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 dog

How to Make a Paper Dog.

There are several fun ways to create a paper dog, and luckily all of them require very few materials! Create a fun miniature dog that can stand on its own legs out of origami paper, or make a folded dog face with a playful expression. You could even make paper dog hand puppets to play with!

Method 1 Folding an Origami Dog.

1. Select a piece of origami paper for your dog. Depending on what you have available, choose either a 3 by 3 in (7.6 by 7.6 cm), 6 by 6 in (15 by 15 cm), or 10 by 10 in (25 by 25 cm) piece of paper. The bigger the sheet of paper, the bigger your dog will be. Brown, tan, or white are common dog colors, but don’t hesitate to choose something more unconventional for your origami creation.

If you don’t have origami paper, use something else that is thin and easy to fold, like newspaper, magazine pages, or even wrapping paper. Cut the substitute into the right dimensions so you have a perfectly square piece of paper.

2. Fold the square of paper in half to create a triangle. Take the top-left corner and fold it across so it meets the bottom-right corner, forming a triangle shape. Run your finger along the fold to create a crease.

Use the back of your nail or something hard, like the body of a pen, to make your crease lines more defined.

3. Open the square back up and fold it in half diagonally the other way. Unfold the paper so it is a square again. Make another triangle by folding the top-right corner across to the bottom-left corner. Press down along the fold line to make another crease.

It’s really important in origami to have straight, defined creases. That is what enables your creation to stand upright once you’ve finished.

4. Unfold the square again and place it in front of you. Open up the piece of paper and set it in front of you. Make the bottom of the square parallel to your body.

There should be an “X” formed by the creases on the unfolded piece of paper.

5. Bring the bottom-left corner to the center point of the square and fold. With the square unfolded in front of you, take the bottom-left corner and place its tip in the center of the square, where the 2 creases intersect to create an “X”. Press the fold down to make a crease.

Making firm creases will also keep the folded pieces of paper in place while you work on other sections. Otherwise, you might risk things coming undone and losing your place in your project.

6. Repeat the previous step to bring all the corners to the center. One at a time, take each remaining corner (top left, top right, bottom right) and fold them so their points are in the center of the square. Fold and press down the crease for each corner.

Essentially, this step turns the original square into a smaller square. All the sides should still be equal to one another.

You will now have left, top, right, and bottom sides, with all points meeting in the middle of the square.

7. Open the left flap, fold it in half, and then fold it back in place. Unfold the left-hand side piece of paper. Fold the point in half, so that the tip of it meets the intersection of your previous fold line. Then fold the entire left flap back into place.

There should be an open triangle when you look down at your square.

8. Take the tip of the right flap and fold it back to overlap the edge line. Leave the flap folded to the center point. Take the tip of the corner that is in the center, and fold it back about 2/3rds of the way. Make your crease so that the top forms a triangle that overhangs the outer edge of the square.

Leave the top and bottom flaps in place and don’t do anything to them at this point.

This fold will eventually become the dog’s tail.

9. Fold the entire square in half lengthwise. Pick up the piece of paper. Fold it in half evenly, lengthwise, to create the left and right sides of your origami dog. When the fold is done, set the paper down in front of you so that the pointy tail is pointing to the right.

Take your time when lining up the center fold. If the lines aren’t straight, your dog will be wobbly.

10. Unfold the top flap and crease it from the top-left to bottom-right corner. Unfold the flap of paper from the top section of the dog so that its point is pointing toward your body. Then fold the entire section of paper up, and create a diagonal fold that starts at the top-left corner and finishes at the bottom-right corner.

At this point in the folding process, you’re making the dog’s head and legs.

11. Refold the right edge along the crease line. After making the diagonal fold, take the point of the piece of paper you just folded up, and bring it back down along the original crease line. This creates the slant of the dog’s “leg.”

The bottom edge should be in line with the ground if you were to pretend to stand it up.

12. Repeat the previous 2 steps on the opposite side. Flip the piece of paper over. Unfold the flap of paper and make a diagonal fold from the top-right corner to the bottom-left corner. Then fold the paper back down along its original crease line to form the other leg.

Even though you’re nearing the end, remember to take your time and make your folds as straight and defined as you can.

13. Pull out the fold inside the dog’s “nose.” When you look at the piece of paper, you should now see the dog’s tail, body, triangle legs, and triangle head. Look under the dog’s nose and carefully pull out the fold. This creates the dog’s mouth and gives it a more realistic look.

