Alternative Snowman Tut

[ltsexpressions]

ok, while trying to make a snowman and failing miserably....

I came up with a (new to me) way to make these buggers....

1) When I messed up, I made the mess into a white CONE, so step one is make a cone of white.

2) visually split the cone into 3 parts.

3) using a brass tool (or maybe a stainless or tungsten... dont' know, haven't tried) slowly and carefully rake or split the cone into those thirds.

4) you might have to go back and re-do them once or twice to get them evenly separated into three "balls" but it's much easier than trying to put 3 beads next to each other on the mandrel but keep them defined at the same time.

5) decorate as you wish!

I'll try to post pics or some kind of visual of this if I can get my DH to draw it in autocad or photoshop...

6707

Let me know if it reads well though please... I freq. know what I WANT to say, but dont' always get it out of my mouth right!!!

Happy Snowperson making!

Stacy

[paintingwithglass]

Stacy...Cattwalk's caterpillar press is great for defining the snowballs of a snowman. Just use one side and roll your tube bead in it! Easy!!! :grin:

[Just Nancy]

Sounds a lot like how I make mine but I do 2 balls. I found by the time I tried to do the third and a hat they were bigger than I wanted.

I'm lost on the other way. I always end up with a solid piece and have to reshape it.

[ltsexpressions]

Stacy...Cattwalk's caterpillar press is great for defining the snowballs of a snowman. Just use one side and roll your tube bead in it! Easy!!! :grin:


Faye,

I have no doubt there! I seriously want one of those for my press collection! But, alas, unless I sell alot of candy beadies like yesterday, that's not happening!!!

But..... I would love to drool over your pics.... please post here!!!

[ltsexpressions]

Sounds a lot like how I make mine but I do 2 balls. I found by the time I tried to do the third and a hat they were bigger than I wanted.

I'm lost on the other way. I always end up with a solid piece and have to reshape it.

Nancy,

You just gave me an idea on how to add the hat... I've been hat challenged so far....

Back to the torch...

(btw, DH is doing drawings in autocad as I type, so I can show you all what I mean...)

[NLC Beads]

I've done hats as a separate bead... So if they want to go "snow naturaul," they can. :D Nice tips otherwise, though.
I make mine as three separate beads, too... Quicker than trying to divide out one.

[Cosmo]

This technique works really well. I do the same thing. Make a cone, get it hot, and roll it along the edge of my stump shaper. Perfect snowmen every time...





Also makes a good Mr. Hankey bead if you do it in brown....

[NLC Beads]

*pout* The sheep are upset with not being included in your poll. They will beat (bead?) you with their little stick arms should they have a chance. :)

[paintingwithglass]

Faye,

I have no doubt there! I seriously want one of those for my press collection! But, alas, unless I sell alot of candy beadies like yesterday, that's not happening!!!

But..... I would love to drool over your pics.... please post here!!!

I hear you sweetie. I do five++ different kinds of snowmen...I just had some of them out to get ready for a show this weekend. The new caterpillar ones...they are the easiest...then the just the head with pink cheeks ones....the three seperate beads huge pendants snowmen and snowladies....the flattened ones....the little snowmen made by using a razor or sharp edge...I think I have a thing for snowmen! :shock: lol. When I taught school my classroom was filled with them for the month of December...just snowmen! :-D

[paintingwithglass]

*pout* The sheep are upset with not being included in your poll. They will beat (bead?) you with their little stick arms should they have a chance. :)

There's a poll??? #-o I am such an airhead!! :lol: :lol:

[SherryD]

I haven't done any 3 snowball ...
Thanks for the tut - I just might this year!

I like the 2 snowball method cause I want them to be short and round but not too big.
I make two separate fat round beads next to each other - one the top smaller than the bottom (very close - so that I can melt them together) before adding the decorations.

Sorry for the quality of the photo - the only one I had - with (some ornaments?)

6752

[x_phoenician]

Thanks for sharing your tecnique Stacy :)

I make 3 seperate beads but count the hat as the 3rd bead so my snowmen stay small. I guess mine don't look very traditional... but I love the cute hats I'd seen kids wearing with the long tassles or whatever they are.

Tracy
6769

[ltsexpressions]

CRAP! won't let me change the poll.....

ok, snowsheep don't count because they are in a league all of their own and I'll never be able to make a sheep.... that's why I made the poll that way...

it was my first try at adding a poll late and I sorry Nik and sheep....

I'll make it up to you, somehow!!!


*pout* The sheep are upset with not being included in your poll. They will beat (bead?) you with their little stick arms should they have a chance. :)

I sorry honey....

I'll go fix the poll to be more inclusive....

(bad social worker, not including the sheepies.... whip me with a wet sheepskin!!!)

