I've been looking for something small to make for Christmas ornaments for my Etsy shop that wouldn't take too much time. I also wanted to make something that would be inexpensive so, this morning while I was having some coffee, I drew up this simple little bird. He kind of looks like a chickadee. :)
I transferred my doodle to a scrap of 1" thick basswood:
And used my scroll saw to cut him out. He is about 3" wide:
I carved this little guy in such a jiffy that I cut out and carved up 2 more. I painted, sealed, and posted 3 of these little guys to my shop this afternoon.
This is how they turned out:
Sweet, huh?
If you want to carve some of these little guys for your Christmas tree (or for a great handmade mobile) just copy the pic of the bird that I drew on the wood before I cut it out (the first pic above). You should be able to print out the pic and then you can size it to any size you prefer. I wanted these guys to be small so they are about 3" from beak to tail.
You don't need any special tools to make these wee birds, either. I only used my bench knife but you could use a good pocket knife and they would come out just the same.
I really think they have a sweet rustic look and if you want your birdies to look like mine, just paint the entire bird with Midnight Blue acrylic paint. Let it dry (I'm not patient so I take a hairdryer to them between coats to dry the paint quickly) and then cover the entire bird with White acrylic paint. When that's dry - after you put down the hairdryer - lightly sand the high spots of the facets of your carving to allow the midnight blue to show through. Clean off all the dust and spray him with a good acrylic sealer.
Add an eyelet close to the head so your birdie will be balanced and then add a piece of hemp or ribbon and you have a great ornament to put on your tree or give as a gift.
Have fun with these! ~ Debra
You can see more of my wee little birds and other carvings in my Etsy shop by clicking here.
***