The crease line creates a jawline for the dog.

14. Draw a nose and eyes onto the dog to complete it. Take a marker and put an eye on each side of the dog, as well as a nose. For the nose, just fill in the area around the front tip of the head. You could also draw a little smile or any other embellishments you feel are appropriate.

Once you get the hang of the pattern, you can make an origami dog in just a few minutes.

Method 2 Creating a Dog Head.

1. Choose a piece of origami paper for your project. Origami-specific paper comes in squares, which means it’s ready to use and you don’t need to cut it at all. The larger the piece of paper you choose, the bigger the dog head will be. Choose a color for your dog, whether that is brown, black, white, tan, or an unconventional color, like blue or green.

If you don’t have origami paper, cut a thin sheet of paper, like newspaper or wrapping paper, into a square.

2. Fold the top-left corner to the bottom-right corner to make a triangle. Match up the 2 corners so that the sides are equal. Press the fold down firmly to create a crease.

To help crease the paper, push the fold down with the back of your nail or with the body of a pen. The stronger the crease, the better definition your dog head will have.

3. Bring the 2 bottom corners together to make a smaller triangle. Leave your first fold in place. Bring the bottom points together and make another fold to form a smaller triangle.

Take your time when making your folds and line up the edges neatly.

4. Unfold the triangle once, and place it so the tip is pointing at your body. Undo the last fold you did so that just the large triangle is left. Position the paper so that the top of the triangle is pointing at you.

You’ll use the center crease as a guide for your future folds.

5. Make a diagonal fold on the right-hand side, starting at the center crease. Make a bigger fold for bigger dog ears or a smaller fold for smaller ears. Make the crease start at the center line and fold the right-side corner down at a diagonal angle.

Keep the fold lined up with the center crease to create a proportional face.

6. Repeat the previous step on the opposite side. Try your best to create the same angle so that your dog’s ears are the same size. Start the diagonal fold at the center-crease line.

When you look down at your paper, you should see a very angular-looking dog head.

7. Fold back the bottom and top points to create straight lines. Fold back the top tip of the dog’s head just enough so that there is a flat line connecting the 2 ears. Fold the bottom tip back to create a jaw line for the dog.

If you need to, use a little bit of glue or double-sided tape to secure the points to the back of the dog’s head.

8. Draw the rest of the dog’s features to complete your project. Use a black marker to draw eyes, a nose, and a mouth on the paper. You can get as detailed as you want to, but for basic features, make circles for eyes and an upside-down triangle for the nose. For the mouth, make a “J” attached to a backwards “J” coming out of the tip of the dog’s nose.

You can get as creative as you’d like with designing the dog’s face. Try making spots on the ears or giving it whiskers or a tongue.

Method 3 Making a Hand Puppet.

1. Fold a piece of paper lengthwise into 3 equal sections. Use a piece of construction paper or computer paper, or anything that comes close in size to 8.5 by 11 in (22 by 28 cm). This piece of paper will be the dog’s head, so use whatever color you’d like for that. White works well, but brown, black, or even an unconventional color, like red, would be fine.

Avoid using really thin paper for this craft. You’ll be sticking your hands into the folds, so it needs to be a little thicker to hold up.

2. Glue the last fold down with your glue stick. To help your craft stay together, apply some glue to the back of the last fold. Press it down so it adheres to the other side.

Glue sticks work great because they don’t take long to dry. If you don’t have a glue stick, try using double-sided tape.

3. Fold the paper in half so the “seam” is on the outside. Bring the short ends of the paper together, making a crease in the middle. Fold the paper so that the side you just glued is facing up.

If you accidentally fold it the wrong way the first time, that’s okay. Just unfold it and reverse the direction.

4. Fold the open edge to the bottom crease on each side. On each side of the paper, take the top edge and fold it back so it’s in line with the bottom, and make a crease. After you’ve done this on each side, hold up the paper and check that it makes an “M.”

The top and bottom sections are where you’ll place your fingers to make the puppet talk.

5. Cut out the dog’s ears and tongue and glue them into place. Use different colors of construction paper to cut out oblong shapes for the ears and tongue. Use your glue stick to attach them to the paper. Place the tongue inside the “mouth” and glue the ears on the top of the paper, one on each side of the head.

For example, if you used white paper for the dog’s head, use red paper for the tongue and black paper for the ears.

