- a luxury that not everyone can afford. Agree, during the summer season you need so many things that it’s somehow a pity to pay three to five thousand for a beautiful, but not functional thing. Meanwhile, while there are long winter evenings outside the window, you can spend them making garden sculptures with your own hands. To begin with, we would suggest making something not too bulky, for example, an owl figurine.
For the sculpture we will need a convenient work place and a place for kneading the mixture, building plaster (about 6 cups), water, wooden skewers or thick wire, a mold (5 liter bucket), a plastic bag, a package of self-hardening polymer clay FIMO or other (500 g ), gouache, two eyes (for us it’s a pair of glass marbles), two art brushes (No. 5 and No. 1), matte varnish, sculpting stacks (for us this function is performed by a regular manicure pusher), black and yellow nail polish to decorate the eyes.

Stump pedestal.
Let's start with mixing the plaster, for this we will prepare a 5 liter bucket, put a bag in it, aligning it with the walls so that it fits snugly. Separately, mix the gypsum (about 4 cups) so that it is like cottage cheese with sour cream, but homogeneous.

We quickly transfer it to a bucket; it fills one third of the bucket. Quickly wash the uniform. We insert skewers in the middle, the figurine will be attached to them, that is, half of the skewers are buried in plaster, the second sticks out at the top. Using your hands, level the surface of the plaster and leave it to harden for two hours.

The base of the figure.
Carefully remove the pedestal from the bucket and release it from the cellophane.

We mix the plaster again in the same consistency, and with our hands we put it on the skewers, envelop them, and form the contours of the figurine of a sitting owl. We wash the mold, and leave the pedestal with the figurine to harden for a day.

Take polymer clay and tools.

Tearing off small pieces from the whole piece (we immediately wrap the remaining plastic in cellophane so that the remains do not harden ahead of time), we begin to sculpt the head and shoulders, applying the clay piece by piece to the plaster base.

We draw feathers with a pusher, insert eyes (marble), sculpt eyebrows (if you want, we later abandoned them, it makes the owlet look cuter).

We sculpt the back, the base of the wings.

We paint the eyes with yellow and black nail polish (it is transparent and retains the shine of the glass).

Now we begin to sculpt the tail. To make it look more natural, we sculpt it in tiers, starting from the bottom, draw each one with a pusher, sculpt the one on top, and so on.

Now we form the wings, draw the feathers on the back.

An owl figurine in the garden is not superfluous - firstly, this bird symbolizes wisdom (and this quality will not hurt anyone), and secondly, you can appoint it as the night guard of your estate.

There are many ways to create this colorful bird, let's look at just two of them. We will choose plastic containers as the material.

Owl from a plastic bottle-canister

Materials and tools you will need:

• Plastic bottle canister;
• 2 small metal lids from jars - for the bird’s eyes;
• 2 metal bottle caps will become the owl's pupils;
• 2 aluminum forks - for paws;
• The paint is white;
• Paint black;
• The paint is yellow;
• Plastic from bottles - for the wings and hat of the owl;
• Brush for painting bottle;
• Brush for drawing details of the figure;
• Fasteners for owl eyes - glue for plastic or just wire.

Various construction liquids, detergents or milk are sold in plastic bottles with handles. An owl based on such a bootle will turn out to be quite large - if you attach it to a tree branch, it will be clearly visible from below and even from afar. The bigger the bootle, the bigger the owl.

This plastic canister for creating crafts is especially convenient because it has a handle - a ready-made owl beak.

Paint the bottle canister with white paint. We use either acrylic or spray paint. Learn more about what paint is best for painting garden figurines made from plastic bottles. The canister can be painted both outside and inside (pour the paint into the bottle and shake it so that it spreads). The second option is good because the paint layer will last longer. But if you paint the outside, the paint will last a season or two, and then the craft can be renewed.

We prepare the plastic for the bird's hat. By the way, such a hat is called an academic or confederate hat. We have a very serious and learned owl planned! We cut out a square of plastic for the confederate and two oblong wings. We also paint these parts with white paint.

We attach the covers to the owl's head (on both sides of the handle-beak). This requires a powerful construction adhesive. For example, a glue with a funny name that can glue almost any material.

