If you have an old vinyl record that's unplayable or scratched, upcycle it instead of throwing it away. You can make art, designs, jewelry, and much more by cutting the record. By heating the record or by using a hotknife, you can easily cut your vinyl into whatever shape you need!
Transform the record label into a coaster. Heat the record in the oven at 250 °F (121 °C) for 3 minutes. Once the oven is heated, use a pair of scissors to cut out the label in the center. Once you have the record down to size, trace it onto a piece of felt and cut it out. Attach the felt to the bottom of the record label with spray adhesive.
Make sure to cover the hole in the center of the record, or else the liquid could still damage your table.
Cut the record into decorative wall art. Draw a design on the record using a number 2 pencil before you start cutting it. Cut your design out of the vinyl using either a hotknife or utility knife. Hang the record on your wall either using adhesive strips or with a nail through the center hole.
To get inspiration for your art, look at the name of the record and think of a theme that relates to the song or album title.
Make wrist cuffs out of vinyl strips. Cut out 3 by 8 inches (7.6 cm × 20.3 cm) strips out of the record and put them on a baking tray. Place the tray in an oven heated to 200 °F (93 °C) for about 3-4 minutes. Once you remove the baking sheet, shape the vinyl strip to fit around your wrist by wrapping it around a rolling pin.
If you need to reshape or resize the vinyl, put it back in the oven for 1 minute to soften it again.
Warnings.
Vinyl releases chlorine gas when heated. Wear a facemask so you don’t inhale any of the fumes.
How to Make a Paper Penguin Using an Origami Penguin.
Whether as a crafts project for a small child or as an origami project for older people, there are plenty of ways to make a paper penguin that are fun for people of any age!
Steps.
1. Purchase origami paper. This method calls for just a single sheet of 6” x 6” origami paper. If you want a larger penguin, then you can easily go for 12” x 12” paper, but you'll have to multiply any directions containing measurements by two. If you want an even better looking penguin, buy paper that is white on one side and black on the other.
2. Fold diagonal creases along the middle. To start, you want to place the sheet of origami paper flat (with the white side facing up if you have paper with a black side as well). Then fold the paper in half diagonally so the bottom left corner is flush with the top right corner and make a crease. Unfold the paper and do the same with the opposite corners, and then unfold the page again.
When you unfold the sheet again, you will have creases forming a large X across the page.
3. Fold the lower left corner to the center. With the page flat again and the large creases making an X, you will then take the lower left corner of the paper and fold it so that the tip of the corner touches the center of the page. In other words, the corner edge will touch the center of the X made by the earlier creases. Flatten the folded portion and make another crease, then open the sheet so it's flat again.
4. Fold the upper right corner to the crease you just made. You will now have the large X crease as well as a smaller diagonal crease in the lower left of the page. Take the top right corner of the page and fold it over so that it touches the lower left crease. Then open the page once more.
5. Turn the page over. For the next set of folds, you'll need to turn the page over. If you have two-colored paper, this means that the black side will now faces up. When you turn the paper over, orient it diagonally so that the current lower left corner now points up.
6. Fold the left corner to the right corner. With the paper in the new orientation, take the corner pointing left and fold the paper in half so that it's flush with the corner pointing right. There will already be a crease here from when you made this fold on the other side of the sheet, but you'll need to crease it in the opposite direction when you fold it over.
7. Fold the bottom corner over to the right. From the last step, the sheet will now look like a triangle with the side on the left forming a vertical line. Take the corner of the triangle that points down and fold it across at a 45° angle. Fold it so that the horizontal edge made at the top of the fold touches the lower crease already on this part of the page—not the middle crease but the one below it. Once you've made the crease from this fold, turn the flap back over so that you have the same triangle shape you started with.
8. Reverse-fold the corner along the crease you just made. A reverse fold is a bit more three-dimensional than the other folds you've made so far. In order to make the reverse fold, take the crease you just made and crease it in the opposite direction, but make the crease by folding and tucking the corner into the paper.
9. Fold the top half over. With the reverse fold out of the way, you want to take the corner pointing right—just the top layer not both layers—and fold it back on itself. Fold it so that the flat side just above the corner lines up flush with the flat vertical line on the left side of the paper. Make a crease here, but do not unfold the flap. Leave it folded.
10. Turn the page over and make the same fold on the other side. You now want to turn the paper over completely and make the same fold you just made but from the other side. In other words, fold the other corner (the bottom layer from the previous step) over so that its upper edge is also flush with the same flat side of the page.
