A Silhouette Tutorial and a Fairy Door...from me to you!!

photo source: Ladies Home Journal

I think of all the projects I have undertaken, my fairy door and silhouettes have been the most popular. Like me, many of you see the charm in whimsy, and enjoy keeping decorating light-hearted and fun, and not stressful and expensive. I have been very remiss to not respond to the call to explain how I made my silhouettes. I have seen many great step-by-step tutorials on how to create them, and again, I will not measure up to their attention to detail. I am a one day project girl. If it takes more than a day, I am less likely to do it. Basically, I bore easily and thus focus more on projects that I can complete in a flash. My silhouettes were no different...

So, here is the nuts and bolts of how to make your own silhouettes. For those needing more complex and/or detailed instruction, go here. For those who are more lazy and/or have an attention span akin to mine, sit back and take (a few) notes:

First, round up all of your subjects. If you have to bribe or threaten them to sit still, so be it. That's part of the tutorial, in my world. Have them sit on a chair, with a blank wall (I skipped this step), and stare straight ahead. I photographed my people on their right sides. This is important if you want the finished product to show left facing. Tell them no smiles are allowed - maybe they are, but mine simple sat closed mouthed (thoughts unspoken) and stared irritably into space. I photographed them from a distance of approx. 3ft away. I forget if I used the zoom feature or not, but this is an example of the shot I ended up with:

or this:

(See, they don't need to dress up!)

You may have to take a few shots to ensure all of the pictures are roughly the same "size" (i.e. look the same when you see them on your computer screen. After you are satisfied that you have your "shots", upload them to your computer, then use your printer to print them off (in colour) in the size you wish the finished project to be. My frames are 8x10 oval, so I sized them accordingly (convenient way to say I forget if I printed them off in a 5x7 size or 8x10...sorry). Do note, if your subject has curly hair, as my Sophie does, a pony-tail will be much easier to cut around and look more real.

After you have them all printed off, glue the pictures (using a scrap booking/acid free glue stick) onto acid free black card stock. Then, using small sharp scissors, cut carefully around the features of your subject's face. Now is a great time to cut away any double chins, super-sized moles... basically give your subject free plastic surgery! Of course, if the subject is a child, simply cut away...they are already perfect! Once you have your subject in silhouette form, do some doctoring to the shoulder area to make their shoulders look more authentically silhouette (see after photos below): To finish, carefully peel away the pasted on colour photo and flip over to the perfect side, which will be your completed silhouette, facing left. I adhered mine to white card stock (cut to mimic the oval paper that came with the frame), using a piece of acid-free double sided tape, then put the frame all back together and hung it on my wall. Easy peasy... I am not kidding!!

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Now, for the fun part!

I am giving away a fairy door to one of you! It is red and glittery, and very sweet, and you can simply adhere it to the inside (or outside) of your home using heavy duty, double-sided tape. Note: it is the door only; it does not have the surrounding moulding that mine has, but it is very cute anyway!! (It also measures roughly 5"tall by 2" wide).

If you would like to win, simply leave me a comment (if you don't have a blog, also leave your email address) by Tuesday morning, Nov.25th (at which time I will close comments). If you'd like to be entered twice, simly mention this give-away on your own blog (with a link back to this post) and let me know you did.

The Profiler...

(Skippy...the one who started it all!)

Silhouettes...I seem to be seeing them everywhere lately. I guess that's what happens when something is so good. It gets noticed.

I have had a love affair with silhouettes for years, but have had extreme difficulty finding any authentic (read, old) ones, except for my beloved Skippy. I remember a few Christmases back, I saw in a holiday magazine (I think it was Matthew's Holiday issue...I swear that is a coincidence!) the most adorable silhouette cookie cutters that are made to order in your loved one's image. Problem was, I think they were $30 or more each!! That's a cookie you could choke on, no?

Anyway, It got me thinking that perhaps I could find someone to do silhouettes of my children to frame for my walls. For some reason, it never occurred that I could make them myself, despite having made some a couple of years ago for Halloween:

Well, all this silhouette exposure inspired me. You know I like to make things for next to nothing, so that is what I set out to do. I picked up some great oval frames at Walmart for $7.99 each. Although they had a mahogany finish to the edges, I simple brushed some black paint over them, rather haphazardly, and they turned out quite perfect. I then sat every member of my reluctant crew down in a chair one evening (which was an oh so annoying photo shoot) and the best part was they could pose as is: jammies, workout gear, and for me, no make-up!! Now, those photos were no beauties as is - but cut out in black card stock as a silhouette -well, we all look quite dapper... if I do say so myself!

Today my downright adorable husband (I speak of him like that when he is agreeable to my ideas...) climbed up high on a ladder to hang them in our stair well and they are now among the first things you see when you enter my home. I can't help myself: they make me smile and chuff up with pride when I look at them. This family of mine...who knew a profile of us not looking our best would make me so happy...???

youngest to oldest (Daddy)

Not bad, huh??

Silhouettes...and Skippy!

I have long been a fan of silhouettes. I remember seeing them as a little girl and wondering who those lovely ladies were and what did they really look like. Fast forward a couple of decades and I finally found one of my very own. About a year ago, I was at our local fleamarket and finding very little I liked, was starting to head home. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted it!! A lone little silhouette of a small boy and, inscribed in black ink, the name "Skippy". Skippy...I felt my breath catch...I have a "Skippy". Well, not actually a Skippy, but a "Skipper"!!

My eldest son was nicknamed "Skipper" by my husband when he was still an infant. Why, you might ask? I have no idea, but that is the name that he was dubbed at such a tender age. He is the only one to call him that, and he continues to call him Skipper when the mood strikes. Well... back at the flea market, I had to have that picture. I knew that silhouettes are very hard to come by in this neck of the woods, so I was prepared for the lady to quote me some over-inflated price. As prepared as I was to hear a ludicrous price, I was ill-prepared to buy it, as only a five-dollar bill was crumpled in my pocket. I held my breath as she replied, "Just give me a dollar." "A dollar", I repeated, trying to be nonchalant and sure she could see my hand tremble as I turned over the money. Finally I was having one of those treasure finding moments and it was only costing me a dollar!!!!!

This little silhouette of "Skippy" inspired me to start making my own silhouette pictures. My first creations were halloween related silhouettes- a witch on her broom, an owl, a black bird, etc. I am hooked! If I can't find any more vintage silhouettes, I am determined to make my own.

I have created some for client's spaces and for family and friends (I made a humble interpretation of my friend, pregnant). It just goes to show: if you can't find or afford what you want, try to make or recreate it yourself. You just might be surprised at your own talents!!!