Monday, March 26, 2012

NEVER BORED WITH CARDBOARD..............

As a kid we didn’t have tons of money for art supplies, but my parents were genius about utilizing whatever we had around the house for fun projects. One of my favorite things to use was cardboard. I’d repurpose a shoebox for an art project or make a cool fort out of several huge boxes with my five younger brothers (this was a daily event in my house). There wasn’t enough cardboard to go around!
To this day, cardboard remains a staple in my crafty house. I encourage you to save your boxes and make something wonderful out of them the next time you’re feeling inspired. Because trust me, you’re never bored with cardboard.  

YOU'LL NEED
Image of an octopus (or image of your choice)
Cardboard
Elmer's Glue
Minwax Polycrylic Clear Coat
1" wide paintbrush
Phone book pages
X-Acto craft knife
Tape
HERE'S HOW
1.    Cut out 6 of the bowl side pattern shape in cardboard
     2. Cut out the base of the pattern in cardboard.       
3.    Using small bits of tape, tape the pieces together so they create the shape of the vase.
4.    Squeeze Elmer’s glue where the edges meet so that it’s nice and sturdy.
 
5. Cut out pieces of phone book pages.
6.    Using Elmer’s glue that has been watered down just a tiny bit so it’s easy to spread, start adhering your pieces of book pages to cover the entire bowl.  Put several layers of phone book pages on the bowl to give it strength. 
7.    When the entire bowl is covered let it dry. 
     
8.    Cut our your Octopus or the image you chose.
9.    Carefully paint the back of the Octopus with Elmer’s and glue in to place.
             
10. When your done gluing on the Octopus, coat the entire bowl in the Mod Podge or Minwax Polycrylic Clear Coat to make it even more sturdy and to give it a nice finish.

This project and over 150 MORE in The Big Ass Book of Crafts 2

8 comments:

  1. I would love to spend about an hour in your mind.

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  2. What a cool project! I love cardboard too! So many possibilities. "Give a child a toy and they will play with the box it came in"!

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  3. My cats love cardboard boxes, so I have to be careful about which ones I can recycle; because one of them could be in there.
    For myself, I tend to save smaller cardboard boxes.
    Like your bowl Mark.

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  4. So much fun! Absolutely adore this! So talented...

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  5. Great bowl... love the shape!!!

    I used to go to parties a lot and didn't want to take my dishes so I would make paper mache bowls using one of my actual dishes, paint it and give it a coating. I would line it with napkins and take chips & dip that way I could leave the bowl and tell them to toss it!

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  6. Such a great idea. All the fussy cutting on the octopus may put me over the edge, though. I'll try to find a simpler image to start on. Brings back memories of making things out of cardboard with my siblings, too.

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  7. Love it.....especially the octopus. Great idea!!!

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