Hello everyone, in this tutorial I’m sharing how to make your very own Pikachu resin pendants. This is a pretty simple DIY project where the most tedious and critical step is the paint job. You can use the finished pendants on a necklace or glue a magnet to the backside to hang documents on a refrigerator.

(For sneak peeks on upcoming projects follow me on Instagram and for more DIY project tutorials subscribe to my YouTube channel!)

I’ve been a fan of Pokemon for many years. As a child, I always look forward to watching a new episode of the TV show during Saturday morning cartoons. I also spent many hours playing Pokemon Yellow on the Gameboy Pocket trying to collect all 150 Pokemon. I have so many fond memories of the series and was super excited to see the Pokemon Indigo League available on Netflix. I started re-watching the show with my son and felt motivated to create some Pokemon themed projects.

RELATED POST: How to make a Darth Vader resin necklace.

Let’s get started with the project!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.  That means if you purchase an item via one of these links, I’ll receive a small commission at no added cost to you.  This helps keep the content on the site free and I appreciate the support! :o)

What You’ll Need

To make the Pikachu pendant you’ll need the following items:

• Pikachu Ice Mold
• Casting Resin
• Resin Mixing Cups
• Resin Stirring Sticks
• Disposable Gloves
• Golden Sunset Spray Paint
• Gloss Spray
• Red, Black, and White Acrylic Craft Paints
• Miniature Paint Brushes
• A needle
• Sandpaper

NOTE: As of writing this tutorial, I noticed the ice mold that I purchased is not currently in stock. Here’s an alternative silicone Pikachu mold.

How to make Pikachu Resin Pendants

Here’s how to make the Pikachu resin pendants in three steps!

Step 1: Mix resin and carefully pour it into the mold

IMPORTANT NOTE: Before starting make sure you handle resin with great care (wear gloves + work in a well ventilated area) and follow the manufacture’s instructions.

I used Alumilite’s Amazing Casting Resin for this project. This resin cures white in 10 minutes. This doesn’t give you very much time to work with.

Once you pour the resin in the mold try to remove any air bubbles you might see. I used a toothpick to remove any that were stuck on the features of Pikachu’s face. After the resin cures, carefully remove the Pokemon from the mold.

Step 2: Spray paint the Pokemon yellow

Prior to painting, sand the backside of the pendants. This step may not be necessary for you, but if you notice rough edges and an even bottom, level it out with a little sanding on a flat surface.

Grab a can of Golden Sunset spray paint and cover the top and bottom sides of Pikachu with a layer of the golden paint.

Step 3: Paint Pikachu’s face

Once the base coat is dried, it’s time to paint the features of Pikachu’s face. This is the most difficult step of the project. It’s important that you take your time as the better the paint job, the better the project with look once it’s complete.

Paint the tips of Pikachu’s ears black. I needed two layers of paint here.

A paint brush is too large for painting Pikachu’s eyes, eyelids and nose. Grab a needle or something with a sharp point to fill in those areas. Just dip the tip into paint and dab the needle into those sections of Pikachu’s face. You’ll need a steady hand and a little patience.

Easily the most frustrating step in the whole project.

Paint Pikachu’s cheeks and mouth with red paint and the light of his eye with white paint.

Allow the paint to dry before spraying the pendants with a clear gloss spray.

DIY Pikachu Resin Charm

Thanks for checking out my project. I hope you’ve been inspired to go make a set of Pokemon pendants too.

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The post DIY Pikachu Resin Pendant appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

DIY Baby Groot Halloween Costume

Hello everyone, today I’m sharing how to make a Baby Groot costume for a baby girl! This minimalist costume is adorable and super easy to make. Continue reading for details on how I put it together.

RELATED POSTS:

• DIY Star Lord Costume
• DIY Rocket Raccoon Costume Part 1
• DIY Rocket Raccoon Costume Part 2

(For sneak peeks on upcoming projects follow me on Facebook and Instagram!)

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.  That means if you purchase an item via one of these links, I’ll receive a small commission at no added cost to you.  This helps keep the content on the site free and I appreciate the support! :o)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

I finished 1 of 3 costumes: a minimalist Baby Groot costume. I made the headband and tutu, bought a brown onesie and used my Silhouette to cut out the iron on letters. . #babygroot #iamgroot #guardiansofthegalaxy #grootcostume #diyhalloweencostume #diy #maker #makersgonnamake #tulle #tute #crochet #crochetheadband #silhouette #silhouetteportrait #irononvinyl

A post shared by Ashley Grenon | Geeky Maker (@handmadewithashley) on Oct 27, 2018 at 3:31pm PDT

Tools and Supplies

The following items are some of the tools and supplies I gathered to create the Baby Groot costume.