6.Draw on the eyes and nose to complete your puppet. Use a black marker to draw circles for eyes and an upside down triangle for the nose. You could even put 3 small dots on either side of the nose to make whiskers. Use your imagination and enjoy the decoration process!

To use the hand puppet, simply put your thumb in the bottom flap and your fingers in the top flap. When you open and close your hand, the dog’s mouth will open and close, too.

Tips

Take your time when creating a new craft! It can take a while to get the hang of things, but keep at it and you’ll be able to make various paper dogs in no time.

If you get a paper cut, rinse it off with warm water and mild soap, and put a bandaid around it to keep it clean.

Things You’ll Need.

Origami paper, Marker, Origami paper, Marker, Construction paper, marker, Scissors, Glue stick.

Desember 19, 2019

how to make minnie mouse ears

How to Make Minnie Mouse Ears.

Mickey's sweetheart has the fashion sense to wear a bow in her ears, but Minnie mouse has very similar ears to those of her beau. In some special costumes, Minnie has also been known to wear a crown, a Santa hat, and other seasonal accents between her ears. The ears are always black, of course, and the bow usually red with white polka-dots, but you can choose your favorite patterns and colors to make the bow you place between your Minnie Mouse ears.

Part 1 Making the Ears.

1. Gather the material for making your mouse ears. You will need black felt to give your mouse ears color and texture. A cardboard core will give your fabric rigidity and form. If you don't have any cardboard, you might be able to layer several pieces of rigid construction paper together with glue as a substitute. The material you use for the ears should be stiff enough to keep it from flopping around loosely once attached to the headband and if you don’t have felt, you can paint or color the cardboard black.

Black felt, Cardboard, Rigid construction paper (optional), Household glue, Plain paper, Ribbon (10” (25 cm) long), Ribbon (3” (7 cm) long).

You should be able to purchase everything you need for this project at your local fabric or craft store.

2. Purchase a headband and tools, if necessary. The headband can be any color, but it should be at least ½" (1.27 cm) thick. You will eventually attach your mouse ears to the headband, so thicker headbands might give your mouse ears greater stability. Including a head band, you should also purchase the following tools.

Headband, Hot glue gun (and glue), Household glue, Pencil, Pipe cleaner. Scissors.

3. Make two identical paper circle templates. You should trace two circles on your paper with a pencil or your chalk. Each circle should be between 3” and 5” (7.6 and 12.7 cm) and have a ½” (1.27 cm) tab at the bottom of the circle. These templates will be used to assist you in outlining the dimensions of your mouse ears on both fabric and cardboard.

The tabs will on the bottom of your circles will be used to secure the ears and the headband together.

You might be able to use the base of a bowl to help you in drawing identical circles for both of your templates.

4. Outline your felt circles onto your felt. Place your paper template on top of the felt and trace the circle with chalk onto it. You could use a piece of tailor’s chalk, or even regular chalk in a pinch. This way, you can wipe any leftover chalk away with a damp cloth.

Make four felt circles for every pair of ears you make. You will need to glue felt to the front and back of your cardboard core to make your mouse ears uniformly black.

5. Cut your felt circles. Take your scissors and follow the chalk outlines you've drawn to cut free your felt circles free from the fabric.You can add some jazzy flair to your mouse ears by using zig-zaggy pinking shears.

Pinking shears will add a cute border to your fabric and prevent your fabric from becoming frayed.

6. Trace cardboard circles for your mouse ears. These cardboard circles will form the core of your mouse ears, making it possible for them stand up straight, just like Minnie's! Use your pencil or a piece of chalk to trace the circle template onto the cardboard.

You will need two cardboard circles for every pair of ears you make.

7. Cut out your cardboard circles. Using your scissors, follow the chalk or pencil outline you drew with your templates onto the cardboard. Be sure you don't cut off your tabs! These will be necessary to connect your mouse ears to the headband.

You may need to touch up your cardboard and felt circles/tabs to make them as close to identical as possible.

Compare and trim your felt and cardboard circles by holding the cardboard and felt pieces together in a stack. Then you can trim down any irregularities.

8. Glue the felt to the cardboard. Household glue should be sufficient to attach a piece of felt to the front and back of each cardboard circle/ear. Drizzle glue back and forth along the cardboard and press your felt into place. Press the felt to the glue firmly for five to ten minutes help it set.

To create the best bond between your glue and the felt, you may want to allow your glue to rest for 30 minutes to an hour.

