Had to share this at Christmas time.

[Trouble]

So, my future bride is an amazing artist. She made me a Christmas gift that made my jaw drop... brace yourselves, ladies and gents...

All that, aside from the Phanpy, she made by hand. All eight Kanto badges, my favorite Pokemon, Phanpy, who lives in his Luxury Ball. All hand-crafted...

She painted this around the summer time. We each took the half that was our favorite Pokemon to our own houses. Just wanted to share that.

 

[Blazaking]

@Trouble

Wow, that's amazing! Those badges looks legit! Your bride-to-be must've put in a lot of effort to make them. Congrats on the great gift!

 

[Aori]

Awwwwwwww that is so amazing and thoughtful!! This girl is a keeper!

Her love really shines through all these things she crafted for you she's super talented! The badges look true to life!

 

[TroublesGirl]

Hey all who read this! If my username doesn't already explain it, I'm Trouble's fiance. I figured I'd let y'all know how I made the badges and pokeball (plus Trouble told me I should share .) Michaels is my favorite craft store of ALL TIME! The one that I frequent the most, being in Gardens, all the employees know me by first name basis. I had started thinking about making Troubles Christmas gift since my past job was going absolutely nowhere anytime soon, and I probably wouldn't be able to buy anything too much. I grabbed a 5lb box of white clay; not Sculpty or Craftsmart, just regular white clay. Luckily it didn't need to be fired like an earthenware clay would have to be (although firing, even in a conventional oven, would've greatly helped in strengthening the clay.) I found at Michaels the box that would now be the show piece. Its a lift lid box that is cleverly disguised as a leather bound book. Perfect! Also I thought that I would need a Styrofoam ball, but those proved difficult in drying. I began thinking of this project in August, and began construction in mid-September. I started with the pokeball, and had gone through 3 different ways to construct it. First had tried to form the clay around one of the foam balls and cut it off in half. Too thin to support its own weight. Fail. Second was forming just a solid ball of clay and leaving it that way. Cracked in half. Fail. Finally, I tried the second system, but then cut that ball in half and hollowed it out, and re-shaping it into a more spherical shape. That worked. While that was drying and hardening, I had to figure out which league badges I wanted to make. That decision alone took me a week. I figured I would make the Kanto badges because we both grew up with Pokemon, and I wanted to let him re-live the nostalgia that came with choosing your very first starter.... ever! I had gone through about 2 or 3 of each badge before I either decided I like how it came out, or after a successful shape strong enough to not fall to pieces with a single breath. I had to ask him which pokeball was his favorite tho, and that had him a bit puzzled as to why I would want to know that.
One day I was talking to my little sisters friend at the mall, and was describing this project to her. I was telling her how awesome it would have been to be able to find a Phanpy to put in the pokeball (being Phanpy is his favoritest Pokemon, EVAR!) She thought for a second before telling me she had the small PVC figurine tucked away in a box at her house. AWESOME!!! It was just sheer, dumb luck that the figurine was small enough, and the ball was just big enough. Everything got painted and lacquered. I carved out some Styrofoam that I found in my garage, and gouged out the pockets for the badges to lay in, with the ball pocket next to all of them. Fortunately, my mother is a master seamstress, and had some left-over crinkle-backed velvet laying around from a previously made dance dress. So I spray-glued the fabric, and stretched it over all the indentations and cavities and let it dry. I put the Phanpy in his new home, and nested the pokeball and badges into their rightful places. Only about a week ago did I actually finish this task and wrap it all in time for Christmas. :3

I hope this wasn't too long for y'all to read, and that it gave some inspiration and help to fellow sculptors.

 

[Phoenix502]

Do you make this art professionally, or is it a hobby of yours? because either way... WOW, this is awesome work! I'm most impressed on how your listed all the steps, too. I could easily see this project being the first of many for other fans to try.

so I'll say it again, "WOW", very few can be that awesome at art like that!

 

[TroublesGirl]

It's really only a hobby.... for now. My dream career is to be a veterinarian, but who knows, I could sell some art on the side too. I not only paint and sculpt, but I draw (pencil, charcoal, pastels,) I do free-lance photography, sun-exposure photography, and digital art. I have the visual artistic aspect of the family, while my sister is practically a virtuoso with playing 5 instruments and in the chamber choir at her high school. I can halfway decently sing. x3

 

[Thanatos]

*jawdrop*
Woah, just woah.

 

[TroublesGirl]

I wanted to give him something that hadn't been done before. :3 He just can't stop lookin' at em.

 

[Phoenix502]

and for a good reason, too. I'd do the same in his position (along with going extra crazy with thank yous and finding a special spot for 'em)... :sweatlol:

 

[TroublesGirl]

We still have to find a way to put his shelves back up in his room. As soon as that's done, I'm sure he'll find an extra special spot for em. :3

 

[ezdragon2]

whoa those badges look cool xD

 

[GloomyHaruka]

@TroublesGirl Wow these are beautiful!!~ ; u ; I can just imagine how hard it must of been to paint these.; 0 ; Crafting is a pretty neat skill too have, you should definitely make some more and sell them.;3 And wow, you do all of those!? Wow not only can you craft things, but you can draw and do photography.xD Well I do hope your dreams of becoming a Veterinarian come true one day.:3 And never give up art!!
LOL.

 

[Gama]

Every gift I have ever been given in my life is crap compared to this.

(With the possible exception of Gameboy Color and Pokemon Red for Christmas '99)

 

[ChachachaCHIA!]

omg...

Spoiler

DIS IS AUH-MAZING!

 

[TroublesGirl]

O^ ^O awww, thanks guys!!! :3 I should thank Trouble for posting this for y'all. <3

 

[Trouble]

Uh, thank you for not keeping your artistic talent a secret from me!