In an effort to reclaim my maker mojo I am trying to simply create on a whim (i.e. not "researching" on Pinterest for hours or thinking "that would be neat" and never getting around to it). This hurry-up-and-make attitude has always yielded my best results, but as my family has grown and my free-time has dwindled, I've struggled to drop everything and follow an idea to it's ultimate end. So I decided to start small, literally.
I had recently amassed a fun little collection of air plants and while I was washing dishes one evening I gazed at those little cuties on my window sill and thought "those look exactly like tiny pineapple tops" a bit of polymer clay and some gold paint later, I had myself some super cute mini pineapple air plant holders.
This easy and adorable little project can totally be accomplished in stolen moments between folding laundry and writing blog posts. Plus, kids will love getting in on the action which means you can rev up your maker mojo AND connect with your kiddo. Read on to learn how to make your own.
DIY Mini Pineapple Air Plant Holders
You'll need
- White polymer clay
- Bamboo skewer
- Air plants (Tillandsia 'Ionatha')
- Gold paint
Directions:
- Shape a section of clay into an oval (pineapple) shape and press one end gently into a hard surface so that it stands on it's own.
- Place a skewer through the center and angling it towards the top wind it in a circle to create a hole for your air plant.
- Gently nestle the air plant into the hole so that you create ridges. Optional: use the tip of your skewer to draw diagonal lines in both directions all the way around your pineapple.
- Bake your clay according to the manufacture's instructions. I did mine at 275 F for 40 minutes.
- Once your clay dries paint it. For the ridged design, simple cover the whole thing in gold paint. For smooth designs you can paint small X's all over or tilt your pineapple and dip it in paint. (Hint to dry the dipped pineapple insert stab your skewer into something and place your pineapple on it so that it can dry upside down.
- Once the paint is dry, rest your air plant on top and enjoy!
Here's to mini maker mojo. Happy Crafting!
