Put a spin on paperweights

Hands-on time: Approximately an hour and a half.
Total time: Add 24 hours for curing.
Skill: Easy.
Cost estimate: $15 to make six paperweights (cost of drawing disks not included).

Materials & Tools

• A set of spiral drawing wheels, available from Klutz (it is even better if you can find a vintage Spirograph set at a garage sale or flea market)
• Gel pens in assorted colours
• Drawing, tracing or vellum paper
• Regular or fancy-trim scissors
• Newspapers or plastic bags
• Water and a clean cloth
• Old measuring cup
• Molds in various shapes and sizes (e.g. soap-making molds, plastic food containers, etc.)
• Cooking spray (if needed)
• Protective gloves, eyewear and a face mask or respirator
• Clear liquid plastic casting resin (16 ounces, or about 1/2 L) and catalyst (hardener)
• Pyrex or polyethylene disposable cups, or disposable paper cups with plastic coating on the inside
• Craft stir sticks
• Accents such as glitter, seashells, sequins or beads (they must be dry and wax- and grease-free)

Everything from the '70s is back in style these days, from that decade's distinctive fashion to its creative arts. I made this project by combining two of my favourite '70s fads: Spirograph and resin castings.

Resin casting allows you to embed almost any object in clear plastic. In this case, we are going to use funky spiral drawings to create pop-style paperweights.

Using coloured gel pens, draw spirals in different shapes and sizes with drawing wheels (or print some off of your computer (see web reference at the end of this article). Make as many spiral shapes as you need for your project (in sizes to fit each mold), and then cut out the shapes with regular or fancy-trim scissors.

Cover your work area with newspapers or plastic bags. Use water to measure how much liquid your molds will hold in order to determine how much resin you will need. Discard the water and use a clean cloth to wipe the molds and measuring cup. Lightly spray the molds with cooking spray. (This step isn't necessary for some molds, especially disposable plastic ones).

The casting portion of this project is done in two parts. Wearing safety gear and working in a well-ventilated area, measure half of the resin you need into a disposable cup, then add drops of the hardening catalyst according to the manufacturer's directions and mix thoroughly with a craft stick.

Pour the mixture into the molds, filling them halfway. Let harden until the mixture reaches a jelly stage (about 25 minutes). You can add a few small sequins or seed beads at this point. Because of the fumes, be sure to dispose of the cup and craft stick in a plastic bag and dump into an outside trash can.

Place your spiral designs on the jelly-like resin. Repeat the above process; measure the same amount of resin, but this time add fewer drops of the catalyst as per the manufacturer's directions. Mix and pour into the molds over the spiral design and let set for another 25 minutes. You can then add other accents.

The molds need to cure for 24 hours. The resin should be hard and not tacky to the touch when it is ready to be removed from the molds. If you have trouble unmolding any of the castings, run them under hot water and carefully push them out. Let the castings stand for an hour or two before handling, or they may pick up fingerprints and become cloudy.

Tips

• Read the manufacturer's directions before using any resin product; some instructions may vary depending on the brand.
• It is very important to have an adult supervise children at all times for this project.
• Never pour leftover resin down a drain.
• Check out the Spiral drawing book and gel pens by Klutz. To download spiral designs from the Internet, try Epicycles.

Variations

• Resin casting can be used to create many more projects, such as decorative trays, card and pen holders, small frames, mobiles, ornaments for windows and Christmas decorations. Try embedding leaves, dried flowers, shells, rocks, coins, photographs, ticket stubs, autographs, children's drawings, and even small toys to create unique keepsakes.
• Spiral art on vellum paper can make cool window accents for a tween's bedroom. You can also use it to make coasters, bookmarks (covered with a clear plastic film) or covers for school books.