Part 2 Attaching the Ears to the Headband.

1. Spread hot glue along the tabs of the ears. Regular household glue won’t hold up to wear and tear as well as hot glue. The special glue used in hot glue guns, however, is much more durable. It will create a firm bond between ear and headband.

You'll have to move quick after you apply your hot glue. The glue will dry quickly soon after application.

Hot glue fresh from the gun will be very hot. Be careful not to burn yourself.

2. Hot glue the tabs of your circles to the underside of the headband. Your circles should be at least 4” (10 cm) apart so that you have room for the bow that will go between the ears. You may want to mark your headband with your chalk where you'll be attaching the ears to prevent yourself from gluing them into the wrong place.

If your headband is flexible or will permit the use of staples, you could also use a hardy stapler to connect the tabs of your mouse ears to your headband.

3. Allow the glue to dry thoroughly. Playing with your mouse ears before the glue has completely dried could cause your mouse ears to come free of the headband. To ensure you don't have to re-glue any of your pieces together, you should allow your glue to firm for 30 minutes to an hour.

4. Style the ears into position. Your mouse ears might not stand straight up like Minnie Mouse's at first. To encourage your mouse ears to hold this position, fold both up and forward. The glued tabs will keep the ears in place.

Part 3 Creating the Bow.

1. Measure and cut a 10” (25 cm) length of ribbon or fabric. You can use either ribbon or fabric for your bow, although ribbon will likely be a little shinier and look more like the bow Minnie wears. In either case, it should be 5” to 8” (12.7 to 20.3 cm) wide. You will eventually gather this fabric around its middle, which will cause the sides to fan out. This will give your bow its shape.

Thicker cuts of fabric will create more bunching when you gather this piece around its middle, which will give your bow a fuller appearance.

2. Measure and cut a 3” (7.6 cm) gathering string. This is the piece you will use to gather the fabric around the middle of your 10" (25 cm) length of ribbon. You should use a similar kind of fabric to your 10" (25 cm) ribbon, but you could also add some pop to your design by using a contrasting color fabric.

For example, if you are using Minnie's traditional bow color, red with white polka-dots, you might choose a bold blue for your gathering string.

3. Lay the 10" (25 cm) piece of ribbon on a flat surface. Put the print side face down. You're going to want to glue your gathering string along the back of your bow, which will be the same as the opposite side of the pattern.

4. Fold the long ends your 10" (25 cm) ribbon toward its center. You'll want each side to overlap slightly at the center of your 10" (25 cm) length of ribbon. Fold one end at a time so that there is enough overlap to glue these side where the meet at the center of the ribbon.

5. Glue the folded inward ends at the overlap. It should only take a dab or two of hot glue or fabric glue to join the ends together firmly. Press the fabric firmly to create a stronger bond between the fabric and glue.

You should follow the directions on your glue to achieve the best bond. Some glues will set and cure faster than others. Generally, you should hold the glue firmly for one to five minutes for best results.

6. Arrange your ribbon into a bow shape. Use one hand to pinch your ribbon together toward its centermost point from the top and bottom edges. This will be easiest to do if you are working with a ribbon that is at least 5” (12.7 cm) wide.

Pinching your ribbon together tightly will cause the outside edges to flare out more dramatically.

7. Loosely wrap your gathering string around your bunched ribbon. The 3” (7.6 cm) piece of ribbon will hold the fabric of your bow in its flared position. Wind it around several times and then remove your fingers where you were pinching the bow in the middle.

Hold the ribbon with your free hand to make sure it doesn't come unwound or loose.

Wind the remaining length of your ribbon around the center tightly.

8. Glue the gathering string in place. Lift one end of the small piece of ribbon and apply a dab of hot glue or fabric glue. If using hot glue, you should be careful not to burn yourself by pressing on the fabric immediately after glue application.

To apply pressure to make the best seal between your hot glue and fabric, you might use a tool to prevent getting burned, like a paperweight, gloved hand, or tweezers.

Fabric glue and other cold glues should be held together firmly to encourage a strong bond. Press the glued piece of ribbon together. Hold this position for about 30 seconds to a minute.

Part 4 Attaching the Bow to the Headband.

1. Slip a pipe cleaner through a fold in your bow. The bunchings of your bow fabric should have created folds through which you can thread your pipe cleaner so that it passes under your glued gathering string.

