Please excuse me while I do a happy dance.
My crapting dreams finally came true. This was actually my fifth attempt at making a kaleidoscope. Yup, I tried four previous iterations and failed miserably. So here's a big virtual thank you to Genuine Mudpie for her beautifully detailed and photographed set of directions.
(Crapting disclaimer: The photos below essentially show me following her steps. If you find yourself confused, just peek at her blog and find crapty enlightenment.)
Ok, onto the crapt!
- paper towel roll (<-- crap!)
- plastic food containers (<--crap!)
- optional cleaning supplies: nail polish remover and cotton ball
- cardboard (<--crap)
- packing tape
- hot glue
- magazine pages (<--crap)
- bowl with water
- yogurt containers (<--crap)
- optional sequins
Step 1: Clean your plastic food containers. (I used old sushi lids that had Sharpie marker written on them. No problem, I just cleaned the ink off with nail polish remover.)
Step 2: Create a triangular prism. If created correctly, this will fit snuggly inside your paper towel roll and create lovely kaleidoscope patterns.
To create this prism, cut out three identical plastic rectangles and tape them together. Each rectangle can be as long as you want. (Mine were this length because I had small food lids.) The rectangle's width should be 1.5 inches. I calculated this number using a formula:
width = sqroot 3 * radius of tube.
(If you're in America, I figure your paper towel roll will be the same size as mine, so just use my number.)
Step 3: Chop your paper towel tube so that it's the same length as your triangular prism.
Step 4: Make the eyepiece.
Trace your tube onto a piece of cardboard. Then, cut out a circle that's slightly larger than the one you traced.
Step 5: Take your circle and cut out small triangles around the circumference to secure the eyepiece onto the tube. Then, cut out a hole in the middle of your eyepiece. Tape the eyepiece down with packing tape.
Step 6: Glue your triangular prism into the cardboard tube.
Step 7: You've finished making the kaleidoscope's body. Celebrate with a cookie... or four. Unbutton your pants and get comfortable. You have lots more steps to do!
Step 8: Time to make several interchangeable object chambers.
Find some colorful magazine images. Place packing tape directly on the images. Rub the tape and make sure it's completely adhered to the image.
Step 9: Cut out your images. Then, drop them in water and let them sit there for a couple of minutes. Bite your nails waiting...
Optional step 10: Stop biting your nails and decorate your tube. I just glued a magazine image onto it. It looks quite crappy... I mean crapty, don't you think?
Step 13: Hot glue your dry images onto the yogurt cups. Then, trim the pictures.
cardboard deer trophy head crapt, so I created a sequin lens by sprinkling some between two pieces of packing tape. It came out quite pretty.)
(Interested in other crapts? Click here.)