Especially if you're using a two-colored sheet of paper, this step will make more sense because the form of the penguin will start to become more apparent as the black side of the page will face outward on both sides. As the project continues to take shape, these will be the wings.
11. Turn the paper over again. To prepare for the next major fold, you will need to turn the whole paper over again. When you do, you want to orient the paper so that the really narrow point is pointing upward.
12. Fold the narrow point over to the left. With the paper oriented so that the long, narrow point face up, take that point and fold it over at a 45° angle so that the point now points to the left. You'll see how this fold starts to take shape as the penguin's beak. After making the crease in this fold, return the point to the upward position.
13. Reverse-fold along the crease you just made. This step requires you to make an outside reverse fold along the crease you made in the last step. An outside reverse fold is slightly different from the earlier reverse fold. To make the fold, unfold the paper along the black side slightly, and poke your finger from the white side at the fold you made in the last step. When the creases reverse direction, simply reform the fold so that the two black sides of the sheet are in contact again.
Once again, reverse folds can be a bit difficult to describe.
14. Fold the wing over. Though clearly visible now, the wings won't quite look perfect yet. Take the wing on the side facing up and fold it over so that the white side faces out. You'll fold it back so that the corner which was facing the bottom left now points to the right. Pull it back far enough so that it's just shy of where the little tail is at the bottom of the paper.[
15. Fold the wing back over on itself. Once you've made the crease from the previous step, fold the wing back over on itself so that the black side is once again facing up. Fold it so that the tip of the corner is just shy of touching the horizontal white edge at the bottom of the body.
16. Makes a rabbit's ear fold. To make the rabbit's ear fold, lift the portion of the wing you just folder and reverse the crease from the last step, but only at the bottom of the crease and only at the depth of roughly the tip of your finger. This will makes the bottom tip of the wing into a little flap though the flat edge will still be parallel to the rest of the wing.
17. Repeat steps 14-16 for the other wing. With one wing complete, you're ready to turn the page over and repeat the same steps to form the other wing. Simply use the same folds from steps 14-16 but on the other side.
18. Tuck in the points at the bottom. The bottom of the penguin will still have points sticking out in a slightly misshapen way. Fold each of these points toward the inside of the penguin to make a flat, horizontal bottom to the body. Once you tuck these flaps up, you have your penguin!
Whether as a crafts project for a small child or as an origami project for older people, there are plenty of ways to make a paper penguin that are fun for people of any age!
Steps.
1. Purchase origami paper. This method calls for just a single sheet of 6” x 6” origami paper. If you want a larger penguin, then you can easily go for 12” x 12” paper, but you'll have to multiply any directions containing measurements by two. If you want an even better looking penguin, buy paper that is white on one side and black on the other.
2. Fold diagonal creases along the middle. To start, you want to place the sheet of origami paper flat (with the white side facing up if you have paper with a black side as well). Then fold the paper in half diagonally so the bottom left corner is flush with the top right corner and make a crease. Unfold the paper and do the same with the opposite corners, and then unfold the page again.
When you unfold the sheet again, you will have creases forming a large X across the page.
3. Fold the lower left corner to the center. With the page flat again and the large creases making an X, you will then take the lower left corner of the paper and fold it so that the tip of the corner touches the center of the page. In other words, the corner edge will touch the center of the X made by the earlier creases. Flatten the folded portion and make another crease, then open the sheet so it's flat again.
4. Fold the upper right corner to the crease you just made. You will now have the large X crease as well as a smaller diagonal crease in the lower left of the page. Take the top right corner of the page and fold it over so that it touches the lower left crease. Then open the page once more.
5. Turn the page over. For the next set of folds, you'll need to turn the page over. If you have two-colored paper, this means that the black side will now faces up. When you turn the paper over, orient it diagonally so that the current lower left corner now points up.
6. Fold the left corner to the right corner. With the paper in the new orientation, take the corner pointing left and fold the paper in half so that it's flush with the corner pointing right. There will already be a crease here from when you made this fold on the other side of the sheet, but you'll need to crease it in the opposite direction when you fold it over.
7. Fold the bottom corner over to the right. From the last step, the sheet will now look like a triangle with the side on the left forming a vertical line. Take the corner of the triangle that points down and fold it across at a 45° angle. Fold it so that the horizontal edge made at the top of the fold touches the lower crease already on this part of the page—not the middle crease but the one below it. Once you've made the crease from this fold, turn the flap back over so that you have the same triangle shape you started with.