Tools

• Silhouette Portrait
• Crochet Hook
• Yarn needle
• Scissors

Supplies

• Brown onesie
• Green and brown tulle
• Brown yarn
• Glitter Iron-On Vinyl

How to make a Baby Groot Costume

My Baby Groot costume consists of 3 parts:

• A headband
• A tutu
• A onesie with the text “I am Groot”

The headband and tutu require a little bit of crocheting. To customize the onesie, you’ll want a die cutting machine such as a Silhouette or Circut.

How to make the headband

To create the headband:

1. Chain to a length that matches the circumference of the baby’s head
2. Skip 2 chains, DC in each chain
3. Repeat for 5 more rows
4. Stitch the rectangle together to form a circle.

To create the bow on the headband, repeat the previous steps but reduce the length of the chain by an inch or so. Repeat step 3 for 6 more rows instead of 5. Leave an extra long tail.

Attach the bow to the band with the extra long tail.

How to make the Tutu

Cutting pieces of green and brown tulle for Baby Groot’s tutu

To create the tutu:

1. Chain to a length that matches the circumference of the baby’s waist
2. Skip 2 chains, DC in each chain
3. Repeat for 2 more rows
4. Stitch the rectangle together to form a circle
5. Cut strips of tulle
6. Attach the tulle to the waist band alternating between the green and brown tulle

How to customize the onesie

To customize the brown onesie with the text “I am Groot,” I used my Silhouette to cut out the phrase on Glitter Iron-on vinyl.

CLICK HERE to download my Silhouette cut file.

“I am Groot” Iron-on vinyl transfer for Baby Groot onesie

If you create your own cut file, be sure to mirror the text before cutting it out. Alternatively if you do not own a Silhouette or other die cutting machine you could cut out the text with an Xacto knife.

DIY Baby Groot Halloween Costume

If you make a Baby Groot costume, leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @handmadewithashley or Twitter @handmadewithash.   I’d love to see your pictures!

DIY Baby Groot Halloween Costume

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The post DIY Baby Groot Costume Tutorial appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

A step by step DIY tutorial on how to make a super-sized pixel Mario. Display this wall art in your game room and enjoy the 8-bit nostalgia.

I love it when I can combine woodworking and geeky things. Today I’m sharing how to build a giant Mario pixel wall art. This was a really fun (and really tedious) project that I created for the Modern Makers Podcast’s Two 2×4 Challenge. The objective of the challenge was to create something using 70% of two 2×4 boards. The classic Super Mario Bros was my introduction to video games, and thus 8-bit Mario will always have a special place in heart. <3

CLICK HERE to view more geeky and nerdy DIY projects.

Related Posts:

• 8-bit Blooper (Super Mario Bros.)
• 8-bit Goomba (Super Mario Bros.)
• 8-bit End Grain Goomba (Super Mario Bros.)
• 8-bit Link (The Legend of Zelda)
• 8-bit Cheep Cheep (Super Mario Bros.)
• 8-bit Lakitu and Koopa Troopa (Super Mario Bros)
• 8-bit Mario (Super Mario Bros.)

(For sneak peeks on upcoming projects follow me on Facebook and Instagram!)

DIY Pixel Mario | Me holding the giant pixel Mario! He’s huge!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.  That means if you purchase an item via one of these links, I’ll receive a small commission at no added cost to you.  This helps keep the content on the site free and I appreciate the support! :o)

Tools and Supplies

I used the following tools and supplies to create the giant pixel Mario:

Tools

• Table Saw
• 14″ Bandsaw equipped with the Wood Slicer Resaw blade
• Planer
• Jointer
• Router with a 45 degree chamfer
• Bench cookies
• Sander
• Brad Nailer
• FeatherDuo (This is a handy tool)
• Microjig Grr-Ripper (This is also a really handy tool)

Supplies

• 2×4 – 8′ (2) or 1×4 – 8′ (4)
• Red food coloring
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Light brown wood stain (Watco Danish Oil – Medium Walnut)
• Dark brown wood stain (ECOS Paints Woodshield – Special Walnut)
• CA Glue (I used DAP Rapid Fuse Wood Adhesive. This stuff is legit.)
• Wood glue

WATCH THE VIDEO TUTORIAL

Click play and watch the video tutorial below. For more woodworking videos, CLICK HERE to subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Continue reading for the written tutorial.