If you find it difficult to feed your pipe cleaner through a fold and under your gathering string, you can always use glue to attach the pipe cleaner along the back of your bow.

A dab of hot glue onto the back of your gathering string should be enough to hold your pipe cleaner in place.

2. Cross one end of the piper cleaner over the other. Orient your pipe cleaner so it is equal length on both sides of your gathering string. Now cross the sides of your pipe cleaner at the midpoint over the front of your gathering string and add a twist.

This will prevent the pipe cleaner from slipping out of the bow while adding stability to the bow in general.

Experiment with different colored pipe cleaners to personalize your Minnie Mouse ears!

3. Secure your bow with the loose ends of the pipe cleaner. Center the bow between the ears. Then you're going to wrap each end of the pipe cleaner around opposite ends of your headband. Twine each side of the pipe cleaner down opposite ends of the headband until you go no further.

The ends of pipe cleaner can be pointy. To prevent the wearer from getting poked, you may want to turn these inward on your headband. The ends can also be taped to the headband as an extra precaution.

By attaching your bow to your mouse ears with a pipe cleaner, you'll be able to swap out different bows without having to make a new pair of mouse ears.

Twist ties can be used to reinforce your pipe cleaners if you find the pipe cleaner windings are not holding the bow in place well enough.

4. Add finishing touches and show off your mouse ears. Minnie, being a stylish mouse, would probably go ga-ga over some rhinestones, glitter, feathers, or other accents you might add to your mouse ears. Most of these can be attached with a small dab of hot glue. Once you've finished adding your finishing touches, you should show off your mouse ears to all your friends.

Tips.

Use a black felt tip marker to color white pipe cleaners if you don't want the white to show too much.

Warnings.

Hot glue emerges from the gun applicator at a very high temperature. Whenever using hot glue, you should follow the instructions that came with your glue gun and take care.

Things You’ll Need.

Ribbon (10” (25 cm) long), Ribbon (3” (7 cm) long), Black felt, Black felt tip marker, black crayon or paint (optional), Cardboard.

Chalk, Foam (optional), Headband, Hot glue gun, Household glue, Pipe cleaner, Plain paper, Scissors, Stiff construction paper (optional).

Desember 12, 2019

how to dye your rubber object

How to Dye your Rubber object.

If you want to dye your rubber object, you can try several different techniques for a strong and lasting color. Rubber takes a long time to absorb colors, but with the right materials, you can permanently dye it. Depending on the type of rubber, you can use either fabric or hair dye to change the rubber's color. And, if permanent dyes don't provide a bright enough color, you can always try temporarily coloring the rubber with acrylic paints.







Using Fabric Dyes on Rubber



Clean your rubber object thoroughly before dyeing it. If your object is dirty, its dyed surface may look uneven or discolored. Wash your object with soap and warm water, scrubbing away any debris as best as you can.

This method works for all rubber types except silicone.



Heat enough water for submerging your rubber object. Fill a pot with water and heat it on a low to medium stove setting. The water should be hot, but not boiling—close to, but less than 212 °F (100 °C) is ideal.

Be careful when handling the hot water to prevent burns or spills.

For a more precise measurement, use a water thermometer. Otherwise, wait for the water to start forming bubbles at the bottom of the pot but not yet boil.



Add fabric dye to the hot water at the proper ratio. Pour the fabric dye and hot water in a bowl in a ratio determined by the dye packaging. Mix the fabric dye and water thoroughly until you achieve an even color.

You can buy fabric dye online or at most craft stores.

Fabric dye can stain bowls and other cooking tools, particularly plastics. To prevent this, use glass or metal cooking tools if possible.



Soak the rubber object for 1-2 hours. Place the object in the bowl and leave it to soak. Keep it in the pan for up to 2 hours, depending on how strong or bright you want the new color to be.

As long as you clean and sanitize the kitchen utensils afterward, you can use them for cooking again later.

Check on the object's dyeing progress periodically, but avoid moving it to keep its new color even.



Boil the water as a faster alternative. Instead of pouring the water into a bowl, fill a pot with the dye mixture and heat it until boiling. Grab the rubber object with tongs and dip it into the water continually until you reach your desired color, changing the tongs' position as you dip to make sure you thoroughly coat the object.

If you choose this method, it should take up to 20-25 minutes depending on the brightness of the color.

This method, while faster, can result in a more uneven color.