8. Reverse-fold the corner along the crease you just made. A reverse fold is a bit more three-dimensional than the other folds you've made so far. In order to make the reverse fold, take the crease you just made and crease it in the opposite direction, but make the crease by folding and tucking the corner into the paper.
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.
A Jack in the Box is a fun toy that's been around for hundreds of years. While it may seem complex, a Jack in the Box actually works with very simple mechanics. Making your own can be a fun arts and crafts activity. With some cardboard, glue, magnets, a spring, and a few other parts, you can make your very own Jack in the Box.
Part 1 Constructing the Box.
Find a sturdy piece of cardboard. You'll need a thick and sturdy piece of cardboard for the box to support itself. The kind from a large packing box should work well.
You'll be cutting out 6 squares that are each 6" x 6" (15 cm x 15 cm), so your piece of cardboard will need to be at least 18" x 12" (45 cm x 30). If you can't find a piece that big, then several pieces will work fine too.
Draw six 6" X 6" (15 cm x 15 cm) boxes on the piece of cardboard. These six squares will form the walls, floor, and lid of your Jack in the Box. Use a ruler to measure and make sure your lines are straight.
Make sure you use a dark pen or marker. Otherwise, you may not be able to see your lines when you cut.
Cut out each box. Use a pair of sharp scissors or a box cutter. Carefully cut along the lines you drew so the cardboard squares are the right size. If you're using a box cutter, make sure the cardboard is placed on a solid surface.
Wear gloves during this step to prevent paper cuts or any injuries for the scissors or box cutter.
Glue 4 of the squares together, making a cube with no top or bottom. Hot glue is the best choice for this step. White glue won't be strong enough to keep the box together. This forms the outside structure of the box.
Glue the edges of the cardboard together to form the cube. If the glue doesn't seem to be making a strong seal, you can use strips of tape to secure the cube while the glue hardens.
Glue another square to the bottom of the cube. Line up the square perfectly with the rest of the cube or your box will be uneven. This will form the floor of the box.
Lay the square down flat and put glue around the edge. Then slowly lower the box onto the square, making sure the glue makes contact with all edges of the box.
Make a hinge with the final square. Don't glue the final square to the box, or your Jack in the Box won't open. Instead, rest the square on top of the box, making sure to line up all the sides. Then, use a strip of tape to fasten one side of the square to the box. This will form a simple hinge that allows your box to open.
Clear tape is the best choice here. Colored tape might throw off your designs when you decorate your box later on.
Part 2 Sealing the Box.
Find 2 small magnets. There are lots of ways you could make the seal for your box, but a simple method uses magnets. Start by finding 2 magnets. These should be square or circle and small, not more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) long.
Craft or hardware stores usually have small magnets that are meant to hold boxes or cabinets closed. Looking for these should give you a good start.
Remember to find out which sides of the magnets attract each other. Those are the two sides you'll line up when making your seal.
Glue one magnet to the bottom of the box's lid. This should be on the opposite side where you placed the tape. On the edge of the lid and in the center, glue the first magnet.
Glue another magnet directly under the first magnet. The next magnet should be placed on the inside wall of the box so the two magnets touch each other when the lid is closed. In this position, they will attract each other and keep the box sealed.
To find the right position for the second magnet, start by closing the box slowly. This way you'll be able to see where the magnet will rest when the box is sealed. The best place for the second magnet is right under that point, so the two magnets touch when the lid is closed.
Test out your seal. See if your seal is holding after you glue both magnets. Pull up slightly to see how tight the seal is. Flip the box upside down and see if it holds.
Part 3 Making the Spring Puppet.
Glue a compression spring to the bottom of the box. Draw a circle in the middle of the box's floor to see where you'll place the spring. Then put glue on the bottom of the spring and place it over the circle you drew. Hold the spring down for a few seconds to make sure the glue seals.
Compression springs come in lots of sizes. For this project, you'll want one that's slightly taller than the box, or about 7 inches (18 cm). Your local craft store should have plenty of options.
Test the seal by making sure the box stays closed when the spring is in place. If the box doesn't stay closed, your spring is too big or your seal is too loose.
Put a sock puppet on the spring. Your Jack in the Box needs a character to pop out! A sock puppet is perfect because it can fit snugly over the spring.
