Whatcha doing today?

[JBtheExplorer]

Back into the craft season for me. I made this ornament of Cousin Eddie's RV in Christmas Vacation.

 

[addy1]

Well today, a gust 45 mph came through.
One of our 25ish foot black locust trees came down. Held up by a small tree near it.

Almost 60 today 43 tomorrow with more strong winds as the cold front moves in.

Beautiful clouds

 

[GBBUDD]

That's a bummer @addy1 , but it looks like that tree may not be at the point of no return. If you dig out and then use a hose to free the roots on the right side you may be able to stand the tree back up again using maybe your tractor or a truck, then burry the roots on that half of the tree again . stake it with some guys and your good to go . being fall is an advantage , the tree is going dormant.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Got a new game so I've been playing that recently. Snowrunner. It's all about hauling various supplies through mud and snow.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Anyone else listen to spotify and look at your year-end stats? It's always fun to see.

I love a wide variety of music and I think this shows it fairly well.

Although as far as my most-played songs, Scorpions somehow got the clean sweep.

 

[addy1]

That's a bummer @addy1 , but it looks like that tree may not be at the point of no return. If you dig out and then use a hose to free the roots on the right side you may be able to stand the tree back up again using maybe your tractor or a truck, then burry the roots on that half of the tree again . stake it with some guys and your good to go . being fall is an advantage , the tree is going dormant.

I planted around 14 of them when we started raising bees. They have self planted a lot more. Very fast growers. If we just cut it down it will be back pretty darn quick, about 2-3 feet a year.

At this point probably just drop it. Will need to be careful they have some nasty thorns. May need to hire someone, dear hubby prob can't handle the job. The wood is so tough, it will not be a easy cut down.

 

[addy1]

@GBBUDD I took a good look at the tree. All the roots on the tipped up side are snapped off. I have my neighbors nephew coming while hubby is in Florida with his son for a short visit. He will help me drop it, cut it up and put the cuttings in our woods.

The critters love the dead drops.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I made a Jiminy Cricket ornament.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Spent some time working on a Great Horned Owl ornament for my mom. She asked for one last year so I'm giving it to her for Christmas. Shhh, no one tell her!

Here's a shot of it while I was in the middle of working on it. I have no idea how other painters do it, but as you can see, first I paint basic colors in the shape of what I'm painting, and then slowly worked my way down from the top. It seems to be a good way of doing it.

And here's the finished product. Notice that I had to correct the off-centered beak. I debated on what to do with the background, but I ultimately decided to leave it natural wood color since it really helps make the owl stand out.

 

[SarahT]

Spent some time working on a Great Horned Owl ornament for my mom. She asked for one last year so I'm giving it to her for Christmas. Shhh, no one tell her!

Here's a shot of it while I was in the middle of working on it. I have no idea how other painters do it, but as you can see, first I paint basic colors in the shape of what I'm painting, and then slowly worked my way down from the top. It seems to be a good way of doing it.

View attachment 155346


And here's the finished product. Notice that I had to correct the off-centered beak. I debated on what to do with the background, but I ultimately decided to leave it natural wood color since it really helps make the owl stand out.

View attachment 155347

Absolutely gorgeous! I like everything about it, and I am sure your mom will, too.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Made a deer ornament for my grandma.

and I made a Stearman ornament for myself

 

[addy1]

Not today, raining, but my day a few days ago. Cutting back all the ornamental grass that somebody planted, ie me. 5 truckloads back to the woods.

Figure if I trim, cut, dump, off and on all winter, might catch up by spring.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Made something for my grandma for Christmas. She loves cardinals and I've been wanting to make something like this for her for years but only started reaching this quality level over the past year. I think I'm starting to get the hang of painting birds.

 

[j.w]

@JBtheExplorer you are darn good at doing birds and everything else you create is so nice and your grandma will love it. You sure are a good grandson!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Oh, I forgot to share this as well. I recently made this as a christmas gift for my mom. This was so tough to make because there are so many edges and any mistake really couldn't easily be fixed with it being a wood background. I don't really like how the second wood-colored tree turned out, but the rest I think turned out really well. This was the most difficult thing I've made this year. Funny how something that looks simpler than my other projects was so difficult.