If our fasteners are wire, we will have to first make holes in all the covers. It is not necessary to drill (although this is possible), it is easier to pierce the lids with a nail using a hammer - the lid metal is soft.

We make slits on the sides of the canister and attach the wings in them.

We attach the academic cap - also with glue or wire.

We bend the aluminum forks and paint the “legs” with black paint.

We fix the legs in the holes that we make in the bottom of the plastic canister. However, an owl for the garden can do without legs - in this case, we’ll simply sit it on a branch, pretending that it has tucked its legs and they are not visible from under the plumage.

When ready, use a small brush to draw the feathers.

Owl from a plastic shampoo bottle

You will need:

• Plastic bottle for shampoo or other detergent;
• Lids from small jars;
• Toy eyes. You can get by with homemade eyes - as in the first version of the owl from a bottle canister;
• Paint suitable for painting crafts. But you may not need it - most shampoo containers are made of high-quality, evenly colored plastic;
• Felt or other dense material for the owl's wings and legs. But the wings and legs can also be made from bottle plastic; this is even preferable for the garden - you don’t need to worry that the fabric used in the craft will get wet from rain or fade in the sun. But little material will be needed for the parts and it won’t cost much money, so replacing the elements over time is not a problem.

We cut in the wings and legs of the bird and secure them with glue or wire.

Board games provide fun and colorful entertainment for every family. Don’t rush to buy games in stores, but try to make them yourself, this will help you create a special gaming style. In this article we will look at: how to make board games with your own hands.

Everyone knows this game from school. However, you thought that it needed a pen and a leaf, but it can be made from wood, fabric, magnets, stones, buttons and other figures. Just get creative and create a playing field, for example, on the refrigerator or pieces of fabric in the shape of a heart.

Travel around the world walking game

This game can be played by 2 to 6 people. You will need a "card", a die and chips. Each player rolls a digital die in turn, gets a number and takes the required number of steps along the map. The winner is the one who gets to the finish line first, and the catch is that there are numbers on the map that return the player a few steps back, or move him forward.

The main process is to create a map. Lay out 8 A4 sheets in 2 rows, leaving half a centimeter gaps so that you can fold the card later. Place a weight on each sheet to prevent it from moving, then tape the sheets along each row. Draw a route of moves with a pencil and arrange stops, for example (1-60 or 1-90), between each stop, make a distance of 2-3 cm. Mark bonus and penalty steps, indicate the direction with arrows. Fill in the empty spaces on the map with pictures. A digital cube can be purchased at an office supply store or made from cardboard. For chips, use small Kinder Surprise toys, buttons, small cookies...

You can create a geographic puzzle to explore the country. Buy or print an outline map, color each area with a different color (in addition, you can indicate clues - sea, mountains, attractions...), then glue the map onto a thick sheet of cardboard, cut it into squares or other shapes.

It is also very easy to create another puzzle. Collect 7-10 popsicle sticks and cut out a suitable picture from a magazine or draw it yourself. Place the sticks on a flat surface next to each other, stick the picture, wait until the glue dries and cut the sticks. Attach Velcro to the back of each stick so you can later attach the puzzle to the felt.

Another name for the game is “say otherwise.” The idea is simple: from 4 to 16 people play. Participants are divided into teams. A team can have 2,3,4 people. One of them pulls out a card on which 8-10 words are written, each word must be explained in other words, you can use sounds (for example: woof-woof, meow...) you cannot show and use words of the same root. You have 1 minute for 1 card, you need to quickly guess as many words as possible. You can make add-on cards on which emotions or instructions will be written. During the explanation, the person must be happy, or vice versa, sad, and the team must additionally guess the emotion and action that the explainer is doing. The team with the most guessed words wins. This game perfectly develops logical thinking and increases vocabulary.

Cut out cards from cardboard and beautifully write commonly used words, for example: soup, ice, monkey, enemy, sweet, photograph... There should be at least 30 cards with 10 words written on them. Words should not be repeated.

You can create a playing field for aliases. Mark the steps on it and make chips. The principle of creation is described in the game around the world. However, you can play without a field, just appoint a referee who will count the points and record the time.

This is a very fun game played by 2 people. I press the edge of the bean with a coin and it jumps like a flea. The main task is to hit the enemy's goal with the flea, then you get a point and the flea is removed from the field. If a flea lands on your field, you can pick it up and use it next time; if a flea lands on your opponent’s field, the point is not counted and it simply remains lying there until the next turn. If the flea hits its own goal, the point is awarded to the opponent. The game continues until someone runs out of fleas.

