Themed Snowmen
They're called themed snowmen because the traditional snowman accessories such as the arms, hat, and other props follow a theme such as baseball or football. Some themed accessories for the traditional ones, and some portray a snowman doing the theme.
The themed snowmen are turned on a mandrel with a short length of a screw mounted in the end. Drilling for the mandrel lightens the ornament. The screw allows finish turning the top of the head without tailstock support if required. The mandrel doubles as a mount for traditional top hats as well.
The mandrel.
The snowman is turned using a pattern.
Here are some samples:
A traditional snowman with a top hat and black copper wire arms. The eyes, mouth and buttons are puff paint.
A baseball snowman with bat arms and a baseball cap. Glass pin heads used for eyes, mouth and buttons
A football snowman. His body is holly. The helmet and football are walnut. The arms are black copper wire. The eyes, mouth, and buttons are glass head pins.
A woodturner snowman. Body is basswood. The faceshield is oak veneer and document protector. The skew is aluminum wire and dowel. The buttons are painted mini-rocks.
A skiing snowman. The poles are made from bamboo skewers and walnut. The body is basswood, the hat cherry, and the skis are pine. The nose is orange ink on bamboo. The eyes and buttons are real coal glued in with black hot melt glue.
Walking the Dog: The buttons are charcoal hardened with CA glue so that I could drill it for pin mounting. The necessary bag is a scrap of Walmart bag with Meow Mix inside for weight and bulk. I flattened the ends of the arms and leg wires to suggest hands and paws. The dog's ears are rounded over bamboo skewers cut in half (but leaving the tenon round).
Poetic Justice: His hat is cherry. Eyes are turned bamboo skewer and india ink. Buttons are turned walnut. The snow shovel is bamboo skewer--I copped out on putting a D-handle on the shovel, but I do have one like this. The snow is foam, white gesso and glitter.