Birdy Heywood Artist
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My first ever Blog

Welcome to my first ever blog

1/30/2017

14 Comments

 

​Hi everyone,

First of all a little bit about my background, interests and skills.

My name is Birdy Heywood, and I am a 'Recycled Teenager' nearing my 70th year. Many of my generation can relate to the phrase, MAKE DO AND MEND. Old clothes were unpicked and made into clothes for the children. Even the food from yesterday was recycled into an invented dish. I suppose we just had to learn to be creative but it was a fun challenge.

In my early twenties I created handbags and clothing out of scraps of leather in order to sell them at markets and to friends. Then followed premature baby clothes made from old T Shirts. This evolved into sweatshirts with applique. After many years Polymer Clay entered my life. "Wow," I thought and realised that I could be really creative. I taught myself how to model, figurines, dragons, fairies and jewellery then went on to teach and demonstrate in schools and at exhibitions all over the country. Polymer Clay is baked (hardened) in an ordinary oven so I could only create smallish things.

Fabric Hardener came into my life and opened a whole new world for me. I found that I could create the bodies out of wire, the heads and hands out of polymer clay then clothe them with natural fabrics. The great thing about the Fabric Hardener I use which is called Powertex is THAT IT IS WEATHERPROOF and can be used for garden ornaments. As I mentioned I love to recycle and with POWERTEX I can do just that. Old canvases can be treated with Powertex to create a whole new work of art. Ok let me list a few things here to wet your appetite: Cardboard boxes can be transformed into plant pot holder, bottles into candlesticks, with a few scraps of material and some wire, one can create a beautiful sculpture, old mirrors can be given a magical face lift, picture frames too and the list goes on.....! I am now honoured to have been chosen as a member of The Powertex design Team.  
UPDATE: I NO LONGER USE POWERTEX BUT ALL PURPOSE WOOD GLUE. IT IS LESS EXPENSIVE AND WORKS JUST AS WELL.

​Here as an example of a plant pot holder that was once a plain old cardboard box. At a later date I will post examples with step by steps. Just have to get my head around creating this first ever blog.... 

Picture
14 Comments
Val Jones
1/31/2017 12:18:54 pm

test

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Birdy
1/31/2017 12:59:30 pm

Thanks for testing to see if I have set this up properly Val x

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Jacqueline taylor
2/1/2017 01:06:18 am

Hi Birdy

I'm impressed how do you go about doing a blog ?

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Birdy Heywood
2/2/2017 04:10:00 am

I am still finding that out Jacqueline..... not sure if I am doing it right yet.

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the town mouse
2/1/2017 02:52:16 am

Very clever Mrs country mouse xx

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Birdy Heywood
2/2/2017 04:10:31 am

Thanks Val....love you x

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Topsy
2/1/2017 05:07:03 am

Hi Birdy, well done, look forward to reading more of your blogs. Topsy x

Reply
Birdy Heywood
2/2/2017 04:08:39 am

Thanks Topsy, still playing around with the settings but I will get there and post more Blogs....funny word that. Birdy x

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Thia
2/11/2017 10:22:25 am

Love the plant pot holder. I watched you demonstrate polymer clay modelling so many times at Hobbycrafts NEC Birmingham and am looking forward to seeing your creations with this fantastic medium. Good luck with your blog.

Reply
Birdy Heywood
2/13/2017 11:43:39 am

Hi Thia I have just posted a step by step om my latest blog entry.

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Cat Forbes
5/27/2019 03:04:13 pm

Hi Birdy, I'm on the Powertex bandwagon. I am level one certified. I've been on the FB sites just this year and love your work, so creative, but this is the 1st time I've seen your blog. Very easy instructions and great product descriptions. I feel like I know you a little now.

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Birdy link
5/28/2019 05:31:40 am

Hi Cat, I am glad you are inspired. It is a shame my Powertex Blogs didn't get shared when I created them 2 years ago. However all the projects can be used using any of the fabric hardeners. I left Powertex some time ago as I couldn't afford the training and was unhappy about a few other things. Water under the bridge. I now use Sculptin which is manufactured here in the UK. Same sort of thing and I would definitely recommend giving it a try. Thank you for commenting Cat. Birdy x

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Jill M Peer link
1/10/2021 01:33:34 am

thanks for the intfo and for the fun way you work. and for watching our music on fbook Jill M Peer

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William Knight link
10/25/2022 12:11:02 am

Almost lead operation idea thank try. Three information war vote line.
Guess church perform think skill. Quickly piece wait others power.

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