How To Build A Giant Pixel Mario in 10 Easy Steps

1. Resaw the 2x4s
2. Square the boards
3. Rips boards to 2″ wide strips
4. Route the edges of the strips
5. Cut the strips into 2″ squares
6. Route each edge of each square
7. Sand
8. Stain, paint or dye the squares
9. Assemble Mario
10. Add Additional Support

Before starting the project, I took a look at several pictures of 8-bit Mario.  Once I selected the version I liked the most, I counted the number of pixels per color.

8 bit Mario

For Mario in resting position, you’ll need the following number of pixels:

• 45 red
• 54 dark brown
• 44 tan

Step 1: Resaw the 2x4s

Cut each 2×4 in half and resaw boards on the bandsaw. The goal here is to stretch the 2x4s by turning them into 1x4s. (Or you can skip this step and just buy 1×4 boards.)

I used the FeatherDuo to keep steady pressure as I resawed the 2x4s. It’s a really handy tool.  I can’t recommend it enough.  Watch it in action below:

I’m making a mess instead of cleaning the garage but I thought of an idea for the @modernmakerpodcast #two2x4challenge. Resawing two 2x4s! . #resaw #resawing #bandsaw #grizzlybandsaw #featherduo #featherpro #bowproducts #woodslicer #2×4 #scrapwood #woodworking #dowoodworking #woodwork #diy #huntsville #makersgonnamake #buildersgonnabuild #maker #alabama #garage #garageshop #ishouldbecleaning @thefeatherpro

A post shared by Ashley Grenon (@handmadewithashley) on May 13, 2017 at 10:02am PDT

Step 2: Square the boards

Alignment is critical. You want to ensure the boards are square on each side.  Start with a jointer and flatten one face, followed by an edge. Move to the planer to flatten another face and mill all the boards down to the same thickness.

Step 3: Rip boards to 2″ wide

On the table saw rip the boards down to 2″ strips. Save the leftovers. You will need them later.

1x4s ripped into 2″ wide strips

Step 4: Route the edges of the 2″ strips

Equip a router with a 45 degree chamfer bit. Route the along the edges of the strips.  (I waited until after I cut the strips into individual squares to begin routing. I don’t recommend that.)

Step 5: Cut the strips into 2″ squares

Cut each strip into 2″ squares.

Lots of 2″ squares

Step 6: Route each edge of each square

Equip a router with a 45 degree chamfer bit. Route along the remaining two sides of each square.  I placed each square on top of a bench cookie as I was routing.  This eliminated the need to clamp each square in place.

Rockler bench cookie

Routing the edges with a 45 degree chamfer router bit

Step 7: Sand

Sand each square to prep it for a finish.

Step 8: Stain, paint or dye the squares

I used a mixture of dyes and stains to color the squares. For the red squares, I created a dye from red food color and rubbing alcohol. The tan squares were stained with Watco Danish Oil in Medium Walnut. The dark brown squares were stained with ECOS Paints WoodShield stain in Special Walnut.

Step 9: Assemble Mario

Glue each square together to form Mario.  Use a straight edge to ensure proper alignment. I used DAP Rapid Fuse Wood Adhesive (and when I ran out of that I used the All Purpose version).

Step 10: Add additional support

For added support and durability, strengthen the backside of Mario with the leftover strips from ripping the 1×4 boards. Cut the strips to size and install with wood glue and nails.

Step 11: Enjoy!

Install hanging hardware or lean it against a wall and enjoy the fruits of your hard labor.

I’m done! Whew! Mario is a little larger than I thought he’d be. This is my entry for @modernmakerpodcast #two2x4challenge. Here’s a rough outline of my steps for the project (in the near future I’ll write a tutorial and maybe upload a video): 1. Resaw 2x4s in half 2. Make the boards square on a jointer and planer 3. Rip board into 2″ strips 4. Cut strips into 2″ squares 5. Add a 45 degree chamfer to each square 6. Stain the wood (I used @ecospaints Woodshield in Special Walnut for the dark brown, Watco Medium Walnut for the light brown and a made a red stain from food coloring and rubbing alcohol.) 7. Glue up the pixels with @dapproducts rapid fuse adhesive 8. Used remaining strips of wood for added support on the back side. It was a long and tedious process, but I’m really happy with how it turned out! . #pixel #pixelart #supermario #supermariobros #mario #2×4 #makersgonnamake #makeallthethings #diyhalloffame #woodworker #wood #woodcraft #dowoodworking #diy #challenge #woodworking #alldone #geek #geekcraft #nes #retro #retrogames #retrogamer #gamer #videogames @modernbuilds @foureyesfurniture @benjaminuyeda

A post shared by Ashley Grenon (@handmadewithashley) on May 31, 2017 at 5:48pm PDT

DIY Giant Mario Pixel Wall Art

If you build pixel Mario, please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @handmadewithashley or Twitter @handmadewithash.   I’d love to see your pictures!

