A Boat a Day (no.93)

Happy Halloween! The boat for today is my pumpkin. A dinky thing I got for my birthday. It was so much easier to carve than the bigger ones even though I couldn't do too much detail.
I have found pumpkin carving much easier the last few years, I think I have a pretty good technique. Draw the picture onto paper, the size you want it, shading the bits to be cut out completely. Tape it to your pumpkin once the insides have been removed and begin imprinting your design with small holes using your template to guide you. I invented an ingenious way of making small, more precise holes by taping a nail to my finger. I used a piece of card to protect my skin from the pressure and began dotting away.
I warn you...it takes forever! Once you've got your dots remove the template and starts peeling the skin away in layers, using your dots for guides. My favourite tool for this is a small flat headed screw driver, I guess a chisel would work too, you can cut and scrape and push it all the way through when needed. Anyway, that's my haphazard way of carving pumpkin's!

A Boat a Day (no.92)

my house is a place of chaos, this is just a small sample of the random junk in  my living room, and a new way to procrastinate. :)

A Boat a Day (no.91)

A Boat a Day no. 91

Okay so I haven't found the face of Jesus of Elvis, nor did this boat mystically appear on burnt toast. But I think it's pretty cool!

A Boat a Day (no.90)

The boat in this picture is clearly not as awesome as the ship's wheel, it even turns! So tomorrow is day 91, the quarter way mark, and I'm still trying to think of something slightly special...

A Boat a Day (no.89)

A Boat a day no.89

This is another boat I found in the M Shed.

A Boat a Day (no.88)

The boats might be a bit late over the next few days. But here is today's, a birthday card for my sister.

A Boat a Day (no.87)

This boat is made from the pieces of a game called Othello, it's one of those thinky-strategy games, I found it in a charity shop months ago and have only just taken it out of the box, it's pretty fun and I seem to be kinda good at it :)

A Boat a Day (no.86)

It's been a whirlwind of fun and mayhem as always, I always end my visits with the girls with restored respect for parents. How do they do it? Everyday, all day, I'm exhausted and it's not even been two full days! Today's adventure involved the M Shed museum in Bristol, which has been newly opened and was unexpectedly awesome. There are lots of interactive displays, my favourite being a set of three bridges built in Bristol during different ages, carved in relief on a sort of rolling tombola with a big crank handle! I was also really happy to see some artifacts that I had helped to restore and consvere a couple of years ago while volunteering at the museum. It wasn't open then and looks entirely different.

Today's boat was discovered the moment I stepped through the door, this is the boat used in The Pirates film. Isn't it fantastic!

A Boat a Day (no.85)

Today has been a day of nephews and nieces, I think there is a word for it...Mayhem!
I have been making the girls Monster Hoods for halloween, they are very cute, I'll get them to pose in a bit and show you a picture tomorrow. But for now here is today's boat on my lovely nephew. :)

A Boat a Day (no.84)

A Boat a Day no.84

I had no idea what today's boat would be until I stumbled across the mural at Stapleton Road train station, cool eh?

A Boat a Day (no.83)

This little ray of sunshine was the inspiration for today's shadow boat! I might have to play with more silhouettes, I cut this one out of some junk mail and taped it to the window. Maybe I could use hands...

A Boat a Day (no.82)

A Boat A Day no.82

This is a model boat in Gloucester Folk Museum.

Don't forget to send me your ideas for my Quarter way mark. You could win £10 to spend on my website and a signed painting by me.

A Boat a Day (no.81)

Good evening, in fact it's technically morning now but never mind. Today I made 4 banana boats, yummy edible banana boats with all the good stuff. I forgot how awesome banana split is. Here is short clip of some nom.

A Boat a Day (no.80)

A Boat a Day no.80

Eighty Days!! Sometimes it feels like I've only just started, sometimes it's like I've been doing it for ever. I am just 11 days off being a quarter of the way through my 365 project. I guess I should review the first segment, and let you know how it's made me grump and laugh, and create bizarre boats at ridiculous times of day, what I've tried and what I have left to try. Perhaps I should also confront the possibility that one day I may run out of ideas.

