how to make bottle penguins

How to Make Bottle Penguins.

There are lots of ways to recycle plastic soda bottles, and turning them into adorable penguins is one of them. With a little bit of paint, time, and creativity, you can turn 2 plastic soda bottles into an adorable penguin. If you have a lot of plastic soda bottles then you can create an entire penguin family!

Part 1 Assembling the Base.

1. Find 2 plastic soda bottles. The large, 2-liter (67.2-oz) bottles will work the best for this, but you can use smaller soda bottles too. Look for the kind that have the 4 bumps on the bottom. These bumps will make the feet and the hat.

The color of the bottles does not matter. You will be painting it.

2. Remove the labels and wash the bottles. Peel the labels off first, then wash the bottles inside-out with soap and warm water. Be sure to remove all sticker residue. Dry the bottles with a towel.

Wipe the bottles down with rubbing alcohol as well. This will remove any oils that might keep the paint from sticking. Let the bottles dry; this should only take a few seconds.

3. Cut the bottles in half and recycle the top sections. A craft blade will work the best for this, but you can do it with a sharp pair of scissors too. Young children should be supervised during this step.

If the cut edge is jagged, cut it smoother with a pair of scissors.

For a smaller penguin, cut the bottom 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to 7.6 cm) off of the first bottle, and cut the second bottle in half. The shorter half will make the bottom.

4. Tuck 1 bottle inside the other to make a capsule. Turn the bottles so that the cut edges are facing one another. Slide the first bottle into the second bottle by about 1⁄2 to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm). If the bottles won't fit inside one another, cut a 1⁄2 to 1 in (1.3 to 2.5 cm) slit into 1 of the bottles first; place this edge on the inside.

Make sure that the 4 bumps on the top and bottom of the capsule line up.

5. Glue the bottles together, if desired. If the bottles are loose, glue them together with tacky glue or super glue. Pull the bottles apart, and paint the inside rim of 1 bottle with glue. Slide it over the other bottle.

Hot glue is not recommended because it is too bulky.

Alternatively, you can keep the bottles loose, and use the penguin as a gift box.

Part 2 Painting the Penguin.

1. Paint the entire capsule black, then let it dry. Take the capsule outside or into a well-ventilated area. Set it down on a sheet of newspaper, then coat it with black spray paint. Let the paint dry for 15 to 20 minutes, then turn the capsule over. Spray paint the bottom and let it dry completely.

Hold the can 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 cm) from the capsule, and spray using a side-to-side motion.

If the paint is too thin, let it dry completely, then apply another coat of paint.

If you don't have spray paint, paint the capsule using black acrylic craft paint and a paintbrush.

2. Paint the penguin's face and belly white, then allow them to dry. Use a pointed paintbrush and white acrylic craft paint to outline the white face and belly of the penguin. Fill your outline in using a flat paintbrush. Let the paint dry, then add another layer if the first layer is too thin. Let the second layer dry too, if you added it.

Look at pictures of real or cartoon penguins to get ideas for the placement of the white parts.

Make sure that 2 of the bumps on the base of the capsule line up with the bottom of the penguin's belly. These are its feet!

If you are making a smaller penguin, use the shorter half to make the bottom.

3. Give the penguin a widow's peak, if desired. Use a pointed brush and black acrylic craft paint to draw a V-shape at the top of the penguin's white face. Fill the V-shape in with black paint so that it blends in with the body. For an even nicer finish, made the sides of the V-shape curved so that it looks like Mickey Mouse's widow's peak. Let the paint dry before moving on.

4. Paint 2 eyes and a beak using acrylic craft paint. Use a yellow upside-down triangle for the beak, and 2 black dots for the eyes. For a more realistic beak, paint a yellow or orange circle, then draw a horizontal black line going through the middle.

Look at pictures of cartoon penguins to get ideas.

You can also hot glue 2 buttons or 2 googly eyes for the eyes.

If you don't have yellow paint, cut a triangle out of yellow paper, and glue that on instead.

Part 3 Adding Optional Details.