DIY Supersize Pixel Mario | 8-bit Retro Home Decor

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FOLLOW ME on Pinterest.

DIY Supersize Pixel Mario | 8-bit Retro Home Decor

I’m linking up to:

• HerToolBelt
• Remodelaholic
• Abbotts at Home

The post DIY Giant Pixel Mario Wall Art appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

DIY Star Wars Inspired End Table

Hello everyone! Today I’m excited to share my latest creation: a Star Wars Inspired End Table.  This was a really exciting project to work on for three reasons:

1. It’s Star Wars Themed
2. It’s my first project with dado joints
3. It sparkles

Stay tuned for a YouTube video.  I hope to upload it my YouTube channel over the weekend.

Star Wars Themed DIY Projects

In honor of Star Wars day, I have teamed up with a few fellow bloggers to share tutorials on how to make some Star Wars inspired projects.  Please take a moment to check out each project:

• Yoda Wall Art – Hazel and Gold Designs
• Lightsaber Headboard – Mother Daughter Projects
• Wooden Star Wars Sign – Abbotts at Home

Here’s a list of my other Star Wars themed projects:

• How to build a Star Wars TIE Fighter Shelf
• TIE Fighter Shelf (The Force Awakens Edition)
• Star Wars Marquee Wall Art Tutorial
• BB-8 Push Toy
• Darth Vader Necklace
• Crochet Princess Leia Hat

DIY Star Wars Inspired End Table

Now, let’s get started!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.  If you purchase an item via one of these links, I’ll receive a small commission at no added cost to you.  This helps keep the content on the site free and I appreciate the support!

Tools and Supplies

The following items are the tools and supplies I gathered to build this Star Wars themed end table.

Tools

• Router
• Homemade Router Dado Jig (tutorial coming soon!)
• 3/4″ Dado Router Bit
• Up Spiral Router Bit
• Router Circle Jig (alternatively can use a jigsaw)
• Jointer
• Planer
• Circular Saw
• Silhouette (for cutting Rebel Symbol stencil)

Supplies

• Sheet of 3/4″ Plywood (1)
• 1″ x 6″ x 8′ (1)
• Wood glue
• Glitter
• Cardstock (for Rebel stencil)
• Red acrylic craft paint
• Paint brush
• Black paint
• Stain
• Sealer
• Mod Podge
• Clear Matte Spray
• Pour-on High Gloss Finish

Cut List

Project lumber

For ease of use, I cut the plywood into manageable chunks.

• 24″ x 48″ (2) – Plywood
• 20″ x 22″ (2) – Plywood
• 1×6 – 21″ (4)

Mill the 1×6 with a jointer and a planer prior to starting step 1.  For details on that process, check out my blog post on How to Make a Wooden Cutting Board.

How to build the Star Wars End Table

I have SketchUp plans in the works. This is something I hope to make available before the weekend is up.

Step 1: Glue up the 1×6 boards

1×6 edge jointed panel

First up, create a panel with the 1×6 boards. Glue the edges and clamp the boards together. After 15 minutes have passed, use a scraper to remove excess glue from the squeeze out.  Let the glue dry completely before removing the clamps.

Step 2: Create dados

I opted for dado joints for this project because alignment critical.  I felt a dado was the best form of joinery for the project.  I whipped up a little jig for my router to create dados.  The jig was inspired by a Popular Woodworking Magazine article.  You can read about it here.

On a quarter sheet of plywood mark off the center from the short side and long side.  Create a dado along the lines. Repeat this step for the other end of the quarter sheet of plywood.

At the midpoint of the 20” x 22” pieces of plywood, create a dado on each side.

Creating dados in plywood with a router

Step 3: Cut circles

With a router and a circle cutting jig, cut out 4 circles.  (Alternatively you can use a jigsaw.)

• 20″ diameter circle with the dados (2)
• 20″ diameter circle from the 1×6 panel (1)
• 19 1/2″ diameter circle (1)

Cut the 19 1/2″ circle into quarters.

