https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/congratulations-gift • Posted by Search Press
Owls are popular motifs for stationery designs, perhaps because of their traditional association with learning and wisdom. Here they decorate a pencil pot as a congratulations or good luck gift for a student. The owls feature large eyes formed from tight quilled coils and a body outlined with a strip of brown paper, which is then filled in with open coils. The beak is coiled from wider black paper so that it stands proud of the rest of the shape. By using different shades of brown paper for the owls, they make a cute group perched on green branches. Complexity level: **
Owls are popular motifs for stationery designs, perhaps because of their traditional association with learning and wisdom. Here they decorate a pencil pot as a congratulations or good luck gift for a student. The owls feature large eyes formed from tight quilled coils and a body outlined with a strip of brown paper, which is then filled in with open coils. The beak is coiled from wider black paper so that it stands proud of the rest of the shape. By using different shades of brown paper for the owls, they make a cute group perched on green branches. Complexity level: **
For an eye, glue a 5cm (2in) length of 3mm (1/16in) black paper to a 7cm (2¾in) length of brown paper end to end. Then glue the end of the brown paper to a 22cm (8¾in) length of white paper. Now make a tight coil using the quilling tool, starting at the black paper end. When the end of the white paper is reached, glue in place. Make another eye and glue side by side.
To create the body outline, glue a 12cm (4¾in) length of brown paper across the top of the eyes and pinch the paper strip into two peaks for ears. Then glue the ends of the paper together, overlapping.
To fill in the body, fold a 15cm (5⅞in) length of brown paper in half and coil each end with the quilling tool to the fold to make an open coiled heart. Repeat with a 7cm (2¾in) length. Nestle the smaller heart shape inside the larger one with the points of each heart touching, glue together and insert into the owl body.
For the beak, form a 5cm (2in) length of 5mm (3/16in) wide black paper into a tight coil. Pinch flat and insert below the eyes. Make the wings from 7cm (2¾in) lengths of a different shade of brown and the claws, where used, from 3cm (1¼in) lengths. Make a branch from two strips of green paper as shown and leaves from 10cm (4in) lengths of green. Glue to the pencil pot.
Alternative dressings Owls can be made in all sorts of colours, not just brown, so why not try them in blue and green papers or pink and red papers. Top Tip A pencil pot can easily be made from an empty carton covered with card. Lovable Owl Tag For this endearing tag, two owls are made in the same way as for the main project and glued together as though they are holding hands. A red heart is made from a 20cm (8in) length of red paper folded in half and coiled to the centre in open coils. This design could be adapted to become a greetings card or the owls could adorn a gift bag for an exam good luck gift.