Framed Pine Cone Owl

This past weekend was a beauty, and that, coupled with the opportunity to be with long distance family, energized and motivated me to create something.  I've mentioned before that I have a huge bag of pine cones and, if you've read much of my blog, you know that they keep creeping into various projects. 

Hooty the Owl

When I made the pine petaled napkin rings, I kept thinking the petals could look like feathers and this weekend I finally tested my theory. I started ripping apart my pine cones with a vision of creating an owl. I guess I zeroed in on all the owls that have been popping up in the fall blog parties, plus, I had some branch pieces that reminded me of owl eyes.

Hooty outline

Not wholly confident in my own artistic ability, I printed an owl photo I liked from the web. Using the owl template, I drew an outline on the glass of a Dollar Tree picture frame. I had already painted the backside of the glass white. It gave me a starting point, in the end they really look nothing alike.  The outline is of a barred owl, but mine is species unknkown.

I started at the head and worked down

Leaves, branch pieces, pine cones, jewelry nippers & pliers

Using my hot glue gun and the pine cone petals, I  started working down from the owl's head, attaching the petals around the two branch circles that formed the eyes. Using the picture as a guide on different sections of the owl, I would flip the pine cones petals in different directions to give the appearance of long feathers-vs-short feathers, and tail feathers-vs-wings. 

When it came time to make a beak and talons, I cut pieces of wood from the branches using jewelry nippers. I used an Elmer's Painters marker, to paint the talons and the owl's pupils black for more contrast.

The branch the owl sits on was made using actual bark from branch pieces I had on hand from yard work (remember the Rustic Fall Centerpiece?). I simply stripped the bark off the dried wood and glued it to the glass. I included some Mod-Podge-enhanced leaves from my front yard to adorn the owl's branch; I think they add needed color. All parts of this project are attached using hot glue. Everything in the composition of the owl and branch is from various tree parts.

This was a fun project and I am still dreaming of things I can make using pine cones!

I like the pine tar on some of the pine cone petals...
it just adds to the illusion of feathers.

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I linked up at these great parties!
The Idea Room
Funky Junk Interiors
Not Just A Housewife

Mommy By Day, Crafter By Night
Tip Junkie

Blue Cricket Design
Savvy Southern Style
Type A Decorating,  
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Today's Creative Blog, A Diamond In The Stuff,
Lil Luna, Sugar and Dots, Ginger Snap Crafts, Handy Man, Crafty Woman
New Nostalgia, At Home With K, Sew Much Ado, Momma Hen's Coop
Passionately Artist,  Somewhat Simple, The Shabby Creek Cottage
Saved By Love Creations, The Project Queen, The Artsy Girl Connection,
House of Hepworths, A Glimpse Inside, What Allie's Making Now
Momnivore's Dilemma,  Blissful & Domestic, Sassy Sites, A Little Tipsy,
Katie's Nesting Spot, Giggles, Glitz & Glam, The Rosegarden in Malevik,
Tatertots and Jello,Whipperberry, I Am Only One Woman, Nifty Thrifty Things,
One Artsy Mama, Under The Table and Dreaming, Mad In Crafts,