September is a good time to travel. The schools are back, accommodation prices are down, and the first blush of autumn is underway. So it was that I found myself journeying by train through France, into Italy, and on to Switzerland, taking in the sights, visiting off-the-beaten-track towns, and generally having a wonderful time. Of course, the making never stops. With my sketchbook, travel toolbox, and good company beside me, I kept my eyes open for inspiration.
The puffer fish was the last project I made on the trip. I’d already crafted a triple-panel birthday card (you can see that in the previous post), as well as the leaf bow project, which is now up on the website. After an evening in Lugano watching a storm dance across the mountains, lightning flickering over the lake in the most fantastic display, we were heading back to our room, the rain clouds now drifting our way. Kicking through fallen leaves, we came across a particularly fruitful conker tree. There’s always something delightful about the way conkers pop out from their cases, and soon our pockets were bulging with glossy treasure.
Some of the shells had dropped before they were ready to open, and as I turned one over in my hand, it brought to mind a spiky little puffer fish. We walked back through the drizzle as a mechanism began to take shape in my head.
Back in the room, I cracked open my sketchbook and jotted down the outline of an idea, then rooted around in the tool bag for pliers, paper clips, and glass beads. Unusually for me, the first draft of the mechanism matched the sketch almost exactly. My only hiccup was forgetting to thread on the terminal blocks before adding the crank loops. No way around that, I had to remake the main arch of the mechanism, this time fitting the terminal blocks first, then folding the crank loops. I used a small drill bit in a pin vice to make suitable holes in a flat-based conker and pieced it all together. The resulting mechanism came out pretty well!
To make the puffer fish, I trimmed a few spikes to make room for googly eyes (everything looks better with googly eyes!). Wire staples served as neat little hinges for the flippers and tail, which I carefully fitted into place, one satisfying press at a time.
And so to the final result. The flippers, cut from suitably coloured leaves, are linked to the main arch of the mechanism by a pair of push rods. As the crank turns, the fish’s body bobs up and down, sending the flippers into a cheerful flap. I’m absolutely delighted with how this little critter has turned out! There’s something deeply satisfying about combining natural materials with a simple, elegant mechanism, the glossy conker base, the leaf flippers, the glint of wire and bead all working together to bring it to life. It’s playful, tactile, and surprisingly expressive. A proper autumnal automaton.
A full set of step-by-step instructions is available to download from the website. If you’re a premium subscriber to this newsletter, you’ll also find the PDF waiting for you at the foot of this page. Thank you so much for your support, it keeps the gears turning and the ideas flowing! If you’re not yet a subscriber, now’s a lovely time to join and get access to all the latest projects, stories, and printable delights.
Thanks for reading, and for being part of this curious, creative journey. Whether you’re sketching on the move or tinkering at the kitchen table, I hope this little puffer fish brings a smile and a spark of inspiration. As ever, I’d love to see what you make, feel free to share your builds, stories, or leafy discoveries. Until next time, happy making!