You could also draw and cut out a simple face from a piece of paper and glue it to the top of the spring for a simpler design.
Test your box. With all the pieces in place, it's time to make sure your box is working! Put it on a table and lift up the lid. Your puppet should pop out of the box when you do this.
Decorate your box. Now that your box is complete, you can decorate it however you want! Use markers to draw on its sides, glue sparkly paper over it, cover it with stickers--use your imagination!
Tips.
Remember to let all glue dry before you move on. Wait a few minutes after you glue pieces together to make sure the glue holds or your box could warp as you work.
Glue sticks can be melted down for a number of applications. Whether used in crafts, manufacturing, packaging, fashion, or in any other creative function, glue sticks are a cheap and easy to come by product. All-purpose or school glue sticks and hot glue gun sticks can both be melted in the microwave, and hot glue gun sticks can, of course, be melted in a glue gun. If handled carefully and done properly, the processes are extremely quick and can help you adhere all kinds of surfaces to one another.
Microwaving Glue Sticks
Remove the glue sticks from their original packaging. All-purpose or school glue sticks can be unscrewed and pulled or broken off from their plastic casings. Hot glue gun sticks simply need to be removed from any packaging or wrappers.
Make sure there are no plastics or other wrappings in or on the glue you want to melt. Most wrappings and plastics are not intended to be melted and can be unsafe to do so.
If your glue stick has a plastic piece through the center, carefully cut the glue away from the plastic using a knife.
Put the stick(s) into a microwave-safe dish. Since the glue will be very messy and hard to clean, use a single-use paper bowl. If you are dedicating the dish to the craft of melting glue sticks, a ceramic or glass mug or bowl will also work.
Be sure the glue sticks are fully inside of the dish. If they overhang the mug or bowl, they will melt outside of the dish.
Start with smaller quantities to test how long your particular glue takes to melt.
Microwave the glue on full power in 20-second intervals. Depending on your microwave and amount of glue, you should at least be able to partially melt the sticks. If there are still solids, microwave the glue for an additional 20 seconds after stirring it with a craft stick or plastic spoon.
Do not leave the microwave unattended. If something goes wrong, you should be there to stop the microwave.
Do not heat the sticks for extended periods of time. It may look like nothing is wrong while it heats, but overheating the glue can create fumes that are unsafe.
Remove the glue from the microwave carefully. You should use it immediately, but be careful as the glue will be quite hot. Depending on how long it was heated, the dish can be hot as well.
Use the glue fresh out of the microwave so it will be easy to apply.
If the glue re-hardens, simply microwave it for another 20 seconds.
Melting Glue Sticks with a Glue Gun
Obtain a glue gun at least as big as the glue sticks. Only use hot glue sticks intended for glue guns—not all-purpose or school glue sticks. If the sticks won’t fit into the glue gun, you cannot melt them. If the sticks are too small, you will just have to use your hand to feed them through.
Make sure your glue sticks are meant for a glue gun. You should not use other types of glue sticks because they can damage your glue gun.
Plug in the glue gun over cardboard or newspaper. As the tip of the gun heats, the gun may start to drip as it melts. By putting a piece of cardboard or newspaper underneath, you can protect your working surface.
Always follow the instructions specific to your glue gun regarding electricity and timing.
Do not leave a glue gun unattended. They can tip over or otherwise cause severe burns if you are not careful.
Squeeze the trigger of the glue gun to feed the sticks. If the sticks match the size of the glue gun, the trigger will allow the stick to press and feed through the heated tip. The glue will then melt and drip out wherever you point the gun.
Do not touch the metal tip of the gun or the melting glue. They will both be extremely hot.
If the glue is not feeding through, it may either be too large of a stick or may still be heating up.
If your glue stick is smaller than the glue gun, you will have to push from the back end of the stick to feed it through.
Use gloves to protect your hands from the heated materials.
Insert another stick once the first no longer feeds through. If the gun or your fingers can no longer safely feed the first stick through the rear of the glue gun, use another glue stick to press it through. It will then be caught by the plastic feeding mechanism and continue melting.
Warnings.
Do not touch melted glue. It will be extremely hot and adhere to your skin, making the burn worse.
Do not inhale melted glue fumes. Some glues are non-toxic, but not all of them are. Regardless, the fumes can be dangerous, and you may need to wear a respirator while working.