[ltsexpressions]

Thanks for sharing your tecnique Stacy :)

I make 3 seperate beads but count the hat as the 3rd bead so my snowmen stay small. I guess mine don't look very traditional... but I love the cute hats I'd seen kids wearing with the long tassles or whatever they are.

Tracy
6769

I LOVE the tassely hats! I'm gonna have to try those... My kids at work wear those all the time!!!

[NLC Beads]

Stacy - Just messing with you, the sheep have thick skin - it is glass, after all. And they're all dots, anyone can make them. I think some lady named Sharon Peters made them before me, and I've seen Amy Caswell's that look pretty sweet, too. :D

I have done other snowmen, still with the same technique... Just simple rounds with a little bit of decorating each, hats separate... It's what works for me, everyone is different.

[loco]

I was glad to see you did not exclude snowaliens!!!!

The first snowalien I made was three hollows built aginst one another on the same mandrel with a solid hat on top. Now their made with two hollows and a solid hat.

[Venessa]

Well, this is sort of what I tried, but it turned into an angel instead...
Now do you tell my fortune?


ok, while trying to make a snowman and failing miserably....

I came up with a (new to me) way to make these buggers....

1) When I messed up, I made the mess into a white CONE, so step one is make a cone of white.

2) visually split the cone into 3 parts.

3) using a brass tool (or maybe a stainless or tungsten... dont' know, haven't tried) slowly and carefully rake or split the cone into those thirds.

4) you might have to go back and re-do them once or twice to get them evenly separated into three "balls" but it's much easier than trying to put 3 beads next to each other on the mandrel but keep them defined at the same time.

5) decorate as you wish!

I'll try to post pics or some kind of visual of this if I can get my DH to draw it in autocad or photoshop...

6707

Let me know if it reads well though please... I freq. know what I WANT to say, but dont' always get it out of my mouth right!!!

Happy Snowperson making!

Stacy

[kandice]

None of the above is my answer. :) Mine are two snowball people, and I only just started making them. But they are completely addictive!!! Here's mine. He's made by putting two separate beads very close together on the mandrel, and then using gravity to fuse them together before decorating them.

[torchie]

When you are putting the eyes on your snowmen do you do a little indent with the pick first? Some of the ones I have seen look like they are inset.

[NLC Beads]

For a snowman (or a chinchilla), I use tweezers since they line up nicely.

[cooljewel]

Incredibly cute snowmen!

[ltsexpressions]

For a snowman (or a chinchilla), I use tweezers since they line up nicely.

I like!!!!!!

gonna have to try the indented eye balls next time.... (prob. not on a sheep though, unless I get some NLC vibes hitting me..... torching on Sunday iffin' ya wanna send the vibes... LOL)

[torchbynight]

When you are putting the eyes on your snowmen do you do a little indent with the pick first? Some of the ones I have seen look like they are inset.

The easiest way for me to get that look is to spot heat where you want the eye to be, then stick the black stringer in deep. Break it off, either leaving some to make a little round button, or at the surface of the indent to leave it all inside (it's late, did that make sense? LOL!!). Don't heat too much though! :D

[NLC Beads]

I like!!!!!!

gonna have to try the indented eye balls next time.... (prob. not on a sheep though, unless I get some NLC vibes hitting me..... torching on Sunday iffin' ya wanna send the vibes... LOL)

:) The sheep have big stacked eyes. It makes them look innocent, which they are... But only because they're tiny, and therefore have little brains.

Little bitty cheap tweezers are perfect, and please remember to cool metal tools right after every use so they don't stick if you need to do it again. It leaves nasty black marks.

I like Amy's way, too - sounds cool, but I haven't tried it yet.

[torchbynight]

An example of the heat n stick eyes..hehe

http://www.torchbynight.com/lepaysdesmerveilles.jpg

[Islandgirl]

Here are mine, normal snowpeople are two balls, but when I got my first 2006 Calander last month January was a whole family of Snowmen and one of them had mitts..... I discovered that if a snowman has mitts he needs three balls! (actually I use a knife to make my indents, then I add the hat, then the scarf then the face...) 7862 7861

Lynne
www.fireballbeeds.com

Hey I think I finally figured out how to upload images!!!! YES ](*,)

[one-eared pig]

I like this technique! I can't wait to try it!

[Just Nancy]

I make them different ways but most often just heads. I only have one press and am too cheap to buy one just for this. When I make the bodies, I do aproximately what you mention.

Hats, depends on what I'm in the mood for. Eyes, well they generally stink on my guys. I'll try to get some pictures and share my latest crew.

[hulagirl]

Kandice....Nice lattucino scarf on that little man of yours!

[glassy_lassy]

I make my snowmen differently yet again. they are never beads though, they are small end of the mandrel ornamets. the two white balls on the mandrel and the hat off the mandrel. They look a lot like Sherry D's snowmen. With a top hat and the exception that his head is big enough for him to have a charcoal smile.