Project by Tina Frost from Akron, Ohio.
Tina and her 17-year-old daughter Danielle have a very close relationship. In fact, Dani is Tina's biggest fan, and to prove it, she submitted an application for her mom to appear on Crafters Coast to Coast unbeknownst to Tina. It's obvious Tina is Dani's biggest fan, too, because this dynamic, tried-and-true crafter is constantly coming up with ideas for mother/daughter crafting parties for her teenage daughter and her friends. Their latest project are memory lap trays like this one, that captures the girls' favorite things inside an old picture frame, embellished with Fimo clay tiles.
Materials:
11" x 14" wooden frame with glass
6" wooden legs
FIMO clay: blue 374, green 50, red 26, orange 42, yellow 16, pink 201, black, white
white acrylic paint
mementoes and scrapbook embellishments
Anita's polyurethane glass varnish
Loctite quick-set epoxy
pasta machine
brayer or roller
glue stick
Steps:
1. Paint wooden legs with acrylic paint and set aside to dry.
2. Remove glass from 11" x 14" picture frame. Cover frame (top and sides only) with a thin layer (#4 on pasta machine) of black clay.
3. Create various clay canes.
To make the beach call: Roll eight logs (four yellow and one each of blue, red, green, and orange) approximately 4" x 1/4". Gently pinch each log, forming a triangle. The top of each triangle should be carefully nudged to the right, making a slight slant or bend. Set all aside. Roll one white snake 4" x 1/8". Attach the triangular shapes (top portion of triangle) to the white snake, alternating yellow between each color making a uniform log shape. Once all colors are attached, roll log until smooth and reduce to desired size.
To make the sun: The center of the sun is made using the jellyroll technique. Make two sheets using the yellow and pink clay (#2 on pasta machine). Place one sheet on top of the other, staggering them slightly, and cut one large rectangle. The rectangle should be at least 2-1/2 times longer than it is wide. Flatten one short end using your brayer or rolling pin, making a long, thin taper. Start at the tapered end and tightly roll the sheets, forming a log. Press end gently down and continue to roll log with your hand and reduce to desired size. Roll one long log (about the width of a pencil) using orange clay (this will be the sun "rays") and cut into 4-inch lengths (you will need at least eight). Repeat same steps using yellow clay (which will be the filler clay between the sun rays). Pinch the top of each orange and yellow 4-inch length, making a triangular shape. Use your brayer or rolling pin to flatten sides if necessary. Start adding the "rays" and filler pieces to the jellyroll. Start with one of the orange triangles; attach bottom of triangle to jellyroll and then add one of the yellow triangles to the jellyroll, but in the opposite direction. Continue adding triangles to jellyroll in an alternating fashion until completely covered, making one uniform log. Roll log until smooth and reduce to desired size.
4. Cover entire surface of frame (top and sides only) with various clay cane slices. Once frame is covered, use brayer to smooth all edges and blend clay together, forming a smooth surface.
5. Follow manufacturer's suggested baking time on clay package and bake frame as indicated, about 20 minutes.
6. Once clay has finished baking and is completely cool, apply one coat of clear gloss glaze.
7. To create the memory portion of the tray: Use the cardboard backing from the frame as your guide. Cut a piece of decorative paper the size of the cardboard, which will serve as the background, and glue in place. Add embellishments and mementoes as desired. Every once in a while, lay glass over memory board to ensure layout is even and looks pleasing to the eye.
8. Add glass to frame and gently place over completed memento page. Once in place, flip over and finish by pressing the staples down on the back of frame (as you would if putting a normal picture in a frame).
9. Attach wooden legs with wood glue. Set aside and allow to dry per manufacturer's recommendations.
E-mail: TinaRFrost@aol.com
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