Ya gotta have heart (finale!) #papermachéheart

It's finally done...and I'm thrilled with  the way my paper maché sculpture of a human heart, I call it "El Corazon", turned out. I must say the Cardinal Red I used on the main body was such a delicious choice. It looks like a ripe red apple that you just wanna take a bite out of. And, of course, the Mod Podge simply makes the whole thing, it's the finishing touch that sends it over the top. Here are a series of pictures. It's SO fitting that it was completed on Halloween, right?
















I realized as I was painting it that it reminded me of the heart card, "El Corazon",  from the classic Mexican Bingo game, "Loteria", that every TexMex kid grows up with.



So I did up my own version of it...I think it's pretty close! All I need is the arrow!

Smashing pumpkins

I made the tastiest pumpkin break yesterday. I like everything pumpkin this time of year. And nothing beats a slice of moist pumpkin bread with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. YUM.



Another funny thing happened yesterday...I was in the kitchen working on my computer at the kitchen counter. I kept smelling a feint odor of cat pee. It was driving me nuts. I don't have a cat. I thought dead mouse? In the basement? No, there was nothing in the crawl space under the dining room. It wasn't the houseplants by the window. I couldn't figure it out. Then all of a sudden it caught my eye (AND my nose): it was one of the little pumpkins in the compote dish on the dining table! It had totally rotted underneath and was leaking rotten pumpkin water THAT SMELLED JUST LIKE BAD CAT PISS! Gross!! But it actually made me happy to figure out what it was.

Ya gotta have heart pt. 2

The painting of the heart has gone very slowly...but it's been worth it, I think it's looking quite good.
I just have one or two more coats of the deep red color on one side and I'll be finished. Then it's on to the Mod Podging!

Ya gotta have heart

So what I've been calling "the mystery project" is now officially 'the heart', a paper maché sculpture of the human heart. I'm pretty happy with how it's turning out. I've started painting it and it's taking a lot longer than I had anticipated, mostly because of the 'veins'. They were created by glueing pieces of string to the shell. So getting underneath and around them is intricate work. It's so detailed in some places that I have to apply the paint with a toothpick! V-e-r-r-r-r-y slow going. It also still needs many coats of the red paint on the main body...and there is lots of shading and blending between colors that needs to happen. I have to return to the city tomorrow so I won't be able to work on the  piece for a week or so. Too bad. I really want to see it finished.

The mystery project pt. 7

Veins! I added string for all the veins and aortas (not sure if the heart has aortas but so be it).
I'll let this dry overnight to set well and then I'll prime it tomorrow and maybe begin the painting.

The mystery project pt. 6

Getting very close to finishing the main body...just put finishing surface touches on today. It should be ready to add the veins tomorrow, I'll add those with twine and raffia.

The mystery project pt. 5

I think it's time I divulge what this thing is (as if you couldn't guess by now, especially with today's pictures). It's a human heart. I got the idea from my sister. She saw an early picture of the piggy bank where it was just the round body upside down with the legs extended upward. "What is it, a heart?" Then a lightbulb went off in my head. This would be the next sculpture.
You can see it really taking shape today. i have a few more little arteries to finish then it will be refining all the rough edges.

The mystery project pt. 4

Bit by bit, putting it together...

The mystery project pt. 3

A little more progress...

The mystery project pt. 2

I'm back at the house for a bit, mainly to enjoy the glorious early Fall weather. But I did have time to work on the paper maché project this week. It's really starting to take shape. If you still can't deduce what it is I'll let you know soon(ish) in a future post!