All done cutting the circles. I finished cutting the other parts of this project too. Tomorrow I’ll assemble it. Hopefully everything will fit together. . #imnervous #notfeelingoptimistic #woodworking #woodwork #woodworker #dowoodworking #circle #circles #woodencircle #plywood #pine #garage #garageshop #sundayfunday

A post shared by Ashley Grenon (@handmadewithashley) on Apr 30, 2017 at 4:51pm PDT

Step 4: Notch out the table “legs”

Find the center of the 20″ x 22″ pieces of plywood and notch out a portion of the board to make a lap joint with the other table leg.

Plywood joint

Step 5: Assemble the table base

To assemble the table base:

1. Place 1 circle with dado side up on a flat surface.
2. Attach the legs.
3. Attach the base top.
4. Insert table shelves.

Use wood glue and clamps to secure the joints.

Assembling table base

Inserting table shelves

Table base assembled!

Step 6: Paint the base, stain the top

Painting the table base

Paint the base and seal it with your favorite sealer.

Table top stained with ECOS Paints Woodshield

Stain the table top.  I used ECOS Paints Woodshield (Pine Needles).

Step 7: Paint the Rebel Symbol

I used my Silhouette to create a Rebel stencil about 16″ in diameter.

Rebel Logo stencil

I traced an outline of the symbol and painted the symbol red.  Allow the paint to dry before continuing onto the next step.

Painted the rebel symbol red

Step 8: Add glitter

Add glitter to the Rebel symbol.  I used Mod Podge to adhere the glitter the table top. Once the Mod Podge dries, seal the glitter with a coat or two of clear matte spray finish.

It’s so shiny Getting close to finishing up this project! I should have started it a week ago. This top is the 2×6 I resawed earlier. I didn’t have any issues with it warping. I think that’s probably because that scrap has been sitting my garage for many months. . #rebel #starwars #starwarscrafts #starwarscraft #geek #geekcraft #geekywoodworking #woodworking #dowoodworking #woodworker #glitter #red #rebelsymbol #starwarsday #may4th #maythe4thebewithyou #maytheforcebewithyou #diy #handmadewithashley

A post shared by Ashley Grenon (@handmadewithashley) on May 3, 2017 at 10:12pm PDT

Step 9:  Coat the top with resin

Before applying resin, try to remove as much of the loose glitter as possible.  Mix the resin according to the package instructions and apply a coat to the surface of the table top.  Allow for it to completely cure before continuing onto the next step.

Pour-on resin

Resin applied to the table top

Step 10: Attach table top to table base

Secure the table top to the table base.

Resin cured.

Top secured to the table base

Step 11: Make it spin!

This step has not been implemented yet, but it is a modification to the project that I plan on making.

Star Wars Inspired End Table

If you build this Star Wars inspired end table, please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @handmadewithashley or Twitter @handmadewithash.   I’d love to see your pictures!

DIY Star Wars Inspired End Table

DIY Star Wars Inspired End Table

DIY Star Wars Inspired End Table

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Pin it! How to build a Star Wars Inspired End Table

I’m linkin up to:

• Kim Six Fix
• Remodelaholic
• Tater Tots and Jello

The post DIY Star Wars Themed End Table appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

DIY TIE Fighter Shelf (The Force Awakens Edition)

Hi everyone, I’m really excited to share details on my latest creation: another TIE Fighter shelf.  My original TIE Fighter shelf tutorial is one of my most popular projects and it is also a personal favorite.  This updated version sports the paint job from Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.  It’s slightly smaller than my first version and instead of storing books, this one will store acrylic craft paints.  Continue reading for project details!

TIE Fighter shelf storing acrylic craft paints

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Tools and Supplies

The following items are some of the tools and supplies I gathered to build the TIE Fighter shelf.

Tools

• Drill/Driver
• Kreg Jig
• Circular saw
• Jigsaw
• Xacto knife

Supplies

• 1×12 – 24″
• 1×6 – 48″
• 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws
• Wood glue
• Gray spray paint + primer
• Black spray paint + primer
• Gloss sealer
• Painters tape
• Contact paper or removable vinyl paper

How to build a TIE Fighter Shelf

Step 1: Cut the boards to length

• Cut the 1×6 board into two 20″ long pieces
• Cut the 1×12 into two 11 1/4″ pieces.

