Tell Me A Story: DIY PROJECT: PENCIL ANGELS

Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

Here's my version of
Sandra Malone's Pencil Angels.

Here's how I made my Pencil Angels.

I purchased the book, Hang Ups, at Hobby Lobby.

You can order the book from Sandra's online website.

www.sandrastudio.com

I always make a copy of the pattern, and cut it out.

The page below lists the acrylic

paint colors Sandra used.

The 3/4-inch dowels
(available at craft stores and Home Depot and Lowes)
are cut approximately 8-inches long,
and tapered at the tip to resemble a pencil.

One of the carpenters at my house

took my stationary belt sander.

So - I turned a hand-held sander upside down,

and used it to carve/taper the ends of the dowel

to look like a pencil.

This process is messy, so I went outside to do it.

Wear a mask so you don't inhale sawdust.

Wear eye protection.

I love the smell of sawdust.

It reminds me of working with my Dad in his workshop.

Tools & Supplies

Screw Eyes

(Available at Hardware Stores)

Hammer

Pliers

Nail/Brad

Sandpaper (Fine & Medium)

Brown Bag

(Grocery or Lunch Bags are great to use

as FINE sandpaper.)

Screw eyes go in the top of the angel,
so a hanger can be added later.

I use a small nail or brad to make a
small hole in the top of the dowel,
so the screw eye goes in easier.

Use the pliers to screw in
the screw eye.

Having the screw eye in now
gives you something to hold on to
when painting later,
and you can add a hanger
to let the dowel rod dry when painted.

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

Proper Preparation is Important
Sand the dowel rod to remove price labels.
Sand until dowel is very smooth.

Use a soft wet rag to wipe down the dowel after sanding.

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

Gather paints, brushes, palette and container for water.

If you don't have a paint palette, use a paper plate.

Acrylic paints are available at craft and hobby stores.

They cost from 99 cents to $1.99.

I didn't use the exact paint colors or brand of paints

listed in Sandra's book.

You don't need ceramic paints for painting on wood.

Acrylics dry fast, and clean up with soap and water.

Purchase the most expensive brushes you can afford.

WORK ON YOUR PALETTE

Put a few dots of paint on your palette (paper plate)

and add a tiny bit of water

until the paint is a nice consistency...

not too thick and not too thin.

I used a small sponge brush to blend two paint colors

to achieve the base color of the dowel.

I added hangers to the screw eyes,

and hung the dowels (painted with the base coat)

from my pot rack to dry.

If you don't have a pot rack to hang your angels from,
use a coat hanger.

When paint is dry,

sand the angels with a piece of brown paper bag/sack

or fine sandpaper to remove rough places.

Painting raises the grain in the wood.

Paint the top (eraser area) of the pencil angel.

Remember to work on your palette first,

and add a tiny bit of water to the dots of paint.

Be sure it is a nice consistency before painting the dowel.

Paint the tip of the pencil black.

Paint thinned brown or burnt umber

over the tapered area of the pencil,

just enough to divide this area from the rest of the pencil.

FACE AND CHEEKS

Dry brush the face area and cheeks.

Add a tiny oval for her mouth.

Streak white down the front of her face to resemble a nose.

I used an ultra fine point Sharpie

permanent marker for the eye-lashes.

Spatter or fleck the angels (and later on the wings)

with black paint, using an old tooth brush.

Dab the brush on a paper towel first,

almost using a dry bush.

This gives an aged effect of old wood.

Try spattering either on a flat surface,

or when dowels are hanging up.

Be careful - you will spatter things behind the dowels.

Sandra painted on hair to make curls.

I used a hot glue gun to

add Spanish Moss for curly hair.

Have FUN making and shopping for angel accessories!!!

Aren't they beautiful?

WINGS

Glue scrapbook papers to card stock.

Sandra used Liquitex Matte Gel

or Americana Decoupage Medium.

I used Mod Podge and glued three papers together:

one cardstock between two scrapbook papers...

so that the patterned papers were facing outward,

and the scrapbook paper was on the inside.

I tried making wings two ways.

First I cut out wings from scrapbook paper and cardstock,

and then glued them together.

They didn't always fit together perfectly.

Apply Mod Podge with a disposable foam brush.

The second way worked better.

1). Glue all three papers together.

2). Let them dry.

3). Trace around the pattern.

4). Cut out the wings.

I also used the three-layer paper

to cut out hearts as angel accessories.

Paint edges of wings on both sides

with brown or black paint.

Spatter or fleck the wings with black paint,

using an old tooth brush.

Spray Clear Matte Acrylic Coating

on both sides of the wings and accessories,

in a well ventilated area, or outside.

Let dry.

Before adding the accessories...

spray the angel and wings

with Clear Acrylic Coating

to protect the paint and paper surfaces.

Poke a hole with a large needle,

to insert the wire for the wings.

You will be able to hang

angel accessories from the wire.

Roll the wire around a pencil or brush...for the ends.

Hot-glue the wings to the back of the angel.

I also wired the wings in place.

Sometimes the hot glue comes undone.

Angel Accessories

Mini-lights, burlap roses, paper hearts, feathers, keys...

Use your imagination!

Sign or initial and date the angel ornament.

I did this on the back.

You will be glad you did this in years to come.

I've been working on these pencil angels

on and off for one month.

They are a JOY to make,

and I'm excited to give them to friends and family

as Christmas gifts.

I found some beautiful boxes to wrap them in.

What a wonderful way to remember

the angels who announced the birth of our savior!

"Glory to GOD in the highest...

and on earth - peace, good will toward men."

"Fear not! Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy.

Unto you is born this day, in the City of David,

a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

"You shall find the babe,

wrapped in swaddling clothes,

lying in a manger."

Merry Christmas!

Here's one last look at the angels
I made from dowel rods.

Look on my previous blogs to see how to make the angels.

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
https://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafee&type=B111US0D20140720&p=hark+the+herald+angels+sing

I named each angel with a name

that begins with "C."

Each angel comes with a handmade card.

The original hymn was composed as a "Hymn for Christmas-Day"
by Charles Wesley,
included in the 1739 John Wesley collection Hymns and Sacred Poems.

In 1855, English musician William H. Cummings adapted Felix Mendelssohn's secular music
from Festgesang to fit the lyrics of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"
written by Charles Wesley.

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hark!_The_Herald_Angels_Sing#cite_note-5