60. Encaustic Negative Star

Since I decided to accept results that didn't quite turn out the way I wanted (as long as a star shape is recognisable a star has been made...), today's star is a little messed up - but it was a lot of fun to make:

 on white paper

 on the window

And here's how I made it:

Glue crayons to a piece of cardboard and hang them above a sheet of paper that has been attached to some solid background so it can be propped up against tha wall. Cover parts of the paper with painters tape if you want a shape to remain white. (Here's a problem, though: Once the paper becomes oily from the wax it's very difficult to get the tape back off. I ripped a hole in my star and some of the tape's glue remained. I'm still searching for a better solution...) And then...

Yes, that is a blow-drier in the bottom left corner. Just turn it on and keep pointing it at the crayons and the wax when it starts running down. (Beware of spatters!)

P.S.: My dad just emailed me a photo of a cactus star he and mum found today on Lanzarote, and I think it's really beautiful, so this will go in here, too:

58. Leonard Cohen's Star of David

The 2nd of November 2008 was a night I will never forget. That was when I heard and saw Leonard Cohen live.

This man, his music, his voice, his attitude, his life, his view on the world, his… everything... has become so very special to me; and I'm lacking words to describe it - in any language that I know.

So, for today, here is his version of a Star of David:

56. Little Starlight Lantern

I was in shock yesterday morning when I found out that the clocks had returned from daylight saving to standard time - meaning it gets dark around 5:30 in the evening now... The early darkness is something I really don't like about winter and every year I try my best to lighten it up a bit and make it cosy. That's why I ignored all kinds of Halloween/Samhain/Reformation Day inspired stars today and made a little lantern (autumn coloured so it doesn't look too much like Christmas yet...):

For the stars I used scrapes of wax crayons that I placed between two sheets of ordinary paper and ironed over them. I could use both sheets afterwards and cut four stars out of them. There's actually a little more green which doesn't quite show in the picture. So far, it doesn't seem too Christmassy to me. :)

P.S.: Just discovered:

"... We'll shine like stars in the winter night ..." (From an additional verse to a live version of U2's 'With Or Without You')

Yes, please...