| Decorative Switchplate Covers |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-510 |
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Q: I'm looking for small and inexpensive accent pieces. Can you help me? A: (Debbie Stapley, DIY Crafts expert) Decorated switchplate covers (figure A) are quick projects that can cost only pennies -- and your kids may even want to help you with them. Touch of Nature Switchplate Materials:
Switchplate cover
Piece of birch bark
Dish of water
Heavy books
Tacky glue
Craft knife
Twigs, moss, acorns, pine cones, etc.
Glue gun and glue sticks - Flatten out the birch bark by soaking it in water, then pressing it under some heavy books until it's flat. If you wish, leave it slightly curled at the edges ( figure B).
- Attach the bark to the switchplate cover with tacky glue and allow to dry (figure C). Trim off the excess with a craft knife and cut out any holes or openings (figure D).
- Use a glue gun to attach decorations such as twigs and moss (figure E).
Framed Fabric Switchplate Cover For a more formal look, cover the switchplate with fabric and frame it like a work of art (figure F). Materials:
Switchplate cover
Fabric remnant
Spray adhesive
Craft knife
Molding pieces to fit sides - Spray adhesive on the switchplate cover, let it set for 20-30 seconds and center the cover face down on the wrong side of the fabric (figure G).
- Miter the corners to make them fit more smoothly. Simply use scissors or a craft knife to cut a small square at each corner, being careful not to cut all the way through (in other words, you'll want to leave the little "tag" at each corner).
- Apply tacky glue to the corner of the switchplate cover and carefully press the tag into place ( figure H). Repeat with the both pieces on either side of the tag so that a neat corner is produced on the front (figure I).
- In each of the rectangular openings for the switches, cut from corner to corner to make an x (figure J). Then fold the points back and glue them in place.
- Finally, assemble the molding strips to make a frame around the switchplate cover and glue to hold (figure K).
Gold-Leafed Switchplate Materials:
Switchplate cover
Red-lacquer paint>BR> Paintbrush
Gold leafing
Leafing adhesive
Still paintbrush
- Paint a switchplate cover with shiny red-lacquer paint. Let dry.
- Spray the surface with gold-leaf adhesive and carefully lay a sheet of gold leaf over it.
- Use a paintbrush to brush away the excess leafing (figure L). Tiny patches of the red paint will show through (or, if you prefer, apply the gold leaf to an unpainted switchplate cover). If you want still more of the cover's color to show, you can simply scratch the leafed surface slightly to remove more of the gold (figure M).
More questions for Debbie Stapley: Q: Can you tell me how to make a flower press out of plywood? A: Yes, it's surprisingly easy. Just cut two pieces of plywood the same size, lay one on top of the other and drill a hole through both at each corner. The holes should be big enough to accommodate a fairly large bolt -- say, 3" or 4" long; then add a wingnut (and, if you wish, a washer) to each bolt. All you have to do in order to use the press is layer flowers and paper toweling between the boards and tighten the bolts to press the flowers. Q: I would like to make hot pads as gifts. I've seen some stuffed with potpourri or spices. Can you tell me where I can get the stuffing? A: Believe it or not, any spices or potpourri will work great. When the essential oils in potpourri are heated up, that's what causes the scent to become stronger. Q: What kind of string or wire should I use for tiny beads that I'm using to make a necklace? A: The best thing to use is monofilament or fishing line, which is generally available in the bead section of a crafts store. And the best thing is, you don't even have to use a needle with it!
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