To make a playing field, take a candy box, colored paper and thick fabric. Cover the inside of the box with colored paper and make fabric sides to prevent fleas from flying away. Use beans as fleas and don’t forget about large coins.

This game involves from 2 to 10 people. 16 cards are produced. Every two cards contain the same images. One person lays out the cards in a square in a chaotic order with the pattern facing up, while at the same time the person who will play stands with his back turned. He turns for exactly 5 seconds and tries to remember the images. It is turned away and the cards are turned over to the other side. Now he must turn over the cards and find pairs within a minute. The person who guesses the largest number of pairs with the same pictures wins. Cards can be made from cardboard and any drawings can be drawn.

To create this game you will need a cardboard candy box, cocktail straws and a small ball, you can use a bead. Think over and draw a labyrinth. Glue the cocktail tubes. Place the ball and start the game.

You can use lids, buttons, sewn circles of fabric, various figures and even plasticine as checkers. Fantasize and surprise everyone with your creativity!

Create original chess that will not walk, but jump. Make 16 white and 16 black jumping frogs and draw the titles. A detailed master class on how to make a jumping frog out of paper is described

For dominoes, create 28 pieces, they can be made by coloring pebbles, ice cream sticks, sewn from felt...

When creating this game with your own hands, you can use your city - it will be more interesting. Think about the colors of the districts, print out almost “real” money and come up with realistic tasks, for example: paying utility bills. Create your own exciting original game.

Almost everyone knows this exciting psychological game. It is perfect for a large company. Make cards by drawing them yourself, or simply print them from the Internet, then cut them up.

What skilled carvers are not capable of! Even a boring, lifeless stump, thanks to their inspired efforts, can find a second wind, turning into an exquisite sculpture. Let's get acquainted with one of these man-made masterpieces - a huge owl, made from the stump of a dried tree, comfortably settled on one of the garden plots. This outlandish bird with bright plumage and expressive eyes is made in the best traditions of the “on the vine” genre. Its beautiful relief silhouette is carved from the top of a tall stump. The roots of this unusual wooden sculpture go deep into the ground, making it stable for many years.

Owl made of dried wood - a man-made miracle from talented craftsmen

When landscaping their summer cottage, many owners are faced with the problem of uprooting stumps left over from cut down trees. However, today this problem can be solved in a more creative way. It is enough to show creative imagination so that the unattractive remnant of a dried trunk turns into an original element of landscape design that will decorate the green lawn and attract admiring glances. True, for these purposes you will need the help of experienced craftsmen, for whom wood carving is a favorite pastime and a source of inspiration.

The craftsmen of the “Derevorez” company create standing sculptures of varying complexity, doing it professionally and tastefully. Another source of pride was a two-meter-high carved wooden figurine of an owl. The figure of a huge night bird, as if it had just sat down on the edge of a felled tree, looks great surrounded by picturesque pine trees. Richly decorated with carved elements, covered with varnish and paint, it shimmers beautifully in the sun, harmonizes perfectly with the landscape, creates a feeling of magic and special closeness to nature.

A subtle sense of material, professional use of tools and special devices helped the master make the owl incredibly realistic. The carver accurately carved a complex spatial form with full compliance with proportions, emphasized the plumage with relief, and accurately conveyed the character’s character. In addition, as a true professional, he did not cause the slightest harm to the surrounding environment. Even the green lawn on which the work was carried out was not damaged at all, remaining fresh and well-groomed!

A carved wooden sculpture gives an ordinary green lawn a special touch. Such a garden figurine brings an element of positivity; you want to touch it, come closer to examine the skillful work of the master in all its details. An unusual figurine will make any personal plot truly original and beautiful. Now no one can pass by without admiring the huge wooden bird with fabulous plumage. It will become clear to everyone that people who live here have excellent taste and value folk culture, natural beauty and nature.

Carved sculpture of an owl - the secrets of creation

Looking at the carved figurine of an owl with its chiseled profile and filigree plumage, you can’t help but wonder how such an expressive sculpture could be made. By the way, the process of creating a sculpture from scratch is very spectacular, and even an uninitiated viewer can be interested in watching the master at work. And for those who were not lucky enough to directly witness the action, we will tell you about the most key points of the technology.