For my 91st day I want to do something extra-specially cool, cooler than a boat in Minecraft, cooler than my little adventure...but what?
If you think you have the solution please leave a comment, or email me a picture. The one I choose will win a signed painting by moi (probably of a boat :P) and £10 to spend on my website.

A Boat a Day (no.79)

A Boat a Day no.79
The Mary Rose

The Mary Rose has always been intriguing to me, it was used by Henry the VIII in many battles and was one of the most expensive archeaological excavations ever. She was a warship armed with new weaponry and gunports, an innovation in naval warfare. There is an entire museum dedicated to her, though currently it is closed while they pour millions of $$ into it. Anyway, this is M.

A Boat a Day (no.78)

A Boat a Day no.78

This is a bit of an abstract boat, it has all the essential boating requirements, except, perhaps a hull. This is also my first painting for the boats! But no fear, today's little ramble into my studio has recovered my art box, complete with oils, acrylic, gouache, charcoal sticks, pastels both chalk and oil, so we're in for a bit of fine-art methinks.

A Boat a Day (no.77)

Today I have tried to make a boat out of a single length of chain. A bit like an etch-a-sketch, except with no straight lines. I've got a bit more work than usual this week, but I am hoping to get out of the house a bit in between. Who knows maybe I'll find another boaty adventure to go on.

I am looking forward to tomorrow which should be a day of jewellery making and maybe some photographs too. I am going to start planning a Steampunk photoshoot, (I have been talking about doing one for about a year but I think it's time now.) So I'll be finishing some outfits and accessories and creating some sort of set. I'm pretty excited, which is about the only way I can get something like this done.

A Boat a Day (no.76)

A Boat a Day no.76

Good evening, there has been nothing of any interest happening in my world today, just work, epic games of Magic the Gathering and some keyboard plinky-plink, as much a Sunday as I have had for nearly a year! one day soon I am going to have to have my weekends back :(
Ok so these boats were also found on my little boating trip with Genie and Lappo, they're just so cool and I only just remembered.

A Boat a Day (no.75)

I did my first market in months today, one that I didn't actually organize myself. I forgot how woefully disappointing they can be, I am used to the "festival market" vibe where even if sales are slow the atmosphere is entertaining enough. But this was your average craft market with a bit of tat on the side. Ah well, I went to work for the most part so didn't really get the chance to be bored and irate.
Anyway seen as today was a long one I have just done the next installment of the Boat-a-bet, enjoy.

A Boat a Day (no.74)

A Boat a Day no.74

Hello, a bit earlier today otherwise I'm likely to forget to post this. It's not quite done, (mostly because my tool is already blunt) but here is today's foil-scraping boat. This is a hundred times cooler than my home-made scratch-a-doodle, and I've had a lot of fun being distracted from everything by the shiny silvery ship!

Anyway have a good evening :)

A Boat a Day (no.73)

A Boat a Day no. 73
Hama beads

I had a go with Hama beads today, I had a whole kit sitting floating around the studio, I have no idea how long it's been there for or even where it came from, but this is the first time I've actually used it. I now have no yellow left, :( but it was kind of fun and definitely different from anything I have done recently.

Most of today was spent getting ready for market on the weekend, it's been a long time since I have had to get that ready and I'm quite out of practice. It doesn't help that most of my stock is newly made and therefore un-priced. Anyway I am looking forward to going to a market I haven't had anything to do with organising. It's going to be pleasantly easy.

A Boat a Day (no.72)

A Boat a Day no.72
Cross-stitched yacht

Today has left me feeling a little wistful, and sick from all the bad junk food I have eaten! The cause of my despondency is the imminent departure of my friend Genie, how has opted to explore the sunny spring/summer of New Zealand rather than stay here and freeze with us. Which is fair enough I suppose, harumph!
On the bright side I went online to find something crafty and fun for my boat a day and this arrived this morning, a cross-stitch yacht kit. It's very dinky! I had a lot of fun remembering old times and have even gained some scraps of the holey canvas so I can do some embroidery again! :) This is the design that came with the kit, but I reckon I can do better... And don't ask my why the sea is green that's just what they told me to do.

