Monday, January 25, 2010

How To DIY Vinyl Record Bowl!

Hey guys! Thought I'd share a couple of pictures of our homemade wedding fund bowl...actually, I have two. One's a vase for pennies and the other is the bowl for all other coins.



The bowl is a Bobby Gentry and Glen Campbell vinyl record that my friend got at a thrift store for 50 cents but, I've bought vinyl for as low as a nickel. This is her creation- thanks Jill! She was kind enough to give me the how-to, so I can share it with all of you! There are two methods, so whichever works for you- go for it!

1) The fun part! Shopping for vinyl!!!! Go to your local thrift store or garage sales or second-hand record stores and buy a cheap record that reflects your musical taste.
2) Preheat your oven to 200-250 degrees Fahrenheit (100-150 Celsius)
3) Place your record on the center of an upside down, oven-safe bowl on top of a baking sheet.
4) Place in oven and KEEP A CLOSE WATCH.
5) Each oven is different but, the record takes around 4-8 minutes to "droop" or melt around the bowl.
6) Wearing oven mitts (duh!), take out your creation and place it around another bowl.
7) Either mold it around the bowl or you can hand mold it to your liking. If you like what it looks like after you take it out of the oven, ignore this step.
8) Let cool for 10-15 minutes.
9) Flip it over and you're done!


 

View from bottom of the bowl
"Edges Up Method" (I think this is the easier version!)
1)Find an oven-safe glass bowl that's slightly smaller than the record.
2) Preheat oven to 200-250 F or 100-150 C.
3) Put the record, centered, over the top of the glass bowl.
4) Put the record and bowl into the oven, place a can (canned food) on top of the record.
5) Again, WATCH THE BOWL CAREFULLY!  If the sides of the record start to fold over the glass bowl, then your can may not be heavy enough, or you might need a larger bowl. If you don't want to start over, or if you simply want a deeper vinyl bowl, try pushing the can down carefully.
6) When you like what you see, take the bowl out of the oven.
7) Cool for 10-15 minutes, flip and enjoy!



View from the side
These bowls are really cute, you can infuse your musical taste throughout the house and they also make great, inexpensive gifts. I just made it into the wedding fund, with my so obvious DIY sign, because it's cute, convenient and very "us".
Share 
 
 

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Be The Change You Wish To See In The World...

I know we are all caught up in our own issues and hardships. Every once in a while, an unfortunate disaster happens in some place that you don't quite give too much thought to, and it reminds us how lucky we are to be alive- to be at the right place at the right time, even if it doesn't always feel like it. When things like that happen, we often feel overwhelmed with the desire to help but, have no clue where to start. I've made it easy for you. I've listed 3 different aid agencies below that are assisting in Haiti relief.

Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, the citizens live on under $1 a day and half of them are under 21 years of age. The Archbishop is reported killed, the embassies are destroyed, the National Penitentiary has collapsed with reports of inmates escaping, bodies are being stacked on top of each other "block after block after block" reports CNN Pentagon Correspondant. So, yes, there will be a lot of aid needed and I'm sending this plea: Instead of your morning coffee, donate that amount to one of the agencies listed below. You can go without coffee for a couple of days or you can make it at home (because I will tell you that I can't survive without my coffee but, I can make due with just regular, cheap, and homemade) and it'll help tremendously.

I hope this finds you well and if you have family or friends in Haiti, may you find them healthy and well. Here's the toll-free number for you to locate information on your family/friends: 1-888-407-4747. My thoughts are with Haiti at this devastating time. We do not have to be overwhelmed, we do have the power to help.

  • Text "Yele" to 501501 to donate $5 to Wyclef Jean's Haiti relief efforts, the maximum number of texts is 6; however, you can go to www.yele.org and donate as much as you want. 100% of funds go to relief efforts.
  • Red Cross relief is "incredibly overwhelmed" and water is of the utmost importance. To donate to Red Cross efforts, You can also text "HAITI" to 90999 to donate $10 to American Red Cross relief efforts for Haiti. The amount will be added to your cell phone credit card bill. OR you can donate the International Relief Fund.
  • UNICEF: Here is the link to the donation form to help Haiti's children.
  • Here's a link to my full list of 5 aid agencies (good news: you don't always have to spend money...you can drop off much needed items!).
  •  
    Share