Tactile

china squirrel defines creative with a collection of easy-tomake home decór pieces.

Pedestal Plaster Bowls

Tactile, adjective (Latin, tactilis) pertaining to or perceptible to the sense of touch; tangible.

Plaster Spoon Wall Plaque

For step-by-step images of the Faux Concrete Bottles and a template of the Net Pentagon Cloche, go to sweetpaulmag.com

Cloche, noun (Old French, bell) a bell-shaped cover used in food preparation or service; a covering used to protect plants from frost, often resembling a bell; or a closefitting, bell-shaped woman’s hat.

Net Pentagon Cloche

Vase, noun (Middle French from Latin, vas) a vessel, often made of glass or porcelain, used as an ornament or for holding cut flowers.

For a template of the Net Vase, go to sweetpaulmag.com

Lace Plaster Bowls SUPPLIES various new or vintage doilies ceramic bowls to match the size of each doily aluminium foil plaster of Paris

1. Match each doily with a bowl of similar size you have at home.

2. Cover the outsides of the bowls with pieces of aluminium foil, smoothing out any creases.

3. Cover your work area with newspaper.

4. Mix plaster of Paris in a bowl or bucket according to packet directions, adding enough water so the consistency is that of runny yogurt. Although brands vary, 1 cup of plaster mixed with 1/2 cup of water is usually enough to make 4 average bowls.

5. Working quickly, dip one doily at a time into the plaster to completely coat the fabric. Squeeze out excess plaster. Drape doily over upturned foil-covered bowl. Set aside for 2 hours to dry.

6. Carefully remove foil from bowl, then gently ease foil from plaster cast. Set aside overnight to allow doily to dry completely and harden.

*These bowls are fragile, so handle with care. For decorative use only; not food safe. Be careful they don’t get wet.

Canvas Plaster Bowl

SUPPLIES 1/2 yard unprimed artist canvas

(available at art supply stores) pencil scissors pins cotton thread sewing needle plaster of Paris paintbrush matte white acrylic paint

1. Place canvas onto a work surface; placea dinner plate face-down onto canvas.Trace around edge of plate with a pencil,and use scissors to cut out circle.

2. Use scissors to make a cut halfwayacross the circle. Shape canvas circleinto a wide cone shape with a point, thensecure with pins.

3. Turn over and trim away excessoverlapping fabric using scissors. Sew along the pinned edge with a needle and thread.

4. To allow the bowl to stand, press the pointed section inward.

5. Cover your work area with newspaper. Mix a small amount of plaster of Paris in a bowl according to packet directions, adding enough water so the consistency is that of runny yogurt.

6. Starting with the outside of the canvas bowl, brush with the runny plaster of Paris. Place over a ceramic bowl you have at home, and allow to dry until it becomes firm (about 1 hour).

7. When plaster is dry, paint the interior of the bowl with runny plaster, and allow to dry overnight until hard.

8. Paint bowl with a matte white acrylic paint, and allow to dry. These bowls are fragile, so handle with care. For decorative use only; not food safe.

Decorative Leaves

Pedestal Plaster Bowls

SUPPLIES 1 sheet 100% cotton printmaking paper (available at art supply stores)

plate to use as a template

ruler

pencil

scissors

masking tape

plaster cloth gauze wrap (available at craft shops or drug stores)

water

paint brush

acrylic paint

lime wash paint

1. Place art paper onto a work surface;place a plate face down onto paper.

2. Trace around edge of plate with apencil, and with scissors, cut out circleabout 10 inches across or whatever sizeyou’d like.

3. Use a ruler to mark a rectangle on theremaining art paper, about 10 inches by2 inches for a 10-inch diameter circle.

3. Use scissors to make a cut halfwayacross the circle.

4. Form the circle into a wide cone shapewith a point, and secure the cut withmasking tape.

5. Form the rectangle piece into a ring andsecure with tape. This will be the base foryour pedestal bowl. Adjust the size of thering if necessary.

6. Turn the bowl open-side down ontowork surface, and place the pedestal baseover the center bottom bowl. Secure withmasking tape.

7. Cover your work area with newspaper.Cut plaster cloth gauze wrap into smallsections, and, working with a few pieces ata time, dip strips in cold water accordingto packet instructions.

8. Apply to the inside and outside of thepedestal bowl, overlapping each piece alittle as you go. Continue until you havecovered the pedestal bowl completely.Allow plaster cloth to dry overnight.

9. Repeat with another layer of plastercloth, and allow to dry overnight.

10. Paint with a grey-toned acrylic paint,and allow to dry.

11. Paint with a lime paint to achieve theaged stone effect.

* Bowls are for decorative use only, andare not food safe.

* Go to sweetpaulmag.com for step-by-step images.

