Project by Rebecca Krahula.Materials:
microscope slides
transfer sheets or clipart
access to copy machine
8-lb., .010-inch fishing line
rubbing alcohol
file
paper towels
parchment paper
Vitrea 160 gloss medium glass paint
Houston Art Athena Series 7000 size 16 soft brush
fid* or bone folder
Houston Art Super Film 1500-grit sanding disc
Houston Art Mona Lisa Clear Cote spray sealer
16-gauge non-tarnish silver & gold wire
needlenose round pliers
wire cutters
charms
beaded chain
Celestial Crystals graduated diamond 16-facet beads
Celestial Crystals 8 x 4 minidiscs (16 facets)
Celestial Crystals 4mm, 32-facet round beads
2-prong jewelry fastener or plated metal bails
8mm druks
beads
bowl for sanding and water
oven for curing glass slides
glue
skewer for stirring and gluing
*fids are found with stained glass supplies
Steps:1. To prepare slides: Trim pictures 1/8-inch larger than microscope slides (figure A). Set aside. Note: When photocopying images, be sure to "mirror" image so that when transferred, the images will face correctly (figure B).
2. Clean microscope slides with alcohol and dry.
3. Brush the Vitrea 160 onto the slide in a vertical direction about 1/8-inch thick (figure C). Then brush the Vitrea 160 onto the slide in a horizontal direction (figure D).
4. Place the slide onto the trimmed photocopy. Pick up the slide and burnish the copy to the glass from the center to edges using your finger.
5. Place the slide, glass side down, on the inside of a folded piece of parchment paper. Use the fid to burnish the back of the copy to remove air bubbles and ensure good contact with the glass. Pay attention to the edges.
6. Let dry for 24 hours.
7. To cure, bake at 325 F degrees on the center rack in the oven for 30 minutes.
8. Let cool and soak in warm water 5 minutes.
9. Pull the cured, soaked slide out of the water and rub the paper backing away with your finger.
10. Wet-sand with a 1500-grit sanding disc to remove lint. Dry. If the transfer has any edges that chipped or if you missed an air bubble, fix with a permanent marker.
11. Seal with a clear acrylic spray seal and let dry.
12. Glue a two-pronged jewelry finding to the top of each finished slide and set aside.
13. To assemble the mobile: Start creating the coil that the mobile hangs from. Use your hands to mold the coil, starting with the center and keeping the rings about 1/4 inch apart. You want your coil to be approximately 4 inches across.
14. Once the coil is finished, continue the wire down 4 to 6 inches and curve the wire in the opposite direction, thus creating an "S" curve. Make a small eye at the base of this with needlenose pliers (figure E). Cut away excess wire with wire cutters. Set Aside.
15. Create the first branch of the mobile by creating another vertical spiral approximately 3 inches across. Bring the wire out of the coil in an "S" shape about 3 inches above the coil. Bend the wire straight up and create a loop to attach to the previous wire piece. Twist the wire around the base of the wire loop and create a reversed "S" shape about 3 inches long (figure F).
16. Create another coil at the end of the "S" shape, starting with the outside coil that is horizontal in direction and about 3 inches in width, coiling inward. When you reach the middle, cut away excess wire with wire cutters.
17. Glue a 10mm bead on the end of the wire in the center of each vertical coil and let dry.
18. Prepare the microscope slides for hanging by cutting a 12-inch piece of fishing line for each slide. Start with one end and thread on a 10mm bead and then another seed bead. Now bring the same end of the fishing line back through the 10mm bead and the first seed bead you strung. Tie a knot, glue, and cut the tail off.
19. Pick up the other end of the fishing line and string on a 4mm bead, Crystal disc, 10mm bead, Crystal disc, and seed bead. Tie an overhand knot at the base of the last seed bead so that there is 1-1/2 inches of fishing line between the previous cluster of seed beads and this one.
20. Drop down 2 inches on the fishing line and string a seed bead, a roundel, and one of the microscope slides back through the Crystal disc and seed bead. Knot off, place a drop of glue on knot, and trim tail. Prepare each slide this way.
21. The arm connects into the spiral hanger from the eye we created in the center. Open the hook on the end spiral hanger, slip in the eye of the first arm, and close the hook.
22. Hang the mobile; then place the microscope slides on the vertical coils starting with the first arm of the mobile (figure G). Each horizontal coil will hold up to 5 slides.
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