Inspiration at the NYPL

or was it The Library of Congress? While I was researching graphics last week I ran across several diagrams and architectural blueprints for how things are made. I was inspired by one of several drawings to make this card.

A VERY FAMOUS WINDMILL

This is the design from the public domain that inspired me to make my own. I have a gazillion sets of dies so I don't need another one if I can use what I already have and just draw the rest in. So that's what I did! 

Isn't this drawing pretty? It's called the Beebe Windmill and it was built for Lester Beebe, a retired whaling captain and ship builder (explains the whale on top) in 1820 in Sag Harbor but has been moved several times before landing in Bridgehampton, Long Island, NY. It has a fascinating history if you get time you can click on the link above and find out more about it. 

MAKING A PATTERN

I knew I would need to drop the blades down on mine and make the mill a little bigger so I started my drawing to make the mill about 5-1/2" to 6" tall. When put together I wanted the whole thing to fit a 5" x 7" card. This one fits a pulley card with plenty of room for clouds but if you want to make it a little bigger for easel cards, just add 1/4" around the edges of the windmill body or just add another 1/2" base at the bottom and trim the sides of the old base down like I did.

I know you have a one piece easel back you can use to put two card shapes together. To make the base of your card for the easel slightly larger than the windmill, just cut around the main shape about 1/8" on two pieces and use the easel to attach them together.

To make the pulley card and create the template, once I got the basic shapes figured out, I looked at the dies I had to decorate the blades. I found what could work in an old set of Anna Griffin Cuttlebug Birdcage Dies and Folders.

Can you see a windmill blade in the bottom row of the cage? I can. Here are the rest of the Anna Griffin dies that I already had and used to make this card. I just cut them down to what I needed. I forgot the little circle die in this picture but you probably have a few of those too that you can use. You can use any pretty decorative background for your card. I used one of the 3D Fancy French Frames dies to make a pulley card base.

I wanted a shingle look to the top part so I used some decorative trim dies. I just cut each layer long enough and overlapped them. I used the windows and door from the Carte Noel die set and just cut them down. I used the curve piece from the Bunny die set. I also decorated the base of the card with the Trelliage die cuts from a few years ago and got the flowers from my Flower Cart die cuts. I love those little clouds! This is how you can use up some of your old and leftover stuff too.

You may have other dies in your stash that you can use to make just about anything you want. You can even cut a few basic pieces to use like I did with the center line down the blades. I just cut a little sliver of gold card stock and glued it onto the blade before I added the gold die cuts. I liked the way the middle support stuck out a little bit like the drawing. It's the details!

I have a brick embossing folder around here somewhere but I just used a floral motif one I had in front of me to emboss the bottom part of the windmill.

I drew up the basic windmill I worked with so you can use it too. It's in the free template section. Are you a collector or are you a maker? Drag out all your stuff in your stash and see what you can do with it!!!