On a scale of 1-10, who is the cutest – an Alpaca or an Ewok? 

My apologies to all the Star Wars fans, but this week our craft project is all about Alpacas. 

This baby alpaca looks so soft and cuddly like a stuffed animal. 

Adults have long shaggy fur, which is used to make yarn for blankets, sweaters and other garments. 

Some have monochromatic fur, such as the one pictured above. 

Alpaca fur tends to be thick and plush in a variety of shades and a few fashion-forward combinations.  Whatever your preferences, you can’t go wrong applying those creative choices to this fun project. 

How to Paint a Wooden Alpaca:

Raw Wood Alpaca

Thick wood has been cut out in the shape of an alpaca.  Both sides and all the edges will need to be painted.  Due to the raw nature of the wood, it may require a little sanding, especially along the edges. 

Supplies

• Supplies:
  Wooden Alpaca (6-1/4” high x 4-1/2” wide x 1-1/2” thick)
  Acrylic Paints – gray, white, black
  Bottles Fabric Paint – brown, white, black
  Paintbrushes
  Sandpaper
  Black Sharpie Marker or pencil

Paint Base Color

Using acrylic gray paint and a brush, paint both sides of the body and all the edges. 

Paint Accent Colors & Draw Eye Detail

Apply white acrylic paint with a brush on the head, neck, lower legs and tail.  With a pencil or marker, draw the eyes. 

Define Facial Details

Using a combination of acrylic and fabric paints, add the eyes, nose and mouth. 

Textured Fur Detail

Creating thick, three-dimensional fur is easy with fabric paint.  You must start at the BOTTOM and work your way up using short downward strokes.  Keep the placement and stroke size random, layering new fur over the previous sections as you work your way to the top.  Allow the paint to dry overnight because it shrinks as it dries.  Repeat this process until you achieve the desired appearance. 

Paint White Textured Fur

This photo shows the completed white fur on the legs and tail.  Repeat this process on the other side. 

Note: To achieve a very thick fur coat, you may need several bottles of fabric paint. 

Paint Brown Textured Fur

Apply brown fabric paint on the torso, and upper legs, using the same textured process described above. 

Paint Additional Layers of Textured Fur

Repeat the painted fur process as many times as needed to create a thick fur coat. 

Paint White Textured Fur

Once again using the white fabric paint, start creating the fur at the bottom of the neck and work upward. 

Paint Additional Layers of White Textured Fur

Repeat the process to achieve desired thickness.  Remember to thoroughly cover the edges too.  You may also want to add more fur on the tail as well for a bushy effect.  Allow time for the paint to dry between coats so that you can see which areas need more work. 

Finished Alpaca

Congratulations!  You are now the proud parent of an adorable alpaca! 

Finished Details

As you can see in this photo, the fur continues up over the top of the head, including bangs on forehead. 

Alpaca – Before & After

We started with a plain wood figure, and with little effort and patience during drying times, this cute alpaca is ready to adorn your home or be given as a gift.  Either way, smiles are sure to follow. 

Thanks for Reading & Happy Crafting!

We deal with so many details every day. I thought it would be fun to take a look at some craft photos to demonstrate how small changes can make such a dramatic difference. Let’s go!

Acrylic Painted Rabbit

This cute rabbit has blended fur colors, but a rather blank expression.

Acrylic Painted Rabbit with 3D Details

The 3D paint creates facial depth, and provides a twinkle in eyes filled with personality.

Acrylic Painted Flamingo

Flamingos are so colorful and unusual. The color scheme captures the essence of the bird but lacks the textured feathers.

Acrylic Painted Flamingo Layered with 3D Texture

Now he appears to be staring back at you while he proudly shows off his brightly colored plumage.

Two-Tone Green Man

Mother Nature’s counterpart doesn’t look very happy, does he?

Two-Tone Green Man with Metallic Gold Highlights

After brightening the whites of his eyes, he had his “hair” highlighted and now he looks rather pleased with himself.  lol

Black & White Photo vs. Colorized Photo

The black and white portrait is nice, but look how soft, warm and romantic the second photo is thanks to the addition of color and dreamy special effects.

