Build yourself a colored or no colored lamp to give your little north pole buddies a place to live and some "cool" lighting! Very customizable as well!
OK maybe its not the most function lamp for yourself but like I said if you happen to have made/have some little "northern" figures in the process its gives them a place to party it up and have a rave every night, all night long.
OK maybe its not the most function lamp for yourself but like I said if you happen to have made/have some little "northern" figures in the process its gives them a place to party it up and have a rave every night, all night long.
Step 1: Collection of materials
All the materials we used we got at your local Walmart.
1 First off your going to need some form or frame for your igloo. This is probably the most difficult thing to find. At first we looked for a plastic or glass bowl but they all have flat tops and we though they wouldn't look "igloo" enough so we actually settled on a fruit basket centerpiece. We actually used the outside metal part because we decide the penguin and polar bear who were living inside would want a balcony.
2 Lots and lots of packing tape, the clearer the better.
3 Plenty of quick drying clay.
4 Paint, preferably white however you could have a blue, green, or pink igloo if you really want to.
5 A light socket and florescent light bulb.
6 Cardboard or wood if you wanna be pro for the base.
7 Bottom half of a pop can.
8 And like the packing tape more glue that you think you will need, I recommend using the old school white glue we all used (and some of us ate) in kindergarten.
1 First off your going to need some form or frame for your igloo. This is probably the most difficult thing to find. At first we looked for a plastic or glass bowl but they all have flat tops and we though they wouldn't look "igloo" enough so we actually settled on a fruit basket centerpiece. We actually used the outside metal part because we decide the penguin and polar bear who were living inside would want a balcony.
2 Lots and lots of packing tape, the clearer the better.
3 Plenty of quick drying clay.
4 Paint, preferably white however you could have a blue, green, or pink igloo if you really want to.
5 A light socket and florescent light bulb.
6 Cardboard or wood if you wanna be pro for the base.
7 Bottom half of a pop can.
8 And like the packing tape more glue that you think you will need, I recommend using the old school white glue we all used (and some of us ate) in kindergarten.
Step 2: Igloo Structure
OK after this step your being to hate the stickiness of packing tape. Basically start wrapping your entire frame in packing tape. We did about 5 layers or so....but essentially you want it very taught so when the clay tiles go on they have something to connect to and hold on to.
The trick to doing it efficiently so there are less folds and odd parts to your wrapping is to go diagonally from the bottom up and around the frame, therefore not going horizontally or vertically along the frame.
At the end of wrapping you should be able to firmly press on parts that are just tape without worrying about it failing and your finger poking through.
The trick to doing it efficiently so there are less folds and odd parts to your wrapping is to go diagonally from the bottom up and around the frame, therefore not going horizontally or vertically along the frame.
At the end of wrapping you should be able to firmly press on parts that are just tape without worrying about it failing and your finger poking through.
Step 3: The Clay Tiles....
OK MAKE ROOM OR YOU WILL REGRET IT. THIS STUFF CAN BE VERY MESSY.
Once you have some room wet the clay so you can work with it. Roll it out with a rolling pin or something until it is about 1/4 inch or about 0.5 cm think. Once you got that you can etch out the tiles with a butter knife.
Remember your tiles need to be a trapezoid shape where the top and bottom are parallel but the top is a shorter length than the bottom, angling the sides inward. This is because the circumference of the igloo at 5 cm from the bottom is shorter around than the circumference at the very bottom. If you don't do this you'll end up with decent sized gaps or overlays and you need to leave space for the light to shine through.
Once you have some room wet the clay so you can work with it. Roll it out with a rolling pin or something until it is about 1/4 inch or about 0.5 cm think. Once you got that you can etch out the tiles with a butter knife.
Remember your tiles need to be a trapezoid shape where the top and bottom are parallel but the top is a shorter length than the bottom, angling the sides inward. This is because the circumference of the igloo at 5 cm from the bottom is shorter around than the circumference at the very bottom. If you don't do this you'll end up with decent sized gaps or overlays and you need to leave space for the light to shine through.
Step 4: Placement of Tiles
Now start at the top and work your way down removing your cut out tiles (add designs on them if you want) and placing them on the igloo frame. If your tiles don't stick at all, its because your clay is a bit to wet. Let it dry for 5min and try again.
Dont worry about having the tiles identical because in reality an igloo isnt made out of perfect tiles of snow now are they. The tiles should have about 1/8 to 1/4 inch spaces between them, it depends on how many tiles you have. Less tiles = bigger space, more tiles = smaller space.
Once you got the tiles all on just wet your finger and smooth out their surface a bit to give it a little bumpy look. (FYI we have white clay too because we ran out while making tiles)
Now its time to let it dry over night and then in the morning paint it. You may notice several of the tiles are loose and plop off, its OK, this is where the glue comes in. Surprisingly the cheap Crayola clay (the white stuff) didn't even need any extra gluing and was REALLY strong compared to the arts and craft clay. Don't be conservative with the glue just lace it over everything that feels loose.
Dont worry about having the tiles identical because in reality an igloo isnt made out of perfect tiles of snow now are they. The tiles should have about 1/8 to 1/4 inch spaces between them, it depends on how many tiles you have. Less tiles = bigger space, more tiles = smaller space.
Once you got the tiles all on just wet your finger and smooth out their surface a bit to give it a little bumpy look. (FYI we have white clay too because we ran out while making tiles)
Now its time to let it dry over night and then in the morning paint it. You may notice several of the tiles are loose and plop off, its OK, this is where the glue comes in. Surprisingly the cheap Crayola clay (the white stuff) didn't even need any extra gluing and was REALLY strong compared to the arts and craft clay. Don't be conservative with the glue just lace it over everything that feels loose.
Step 5: Base build
Take some cardboard and draw out the circumference of the igloo. Cut a square using that diameter at the length and width. now on each side you want another piece to cardboard just to lift the igloo off the base a bit to the lights cable can go through.
As for the light drill or fashion a hole in the bottom of the popcan. Run the wire through it and reattach it to the light socket. Glue the socket into the base of the pop can, and screw you light bulb in.
MAKE SURE THE BULB IS NOT A HIGHER WATTAGE THAT THE SOCKET ALLOWS....THIS WOULD BE A FIRE HAZARD IF IT IS.
Glue the base of the pop can on a angle to the cardboard so it all fits with the igloo on top of it. Add some cardboard supports on the sides and there ya go. Turn the light on and your other lights off. And pop the igloo over top of the light...Ta Da.
As for the light drill or fashion a hole in the bottom of the popcan. Run the wire through it and reattach it to the light socket. Glue the socket into the base of the pop can, and screw you light bulb in.
MAKE SURE THE BULB IS NOT A HIGHER WATTAGE THAT THE SOCKET ALLOWS....THIS WOULD BE A FIRE HAZARD IF IT IS.
Glue the base of the pop can on a angle to the cardboard so it all fits with the igloo on top of it. Add some cardboard supports on the sides and there ya go. Turn the light on and your other lights off. And pop the igloo over top of the light...Ta Da.
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ChrysN
says:
Sep 25, 2009. 2:58 PMReplyThis looks really cool, you could paint the cardboard base white so it looks snowy.
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