Carrie
07-29-2008, 07:53 PM
Being into Christmas "plastic yard art", some years ago I started wanting to make my own blow molds. But seeing as how I'm not a millionaire, I had to use ready made plastic shapes. I taught this at a Christmas Convention in 2007 (PLUS2007) in Gatlinburg, TN. Its a fun and easy project, but they can be quickly "mass produced" for some really great decorations.
I'm sorry on this how-to that I haven't any pictures to post, but I will get some and add later.
You'll need:
A craft knife (Exacto is good)
An empty gallon clear plastic milk container
Krylon for Plastic Spray paint in the color(s) of your choice
Christmas stencils (can be purchased at Michaels, Hobby Lobby or do what I do, make your own out of masking tape or contact paper)
A nail or an awl
A c-7 light kit (Note: if you can find the kind with the plastic "ring" grab it, if not, the spring assembly that you squeeze will work just as well)
3 ziplock sandwich bags filled with clean sand
With a pencil and ruler, mark off a straight line all the way around the milk jug below the curve of the jug. Make sure your line is straight all the way around, as you will be removing the top 1/3rd of the jug. Using your craft knife, cut off the top of the container. You are creating an open topped plastic container. You want to cut the container so that it no longer looks like a milk jug..so make sure to remove all of the curved area. If your jug has a handle you can remove it if you choose (I do).
Next, make a 4 or 5 holes in the bottom of the jug with your nail or awl. These are drain holes and will help to keep the jugs from filling with rain water or snow melt.
Get your light kit and cut a hole in the milk jug approximately 2 inches from the bottom of the jug. Be sure to cut carefully so that the hole is large enough to accommodate the bulb or the plastic ring if you have that kind of kit.
Fill your ziplocks with sand and set them aside.
Place your stencils on the jug in whatever manner is pleasing to you or you can opt not to use stencils at all.
Shake your Krylon well, do as the manufacturer directs on the side of the can.
Now you're ready to start painting. There is a lot to be said about using spray paint well. But the most important thing is don't repeatedly press the button on the can. When you spray, keep the button depressed, make your pass and then let the button go. You always want to start the paint spraying out BEFORE you aim it at an object. Press the button and with a slow sweeping motion from left to right make a pass over one side of your container. Rotate the container and do the next side, and so on until all 4 sides are painted. DO NOT go for a heavy coat of paint on the first pass. Krylon will dry to the touch (depending on the humidity and temperature) within 10 minutes. If you need to add another coat, do it lightly after the first coat is dry. You do NOT want the container to be covered in a thick layer of paint..the light will not shine through as well.
Once you have your container painted, let it dry thoroughly, give it 24 hours.
Remove the stencils carefully, start at one edge and peel the stencil back over itself..this will cut the paint seal, instead of producing a jagged or torn looking edge.
Insert your c-7 light kit into the hole you cut.
Take your sandbags and place in the bottom of the container. Press them flat.
Plug in and enjoy!
You can make an entire series of these home made blow mold luminarias to line a walk, attach them to a roof line (add more sandbags and raise the bulb hole a bit higher, use them indoors or out. Use your imagination as to the decoration you want to use..at PLUS we used snowflakes and they looked great (you could also cover the jug with frisket film and cut out a design in the frisket and then paint. The jug would be clear but the design would have color. Use your imagination!
I'm sorry on this how-to that I haven't any pictures to post, but I will get some and add later.
You'll need:
A craft knife (Exacto is good)
An empty gallon clear plastic milk container
Krylon for Plastic Spray paint in the color(s) of your choice
Christmas stencils (can be purchased at Michaels, Hobby Lobby or do what I do, make your own out of masking tape or contact paper)
A nail or an awl
A c-7 light kit (Note: if you can find the kind with the plastic "ring" grab it, if not, the spring assembly that you squeeze will work just as well)
3 ziplock sandwich bags filled with clean sand
With a pencil and ruler, mark off a straight line all the way around the milk jug below the curve of the jug. Make sure your line is straight all the way around, as you will be removing the top 1/3rd of the jug. Using your craft knife, cut off the top of the container. You are creating an open topped plastic container. You want to cut the container so that it no longer looks like a milk jug..so make sure to remove all of the curved area. If your jug has a handle you can remove it if you choose (I do).
Next, make a 4 or 5 holes in the bottom of the jug with your nail or awl. These are drain holes and will help to keep the jugs from filling with rain water or snow melt.
Get your light kit and cut a hole in the milk jug approximately 2 inches from the bottom of the jug. Be sure to cut carefully so that the hole is large enough to accommodate the bulb or the plastic ring if you have that kind of kit.
Fill your ziplocks with sand and set them aside.
Place your stencils on the jug in whatever manner is pleasing to you or you can opt not to use stencils at all.
Shake your Krylon well, do as the manufacturer directs on the side of the can.
Now you're ready to start painting. There is a lot to be said about using spray paint well. But the most important thing is don't repeatedly press the button on the can. When you spray, keep the button depressed, make your pass and then let the button go. You always want to start the paint spraying out BEFORE you aim it at an object. Press the button and with a slow sweeping motion from left to right make a pass over one side of your container. Rotate the container and do the next side, and so on until all 4 sides are painted. DO NOT go for a heavy coat of paint on the first pass. Krylon will dry to the touch (depending on the humidity and temperature) within 10 minutes. If you need to add another coat, do it lightly after the first coat is dry. You do NOT want the container to be covered in a thick layer of paint..the light will not shine through as well.
Once you have your container painted, let it dry thoroughly, give it 24 hours.
Remove the stencils carefully, start at one edge and peel the stencil back over itself..this will cut the paint seal, instead of producing a jagged or torn looking edge.
Insert your c-7 light kit into the hole you cut.
Take your sandbags and place in the bottom of the container. Press them flat.
Plug in and enjoy!
You can make an entire series of these home made blow mold luminarias to line a walk, attach them to a roof line (add more sandbags and raise the bulb hole a bit higher, use them indoors or out. Use your imagination as to the decoration you want to use..at PLUS we used snowflakes and they looked great (you could also cover the jug with frisket film and cut out a design in the frisket and then paint. The jug would be clear but the design would have color. Use your imagination!