This month has been a busy one. I returned to work after a ten-week furlough spent crafting and writing. My next craft may seem like a strange one, but if you have a special love for an animal in your life, I think you’ll understand my inspiration. I also might be a little loopy from wearing a mask for 9-10 hours a day. Lately it seems the wackier the craft, the better it is for my psyche. Either way, I hope it inspires you to create a work of art starring your furry loved one.
First, let me tell you a little bit about my guinea pig, Madison. We adopted her about a year ago from a shelter. When we first saw her, we were struck by her beautiful brown fur. She is a crested, short hair pig with several colors of brown running through her fur and a shock of white. It took a bit for her to get used to us, but she has become one of our family and now rules the house. She has been a wonderful addition to our home and I wanted to make something for my daughter to hang in her room. Since July 16 is national guinea pig day in the U.S., I thought this would be the perfect month to create my baby pig in pin art form.
Items needed for this project:
1/2” thick foam board cut to 8 ½ x 11”
1 piece of 8 ½ x 11” black velvet contact paper
Sequin pins
Sequins (I used 5 mm cup facet)
Tissue paper for tracing
Clear sequin beads to help secure the sequins to the board
For this craft, I am again dabbling again in sequin pin art. After finishing several packaged and pre-printed sequin designs, I wanted to try my own design this time. I bought some ½ inch foam board and cut it 8 ½ x 11 (just after I bought the foam board, I received a package in the mail that was packed with the exact same type of foam, so you may already have this hidden away).
Next, I bought a roll of black velvet contact paper and cut it to fit the foam. Velvet contact paper is mostly used to line jewelry boxes, but I’m finding it has several other fun uses. It also comes in an array of colors, so you don’t have to use black. Because it came in a roll, I let the piece I cut flatten under some paint bottles for a few days so it would not curl up.
Then I printed a picture from the internet of a short-haired guinea pig, since I am not good at free-hand drawing. Enlarging the picture until it was the perfect size, I then traced the picture onto a piece of scrap tissue paper and pinned it to the velour. I used a picture of Madison on my phone to map out the color pattern of her fur, then I began to place sequins around the edges to further secure the tissue. When I finished, I picked out the tissue using a tweezers and a pencil. I have to admit, I found this part of the project oddly satisfying.
My daughter was quite pleased with the final product. I would like to think Madison is pleased as well. I definitely will be doing more pin art projects in the future. The possibilities are endless. With a handful of sequins and an idea, you can make anything a sparkly masterpiece.
The Quaint Crafter 