Over at Craftberry Bush there is a tutorial on how to make a book page pumpkin. Donna of the blog As The Card Rack Turned decorated hers a bit differently. She also shared a another tutorial.
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Barefooted Welder: Turning Scrap into Sculptural Statements
Today, in honor of ANZAC Day, we’re shining a spotlight on a truly unique Australian artist — The Barefooted Welder, aka Michael Dudley. Based in North Queensland, Michael is known for his raw, imaginative sculptures made entirely from scrap metal. His work is bold, unapologetically rustic, and deeply rooted in both environmental and emotional storytelling.
What makes his work so compelling isn’t just the way he repurposes over seven tonnes of steel, copper, and aluminum — it’s the intention behind each piece. Michael doesn’t just weld metal; he breathes new life into forgotten fragments. From massive animals to symbolic figures, his sculptures are a mash-up of chaos and beauty, and they demand attention.
One piece that especially caught our eye (and hearts) this week is his striking metal poppy wreath, a tribute for ANZAC Day. The wreath, made from rusted salvaged metal and sculpted entirely by hand, is a stunning and deeply moving symbol of remembrance. It captures the essence of sacrifice and memory, but through a sustainable lens that makes you think twice about what we throw away.
Michael has a way of breaking the rules with his art — he even describes his process as “messy,” which we think is the perfect kind of energy when working with unpredictable materials. He creates without blueprints, often barefoot, guided more by instinct than plan — which somehow makes his pieces feel even more alive.
Whether it’s his life-size Bengal tiger sculpture created to raise awareness of endangered species or a delicate flower made of rusty washers, the Barefooted Welder is a reminder that art can be powerful, messy, meaningful, and sustainable all at once.
So, on this ANZAC Day, we celebrate artists like Michael who use their creativity to honor the past while also protecting the future — one sculpture at a time.
The Craftberry pumpkin (and apple) tutorials seem to have been inspired by Lucy’s memories of helping her dad create a phonebook seat.
Her very nice post reminded me of a great-aunt’s recycling of the big old fat Sears and Roebuck catalogues – which she methodically folded, page by page, to create doorstops.
Having taught high-school math, she was my algebra tutor. I did not absorb the math, but did learn how to make the doorstops.
She folded each page diagonally – down from the outer corner to the center and when she was finished, the doorstop was shaped like a tiki hut. The front and back catalogue covers were simply glued together, to form a cylindrical or conical shape.
A reader at Craftberry wondered how to make the phonebook stool. It may have been a similar process, but probably required an extra fold – to remove the point (which is fine for a tiki hut, but not good for sitting).