Solar Bear Family

This is a re-post of a post I did a few years ago because I have been too busy to post a new post.  In keeping with the spirit of posts, I thought I would re-post my Solar Bear Post post.

A picture of our unfinished kitchen too!

I was at a craft sale a few years back and shamelessly
 bought a bear magazine holder to copy.
  It was just so beary cute I couldn't resist.
  I built an army until they all turned on me.  Karma I guess, but whatever it was, I knew I had to get rid of the creepy little buggers cuz they just wouldn't stop staring. 
 Off to their new homes they went and off the names came on my Christmas list.
  I figure it would be safer if they were split up.

  

Material List:

2 - 1x6 spruce or pine board 5 feet 

1 4x4 post 30" long

1- 2x10 - 24 to 30" long
12" of 2x2 cut into three 4 inch pieces

Paint brush

Black paint

Tan paint

Blush (optional)

Protective clear coat

antique medium

solar light

2- 5" Lag bolts

6- 2 1/2" screws

18-1 1/2" screws

$ store scarf (cut into 3 scarves)

wood glue

scroll saw or bandsaw 

or a jigsaw(if you are really motivated)

sander and sandpaper
drill bit and drill for solar light 

The pattern pieces were freehanded but I put the measurements under the pics in case you are interested in having your own family.

Bear heights are 24" 20" and 16"  and the width of the 1x6 boards

5" long by about 3" wide

About 7" long by about 3 1/2 inches wide

 

I cut bear bodies from one board and feet from the other.  The noses were cut from the scrap ends and the feet on a diagonal.  The pictured bears' body parts had been previously screwed.....that doesn't sound very good....what I meant to say is he had a previous life..let's just say I used a recycled board.

Sand all pieces; with "extreme" sanding on the edges.  This helps add a rustic element to the bears.

Base piece cut to 24" and bear supports. cut to 4"

Light post...30"

Paint all the details on the feet, nose, and bear body.

Paint the ears too!  OOPS  I forgot here!

I used real blush for that "I just worked out" look. 

Attach the nose, screwing from the back. 

All the screws are invisible from the front.  I attached the bear to the base block from the front, and then attached the feet from the back.  The feet cover the screws that attached the bear body  to the base block.  Hope you followed that cuz it made me dizzy just trying to type it!

Where are their ears? OOPS!!

Here they are.

Paint the lines in the ears too.

After distressing the bears and post, you might want to add some stain to the distressed areas to darken them.  Also, another boo boo here.  You will want to distress the post and the bears prior to assembly.  I forgot to do this and had to squish my poor hands in and about their bodies.

Clear coat the bears with your choice of sealer.  I used a water based sealer and four years later, they still stand outside, every season......staring at me.

Measure the diameter of your solar light holder and drill a tight fitting hole on the top and center of the lamp post.  I like to drill at least 4 inches in for good support.  You can use whatever solar lights you can find.

  Winter is coming and they wanted matching scarves from Coco Chanel and that's what they got.  I quickly sprayed some Coco Chanel perfume on dollar store scarves!

Don't stare at the bears cuz it makes them nervous and then it makes me nervous.  I still get nightmares from my little bear army!

Hope you like them!
Cheers!

                                                                Linking Up With

Katherine's Corner