Step 2: Cut out a hexagon shape for the TIE Fighter wings

• Orient the 1×12 squares such that the grain is running up and down.
• Mark the midpoint on the left and right side.
• Mark 2″ from each corner.
• Draw a line connecting the midpoint to the 2″ marks.
• Cut along the lines with a jigsaw or circular saw.

You should have a hexagon shape.  Refer to the image below.

Step 3: Drill pocket holes

I like using pocket hole joints.  They are quick and easy to make.

• Drill 2 pocket  holes on the ends of each 1×6 board.
• Drill 3 pocket holes on the side of one 1×6 board.

Drilling pocket holes

Step 4: Sand

Prep the surface of the boards for painting.  Sand, sand and sand. I used paint with primer.  If you are not using a paint that contains primer take a moment and prime the surface.

Step 5: Apply the base coat of paint

• Paint one face of each 1×6 board with gray paint
• Paint 1×12 boards black on all sides

Allow the paint to dry completely before continuing on to the next step.

Applying a base coat of paint

Step 6: Paint the TIE Fighter wings

• With 1″ painter’s tape, tape off each side of the hexagon
• Tape off the diagonals
• Apply a piece of tape from the left side to the right side
• Paint the exposed area with gray paint

Repeat this 3 more times for each face on the hexagons.

Taping off the TIE Fighter wings

Spray painting the TIE Fighter wings gray

Step 7: Paint the TIE Fighter cockpit

Painting the TIE Fighter cockpit is the most difficult (and possibly most frustrating) step in the whole project.  I used a mixture of contact paper and tape to create a stencil for spray painting the cockpit. You may find it easier to hand paint the cockpit.

Here are the dimensions for the cockpit:

• The circle has a radius of 4 1/2″
• Each side of the octagon is 2″
• The line thickness is 1/2″

I cut out a semicircle and half an octagon from contact paper.  Once that was in place, I taped a line from each point on the octagon to the semicircle.  Refer to the picture below for details.

I did not have 1/2″ painters tape so I just cut my existing tape in half.

Taping off the cockpit

If you are painting the shelf before joining the boards, keep in mind the location of your pocket holes and remember one of the boards will be partially covered by the other.

Paint the entire board with black.

Everything is painted!

Step 8: Assemble the shelf

To assemble the shelf:

• Join the 2 – 1×6 boards together
• Join the shelf to one wing
• Join the shelf to the other wing

I used a scrap 1×4 board to help attach the shelf to the wings:

• Lay a TIE Fighter wing face down on a flat surface
• Align the 1×4 board to the bottom edge of the TIE Fighter wing
• Place the shelf on top of the wing.  The bottom corner should touch the 1×4 board.
• Select an angle you like for shelf and pick some visual reference. (I aligned the shelf edge with one of the corners on a gray triangle.)
• Attach the shelf to the wing with pocket hole screws
• Align the 1×4 board to the bottom edge of the other wing
• Place the shelf on top of that wing such that the bottom corner is touching the 1×4 board
• Align shelf with the matching visual reference you selected on the other wing
• Attach the shelf to final wing with pocket hole screws

Step 9: Seal the shelf

Seal the shelf with a few coats of your favorite sealer and you’re done.

DIY TIE Fighter Shelf

If you build the TIE Fighter shelf, please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @handmadewithashley or Twitter @handmadewithash.   I’d love to see your pictures!

DIY TIE Fighter Shelf

DIY TIE Fighter Shelf

TIE Fighter Shelf with tiny human

TIE Fighter shelf storing acrylic craft paints

The post DIY TIE Fighter Shelf (The Force Awakens Edition) appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

DIY BB-8 Push Toy

Hi everyone! I’ve teamed up with 12 awesome woodworker bloggers to bring you 13 Days of a Woodworker Christmas.

13 Days of a Woodworker Christmas

• My Love 2 Create – Open now!
• The Handyman’s Daughter – Open now!
• Craftsman Drive – Open now!
• Handmade with Ashley – That’s me!
• Hazel & Gold – Open now!
• The Painted Key – Open now!
• The Created Home – Open now!
• Her Tool Belt – Open now!
• Lazy Guy DIY – Open now!
• Uncookie Cutter – Open now!
• Knock It Off Crafter – Open now!
• The Jawn Shop – Open now!
• Keddie Woodshop – Open now!

And on top of sharing the how to on 13 projects, we’re having a giveway! We’ve teamed up with @RyobiPowerTools and @PaintWIZ_ Paint Sprayers to bring you a prize pack valued at over $300!

