Tuesday, March 25, 2014

A VINTAGE PAPER MACHE ELEPHANT PULL TOY

Greetings everyone!

Do you love vintage toys?  I do!  

Just last week, my crafting buddies and I got together for a play date to create a vintage elephant pull toy.  Most everything I used on this project was "stuff" that I had.  I am such a hoarder of anything and everything that looks like something I might use in a project someday.  Opportune word here is "someday". But, I think we are all a bit like that, aren't we?  I think that is a per-requisite of being an artist!  Anyway ...

(It's a bit hard to get a good photograph as the finished piece stands almost 18" tall.)

The original idea for this piece came from a project done for Graphic 45 by Nicole Eccles.  My buddies and I thought it was such a cute project but we could not find a really small paper mache elephant to fit on a 2" wooden block like Nicole used in her piece. 

So, we searched the internet and found a much larger paper mache elephant, approximately 8" tall  ... but, nonetheless, she was really cute so we decided to order her and make our own block to fit her "girth". When she arrived, we got together and started crafting!


The elephant measures approximately 6" across and 8" tall....much different from the tiny one from the original project that was probably about 2" long.  We all created our own 6" blocks out of black chipboard and covered them with papers we had each chosen that we liked.  We got as far as painting our elephants and getting our block covered when we had to call it a day.  We're meeting again this Friday to start on a new project and hopefully everyone will have their elephants finished so we can put them together and I can get a picture of all of them to share with you!



My black chipboard block is covered with some older ivory and black Graphic 45 polka dot paper.  I lightly distressed the edged of the paper with scissors.  Then I added some Wild Honey and Gathered Twigs Distress Inks to warm up the block and add a more vintage feeling. 


 I die cut the larger of Tim Holtz' 3D Star Bright using a black paper with small gold stars on it.  I cut one for each of the 4 sides and put them in place using 1/4" Scor Tape.  In the center of the side stars is a 7 Gypsies Antique Gold Brad.  Each of the stars has been lightly detailed on their raised folds with Mercury Glass Stickles. The front star on the box has an antique gold knob hot glued to the center.  To that, I have added some twine with a painted wooden knob to create the pull toy effect.


The wooden wheels have been distressed with Gathered Twigs and Black Soot Distress Ink.  The wheels will actually turn as they are glued to a small dowel rod that is cradled in a "V" shaped cardstock piece mounted to the underside of the block. The wheels are decorated with a Tim Holtz Rosette cut from some Graphic 45 striped paper.  The scalloped ends have been edged with Mercury Glass Stickles.  The hub caps are made from antique gold bottle caps with a vintage circus elephant image in the center. They are hot glued in place.

I love my elephant whom I have affectionately named "Ella". I think she is so cute and she was a ton of fun to bring to life! Originally just a brown paper mache, I painted her with a medium gray color and then lightly distressed her with Black Soot Distress Ink. I then added "toenails" with my Signo White Pen followed by an outlining with a permanent black Micron Pen. I drew in two black eyes and added white highlights.  She's a bit of a glitzy girl so I added the little rhinestone bracelet to coordinate with her glitzy party hat and full tutu.

Her hat is made from a scrap of paper from Graphic 45's Le Cirque paper; appropriately enough, covered with elephants on bicycles. Then I added a piece of Bethany Lowe's black and orange tinsel (that is tightly twisted together) to the bottom and also as a top knot.

My elephant is a circus elephant so I thought she needed a fancy tulle tutu. It is made out of black and ivory tulle that has been lightly sprayed with Dyan Reaveley's new Tangerine Dream Dylusions Ink Spray.  I simply layered the tulle and gathered it together with a needle and thread enough to go around her rather large tummy.  Then I sewed the two ends together and hot glued the tutu in place. Finally, I pulled the tulle apart to make the tutu nice and fluffy. I love it!

I added a little hair to her tail from some extra doll hair I had laying around.  As a finishing touch to her tush, I added a little metallic gold shiny bow. 

She is carrying a Le Cirque banner by her trunk.  It is lightly outlined with Mercury Glass Stickles. One side says "Spectacular" the other side says "Circus".  I added a Maya Road stick pen with a star to the top.  I colored the clear plastic star with a Gold Paint Dabber and then coated it in Mercury Glass Stickles.  I added a few curly pieces of gold shiny ribbon ... the same that I used for making the bow on her tush. Finally I added a piece of black seam tape that had been spritzed with water and then crumpled up to make it look more vintage.  Then I tied a shabby bow.

