2 Arch Angels at Calico Craft Parts by Julie Ann

Hello Everyone! I don't know about you, but each year the Holiday Festivities seem to sneak up on me and catch me unawares. This year I was determined to have some creative fun without being in a rush! I've eased into the Festive mood with a duet of Christmas tree angels that were fun and easy to create using bits and bobs from my studio and Calico Craft Parts.

May I introduce you to Felicia and Fidelia - the angelic duo? I love to use these highly adaptable Calico Craft Parts in unexpected ways, so I really enjoyed creating these young ladies and getting to know their characters as I went along. In fact, I had so much fun making their acquaintance that I might well be making some more to join in with their carols! I'm keen to turn their divine duet into a heavenly choir now!

I started out with this selection of Craft Parts, intending to make just one angel. Ever since I was a child, seeing figures in the patterns of the carpet and the curtains and the shape of dancing dolls in the scissors, shapes have become characters to me. It was one of those 'What if...' moments - 'What if I combine doll parts with a Calico arch from a triptych kit as a gown, a mullioned window as embellishment, a snow-flake as a halo and angel wings?'

Stamped blue tissue, Lace scraps, Chiyogami paper and gold paint were quickly gathered! Round mini MDF plaques with my own artwork provided a face.

It didn't take long playing around with arrangements, before Felicia's delightful personality emerged. She is drawn to the vibrant colours of stained glass windows and loves to add her ethereal notes to the sweet voices of the choir for a moment at the Midnight Mass Service. She has a mischievous side, though. Sometimes the congregation feel the slightest brush of her gossamer wing turning the page of their carol sheet, or they notice a candle flame flicker like a cheeky wink as she flits by.

As I was creating her, I noticed some skeleton leaves on my desk and .
suddenly an idea for gossamer wings was born.

The ideas started to come thick and fast as a winter blizzard! Felicia's companion, Fidelia took shape. She is more of an 'outdoor' type. She loves to add her sweet notes to the call of the owl in the snowy churchyard. To create the moon for her arch-gown, I cut a circle of card from a scrap of 'master-board' I had stencilled with 3D gel medium and touched with a gilding wax.

Fidelia is a practical angel with her sensible warm stripy socks. Distress glitter sprinkled over the skeleton leaves and the snow created a frosty touch.

As my 'arch angels' will be seen from the back as well as the front, I wanted to decorate both sides.

I've used stamping, collage and paint. This was a great way to use all the little scraps I keep in a special box.

Felicia with her delight in the jewel-like colours of stained glass and her spirit of playfulness tells us to 'Make Art Everyday'.

Fidelia reminds us to look and listen to the natural world all around us as winter sweeps in. Perhaps - if you have some crafting time - you could gather some craft parts and see what angel characters the shapes suggest to you? The Calico Triptych kits come with 3 pieces so they have lots of potential because, as well as making a traditional Christmas triptych with them, you could use the 3 arches as one larger and 2 smaller angels. You could even link them to form a festive hanging. Have a wonderful, creative time until we meet again in 2 weeks' time.
Calico Craft Parts used in this project
Arch Top Triptych MDF Wood Kit
MDF Round Mini Plaques
Standard Jointed Art Doll Kit, Small SizeS
Mini MDF Christmas Snowflake Shapes Style 2
Mini MDF Christmas Snowflake Shapes Style 1
Stone Mullion Window
Owl and Moon Scene MDF Wood Shape
Sheet of Mini Angel Wings style 3
Sheet of Mini Angel Wings style 4