This weeks Unplugged Project is Metal. The long weekend threw me off a bit so I am posting a day late-but better late then never! This Mexican Metal Tooling project is super easy, no mess.
You will need some heavy aluminum-we cut cake pans apart-scissors, stack of newspapers, paint brushes, permanent markers. Optional materials list to follow.
Place your aluminum square on your newspaper stack and use the back of a paintbrush to draw a picture/design. You can flip your square over and draw on the other side too so that some of your drawing sticks out and some is concave.
Now use your permanent markers to color in your picture.
The next part took longer than anything. I punched holes in the corners and used jewelry wire to string the tiles together and tied them to a dowel rod. We hung some beads off the bottom for weight. This is optional but I think it really looks great. Because we used permanent markers I plan to hang this on our back patio but tonight could not find a single place to hang it to get a good photo. This was the best I could do.
Note–after cutting the pans up the edges are a bit sharp, you may want to use masking tape and tape the square down to the newspaper while working on it. Be careful!
Here is a photo I took this morning outside-looks a bit better!
These are so pretty! I love them hanging with the beads at the bottom — so darling!
Beautifully done and displayed!!
Ok that is simply beautiful.
Ooooh, those are awesome! Remember that egg smelling stuff that we used to use in school to make it black then you rub off the extra so the black stays in the cracks? Did you do that in school? I will try this and just use black marker. So many possibilities!
I love this! Kudos o a great project!
Terrific project, I love the look!
Wow yours turned out so beautiful! We did the same thing but with larger sheets of foil. I love what you did with the beads. Very nice.
You always make such lovely things! I like how you used foil pans. I have done this with aluminum foil and it is pretty, but not sturdy enough to do much with plus you have to be careful not to tear it. Hanging the squares and finishing off with beads is brilliant! We’ll have to try this one. Thanks for joining in again!
Fabulouso. The bead idea is inspired!
I saw this on Flickr, we are so trying it!
Great project! I love how you strung them together and added the beads on the bottom. I also like the idea of taping them down while being worked on. I’ve pressed images on thin metal sheets and sliced my finger before.
Wow – they look great!
I love that idea. I think we will try burnishing rubber stamps too. Great project, thanks for sharing.
really really terrific!
love the idea and may be just what i need for vbs this year.
This is so cute and so easy to follow. May I repost at my blog?
Salute,
Yoli
YOLI—By all means you may re-post!! I have an aunt named Yoli! Short for Yolanda.
[...] Mexican Metal Tooling (Lots of great activities throughout the site. I can’t wait to try this one.) Toilet Paper Cord Holders (A simple and quick but seriously use for an empty TP roll.) [...]
We tried this yesterday and posted about it here:
http://myplumpudding.blogspot.com/2008/06/metal-tooling-and-fathers-day-not-for.html linking back to you. Yours is lovely!
Thanks for sharing this project. We’ve now made our own and love the results!
[...] frequent Crafty Crow for project ideas. Recently we found this Mexican Metal Tooling project originally posted by Pepper [...]
[...] Mexican Metal Tooling at Pepper Paints [...]