All circus elephants need a ball, don't they?  So I painted a 1 3/4" wooden ball with a light red-ish color.  I heat embossed some Queens Gold (embossing powder) stars from Tim Holtz' Bitty Grunge stamp set onto white tissue paper and then tore around them.  I added them to the ball using Matte Multi Medium and then added little bits of torn white tissue paper all over the ball to blend the stars on tissue into the ball better.  The ball was more white-ish than I wanted to I added a little water to the paint and lightly brushed over the ball again to deepen the color.  Then I spritzed over the ball first with Forever Red and followed by Sunflower Sparkle Perfect Pearls Mist.  Then heat set.  The gold embossed stars got a little lost on the ball so I carefully re-heat embossed them with the Queens Gold and heat set them again.  Finally I lightly went over the ball with some Walnut Stain Distress Ink to add a bit of aging and I added a bit of Mercury Glass Stickles to the stars.  Now I was happy with the vintage look of the ball. I hot glued it in place between my elephants front legs and added a small strand of tickets (lined in Mercury Glass Stickles) from Graphic 45's Boardwalk paper.

This sweet little elephant will be displayed in my craft room.  But at Christmastime, I think she will be perfect sitting under my vintage style Christmas tree with other real and hand crafted vintage toys.

The best part about play days ... creating art with dear friends; laughing and talking and enjoy each other's company so much! What a wonderful way to spend a day! 

I am also entering Ella in the Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge that is all about Sparkle, Glitz, Glam!  I think with Ella qualifies with her glitzy rhinestone bracelet, glam fluffy tutu, very stylish party hat, and her sparkly bow on her butt!  :)  Check out this fabulous challenge!

Enjoy your week!

43 comments:

  1. Wow wow wow, what a fantastic idea to make a pull toy. Imlove the elephant and the fact the elephant image is echoed on the wheels Candy. Adore the star echoed around the box. What a fantastic awe inspiring piece with wonderful details my friend. Tracy x

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  2. Candy-this is jaw dropping awesome! I love the vintage feel! Love it so much!
    Great job on this piece, I am going to have to do one!
    Thanks for sharing!

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  3. Definitely an Over-The-BigTop work of ART!

    ~Linda

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  4. Someone in the future will be collecting all your stunning pieces for sure! This is totally awesome, I love all the fun details you added, it's like it just kept getting better and better as the pictures went on! Love it to pieces! ~Diane

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  5. Of course you made an elephant toy! Ummm WOW! Stunning fun piece. Now I have to find something fun like this. Perhaps a Giraffe?

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  6. So cute! Did you have to support the stars so they wouldn't collapse?

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  7. Firstly, I have noticed that when I visit your blog Candy I get a smile on my face even before I read / absorb the project! Now where do I begin about this FAB-U-LOUS art piece??? LOVE IT ALL!!! I haven't stopped smiling as I study each and every element. Ella is adorable and fun and whimsical and so darn creative! So difficult to choose but my favourite parts are the wheels (and they work!!), the bottlecap hub caps (with mini Ella), the sparkly anklet, her tush and bow, that va va voom tutu, oh gosh I just LOVE the whole thing. Christmas at your house must be amazing! Thanks for creating and sharing. Nicola x

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  8. I totally agree with Nicola, Christmas at your house must be utterly fabulous! Ella is absolutely delightful, especially her amazing tutu and sparkling bracelet along with her painted toenails. She really is a work of art, your talent never fails to impress. Crafting days with friends are the best, for sure! Anne xx

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  9. Oh wow Candy, where do I even begin....? This piece is totally amazing and just oozes your very own kind of creativity! Like others have said, Ella is just the cutest vintage toy elephant anybody could imagine. The details are incredible and it sure looks as if you had so much fun putting her together!!

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  10. OMG, Candy you have done it again! This is totally a vintage WOA and what an incredible pull toy! I actually remember such things! I so love Ella from the top of her pretty little hat to the bottom of her golden tush bow and you even gave her a diamond bracelet! Too darn adorable!

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  11. Outstanding work. Absolutely stunning. Love it!! Karen.x

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  12. Spectacular! this is jaw dropping! Fantastic!

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  13. Wow wow wow! Candy I can't explain you my surprise at this amazing work! It ' s incredible your imagination, your creativity, your ability to think about these masterpieces! Really I don't know what else to say! I'm speechless! BArbarayaya

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  14. Oh my hogs Candy this is do beautifully creative with the most amazing details and ideas. I just love it xx

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  15. How stunning this is Candy! Very creative and so well executed - I can think of a few vintage 'children' that would like this! LOL. Fab! Chris xxx

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  16. Ella is fabulous! I love your fantastic pull toy as only you could make. :)

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  17. Oh, how I loooooooove her! You had me with the tutu.....just so much fun. I love all the whimsical elements you combined here. I was grinning from ear to ear as each one was spotlighted. You amaze me.....the greatest show on earth!

