2019-10-01_Australian_Womens_Weekly_NZ

OCTOBER 2019| The Australian Women’s Weekly 145

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BAUER STUDIO (NZ).

Craft with Resene

A B

C

MarshaSmithshowsyouhowtocraftilluminatingcentrepiecesforyour table.

WHATYOUNEED

lBalloons

lDisposable bowl or other plastic

container

lIceblocksticks(usedasspatulas)

l500gbagmulti-purpose

cement-basedpowderfiller

lDisposablegloves(optional)

lJars,fordrying

l1 sheetmedium-gritsandpaper

lResenetestpotpaintbrush

lReseneWhite

lReseneGoldDustmetallic

Theseconcretecandleholdersarefor

ornamentalpurposesonly.Forsafety

reasons,werecommendusingbattery-

operatedtealights.Theyprovidean

effectiveglowandare far safer than

anopenflame.

1 Startbycoveringyourworksurface

witha protectivelayerofnewsprintor

similar,asthisprojectcangetmessy.

2 Blowuptheballoonssotheyfit

comfortablyin thepalmofyourhand.

Thesecanbemadeatvarioussizes,but

beaware:thebiggeryougo,themore

fragiletheybecome.Wemadeours

approximately9cmin diameter with

oneslightlylargerat12cm.

3 In a disposablebowl,usinganiceblock

stick,mixcement-basedfilleraccording

tothepacketinstructions.You’llneed

approximately1 partwaterto2 parts

powder.Usegloves,if youprefer, as the

fillercanbeharshonskin.

4 Oncetheconsistencyis right(see

note),startsmearingtheconcretemix

ontopofeachballoon(picA).Cover

two-thirdsofthesurface,leavinga wide

enoughopeningforyourcandle.The

ideais nottomakea straightedgeor

a perfectlysmoothouter– theedges

shouldvarywithlittledipstocreatethe

look of a broken egg. The mixture needs

Golden glow

tobeappliedapproximately5mmthick.

If it’stoothin,you’llhaveholesorweak

areasonceit’sdry.Tohelpspreadthe

outersurface,slightlywetyour gloves

orfingersandpatgently.

5 Placeeachballoon,concrete-sideup,

ontopofa jarand allow to dry for 24

hours(picB).

6 Oncedry,leavetheballoonunpopped

andsandallthewayaroundthe

concretesurfacetoremoveanylarge

bumpsorsharppatches.Onceyou’re

happy,poptheballoon.It willeasily

peelawayfromthedriedinside.

7 Paint the exterior of each holder with

2 coatsofReseneWhite(oryoumay

wishtochoosea Resenecolourthat’s

morespecifictoyourdecor.)Oncedry,

painttheinsideswith2 coatsofResene

GoldDustmetallic(picC).Thegold

createsa stunningillumination!Once

dry,they’rereadytoadornyourtable.

Note:Consistencyofyourconcrete

mixis keytothesuccessofthisproject.

Whenmixing,youarelookingfora

mixturethat’sthickenoughtohold

ontotheiceblockstickwithoutfalling

ordrippingoff.If it’stoowet,themixture

willsimplyrunoffthe balloon or create

folds as it settles.