How to Make a St. Patrick's Day Wall Hanging

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with this colorful wall hanging. Proxxon MICROMOT tools makes it easy.

Supplies and Equipment to Make the St. Patrick's Day Wall Hanging

• One piece 5" x 4" x 1/8" Baltic birch plywood for base
• One piece 4" x 4" x 1/8" Baltic birch plywood for shamrock
• Fifteen 10" lengths of a variety of ribbons
• FolkArt Glitterific acrylic paint (gold)
• FolkArt Extreme Glitter acrylic paint (peridot)
• Strong liquid adhesive
• Proxxon Table Saw FET
• Proxxon Scroll Saw DS 460
• Proxxon Bench Drill Press TBM 115
• Proxxon Thermocut 115/E

Instructions for Making the St. Patrick's Day Wall Hanging

1. Use the table saw to cut the Baltic birch plywood to appropriate sizes.
   
2. Mount the shamrock pattern onto the 4" x 4" blank, and cut out the shape using the scroll saw.
   
3. Measure and mark two holes ½" from each side and ½" from the top of the base blank for the ribbon hanger. Measure and mark seven holes for the ribbon streamers ½" from the bottom of the base blank.
4. Use the bench drill press to drill these holes. Securely position the stop to ensure the holes are equidistant from the bottom of the base.
   
5. Cut ribbons to length using the Thermocut, which automatically cuts and seals the ribbon ends. Alternatively, cut the ribbons to length and quickly pass through a flame to seal the ends.
   
6. Paint the base with gold Glitterific and the shamrock with peridot Extreme Glitter acrylic paints. Allow the paints to dry thoroughly.
   
7. Thread hanging ribbon and streamers through holes.
   
8. Use strong liquid adhesive to attach the shamrock to the base.
   

Carole

Using the Thermocut to Make a Self-watering Planter from a Water Bottle

With Easter and Mother's Day right around the corner, this self-watering planter makes a great gift. And, since it recycles a plastic water bottle, it helps keep trash out of landfills—a gift to our environment.

Supplies and Equipemnt for the Self-watering Planter

• Plastic water bottle with a tapered neck
• 10" length of cotton kitchen twine
• FolkArt Painted Finishes by Plaid Enterprises
• Hot glue and glue gun
• Proxxon Thermocut
• Ribbons and tulle for the bow. (See the full tutorial on making the bow on the Bowdabra blog.)

Instructions for Making the Planter

1. Cut the neck from the water bottle.

1. Cut the cap from the water bottle.

1. Paint both sections with your choice of FolkArt Painted Finishes. It comes in rust, moss, concrete, and barnwood. I selected the Concrete Painted Finishes.
   
2. When the paint is dry, use low temp hot glue to attach the kitchen twine to the inside of the neck section. This will serve as a wick to draw water from the lower reservoir section to the plant in the upper section.
   
3. Add a bow to the bottom (water reservoir) section of the planter. (See the full tutorial on making the bow on the Bowdabra blog.)
   
4. Plant herbs or flowers in the top (neck) section of the bottle. 
5. Fill the bottom with water and place the top section into the bottom.