The life, the universe and everything...

Many Christmases ago my Dads then girlfriend gave me a paint your own Cow Parade Cow. Up until recently I had ignored it and it moved from house to house with me not because I didn't like the gift but because I had in idea what to paint on it. My biggest problem is that I didn't want to make a hash of it. I wanted something that could sit on a shelf and I could say 'I did that' and it also had to pass the 'husband test' of him not saying 'that's-nice-dear-maybe-it-can-go-in-your-office(-so-I-can't-see-it!)

I love the work of Douglas Adams. There isn't a single thing of his that I have not listened to, read or watched. My favourite pastime is listening to 'The Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy' radio series generally last thing at night as I find it funny and strangely soothing. And it was from this I drew my inspiration!

After deciding on an initial idea I then drew out a plan on a back of an envelope (I really wish I was exaggerating but it was the only thing I had to hand!) I can't draw to save my life but at least I knew what I wanted and needed the next time I popped to my local craft store!

Going around said craft store is an immense pleasure of mine which is about on a par with browsing around a bookshop for me. There is something calming about those places and therefore makes me calm too. I bought my supplies (perhaps a few more than needed) and was ready to start!

The cow itself got painted in navy blue acrylic paint, highlighted with a copper acrylic paint on hooves and horns. I then stuck on my letters, numbers and stars firmly using super glue (I wasn't sure how the adhesive would stand up to being stuck on a curved surface). I also slathered the cows main body in iridescent glitter glue to give it a nice sheen but also to look a little like smaller stars.

It was left to dry.

I had decided to pay homage to the character of Arthur Dent, the human caught up in the adventures across the galaxy who spends most of the book wearing his dressing gown. I had to make a draft of this as I wasn't quite sure how a dressing gown on a cow was going to quite fit! Once the draft was roughly fitted I could start on the real thing - making a collar, belt loops and two pockets - which were all hand sewn as it was too delicate to go through the sewing machine. The belt was then threaded through the belt loops and tied on to the cow!

I was pleased with the result and it now sits on a shelf above the tv (a sure sign that my husband approves too!)