There's something about snow that screams 'pick me up and make something with me'. Who can resist making a snowman, even a small one, or at the very least a snowball? Snow seems to be meant to be shaped by wet hands, in iced up woolen gloves, laboriously rolling, piling, shaping, crafting, decorating, and hoping that the thaw will hold off for just one more day.It seems to bring out the Michelangelo in us all and with so much of the cold, white stuff around there's plenty of sculpting material to be creative with.
And talking of creative - my old mate Glyn Bailey made this incredible and so well sculpted Snow Duck. He calls it his 'Christmas Quacker'. I can’t believe how perfect the finish on that snow is, he's such a perfectionist. He must have used his bare hands to get such that really smooth finish.
On a more macabre note, another chum - Andrew Bickerdike, built this posse of snowmen whilst waiting for his tea to cook. But when he went in to eat it, somebody killed one of them - poor thing. The police have snow idea who the perpetrator was as yet, but are interviewing the other snowmen as suspects.
For my small part I built this snow lantern in my front garden. I was introduced to snow lanterns by another friend, Flora Marriot, and this is my first.
It took me ages to get the candle to stay alight, but once I'd managed to stop my hands shaking in the freezing cold, dropping the matches, the flame spluttering out each time just as I'd sealed the candle door with snow - once I'd managed all this and stopped cursing, I had a candle flame that burnt for almost three hours solid.
All sorts of people stopped to look at it as they walked past. One young man even said ‘Cool’! Well, I would expect it to be – after all, it is made of snow.
Amazing what can be done with a little snow - anyone up for a Statue of David?
The problem with knowing so many creative people is that they are all so damn creative. Could you please post something more rubbish so that I don't feel too bad.
ReplyDeleteBTW, how do you make the snow lantern?
wow, how creative of Glyn and Andrew - and you of course AKH. I have no desire to get wet and cold crafting interesting objects but even if I did my creations would be pitiful.
ReplyDeleteFlora is the expert but...
ReplyDeleteHow to make a Snow Lantern - make a ring of snowballs, make another ring on top, keep making rings tapering them in slightly until you have a tall cone - make a hole in the bottom of the cone and put a lighted candle in a jam-jar inside, seal the candle-door with more snowballs.
Go on - go outside and make some for your kids. They will love them!
Catherine Halls-Jukes commented on Facebook:
ReplyDeleteJealous, Jealous, Jealous, love the one by Glyn
That duck is great. Your snow lantern is very good for a first go. I didn't make one tonight as the snow here is almost gone. Sad. But there will be another time. I did forget to warn you about the frozen fingers part. Gore-tex mountaineering gloves are the answer. Or woolly gloves with washing up gloves on top (I learnt that from sailing).
ReplyDeleteAndrew Bickerdike commented on Facebook:
ReplyDelete"Happy that I now been the subject of two blogs... the snow men are still lingering too..."
My daughter made a trio of snowmen at the weekend. One of them was tall & thin. It has now drooped to one side & looks like a gentleman's apendage. The neighbour thought we had deliberately built a it. Oh the shame!
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures. I will build a lantern tonight.
This is very original. The duck and everything is wonderfull. Congratulations Andrew!
ReplyDeleteI haven't made a real snowman since I don't remember.
Cloe Height Facebook;
ReplyDeleteBrilliant, i love it!