Monday, September 27, 2010

Spool's Hand-Sewn Bird Mobile - Part 3

Now that the birds have been finished, it is time to turn them into a mobile!

I played around with the layout on the floor; there are no right answers, only what looks good to your eye.

bird mobile step by step

But there are some things to consider:
  • different birds together
  • different sizes together
  • which birds would be alone
  • where they'd be on the sticks
  • which direction they'd face and
  • how they would balance the mobile once they were in place.

bird mobile step by step

For some of my birds I simply hot glued them to the stick. But for others (below) I added black thread to help anchor the birds so they didn't pitch forward. The added bonus was that the black thread could just look like their little feet perched on the branch!

bird mobile step by step

Next, I added little eye screws from which I will hang my mobile. I was able to just tap them into the wood to start the hole, then screw them in by hand.

bird mobile step by step

I added them in intervals which I thought would give some balance, but when I added the fishing wire to the eyes and tried to make it all balance, it took some trial and error. There isn't a way I can tell you to "get it right", I think you just need to keep experimenting until the balance works for you.

bird mobile step by step

When I was finished, I put a white cup hook in the ceiling and hung the mobile.

bird mobile step by step

It twirls a bit, but for the most part, I haven't had any trouble with it swaying or the birds pitching forward or backward.

bird mobile step by step

And I love the way it looks! It is whimsical and playful without being too goofy and I think it will last for a bit in a little girl's room without feeling "baby-ish" in a few years.

For Part 1 Instructions, click here: Spool's Hand-Sewn Bird Mobile - Part 1.
For Part 2 Instructions, click here: Spool's Hand-Sewn Bird Mobile - Part 2
Link to the pattern doesn't work?  Read this: Michael Fulkerson's Hand Sewn Bird Mobile - UPDATE

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Noah's First Birthday Cake

Noah's first birthday party had a jungle safari theme. It took me a while to decide how I might turn this idea into a fun cake for a little boy. The invitation was a great inspiration, so I started with a purple zebra on a round sugar cookie...

Noah's first birthday

...and then added an elephant....

Noah's first birthday

...and a lion...

Noah's first birthday

...and a goofy giraffe!

Noah's first birthday

I placed them all on cupcakes for the little ones to enjoy.

Noah's first birthday

Then I made some other shaped cookies and placed them in the cake jungle.

Noah's first birthday

This zebra was not as cute,

Noah's first birthday


... but I do like how the lions came out!

Noah's first birthday

And of course I made a smash cake for the birthday boy!

Noah's first birthday