Metallic Silver Octopus

Metallic silver is an odd choice for such a fluid sculpture of a living animal.

Full Color Octopus with 3D Details

A vibrant new color scheme brings this blue ringed octopus to life, and the three-dimensional suction cups add texture as well as a more realistic approach to this wriggling octopus.

Gnome House vs. Bamboo Tropical Hut

Originally this little house was part of a collection of gnomes. A bamboo pattern combined with a few brightly colored silk flowers transformed it into a tropical hut for an ocean-themed centerpiece.

3D Painted Celtic Cross

Celtic designs are famous for their knot work. The three-dimensional green paint contrasts nicely with the black background and textures the entire surface.

3D Painted Celtic Cross with Metallic Gold Accents

The introduction of three-dimensional gold accents brings a bit of sparkle and opulence to the design.

Acrylic Painted Seahorse with 3D Accents

Seahorses are known for their brilliant colors and textured bodies. The 3D paint adds a bit of texture along the contours of the body and upon the spiny back.

3D Painted Seahorse

By using only 3D paints, the entire seahorse springs to life in glorious color and texture.

Fashionable Snowman

No snowman is complete without a few knitted accessories.

Fashionable Snowman with Lights

The addition of lights not only adds sparkle, but also enables him to shine at night in any window to complement your exterior decorations.

Halloween Witch vs. Christmas Elf

How can a Halloween decoration become one of Santa’s helpers? The answer lies in accessories! Cover the hat and tuck in the hair, add a scarf and candy cane and voila you have a Christmas elf.

Instructions for most of these items can be found on the “How To Projects” page.

It is said: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Little details have a strong influence over our perceptions, but sometimes we become so accustomed to our surroundings that we barely notice. Look at your home from a new perspective. Check out those little details to see if something could use a touch of color, a bit of whimsy and a little tender loving care. You’ll be glad you did!

Thanks for reading & Happy Crafting!

As new blooms of spring dazzle us with their beautiful pastel or jewel tone petals, equally attractive butterflies gather sweet nectar and flutter away like fairies in the wind.

Experiences like this make it easy to believe in magic.

For our project this week, we will create a beautiful butterfly garden, which will always be fresh and colorful as a spring morning, and it never needs to be watered. Let’s get started…

How to Paint a Wood Carved Butterfly Garden:

Raw Wood Flower Garden

When I first saw this wood carving, I didn’t notice the butterflies. As you begin to add colors, the butterflies appear almost like magic.

Markers

Acrylic Paints

Supplies:
LED Wooden Flower Garden (7” high x 4-1/2” wide x 1-1/8” thick)
Markers – blue, lavender, green, fuchsia, red, yellow & black
Acrylic Paints – white & blue, plus metallic paints: gold, rust, blue, & purple
Paintbrushes

Color with Markers

Begin coloring the flowers and leaves. If you are undecided between two colors, try the lightest color first. You can always go darker, if desired. If you make a mistake, it can be covered with paint to match the wood and then try again with the markers.

Color Remaining Leaves with Markers

The butterflies really stand out now against the boldly colored leaves and flowers.

Paint the Butterflies with Acrylics

I experimented with different base colors for each butterfly, depending upon how well they contrasted with the surrounding vegetation. To complete this project, you could paint the butterfly wing details with acrylics too, but I had already decided to use three dimensional paints, as shown below.

Advanced 3D Painting:

3-Dimensional Fabric Paints

Supplies:
Fabric Paints – red, pink, yellow, orange, green, blue, lavender & black

Paint the Butterflies with 3D Paints

Create wings patterns with dots, stripes, contrasting colors, etc.

Paint the Flower Petals with 3D Paints

Define Details by Layering 3D Paints

Finished Project

Define leaf veins, stems, and flower centers with 3D paints. I added vines and leaves in a few spots along the perimeter. Paint the outer edge and backer board with light blue acrylic paint.

Finished Project Lit

The concealed LEDs give a soft purple glow in the dark, which serves perfectly as a nightlight.

I hope you enjoyed this transformative journey. Together, we have created a garden that will last for generations to come. What is your favorite flower or butterfly? Please let me know in the comments section.

Thanks for Reading & Happy Crafting!