Frugal Crafts & Homemade Gifts
(Monthly featured column by BetterBudgeting's
crafty readers!)
Memory
Photo Pots
by Jill
Badrick
These photo
holders make great gifts for birthdays, graduation, Christmas, or any
holiday. More...
Supplies:
3 ½ in. clay pot
2 in. Styrofoam ball
Masking tape
Craft wire (22 or 24 gauge)
Mini-clothespins (1 in.)
Embellishments (i.e. stickers or jewels)
Sharpies (ultra-fine tip) or gel pens
Spray can paint and/or acrylic craft paint
Plaster of Paris
Directions:
1. Remove any stickers from the clay pot, paint the outside and bottom of the
clay pot using spray can paint or acrylic craft paint. ( I find it easier
to use spray paint to get an even coat that covers the clay pot) Also paint the
top 1" inside surface of the pot. Allow spray paint to dry.
2. Decorate the flower pot with a design of your choice using paints, markers,
jewels, stickers, etc. 3-D scrapbooking stickers/embellishments work well
to decorate the clay pots. Also, fonts, sayings, and designs can be traced
from a scrapbooking or craft book onto tracing or tissue paper and then onto the
pot rather than using a free-hand design, if desired.
3. Cut three pieces of craft wire of various lengths (i.e. 4, 5, and 6 inches).
Thread each wire through one mini-clothespin and fold the wire in half.
Twist the wire starting at the end nearest the clothespin trying to keep
the wire especially tight around the spring of the clothespin. Keep
twisting until the wire is twisted as tight as you desire.
4. Place the Styrofoam ball into the clay pot and stick the wires with
clothespins into the Styrofoam so that the clothespins all face the same
direction. You can adjust the height and angle of the wires by varying the
placement and depth of the wires within the Styrofoam ball.
5. Cover the hole on the bottom of the clay pot with masking tape. Mix up
approximately 1 c. of Plaster of Paris following the directions on the
container. Pour the plaster into the pot until the plaster covers the
Styrofoam ball and is level.
6. Adjust the wires and clothespins while the plaster is still soft.
7. Allow the plaster to harden, paint the top of the plaster to match the
outside of the pot.
8. Put wallet size or 4 x 6 pictures in the mini-clothespins.
* * *
Copyright
© 2010 by Jill Badrick. All rights reserved.
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