Nutcrackers stand guard

Made from 6x6s and scrap pieces of wood to form details like the noses, ears and arms. Purchased at a decor/crafts store they would cost you in the range of $200. each The cost to make yourself...less than $15. If you know someone building a deck or other structure you can use a leftover cut off , mine are 3' tall. I purchased my 4x4, it was $30. and I got two 3 foot structures plus a leftover of 2 feet, with which I will create another work, perhaps an animal for the garden. You can also make similar nutcrackers with the more traditional 4x4s. Again, use acrylics and a coat or two of Diamond Finish.

Inexpensive diorama

Saw some really cool work in Small Crafts by high school students today. Lots of possibilities, make up your own. Go to DOLLERAMA and purchase an unpainted shadow box...the kind with a window. Inside (re)create favourite scenes, use your old photos, cut out pics of friends and family and glue the figures on cardboard to be placed in the foreground - add real objects to heighten the depth illusion, like brances for trees etc, overlapping items to make it interesting. A neat way to display pics, or give as gifts to remind folks of special times you have shared.
I'm going to create VanGogh's bedroom at Arles to hang on a large screen I am making - I bought six 6' hollow wood doors at an auction and hinged them together to pull across my sliding doors. On one side will be an enlagement of same painting...I think it will be kinda interesting to have two 'perspectives' on it. On the other side I'm going to create a collage of collected patterns and textures from magazines - mixed with sheet music that was being thrown out. I'll start to post the process as I go thru it beginning in a week or so.

Recycled Shoes as an art canvas

I couldn't resist these canvas shoes when I saw them at the Sally Ann...$2.00! I sold them individually with dried flowers in them as funky 'vases'!

Reuse old school desks to make funky art furniture

I have done quite a number of these old desks since I lucked upon a whole van load. (I'd love to find more if anyone knows of some.)

The desks took a while to clean - forty or fifty years of grime and gum takes a bit of of elbow grease to scape off. Once they were sanded down the entire surface area (including the inside) had to be given a base coat (or gessoed which is my preference). Then it's a simple matter of drawing on your design and painting it. I ALWAYS use Stevenson's acrylics for my projects (over thirty years now), they're very good quality and the price is competitive. A final coat of matt Diamond Finish is always necessary.

Recycle/reuse those old wood cupboard doors to make wall art

These paintings were done on old cupboard doors purchased at the Restore in Guelph. Not only are you supporting Habitat for Humanity with your purchases of 'art supplies' there, but your materials are very inexpensive. One more advantage in using old doors...they have a built in frame!

Funky art clocks are made of recycled materials

The clocks are all made from cardboard taken from the bins at grocery stores. The papier mache uses old newspapers, the bases are made from wood cutoffs, and most of the embellishments are 'found' or recycled from other sources...at worst, I purchased dollar store objects when necessary.