1. Give your penguin character with lashes, eyebrows, and/or blush. You don't have to do any of these, but they can really give your penguin personality. Use a very thin brush for the lashes and/or eyebrows, or a paint pen. Use a larger pointed brush to apply pink paint for the blush.

If you want to give your penguin visible yellow feet, paint the 2 bumps in the front (under the white bellow) with yellow acrylic craft paint.

2. Paint the top half of the bottle to turn it into a hat. The 4 bumps on top of your penguin's head can easily turn into a hat. Paint a line around the penguin's head, just above the eyes, then fill in everything above that line. Use whatever color you want.

If you have a molded line just below the bumps, you can use that as a guide instead.

3. Let the hat dry, then add some details. You can make the hat look more hat-like by painting or drawing some stripes or spots onto it. Use a thin, pointed paintbrush and acrylic craft paint in a contrasting color to do this. Let the paint dry when you are done.

Use a paint pen for thin stripes or small dots.

4. Glue a pompom to the top of the hat, if desired. You can make the pompom yourself out of yarn, or you can buy it from the kids section of a craft store. Hot glue the pompom to the top of the hat, right between all 4 bumps.

Choose a pompom color that matches the designs on your hat. If you did not add designs, then use a contrasting color instead.

5. Tie ribbon around the neck to make a scarf. Find some ribbon that goes well with the hat. Wrap the ribbon around the penguin's neck, then cross the left end over the right end. Bring the left end up through the gap, then tighten it. This is just like starting to tie a pair of shoes!

Glue both ends of the ribbon to the penguin so that they stay down.

If you are turning this into a gift box, make sure that you keep the ribbon below the seam.

You can also cut a long, skinny strip out of felt, and use that instead of ribbon. Cut fringes into each end for additional charm.

Question : How do we make the eyes?
Answer : Cut out two small black circles, and two slightly larger yellow circles. Glue the black circles onto the yellow circles, and glue those onto the white face.

Question : We don't have to remove the bottle cap?
Answer : If you have removed the cap, you will have to tape or otherwise plug the hole on the top to "sculpt" the rounded top of the head on, so it is not recommended to remove the cap. However, taping or a cork replacement can be used.

Question : Can I use a plastic bottle?
Answer : Yes, but it may be hard to paint.

Tips.

If you want your penguin to have a pointy hat, discard 1 of the bottom halves and keep 1 of the top halves. Use the top half as the hat.

Use paintbrushes made from sable or taklon bristles. Do not use boar bristle, horsehair, or camelhair.

Spray the penguin with varnish or sealer, if desired. Do this after you finish painting, but before you add pompoms and scarves.

You can spray the capsule with paint primer first to help the paint stick better.

If you are worried about the paint chipping, spray the capsule with paint primer before you start painting.

Warnings.

Use low-temp hot glue guns to avoid blisters and burns. Do not use high-temp hot glue guns.

Things You'll Need.

2 plastic soda bottles, Craft blade, Black spray paint, Acrylic craft paint (white, yellow, and black).

Acrylic craft paint, 2 contrasting colors, Flat and pointed paintbrushes, Ribbon or felt, Pompom, Hot glue, Tacky glue or super glue.

Januari 23, 2020

how to make a paper snake using construction paper

How to Make a Paper Snake Using Construction Paper.

Paper snakes are fun and easy to make. They are a great craft to learn about snakes. They also make great decorations for Halloween, or for nature lovers.

Steps.

1. Gather your supplies. You can easily make a snake out of construction paper rings. The more rings you add, the longer your snake will be. Here's a list of what you will need to make such a snake:

Several sheets of construction paper, Red paper, Scissors, Glue stick, tape, or stapler, White school glue or tacky glue, Markers, crayons, or googly eyes.

2. Find some construction paper. You will need at least three pieces. You can use all one color to make a solid-colored snake. You can also use different colors if you want a striped snake.

3. Cut the paper into 1½ to 2 inch (3.81 to 5.08 centimeters) thick strips. You will need at least 16 strips. The more you make, the longer your snake will be.

Consider stacking the paper and cutting several sheets at the same time. This will make the cutting part faster.