A Boat a Day (no.71)

This afternoon I have been crafting a home-arcade game-pad cake for Justin! It's pretty cool, though I'm sure he will pick at the errors. I promise to post a picture later once it has dried a bit. 

A Boat a Day no.71
The Matthew replica.

For now my boat is the coolest replica in the Bristol Floating Harbour. 

This is a replica of The Matthew which was sailed by John Cabot, (a big man 'round these parts!)

A Boat a Day (no.70)

It's been another interesting day being me, I had the privilege of joining Heg Doughty and the Wolf Chorus for spot of nautical themed serenading, they even let me join in on the chorus of Sea Shanty for Bessie Harker. You should all check out their actual recordings from this evening and follow them on facebook.

Anyway here is the link to tonight's boat, or boats rather as there were not only boating lyrics there was also a model wooden boat on the window behind us :)

A Boat a Day (no.69)

A Boat a Day no.69

I'm quite enjoying the A-Z of boats, it is teaching me a bit and making me use my imagination a bit more, as I have a tendency to go straight to pirate ships. Today began with a trip to Fabric Land which was a great start to a Sunday and it was even sunny. I got a new camera too yay, so prepare for some photography :) 

A Boat a Day (no.68)

Right, having had a long day at work and not much inspiration in the way of boats I have done the next part of the alphabet, D-F. It's already harder than I originally anticipated, who would have thought E was as hard as Z?

A Boat a Day (no.67)

A Boat a Day no.67
A-C of boats

I'd have though by now that I would know more about boats, but my knowledge is as basic as it was to begin with, (though I've got drawing it 2d down-ish) so I have decided to do an A-Z of boats which will be great on the days I can't think of anything, here is the first installment A-C!

I am a bit down today as this evening is Genie's travel themed leaving do :'( I think it's just about hitting home that she will be gone.

A Boat a Day (no.66)

Good evening,
This afternoon I decided to get the fimo out and make a few accessories from my Steampunk Art doll's and make a lovely boat for this evening in the process. This is how it went...

A Boat a Day no.66
Failed attempt at a fimo boat

This is the second boat to have "caught fire" (the first being on minecraft and slightly less disastrous!) I have never actually seen Fimo burnt to a bubbling sticky mess, doesn't look pretty :(

Also my friend drew me a lovely viking ship!

Fan Art : Natalie Farr 

A Boat a Day (no.65)

A Boat a Day no.65

In about a week I will be a quarter of the way through my year of boats! I better start thinking of something remarkable for the occasion. This week I've had such a great time catching up on a bit of creativity. I love organising markets and things but it really eats into my own artistic time, it's been a refreshing change to have time to myself and really bury my head in some mess making. Below is a preview of my Yule-ish Steampunk Softies. I've made todays boat from the abundance of wires and electrical nonsense littering my house, (this is actually just a tiny sample of it, but Justin has a whole box we've just packed of the wires he never actually uses, including his very first mic, one of those computer stick mic's! Why?
the same reason I hoarde fabrics and buttons I guess.

A Boat a Day (no.64)

A Boat a Day no.64

Mushroom's make good sails! That is my thought for the day.
Today me and Taz spent a few hours brainstorming new stock ideas and cunning Christmas ploys! During which we began some purse designs and I started a Father Steampunk Christmas Art-doll, he's going to be a bit evil and twisted, I think with a bag of coal slung over his back! I forgot how much fun it is to make Art-doll's.

A Boat a Day (no.63)

Evenin'

A Boat a Day no.63 a carved brick

 

This boat can be found in Castle Park, carved into a few bricks around the edge of an old fountain. On our little boat tour the other week we were told that the park had been dense housing before the war when it was bombed heavily. The "castle" is the remains of an old church which has been kept in it's post-blitz glory.