Creative work always begins with the preparatory stage. The sketch is the first thing to do! Taking into account the diameter and height of the stump, the artist fits the composition of the future sculpture into these dimensions. A drawing is formed on paper to scale, which is approved by the customer and on which further work is carried out. Unfortunately, the sketch of the “owl” has not survived. Take a look at the technical drawing of another object.

On-site preparation is also a very important stage. In this particular situation, it was necessary to cover the lawn and protect the lush young pine tree, which had recently been planted next to a dried stump, with special material. Apparently, according to the customer’s idea, the bird carved from wood should seem to be hiding in green needles.

The preparatory stage does not end here. It is necessary to sand the barrel, i.e. remove the bark and evaluate the quality of the tree. It often happens that rotten areas are hidden under the bark. In this case, it is necessary to make adjustments to the intended composition in order to cut out these rotten areas, and a living tree remains in the finished sculpture. If necessary, scaffolding is built around the object to make it easier to work at height. After this, you can proceed directly to carving.

The process begins with rough processing. The master uses a chainsaw to cut off huge pieces of wood, step by step revealing the intended image of the sculpture.

Every woodcarver has his own professional secrets. For example, the craftsmen from “Woodcutter” use extremely sharp chisels and knives in the process of creating sculptures. Wood carving is done along the fibers or, in professional slang, on chamfers, without subsequent processing with abrasive materials. It is this approach that guarantees maximum realism of the three-dimensional image, grace of shapes and lines, and a beautiful and clear relief of the treated surface.

The beauty of the artistic composition and the final painting of the product are no less important. The sketch of the future sculpture is developed by the staff artist of “Tree Cutter”, carefully working out every detail, analyzing the image from several angles, and accurately calculating the proportions. At the last stage of production, the wooden figurine is coated with a special paint and varnish mixture that is resistant to external weather influences. In this case, it was necessary to prime and paint the sculpture manually, with a brush, without using a compressor or spray gun, since the spray cloud could settle on the fence and nearby plants. Individual details of the product are emphasized with color and strokes. As a result, the image of the owl becomes bright and realistic, fully reflecting the character of this wise night bird.

What is good about a sculpture on a tree stump?

A carved sculpture from a dried trunk is modern, original and practical at the same time. Thanks to its roots deeply buried in the soil, it will stand for a very long time, beneficially transforming the area adjacent to the house with its attractive appearance. In addition to aesthetic pleasure, this solution is of great practical benefit - the owners do not have to worry about uprooting the stump, its removal and disposal. Instead of performing heavy work using special equipment, they just need to turn to the experienced craftsmen of “Tree Cutter” to beautifully decorate the area adjacent to the house, and turn the disadvantages of the local landscape into clear advantages.

By the way, standing sculpture can be made from any drying or damaged tree. The type of wood does not matter. But the diameter of the stump and its height are important for determining the composition. The thicker the trunk, the more scope for creativity there is.

Average, it takes about a week to create a standing sculpture. Adjustments can be made by unfavorable weather conditions, sudden power outages, “silence mode” (in many cottage villages noise can only be made at certain hours). The company’s craftsmen completed the “Owl” sculpture in six days.

A few words about the cost. You can find out the prices for wood carving from the Derevorez company by visiting their website. The root carving is always assessed individually. To determine the price, factors such as the dimensions of the stump, physical obstacles around the object, the complexity of the composition, the possibility of living, etc. are taken into account.

The sculpture “Owl”, made from a dried tree trunk, fully meets modern European standards in terms of landscape design. It complements the architectural ensemble of the garden plot, making it attractive in the eyes of others, made from environmentally friendly raw materials, has a long service life, does not require special surface care, is very stable, and safe for others. With its magnificent design, the sculpture emphasizes the natural beauty of wood, proving once again that masterpieces made from natural materials deserve the most admiring glances!

DIY garden figure Owl

Master class: DIY Owl figure for the garden

Symbol of the year 2015 according to the Slavic calendar. Feng Shui in Russian: Owl

Progress of the master class:

We begin work by priming the surface of the stone, covering it with water-based paint and letting it dry.