To enter to win the giveaway, starting December 1st repost the 13 Days of Woodworker Christmas Image to your Instagram feed with the tag #13DaysofWoodworking.  Want additional entries?  Each day a different blogger “unwraps” their project they’ll post a teaser image on their Instagram feed.  Follow their account (and check out their project!) and repost their teaser image to your Instagram feed with the same tag #13DaysofWoodworking along with the unique tag that’s will be given out along with each project.  What?  We are giving you 14 different chances to win this awesome gift pack?  Darn right, it’s the season of giving isn’t it?  You have until 10:00pm PST on December 14th to enter.  All entries will be tallied and a winner will be announced Friday, December 16th.

My secret hashtag is #bb8pushtoy.

The Fourth Day of Christmas

BB-8 Push Toy in action!

I’m a Star Wars geek. I enjoy combining Star Wars with woodworking (see TIE Fighter Bookshelf).  Today, I’m sharing how to build a wooden BB-8 Push toy.  This would be a cute homemade gift for the little Star Wars fan in your life.

On the fourth day of Christmas your dear woodworker made a wooden BB-8 push toy

Tools and Supplies

Disclosure:  This post contains affiliate links.

The following items are the tools and supplies you’ll need to build the BB-8 push toy.

Tools

• Something to cut circles with (I used my trim router with a circle jig)
• Orbital Sander
• Handsaw
• Drill
• 1/2″ Forstner bit
• 9/16″ Forstner bit
• 1/16″ Drill bit
• Router with 1/4″ roundover bit
• Printer
• Paint brush

Project supplies

Supplies

• Scrap wood (1×8 – 24″)
• 1/2″ Wooden dowel rod (48″ long)
• 1″ Dowel cap for a 1/2″ dowel
• 1″ Split ball
• 1/16″ wooden dowel (2)
• Wood glue
• Triple Thick Gloss Glaze
• Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium
• Mod Podge Dimensional Magic
• Spray primer
• Acrylic Paints (black, white, orange, gray)
• Black marker
• BB-8 Coloring page (page 2, print 2 copies at 125%)

How to build a BB-8 Push Toy

DIY BB-8 Push Toy

Step 1: Cut four circles

Cut 4 circles from your scrap piece of lumber. You will need two 6″ circles and two 3.5″ circles.

Cutting 3.5″ circles with a hole saw

Cutting 6″ circle with Makita trim router and Rockler trim router circle jig

I used a 3.5″ hole saw to cut out my circles.  I don’t recommend this method.  However if you do decide to use a hole saw, please handle with care. For the larger 6″ circles, I used my trim router equipped with a circle jig.  I own a Rockler circle jig.  It’s not compatible with my Makita trim router out of the box.  I just needed to make a quick mod to make it work.

Step 2: Drill holes for the axle

Drilling holes for axle

Find the center of the 6″ circles.  Drill a 1/2″ wide hole no more than 1/2″ deep at the center point of each large circle.

Drilling hole for axle

Find the center on one of the 3.5″ circles.  Drill a 9/16″ hole through the entire circle.

Step 3: Drill holes for BB-8’s head

Drilling hole in BB-8’s head

On each 3.5″ circle drill a 1/2″ deep hole with the 1/2″ bit.

Step 4: Drill a hole for the handle

Find the 3.5″ circle with a hole for the axle. Drill another 1/2″ deep hole with the 1/2″ bit 45 degrees from the hole for BB-8’s head.

Step 5: Drill two tiny holes for antennas

Find the 3.5″ circle with one hole.  Drill two 1/16″ holes on the opposite end of the existing hole.

Step 6: Cut the dowels

I recommend cutting the dowels to fit.  BB-8’s head should be slightly covered by the body.  You will need a short dowel (~ 1 1/2″) piece for connecting the head to the body and another short piece for connecting the two wheels (~ 1 3/4″).  What’s remaining will be the handle for the toy.

Also cut two pieces of 1/8″ dowel (BB-8’s antennas).  My tiny dowel pieces were about 1 1/2″ and 1″ long.

Step 7: Tidy up the circles

Circle edges are rounded over

Round over the edges of each circle with a 1/4″ roundover router bit.   Sand the surface of each circle.

Step 8: Prep the surface for paint

Spray priming

Prime each circle with white spray primer.

Step 9: Transfer BB-8 pattern onto the circles

Instead of freehand drawing BB-8’s pattern onto the circles, I cheated. I found an activity pack that contained several coloring book pages from The Force Awakens one of which is BB-8 (it’s on page 2).  Print two copies enlarged at 125%.

