Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Shrink Plastic Leaf Napkin Rings


Copper-Look Leaf Napkin Rings

With one of these napkin rings at each place setting, your table will assume an air of classic elegance. You can use a real leaf for your pattern too! Shrink Plastic shrinks 60% of the original size and to the thickness of a nickel.

What You Need

Shrink Plastic or check your recycle bin for plastic containers with the #6 on the bottoms

Baby powder

Baking sheet

Scissors

Acrylic paints: verdigris, copper

E6000® Craft Glue

Artistic Wire 10 gauge copper wire

Permanent pen, black, fine line

Sea sponge (small scrap)

Palette

Ruler

Wire cutter

2” diameter bottle to shape napkin rings

Round nose pliers

What To Do

  1. Place Shrink Plastic over pattern. Trace with permanent marker. Cut out. Pre-heat oven to 275 - 300 degrees. Lightly sprinkle baking sheet with baby powder. Place Shrink Plastic on baking sheet. Place in oven until shrunk and leaf lays flat. Shrink desired number of leaves. While leaves are still warm, bend edges upward. Let cool.
  2. Sponge copper paint on front, sides and back of leaves. Let dry.
  3. Sponge verdigris over leaves, allowing a small amount of copper to show through. Let dry.
  4. For each napkin ring, cut a 12” length from wire, using wire cutter. Wrap center of wire length around 2” diameter bottle, leaving ends straight. Remove from bottle. Grasp end of wire, using pliers, twist, forming a large loop, referring to photo. Repeat at other end of wire.
  5. Glue leaf at center of napkin ring.
Other Shrink Plastic ideas can be found in The Guide to Shrink Plastic book
http://stores.lulu.com/craftproductsatyahoodotcom

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