results I get.

I wont be on again for a wee while so dont go forgetting me.    
I like your new avatar Karen.                                                Spotyas    

Eileen Mar 16, 2006

Never Fails! 

Don't platypuses lay eggs?

Eileen

matilda Mar 22, 2006

Aye! wild kitty, I love the word chooks as well!
check out Neysa for your needle felting supplies.  and little wee felted chickies would be adorable.
I hope you get the needle felting bug. Its good fun. It allows your imagination  to go wild. 

matilda

matilda Aug 10, 2006

OK!!! Folks!!! I'm ready to MAKE MY EGG. I have had fun re reading all the posts. I'm constantly amazed at how much I forget. I now have two critters ready for eggs so I am going to do two techniques that have been mentioned here.  I'll keep you all posted. MMMmmmmMMMmmm here goes...... keep your fingers crossed :pray: 
Wendy :pray:

makafelts Aug 10, 2006

Ohhh good luck with the egg making...can't wait to see what you come up with!!

Hugs &

matilda Aug 30, 2006

Right I'm back. I tried wet felting  for my egg shell. Will take pics later and show my disaster. I also bought some of that sculpty clay and all I can say is... I am no sculpter. Also a disaster. Plus it would need too much clay and wouldnt be cost effective.
So then........ I bought some balloons, (did you know that there are hundredes of types of balloons out there?)
You know where I'm going with this dont you? ...Yes paper mache. I havent done this since I was in primary school. Must have been 8-10 years old. It is in fact a pretty good way to make an egg shell.
My shell still needs to be painted but will post a pic later. I plan to get some smaller balloons so Junior has an egg hat. He fits into this shell brilliantly if I should say so myself. I learnt heaps while making this one so my next will be better. I found that if you leave your paper soaking in glue over night it makes a better seamless coating. Make pieces small and tear the edges not cut with scissors or guillotine. :redface: guilty.
I did my first 4 layers in tissue paper but next time I will only do 2. I wont let it dry next time before I put my thick layers on over the tissue.  I'll put at least one coat of thick over it.
Ok till later spotya's

Ok I'm back again!!! the first pic is of my disasters!!. My felting was and is the pits. Dont like wet felting.
the ball of clay is what I thought of my sculpting. I think you get the idea.   
The egg is my paper mache attempt. It still isnt quite finished. I need to trim some of those jagged edges off and paper around the edge to make it smooth.  It is the right size for Junior though.
While over at the shops I picked up some water balloons. They are just the right shape and size for eggs. I spent this afternoon tearing up paper and soaking it. I plan to finish this one and make two more.  Its a very relaxing and soothing craft.  The egg hasnt been painted. I put some silk paint into the bowl when soaking the paper.
Oh yeah! no one told me water balloons cant be blown up. No one told me that when you fill them with water and you let go of the top that the water EXPLODES every where. So just incase any of you dont know this, YOU DO NOW!!! :crackup: 
If you have any handy hints and or tips . Let me know. I could use the help. :crackup:
The other two pics are of my Junior, sitting in his egg.  He's such an ugly wee thing aye?
Wendy

patsylakebears Aug 30, 2006

Wendy you have done a great job on the egg for junior... it looks really good. Well done. I had to smile when you talked about the water exploding all over ... that would be something I would do...

Eileen Aug 31, 2006

:dance: Great egg, Wendy.

Paper mache . . . of course!! :doh:

I never knew you can't blow up water balloons either.

makafelts Aug 31, 2006

Wendy,
The paper-mache is a great idea...I think from looking at the picture you posted of your wet felting disaster, that you used core wool & it really really does NOT work for wet felting...the fibers are way too short...and you end up with a lumpy glumpy globby mess...I speak from experience...lol it does't work. You need to use longer fiber wool.

I am going to try a wet felting experiment later today, and will let you all know later on, how it works out.

Hugs &

Donna Aug 31, 2006

Wendy,
Why not cover the end of a real egg with Saran wrap then do your paper mache over that for Jr.'s hat?  Or is Jr. much bigger than that?
Donna

psichick78 Aug 31, 2006

I love JR. :clap:  Somehow I"ve missed this whole thread. You've done great! There is nothing wrong with paper mache at all. Very clever.

makafelts Aug 31, 2006

Here is my egg project so far..

Needle Felted/Wet Felted Egg Tutorial

First I took a plactic Egg-Jumbo size 3" & wrapped it in wool roving (I used Navajo Churro Wool-color Sand) like you were winding a ball of yarn, until the whole egg was well covered. Next I decided that if I was very careful, I should be able to get it well started by Needle Felting it. I worked extra carefully with the felting needle held at a slant, so as not to poke the plastic egg & risk breaking a needle.

I worked on it for about 1 1/2 hours until it was getting fairly firm feeling.

Here is a picture of the wool & the egg after the wrapping & initial needle felting:

Then I needle felted 2 shades of green roving to totally cover the egg.

Next I started the Wet Felting process-lots of hot water & soap & rubbing:

Now, here is the nearly finished felted egg.

It will be a while before it is dry enough to cut apart & finish, so I will post the final results as soon as it's dry.

Hope you find this useful. It's a lot of fun...and thanks Wendy for getting me started.lol. If you have any question, please let me know.

Hugs &

Eileen Aug 31, 2006

Very, very cool, Charlotte! :clap:

makafelts Aug 31, 2006

Thanks so much Eileen...I am getting so anxious for it to dry

Hugs &