Plaster Spoon Wall Plaque

SUPPLIES vintage spoon olive oil food spray plaster of Paris silicone loaf pan bamboo skewer soft brush and cloth black furniture wax a piece of rusty wire

1. Cover your work area withnewspaper. Spray the spoon witholive oil and set aside.

2. Mix plaster of Paris in a bowl or bucketaccording to packet directions, addingenough water so the consistency is that ofthick, Greek yogurt.

3. Pour plaster of Paris into loaf pan,and tap on worktable until plasterbecomes level.

4. Allow to stand 5–8 minutes or untilplaster starts to thicken. (Timing willdepend on weather, but do not leave toolong or plaster will set.)

5. Carefully press spoon into the surfaceof the plaster, enough that it will leave animpression but not so deep that you won’tbe able to get the spoon out.

6. Wait 5 minutes more or until plaster isfirmer; then use a skewer to make a holeabove the spoon big enough for the wirehanger. You may need to redo the hole afew times until the plaster becomes firmenough to keep the shape of the hole.

7. Set aside and allow plaster to harden(about 45–60 minutes). Carefully removespoon. Allow plaster to set overnight.Carefully remove from pan.

8. Use a soft brush to apply a small amount of black furniture wax in thespoon impression. Rub off excess wax offusing a soft dry cloth.

9. Thread wire through hole and hangplaque on wall.

Faux Concrete Bottles

SUPPLIES 1 sheet 100% cotton printmaking paper (available at art supply stores)

pencil

scissors

masking tape

plaster cloth gauze wrap (available at craft shops or drug stores)

water

paint brush

acrylic paint

lime wash paint

1. Cut large rectangles from art paper,depending on the size and shape youwant your bottles to be. We made our tallbottle with 10-inch by 12-inch rectanglesof printmaking paper.

2. Roll art paper into a cylinder and securewith masking tape.

3. Use your hands to scrunch the topportion of the cylinder to resemble thetop of a bottle. Tape around the topscrunched section. To help the bottlekeep its shape, fill the empty cavity withrecycled paper.

4. Cover your work area with newspaper.

5. Cut plaster cloth gauze wrap into smallsections, and, working with a few pieces ata time, dip strips in cold water accordingto packet instructions.

6. Apply cloth to the bottle, overlappingeach piece a little as you go. Continue untilyou have covered the bottle completely.Allow plaster cloth to dry overnight.

7. Repeat with another layer of plastercloth, and allow to dry overnight. Removerecycled paper filling.

8. Paint with grey-toned or white acrylicpaint, and allow to dry.

9. Paint with a lime paint to achieve theaged stone effect.

Net Bottle

SUPPLIES

printed template

1/2 yard of stiffened sinamay fabric (available at craft and millinery stores)

pins

cotton thread

sewing needle

1. Cut out template and pin it to the sinamay. Use scissors to cut out 4 pieces for sides of the bottle. (We didn’t put a base on our bottle, but if you’d like a base, simply sew a square of sinamay to the bottom).

2. Pin the edges of the side pieces together, and sew with thread, allowing for a 1/4-inch seam. Note: Raw edges are left exposed on bottle so no need to turn inward.

* For decorative use only; not food safe.

Net Pentagon Cloche

SUPPLIES

printed template

1 yard of stiffened sinamay fabric (available at craft and millinery stores)

pins

cotton thread s

ewing needle

1. Cut out template then pin to sinamay.Use scissors to cut out 5 pieces for sidesof the cloche.

2. To make the top handle for the cloche:cut out a circle about 4 inches acrossfrom the remaining sinamay using a smallplate or round cookie cutter as a guide.

3. Scrunch a few smaller remnants ofsinamay into the center of the circle,then gather the edges together to form aknob-like ball. Tie a double thickness ofthread around the base to secure it. Trimaway the excess sinamay.

4. Pin the long sides of the clochecut-outs together. Insert the top handle.Sew the edges together with thread,allowing for a 1/4-inch seam.

5. Sew a few stitches to secure the top handle. Note: Raw edges are leftexposed on cloche so no need to turnedges inward.

Net Facet Vase

SUPPLIES

printed template

pins

1/2 yard of stiffened sinamay fabric (available at craft and millinery stores)

scissors

sewing needle

cotton thread

metal flower frog

1. Cut out template and pin to sinamay.Use scissors to cut out 5 side piecesand 1 base piece.

2. Pin the long edges of the side piecestogether, and sew with thread, allowingfor a 1/4-inch seam. Note: Raw edges areleft exposed on vase so no need to turnedges inward.

3. Finally pin the base piece to the narrowend to make the vase. Sew with threadand, again, leave raw edges exposed.

4. Place a metal flower frog at the base toprevent the vase from falling over. (Youcan also use a small pebble.) Arrange drybranches or dried flowers in vase.

* For decorative use only; not food safe.

Decorative Leaves

SUPPLIES

dry tree leaves s

oft paintbrush

selection of tonal lime wash paints masking tape

1. Brush one side of leaves with limepaint, and allow to dry completely.2. Fix leaves to wall using masking tape.

For these projects, we used modern lime paints from bauwerk.com.au