Not sure what you are saying, I know you have seen the lite bulbs that have been painted on, on the fourm, are these like them and you buy them cause you just cant wait for a bulb to burn out LOL! have seen ones where the insides are taken out and used for a vase, give us some more info, you have me wondering!
oddie

I found a picture ... it's called a "lightbulb jar" . I Can't make it any bigger - but it's just like a regular looking bulb .
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Well, I don't know the size of the above bulbs but I save all of my old bulbs, my daughter made these snowmen from them and I have painted Santas on them.
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Hi PF, That's a cute snowman. Good way to use up old socks too. How did you get the folds to stay put on the hat? He has a darling face too. I just love snowman smiles. ;o) Luvs

Hi Luvs, she had used up all of our old socks so she had to use new socks, just cut off the cuff, turned them inside out and gathered the part that was cut. Then she put it on the bulb, turning back the cuff around the face, then glued the entire rim. She adjusted the sock so it falls to the left, then lifted the sock slightly and glued underneath the folds to keep it in place. Added the pompom and a few decorations, a string and it is finished. She used really pretty blues and lavender paints sponged on with lighter color around the face. What you can't see in the photo is the ultra fine glitter glue she put on. She makes them every year and sells out but I was able to keep a few for my tree. Glad you liked him. You can do the same thing with frosted round ornaments and felt for the hat - all really cute.

paintingfool, That snowman is just too cute!

Are there directions in a book to make them? Like how long to make the sock. I have some light bulbs I have been saving and been wondering what to do with them. Yours are very nice.

Very cute! Love his face!! You can see the glitter just a bit so figure it is really sparkley when you see it up close! Thanks for showing it! Jan

These are so easy to make. Of course you use old burned out bulbs but we sold so many of these that I had to go to the Dollar Tree and bought new ones for 25 cents each. The socks are very cheap ones, usually about 6 pairs to a package. I buy tube socks or calf socks and I try to keep them in the children sizes - men sizes can be too big in the calf. The one above was turne inside out and stitched closed on the cut end. Then you pull it over the metal part of the bulb, turn the cuff back and hot glue to the bulb. Then fold the other end over to the side and hot glue in place, add a pom pom and I use carpet thread as string.

Sunny, I sponged on the face with white, a bit of lilac and a bit of a light blue, keeping it very light but where you could still see some of the colors. The eyes are dotted on with the handle of my brush, then I floated a little blue around the left side of the eyes and under the nose. The eyes have a comma stroke of blue and the mouth is done with a permanent pen. The cheeks are done before the nose and I used a piece of red pastel pencil. I scratched the pencil on a piece of paper and then used an old scruffy brush to pick up the pastel and brushed it on in a round circle.

Once it is done I brushed a coat of glitter glue over the entire snowman - by the way, I did all the painting before I put the sock on.

Hope yall get to make some. I am enclosing another photo of a small lightbulb and one where I painted a Santa on it. The last one is from a photo I have had on my computer but I have no idea who did it or where I got it. It shows you can also do the same thing with children's mittens.
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Sorry the Santa is so blurred, I scanned it but when I get another finished I will post a picture from the camera.

Thank you, paintingfool.

paintingfool, You are a really good artist. Do you follow steps from a book or does it come naturally to you?

They are all cute! Love the Santa but I couldn't do that I'm not good enough to do the face like that, it is so lifelike!! Thanks for directions on the snowman!! Jan

I have been painting for more than 25 years and I hate all the work of transferring patterns, so I pretty much freehand just about everything. The Santa face starts off with with an oval patch of flesh color paint. From there I draw up the left side of the nose and over the eyebrow, almost like an unside down L, then the right side of the nose. From there I do the left eye, almond shape, then the right, a round circle for the bulb of the nose, the shape of the beard and mustache (the one above looks like I left off his top lip) and then I start painting in the rest. I am posting one of my Santas that I painted last year (and taught at my club). I usually post my paintings over on the Tole and Decorative Painting forum, so please stop by and take a look at what everyone is doing.
B

OMG!!! paintingfool, you are truly an artist!!! Those are absolutely beautiful!!! I do love all the pictures of Santa....I know exactly what you mean by scanning photos. Most times, they never turn out right and are blurred, or the color is off, or something. Your snowmen are adorable, and the one using a child's mitten is so colorful!! I wish I had half of your talent...sigh.

Thanks for the pics. You really have the shading & how to build up color down. I think that is where I get flustered. I have a deer painted on a rock. He looks great but he's not done as I have gotten to the finer shading etc & panic. I'm going to seal him so if I mess up I can wipe it off & not lose all my hard work. I do better free hand then trying to "fill-in" a pattern. Never comes out right. Just need few yrs of practice!! Jan

Donna, thanks for the compliment.
Sunny, the shading and highlighting are done in layers. Usually, I am a pastel painter so it may take three or four times floating the color before I get the right shade. Sometimes, after I am finish and I put a coat of varnish, I realize that it needs more so I come back again and put another float on.

I have seen everyones work on here and I think everyone of you are very good.

Oh, I didn't do the small snowman lightbulb or the one with the mitten for a hat - don't know where I got those pics but thought you would like to see them anyway.
B

Oh yes just beautiful! now girls thats what I call a painter!
oddie

paintingfool, I have to ask a question about the snowman lightbulb. Is he standing up straight when you paint the face on? It's kind of hard to tell in the picture. I want to start making one and make sure I do it right. Also you said to cut the cuff off the sock,(The one above was turned inside out and stitched closed on the cut end. Then you pull it over the metal part of the bulb, turn the cuff back and hot glue to the bulb.) so if I understood right, both ends are sewn shut? Sorry for all the questions. Thanks

OK, I think I understand it now, I feel so SILLY!

Roll it on and cuff it back, right? LOL

When I paint I hold almost everything in my hands. If you sponge on the paint, dry it and then put it in the palm of your hand you should be able to dot his eyes. If you are right handed, dot the left eye first, it makes it easier to see where you are going. You can also make a dot of orange for his nose if you like, or I have been painting mine red and white candy stripe - different and cute.

You have the sock then down right. Just remember to glue under the cuff so it won't come off when you put the string on to hang it on the tree.

Let me know how it turns out.
B

Hi paintingfool, I was wondering, does a sealer go on once you are all done painting?

I hope mine turn out as nice as yours!

Thank you...

Yes, I varnish several times. It helps seal the paint and it protects it. You should treat it as a glass ornament - which of course it is. You will do just fine I am sure. Can't wait to see a pic.
B

paintingfool,

Well, I have the face painted and was wondering does the glitter glue go on before you seal it or after? Sorry, for so many questions.

Thank you!

Not a problem, always happy to help. I always put the glitter on first then the sealer/varnish. Sometimes the glitter glue feels a little tacky even when dry so the varnish helps smooth it out.
B

paintingfool, Hi- I finished my snowman. I will try to have my daughter scan it so I can show you. If you don't mind me asking, how much did your daughter sell hers for?

Do you have a picture of the candy cane nose? It sounds cute!
Thanks...

I knew i seen a paintd santa lightbulb somewhere. Your work is beautiful...Wish
i was that gifted...

We live in an area that has a lot of crafters. My daughter sold hers for $6.00 but were worth a lot more. She had a lot of competition so she had to price accordingly. Although the attachment is not of a snowman lightbulb it does show the candy cane nose.
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