I used Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium to transfer the coloring page outline onto the circles.  Follow the instructions here on how to use it.  Now here’s where I made a really awful mistake. I ran out of normal copy paper, but I had some colored copy paper. I mistakenly believed that the medium would only transfer my laser printer toner ink, but it also transferred pigments in the paper. Oops!

Trouble with the transfer

Step 10: Paint in the lines

Fill in BB-8’s colors.  Be careful to stay between the lines.  I used a black marker to touch up in areas where I painted over the line.

Painting BB-8’s body

Paint the 1″ split ball black, the 1/2″ dowel cap orange, and 1/16″ dowels gray.

Split ball and dowel end cap

Step 11: Add a layer of dimension

Once the paint has dried, coat the 1″ split ball with triple thick gloss glaze.  Cover the small black dot on BB-8’s head with a few drops of the Mod Podge Dimensional Glaze. The glazes give BB-8’s eyes a glass-like look.

Adding Mod Podge Dimensional Magic to one of BB-8’s “eyes”

Step 12: Seal

Apply your favorite sealer to protect the paint.

Step 13: Assemble and enjoy!

Assembling BB-8

With wood glue and clamps, assemble BB-8.

Start with gluing in dowel in one of the 6″ circles.  Once the glue has tried, thread the 3.5″ axel circle and glue the dowel to the remaining 6″ circle.

Attach BB-8’s head and handle with glue as well.

DIY BB-8 Push Toy

If you build the push toy, please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @handmadewithashley or Twitter @handmadewithash.   I’d love to see your pictures!

DIY BB-8 Push Toy

DIY BB-8 Push Toy

Check out my other Star Wars projects here!

The post DIY BB-8 Push Toy (Tutorial) appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

How to host a Star Trek movie party

In anticipation for the new movie, Star Trek Into Darkness, I hosted a Star Trek movie  party.   Gearing up for the event, I spent a lot of time Pinteresting and searching the Internet for ideas.   I found a lot of really good ideas, and I want to share a few pictures from my party with hopes that it may help someone out there planning for a Star Trek themed party of their own.

I enlisted the help of a friend and here’s some of the stuff we made.

Polymer Clay Star Trek Communicator Badges

I wanted to have party favors and thought of making each guest their own communicator badge.   One, it would be a cute token from the party and two, everyone would be minimally dressed up for the occasion.

I first created a paper template of the communicator badge.   I rolled out a sheet gold polymer clay and cut it to the shape of my template.  I baked it following the directions of the polymer clay.  After it finished cooling, I added another layer of clay, this time, just to the edge of the first layer.  I baked it once more.

Polymer Clay Communicator Badge

Once it cooled down, I created a mold of the badge.   From this mold I made several more badges.

Duplicates of original badge

I wanted the badges to be easy to put on and off, so I used a pair of magnets to clip the badges to clothing.   We used E6000 glue to attach the magnets.

Gluing magnets to badges

And here’s a shot of the badge in use!

Communicator badge in action

When guests arrived, they were handed a name tag and a comm badge.

Name tags and Comm badges

Pom Pom Tribbles

I got the idea of using Tribbles as party decor from this Craftster post, but I really did not want to put the time and effort into sewing.   I had a bunch of yarn that I was not using and thought of creating extra large pom poms for my Tribbles!

Making a Tribble with Clover Extra Large Pom Pom Maker

I used several types of yarns to create my Tribbles.  Lion Brand Yarn’s Homespun made the most fluffy Tribbles.

Homespun Tribble

The Tribbles are reproducing!

Star Trek Communicator Badge Napkin Holders

For more party decor, we created communicator badge napkin holders.  This idea came from platter’s Star Trek themed party.

Communicator Badge Napkin Holders

To create these, we wrapped the plastic-ware with a napkin, tied that with a strip of paper, and finally attached the shape of a communicator badge.

Close up of the Communicator Badge Napkin Holder

Far shot of the Communicator Badge Napkin Holders

 Food

Spaghetti & meatballs was on the menu for dinner.   A typical dish, but we gave each item a Star Trek themed name.

I thought about baking and decorating a themed cake, but instead opted for cupcakes and added icing to the collective in the shape of a Communicator badge.

Cupcakes arranged into a Star Trek communicator badge

I completely forgot to take pictures as the party was in progress, but it was a fun night.

The post How to Host a Star Trek Movie Party appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.