[GUS]

..& wanted you lot to see her latest carve.
Sparky who is a bit of ZP & a bit of free-form
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B1OmRiNIQAAGM5T.jpg:large

After getting a cub badge for carving a few years ago now she's likely to take her first commission for next Halloween I reckon.
Took her a couple of hours (muscle fatigue & supper) while we discussed & dissected the mechanics of stencil structure for each & every cut, I think it's time to let this one fly with her own tools now.

Actually it was rather embarrassing last time she carved at cubs, there were around 20 manky efforts & she banged out mayor of Halloween town on a large pumpkin as a 2 sided pattern which was really noticeable come the group photo

She's planning to do a shaded pumpkin after the holidays to take into school just to wake up a few dozy teachers, ..should be interesting.

Have a good halloween, & remember to put a few aside to get you through to spring-time.

[monstermash]

Links not working for me GUS but if I remember Coraline correctly I know Izzy will have done a stellar job with Sparky. I hope you all have a cracking halloween and make sure to do an extra scary pattern for the teachers!

[Raven]

Excellent job on Sparky! (link works for me.) I remember doing him myself and her's came out a lot better! I like the tiny 'kin beside him, too!

[GUS]

Izzy took 2 hrs to carve because her dad was "teaching" her structure & form with every cut (strength & knowing when to cut, "in, on, or above" the pattern line to make for awareness in carving, otherwise we could have knocked off lots of time on that ..however it is necessary & she may as well learn now cos next year I'm turning her loose to earn some cash fo herself to get her to snowboard summer camp).

I must admit, & rectify sooner rather than later I don't own a sparky stencil, nor will I ever download torrents of others work, but as we lost an entire litter of boxer pups only the other month to "fade" syndrome ((nasty, nasty, lets not go there)) Izzy wanted to do a ghost dog, kind of watching over the pups, sparky fits that bill very nicely! ..however I had to go on ryan's tiny graphic & freestyle ((wing it)) ..but that is one of a few stencils i'd like to catch up on now I have almost cleared the entire back catalogue of zp in the past couple of years.

plenty of stock to be picked up after halloween as thats when my carving now gets done for "me"

Got to bang out a few more today so a few folk can cheat their way in friendly comps (they'll come clean later but for now its serious )
have a good one everyone, & don't burn yourselves out trying too hard, ..it's a long road back if you lose that "sparkle" (ugh ..halloween & sparkle, bad choice of words but you get what I mean).

[Doh]

Oh Gus....I'm so sorry to hear of your puppies passing.

I know your love of the fur babies and can only imagine what heart ache you have went through.

[CombichristGirl]

you have one heck of a carver on your hand there! great work izzy!!!
so sorry to hear about the puppies!!!!

[nosferatu]

You've taught her well sensei. Not long before she out carves the master. Great carving Izzy!

As with the others and having lost two faithful companions last year, I feel gutted for you.