Spring Break Productivity: Part 2

One of the big tasks on my spring break to-do list was to make cupcake toppers for the wedding.  I saw some wooden people toppers in an issue of Martha Stewart Weddings and wanted to recreate them to be more specific to my wedding. I tried my hand at these a while back and the results were mixed.  I was pretty pleased with how the bride turned out, but her bouquet of flowers is not centered, one of her eyes is slightly lager than the other and it looks a little smudged (I used a Sharpie for the eyes and wood absorbed it more than I thought it would and the ink bled).  Groom #1 is a disaster. I completely messed up his eyes and the gray I used to detail his suit is WAY too light (I didn't test it to see how it would look when it dried).  He quickly became my technique tester (hence the 6 eyes).

Bride and Groom #1

Thankfully the wooden people came in packs of two.

First, I sketched the eyes, hair and clothes on the figures.  The pencil marks will show through the first layer of the bride's dress (the marks will disappear with two or three layers of paint).  However, because the black paint of the groom's suit will cover all pencil marks, I waited to sketch the suit details until after the first layer of paint was dry. 

Then, it was time for paint.  This was completely nerve-racking because one mistake can ruin the entire figure.  It is impossible to remove unwanted paint from the natural, unfinished wood.  Paint can be covered with more paint, but there is not erase!  Also, I was working on the figures simultaneously.  Once tiny smudge of black paint could have ruined the bride figure.  I was so paranoid, I washed my hands every time I switched figures. Trying to avoid mistakes from bride and groom #1, I was very careful to paint in layers based on depth and lightest elements to darkest.

After hours of laboring over 2, 2 1/2 inch figures...I am done!  In some ways, I like the original bride better but I can't get past the off-center bouquet and the asymmetrical eyes.  If I can find a way to fix the eyes, I might use the first bride (my new spot sanding method is currently in beta testing...on groom #1).  Either way, I love my cupcake toppers!  They are understated but quirky and cute.  And here is the final product...

I might have gotten a little carried away taking pictures and set up a miniature photo shoot for the new couple... I like playing with my new camera...