Tuesday, December 8, 2009

In Record Time...

While hunting up some inexpensive yet personalized holiday gifts for the gang... a friend of mine clued me in on one of the best ideas evah... Record Bowls.
They're decorative.
They're unique.
They're SUUUUPER easy to make.
And, you can tailor them to the giftee via the album you choose to melt.
It's a win-win-win situation.
So here's the How To:



Record Bowls

Step 1. Choose your Tunes
I picked up a handful of albums at my local Goodwill. They're $1.99 and there's always a ton to choose from. If you're looking for a favorite artist or genre you can always order them online (helloooo eBay!) or hit up your local independently-owned record store. Believe it or not, they DO still make & sell vinyl folks!



Step 2. The Heat is On
Preheat your oven to 200F

Step 3. Insert Tab A into Slot B
You'll need 1 cookie sheet, 1 heat-proof bowl, 1 record
Center record on top of bowl.
Place bowl on cookie sheet.
Insert cookie sheet into oven.



Step 4. Dance Break!
Set a timer for 5 minutes.
Take a dance break.
(any less and the vinyl's not terribly pliable)
(too much longer and the vinyl gives off some nasty noxious fumes)

Step 5. Shape it Up
Take the entire stack out of the oven.
IMMEDIATELY start shaping your album.
The Vinyl Will Cool Unbelievably Quickly!!!!!
You have a couple of options here.
You can either shape the album with your hands, or drop it into a larger bowl and let it lend its shape to the album. I kind of just combo'd it. I dropped the album into a large bowl & shaped the folds with my hands. Work quickly, but if the vinyl cools before you're done don't force it, just pop it back in the oven for a couple of minutes before giving it another go.



Step 6. The Cool Down
Allow your new Record Bowl about 10-15 minutes to cool completely and finish setting up.
You now have one completely original bowl in which to display fruit, candy, coasters, knick-knacks, bric-a-brac and other hyphenated miscellany...



*looking to give these as a gift?
Check back soon for the How To on making a gift box out of the album cover...
It's a-coming!


1 comment:

  1. I love the idea! I'm all about green gifts! Except I'm wondering if the noxious fumes are still considered "green." =)

    ReplyDelete

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