4. Make a ring out of a strip of paper and glue it shut. Pick up a strip of paper and bring the two ends together. Overlap them by about 1 inch (2.54 centimeters). Use a glue stick to hold them together. You can also use tape or a stapler instead.

Do not use white school glue or tacky glue. It does not dry fast enough. Your snake will fall apart before the glue dries.

If you are using a stapler, ask an adult to help you.

5. Slip a strip of paper through the ring and glue the ends together. Keep repeating this step until you run out of strips of paper. You can make your snake just one color, or you can make it many colors. You can give your snake a pattern, or make the colors random.

6. Add the tongue. Cut a skinny rectangle from red paper and cut a V shape into one end to make the fork. Fold the flat side over by about ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) to make a tab. Glue the tab to one of the end rings.

7. Add the eyes right above the tongue. You can draw them on using a marker or crayon. You can also glue them on using some white school glue or tacky glue.

Things You'll Need.

Several sheets of construction paper, Red paper, Scissors, Glue stick, tape, or stapler, White school glue or tacky glue, Markers, crayons, or googly eyes.

Tips.

Look at pictures of real snakes to get ideas for your snake.

Read a book about snakes while you work. This way, you can learn about them too.



Warnings.

Play gently with these snakes. Paper is fragile and can rip easily.

Do not let these snakes to get wet.

Adult supervision is required for cutting steps.

Desember 18, 2019

how to make furry cat ears

How to Make Furry Cat Ears.

Cat ears are cute accessories that can be easily made. You can wear them with a costume, or as a fun accessory with an outfit. All of the materials needed to make the cat ears can be found at most arts and crafts stores. To make furry cat ears, create the ear bases, put the ears together, and complete the cat ears with the help of an elastic band and hot glue.



Part 1 Creating the Cat Ear Base.

1. Draw the cat ears on paper. This will be the template for the wire. Basically, you just need to draw two wide triangles. You might like to try drawing a few different sizes to see which size looks best on your head. You can cut out the template, or leave the cat ears drawn on the paper. Keep this design as your template for the remaining steps.

Keep in mind that the template will be slightly smaller than the finished ears because of the fur. A template of about three inches is a good size to use.

It doesn’t matter what you use to draw the ears, but pencil is good to use if you will be redrawing the ears multiple times.

2. Create the cat ears with jewelry wire. Following the paper template, bend the wire into the shape of the cat ears. Jewelry wire should be fairly easy to bend, but you can use a pair of long nose pliers to help form the shape. Do this for both ears and you should end up with two triangle shaped ears.

If you don't have wire, you can use paperclips. Just straighten them out and use them as wire. Don't worry if they don't make a perfect triangle. It won't matter when you put them in the fur. Use glue to bind the sides until you put them in.

Use a jewelry wire that is thicker so that it won’t fall out of shape when fur is added to them. 16 or 18 gauge is a good choice because it is thick, but can be bent without too much effort by using pliers.

3. Cut out the fake fur. Following the paper templates again, cut out four triangle shapes in fur. You can use any type of fur that appeals to you, like black, leopard print, or lion-like fur. Fur can be purchased at an arts and crafts store. These should be about a half an inch larger than the template, though, as the fur needs to hold the wire triangles inside once stitched up.

Remember that you can always make it smaller if it's too big, but you can't make it bigger if it's too small.



Part 2 Putting Together the Ears.

1. Sew the fur together. Place two fur pieces together. The fur sides should be facing each other. Sew each side, but leave the bottom edge unsewn. That is the part you are going to insert the wire through to shape the ears. The finished product should be inside out. Repeat this step until you have two ears.

There should be very little seam allowance—only about an ¼ of a inch.

Use a color of thread that best matches the color of fur.

2. Flip the ears so that you can see the fur. The ears should be inside out with the fur parts facing each other once you have finished sewing. Now, turn the ears so that the fur is on the outside. The ear shape should be really obvious now. Inspect the ears to make sure that there aren’t any holes or mistakes.

Turn the ears inside out and sew up any holes that you find.