Remove the object from the dye mixture and wash it. Pick the object out of the water with tongs and run it under warm water to remove the excess dye. Inspect the object's new color and, if it's not as bright as you would prefer, repeat the process with a higher concentration of dye.

Repeatedly dyeing the rubber over time may damage it. If you don't achieve the color you want after 1-2 times, try painting it instead.









Trying Hair Dye on Silicone Objects



Wash your silicone object thoroughly before dyeing it. Dyeing silicone objects while they're dirty can result in an unevenly dyed color. Clean your silicone object with soap and water, and scrub away any stubborn debris or chipped paint before preparing the dye.



Mix the hair dye in a cup or bowl. Open the hair dye package and mix it according to the kit's instructions. Most kits include a bottle of hair dye and a developer, which you mix thoroughly until you reach an even color.

Find a well-ventilated area to mix the hair dye, as most chemical dyes have a strong smell.

Buy chemical, not natural, hair dyes for a bright and lasting color.



Coat the silicone objects in the hair dye. Dip the silicone objects into the hair dye until their surface is thoroughly coated. Leave the objects in the container while fully coated in the dye to soak in the new color.

This method is ideal for small silicone objects. For larger silicone objects, you may need to make several hair dye batches.



Let the silicone soak overnight. Silicone is difficult to dye, and it takes a long time for color to permeate its surface. Leave the silicone to soak in the hair dye overnight, and remove it from the solution the next day.

The water's temperature should be neither hot or cold but lukewarm.

The longer you leave it in the dye, the deeper its color will be.



Wash the silicone under water and check its color. Run your silicone object under water to remove any excess dye, then inspect its new color. If the color is still too light or faded, try dyeing the object again or painting it instead.

You can also try a stronger or brighter hair dye for a deeper color.



Avoid leaving the object outdoors for extended periods of time. UV light can break down the colors in hair dye and cause it to fade. Keep your silicone object indoors to preserve its color and prevent discoloration.

Apply a new dye coat and keep it away from UV light if your dyed color fades over time.

If you don't achieve the color you want after 1-2 times, try painting it instead, as too much dyeing can damage the silicone.









Coloring Rubber Temporarily with Acrylic Paints



Use acrylics to paint rubber objects. Rubber is especially prone to chipping or flaking after being painted. If you want to paint rubber, buy acrylic paints online or from a craft store for a lasting color.

Painting rubber is the most temporary way to stain objects. Choose this method if you're unsure how permanent you want your dyed color to be.



Apply a layer of Mod Podge over your object before painting. Mod Podge helps the paint stick to your object and prevent the color from flaking. Use a paint brush to cover the surface in a thin Mod Podge layer, and let it dry for 15-20 minutes.

Clean the rubber with soap and water first to remove debris for a more secure paint job.

If you have any areas you don't want to paint, affix painter's tape over these areas before applying the Mod Podge.

You can buy Mod Podge from most home improvement or craft stores.



Use a foam brush to apply the acrylics. Dip a foam brush into the acrylic paint and apply it in even layers to the rubber object. When you've covered the entire surface in the paint, let it dry for 30-60 minutes and inspect the color's brightness.

For a stronger color, apply 2-3 coats of paint. Wait for each coat to dry before applying another one, which should take between 30 minutes to an hour.



Spray a paint sealer over the rubber to preserve its color. After the last paint coat dries, hold the paint sealer's nozzle 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) from the surface and spray an even coating over the rubber. Let the paint sealer dry for 30-60 minutes before touching or using the rubber object.

Even with paint sealer, acrylic paint may flake or chip over time. Reapply paint coats as needed to restore the rubber's color, spraying more paint sealer afterward.



Tips.

When dyeing rubber, set up newspapers or a tarp over your workplace to avoid staining other objects.

Wear gloves while handling paints or dyes and wash your hands immediately afterward to prevent staining your skin.

Wear clothes you can get dirty in while dyeing rubber in case of accidental stains.

Warnings.

Most dyes are permanent and difficult or impossible to remove after using. Do not dye your rubber unless you're positive that you want to change its color.

Things You'll Need.

Using Fabric Dyes on Rubber.

Water.

Soap.

Fabric dye.

Bowl.

Pan.

Tongs.

Pot (optional).

Trying Hair Dye on Silicone.

Soap.

Water.

Hair dye.

Cup or bowl.

Coloring Rubber Temporarily with Acrylic Paints.

Acrylic paints.

Mod Podge.

Foam brush.

Paint sealer.

November 08, 2019