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  18. Oh, Candy, how fabulous! Love the way you did the rosette wheels and of course, the tush embellishment (let no tush go unadorned!). What a super creative project, and it sounds like you had a wonderful day, too.

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  19. PINNED of course! I have no words good enough! Amazing design Candy, simply awesome!!!!

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  20. This is awesome! I remember when Nicole made this for G45. We were on the team together then. I was such a cutie pie project! I love that you found an elephant to use and modified the block to fit her! Great job! Just too fun! Thanks for joining us at Craft Hoarders Anonymous!

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  21. Such a wonderful and unique project! Just amazing! Thanks for playing along with the Craft Hoarders!

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  22. I have a special place in my heart for Elephants; but I won't get into that now. Love the box you did to stand it on and that cute little pretty on her tail! Thanks for joining us at Craft Hoarders Anonymous!

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  23. Very pretty and unique! Thanks for joining us at Craft Hoarders Anonymous!

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  24. I am in awe of this! You've created a true treasure. The details are amazing. Even the wheels are little works of art! Beautifully done!

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  25. Oh my gosh….I want this LOL!!!!
    Absolutely amazing.
    Thank you so much for sharing with us at Craft Hoarders Anon :)

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  26. OMG this is truly magic!!!! I love it!!! please let me know where you found the paper mache elephant ... i would love to try one for myself!
    thanks!

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  27. I'm so glad you linked this up at Craft Hoarders Anonymous. She's just too darling for words!

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  28. Hello Miss Candy leave it to you to go the extra mile, this is truly MAGNIFICENT, the block alone is gorgeous, those wheels FANTASTIC, that elephant, "SHUT THE FRONT DOOR", she is FABULOUS with her beautiful tutu, your attention to detail is phenomenal, your artistry knows no bounds, thanks for sharing and being such an inspiration to us all.. Have a wonderful weekend, ((( BIG HUGS))),,

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  29. Oh wow I have just come across your blog and your talent is amazing and this is a real masterpiece I have realy enjoyed looking around your blog a real inspiration hugs cheryl. By the way this elephant is fantastic xx

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    1. Hi Cheryl! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. I'm glad that you found it and I'm even more glad that you like what you see. :) Enjoy your weekend! <3 Candy

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  30. super adorable!!! Thanks so much for sharing it with us at Craft Hoarders!!

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  31. OH MY!!! Absolutely Adorable!!! Love it!!!! Thank you so much for sharing it with us at Craft Hoarders!!

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  32. Put up the tents, call in the clowns! The circus is definitely in town!! What a darling project!! Love how you've adapted the design to fit your larger elephant and made it your own! Very clever. Thanks for sharing your glitz, glam and bling with us at Craft Hoarders Anonymous!

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  33. Wanted to drop by and say thanks for swinging by my blog again. I am so going to pin your Vintage Journey tags - I keep emailing your link to all my friends cos it is so cool. Yes this would be the third time I have gushed about those tags!

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  34. This is so sweet Candy and what a wonderful idea!! Love the box you created with the stars and those fabulous wheels. Gorgeous special touches everywhere I look. I love elephants too.

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  35. A sheer joy of a creation - the fun and imagination and creativity is just a delight. Fantastic, Candy - and I can see how much joy it gave you to create too! The photo from behind with that tiny ribbon and the tutu sticking out like a halo made me laugh out loud!!
    Alison xx

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  36. Oh this is so much fun Candy! Love the little bow on the tail :) Jenny x

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  37. OMG! Wow and stunning came straight to mind... fabulous project seems too tame... I love it especially the elephants tail. lol I'm a hoarder of things that will be useful "someday" too. Thank you for you lovely comment on my Tim win.....so excited :)


    MaggieH

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  38. I saw this on Craft Hoarders Anonymous blog and had to come visit. love it!

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  39. Candy.....I too saw this at Craft Hoarders....and OMG....Pull toys are my favorite!! This is amazing!! LOVE IT!!
    Hugs....and you have inspired me....truly awesome!!
    Heather

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  40. This is so adorable and chic! You manage to bring your visions to life, maybe even if you don't know what the vision is! I'm sure this little elephant had no idea about the kind of style he would soon be touting! So clever and I really like how you made this piece out of "stuff" that you had in your stash. I need to do some of that myself, so thank you for showing me the potential of all those forgotten scraps and supplies. I especially love the tutu!

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  41. WOW! This is so sweet and vintage circus. LOVE!

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