Use a pair of sewing scissors to cut the thread where any mistakes have been made. Remove the thread from that part and sew it back up with new thread.

3. Place the wire triangle pieces inside each ear. Insert the wire you shaped into triangles earlier into the furry ears. The wire should be able to fit snugly inside of the fur without too much or too little room. Adjust the wire if necessary.

4. Sew up the bottom of the ears. Once you have inserted the wires into the furry ears, sew up the bottom portion that is still open. There shouldn’t be any opening on the ears when you have finished sewing. It doesn't matter if this sewing line is messy, as nobody is going to see it.



Part 3 Completing the Furry Cat Ears.

1. Create the band for the ears. Measure the elastic band or ribbon around your head. The ribbon should cross over the top of your head rather than your forehead. You can find a band or ribbon at most arts and crafts stores. Sew or hot glue the ends together to form a circular headband that fits your head. If you’re using a ribbon, you can also choose to tie the ribbon in the back so that it is adjustable.

If sewing, include a seam allowance in your measurements before cutting the ribbon. Tie the ribbon when testing it on your head to see how much ribbon will be needed in total.

You can also choose to use a headband instead of an elastic band or ribbon.

2. Mark the placement for the ears. First, hold the band and ears together to see where the ears look most natural. Then, check in the mirror to see where the ears look best. Making marks on the headband while it is on your head, use a pen or marker to make marks where the ears will be covering.

It may be easier to have someone help you make the marks while the band is on your head.

3. Attach the ears to the headband. Use hot glue to attach the cat ears onto the headband in the positions that you marked. Use just enough so that the ears stay up, but don’t use so much that the glue gets on other places on the headband or ribbon. Allow at least ten minutes for the glue to dry.

Have someone help you with the hot glue if you aren’t comfortable with using it on your own.

4. Check the finished product. Once the glue has dried, try on the ears. The band should fit your head without sliding. The ears should be standing straight up. Make any adjustments as needed.



Question : What if I don't have any wire, or my parents won't let me use any?

 Answer : Depending on the size of your cat ears and the thickness of the fur, you might not even need any wire to make them stand up; the wire is there for support. If the ears still flop over after you have made them, try filling them with some cardboard or craft foam instead.

 Question : Is there any alternative to the fur if I don't have a lot of money and can't buy felt or fur and don't have a cat?

 Answer : If you own any old stuffed animals that you don't care for anymore, you can use the fluff from those.

 Question : Can I use white fur?

Answer : Absolutely.

Question : What do I do if I don't know how to sew?

Answer : You can always ask a friend or family member. If you're feeling ambitious, you can learn how to sew yourself.

Question : Can I use real cat hair?

 Answer : Yes, if you want, but it may be best to pick the cat's fur off of the cat brush, not the cat itself.

Question : How can I make fake fur?

 Answer : You can make the fur by tearing felt to make fluffy strips. Then, get the same color felt, and glue or sew the fluffy stripes onto it and then cut out the triangle shape for the ears.

Question : How can I make wolf ears the same way?

 Answer : Make the shape a bit taller and more pointy. Look at pictures of wolves for reference on how their ears are shaped and then just change the shape.

Question : Could I put pink felt in the center for the finished ear?

 Answer : Yes. Just sew or glue it on with a color similar to the color of the felt.

Question : Where can I get fake fur?

 Answer : A craft store or someplace that sells fabric. Or you could remove some from a stuffed animal.

Question : Can I make non-fluffy ears?

 Answer : Yes, but you may need to expand on your ideas, especially if you are looking to cosplay with them. You could use polymer clay.



Tips.

Fake or fun fur makes a mess when cut. Have something ready to sweep or vacuum it up.

Warnings.

Use care when handling hot glue, as it can easily burn.

Things You'll Need.

Paper for template.

Scissors.

Thin wire for the ears.

Fake fur (20 cm sq. or 7.9 inches.).

Elastic ribbon (5-6 cm or about 1 or 2 inches wide) Make sure you have enough to fit around your head and extra ribbon left for tying.

Hot glue.

Needle.

Thread.

Paper.

Marking tool.

Scissors.

Februari 12, 2020