Sunday, August 1, 2010

Paperweights Tutorial and Sister Fun

This weekend I spent a good part of Saturday with four of my five sisters.  Can you believe it, not one picture was taken of us together.  We missed our sister Becky who lives in California.  This was a Birthday brunch for our sister Lynda but we also had a time of being creative. 

We made these fun paperweights.

Michele's Believe with several little treasures that shake around inside

Sherry (see the Bless You hiding under the buttons and beads)  I took the picture before the glue had dried so the white around the edges is gone now.

Lynda's has the word Peace hiding inside, she says that shaking it to find the word is a peaceful thing to do.

Michele tried another, with shells this time

Raydine's has the word Faith inside along with buttons, a needle, beads and a little bird.

How did we make this fun little project?
I found it in a great book called
"between friends"
by Charlotte Lyons

I purchased this book a few years back and have tried other projects in it.

This is the page where the project begins.

We gathered materials, beads, buttons, papers, charms, trinkets, words, stickers, etc.
Look at thrift stores for tea light holders, small glass dishes, ashtrays without rim indentations.
Cardboard and felt  for backing.

Trace around outside of glass and cut one cardboard, one felt and one paper the shape of your glass.

Glue paper to one side of the cardboard and the paper to the other side.

Add any items you will not want to move around and glue them in place.

Arrange the items you will want inside on top of your paper to see how much you will want moving around.
I then placed them inside the glass dish.  Then you will run white glue around the glass edge.  Place your cardboard piece upside down on top of the glue.  Don't slide it around because if you get glue in the center your movable items will get stuck in one place.

Part of the words are hidden but if you shake the beads to the other side you could read the rest. 

 These paperweights would make great "place cards" at a table with the name of your guest inside.  Old stamps, a ticket to a special play, a scrap of fabric, a broken earring, we kept coming up with ideas of what we could put inside.  I am going to be looking for dishes of all different shapes and sizes.  Isn't it fun to make something pretty and useful from a simple glass dish.  What a transformation.

Let your imagination go and have fun, that is exactly what we did.

I will be linking to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on
the Porch
and Making the World Cuter Monday at Making the World Cuter

11 comments:

  1. This looks like such fun! I'll have to try it soon.

    So, what have you spent your CSN money on??? :-)

    Have a wonderful week!
    Hugs,
    Anne

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sherry
    so delighted to have you stop by. Thank you for the encouragement. Looking forward to sharing more on your terrific blog. Have a wonderful week!

    xoxox
    Kate

    ReplyDelete
  3. Totally inspiring! Thanks so much for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. That is a neat project and it looks so authentic--like real paperweights. What a cute idea!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great project, Thanks for sharing.
    Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  6. Cute project, fun get together too. When the photo takers are together, it seems no one takes the photos!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. These are so cute I featured them check it out and grab a button if you'd like!
    http://soverycreative.blogspot.com/2010/08/paperweights.html

    ReplyDelete
  8. Absolutely beautiful Sherry! Thank you so much for sharing with us today!

    Thank you, too, for your sweet words for me today. I feel so blessed.

    Thank you for posting my giveaway on your sidebar! EEK! Maybe you will win!

    Love to you~

    Rebecca

    ReplyDelete
  9. This would be a fun 4H project. Thanks! I follow now and look forward to more blogging adventures.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Sherry,
    Thanks for visiting my blog & for adding my button to your sidebar, you're a sweetheart!
    I love this project, I think your idea to use them as place cards is inspired.
    enJOY,
    Kimberly

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am happy that you are going to quilt along with us! I love these paperweights. And that tea was so lovely. I've never done anything like that, it looks so fun!

    ReplyDelete