No problem MerHopefully :) and I'm not sure about other dollar trees but the one I went to only had white. They also had coconut tops when I went but I didn't buy any so I can't show you :-/
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No problem MerHopefully :) and I'm not sure about other dollar trees but the one I went to only had white. They also had coconut tops when I went but I didn't buy any so I can't show you :-/
Quote:
No problem MerHopefully :) and I'm not sure about other dollar trees but the one I went to only had white. They also had coconut tops when I went but I didn't buy any so I can't show you :-/
*sings* I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts...
Yeah, they've just got white shells. Since they are plastic, Krylon fusion spray paint would probably work well on them.
You know, I never would have thought of using felt! I've been using basically plastic sheeting to craft my bases. I went back and watched Raven's tutorial on how to get hair clips to stay in (I'm always sending that video to people cause it works so well!) and I realized she uses felt too! Wow... feel kind of like an idiot for never thinking of that XP Would probably make making them a whoooole lot easier! How do they hold up over time though I wonder? Seeing as felt can absorb and hold water, does it mess with the glue? What have you guys found?Quote:
Originally Posted by Morticia Mermaid
I've not had any issues with my stuff, and I use all my personal stuff just about Egbert time I'm in the water.
I know I did a lot of testing when I started using it. Including letting it soak a couple days then trying to pull it apart (it being felt just glued to a shell). It suck well enough that I made it into a clip cause it wouldn't pull apart, lol
Sent by star fish
Wow. Epic typo is epic. Meant every, not Egbert. Goes to show I shouldn't post while half asleep
Sent by star fish
Baha Egbert. I love it
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
Egbert time? Do I detect a Homestuck fan? Yay for half-asleep typos! I'm glad the felt works so well for you, Morticia, I may use it myself when I make my swimmable gear. I haven't exactly been in a hurry to do it since I haven't gotten to swim in well over a year. :cry:
Thanks for letting me know about the testing :) I'll give it a try, do some quality testing of my own as well. I used clips using my bases for like a year and a half before I sold any, just to be sure they were really durable. For the felt, anything I sell before quality testing is completed.. well I'll just smother in e6000 :P Cause some of the styles I want to try I just won't be able to do with my regular bases. Thanks again!Quote:
Originally Posted by Morticia Mermaid
Is there anything you can use to glue something TO silicone? I want to put some pearls on some of Atlantis Mermaid's silicone shells.
Mermaid Jessica (among others) use SilPoxy from Smooth-On.
Basic craft felt is plastic, not wool, and while it will hold some water, it's easily blotted out. Actually, you can coat the felt with silicone and work it in, to repel water, too!Quote:
Originally Posted by Winged Mermaid
Can anyone suggest a good place to get nice realistic fake seaweed online? I live in Australia, and none of the craft stores or pet shops have nice selections. Thanks!
IKEA has fake plants that work really well! I found them by accident and they look really lovely. You just have to pull them from the foam bade
Base*
Awesome, I'm not too far from one, thanks Romy! :)
You're very welcome C:
There are also a lot of sites for faux floral supplies. Try searching terms like "artificial greenery foliage" :)
Cheap as chips I have found has nice ones :)
Thanks Iona, I tried searching things like "fake aquarium plants" and didn't have much luck finding anything nice!
Ilyena: I'm not sure I have seen one of those stores, I'll keep an eye out! Thanks!
Lol I think you meant Iona. Since, you know, raina didn't post anything... :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Mermaid Kate Silverfin
Oopsies yep T_____T how embarrassing! I'll edit that now, *blush*
I just went to Michaels this week to see what was on sale and I found a ton of fake plants on sale for 80% off!!!
Wow, good tip! Thanks!
Hey guys, I need some advice for my living trident project. I have this plastic trident that I got at party city, but I want to attach a whole bunch of toy sea life, real shells, and so forth onto it. Obviously I'll need to coat the shells in resin (thanks for the tip) and now thanks to this thread, I have some idea of what glue to use (though the listed types DO work on plastic, right?), but since the hilt of the trident is a boring old black, I kinda wanted to coat it in something that would harden and look like coral (in pinks, turquoise, blue, green, purple, peach, etc, with that coral-like texture). I could also see highlighting the gold-looking part of the prongs with something to look like coral or algae. But I haven't the foggiest idea what might suit that purpose. Ideally, it'd be something that could double as glue, so I could immediately apply the shells and sea life, but I'm less picky about that... just need some ideas of where to look and what to look for. Any advice?
Don't use so much glue so that when you press the object onto the surface it blobs out the sides. With E6000, you only need to use very little. Its industrial strength so even that little bit will stick whatever, for a very very long time. Once dry, E6000 can be quite difficult to paint as it does not absorb paints very well and you'd have to experiment what works and what doesn't. That is another reason why you only need a tiny dab of it, then you can paint your surface(s) or in your case, your trident staff without worrying about how you'll cover the gluey bits.
For painting plastic or rubber, enamel paints work very well. Its the type in spray cans and some hobby shops you can find them in little jars. As for skin safe, you'll need a skin safe and waterproof glaze or resin to go over the paint.
Krylon has spray paints that work on plastic too. I think that is skin safe, but not 100% sure, you'd have to look it up yourself.
When you all attach sea shells to bras/belts, do they come pre-drilled? Do you drill them yourself? Or do you glue them on somehow?
I want to make myself some accessories but I don't have access to any power tools.
Most folks tend to glue the shells down with E-6000 - I personally sew mine down. Glue and I don't really get along well together, and everything I have that has glue (whether I made it or bought it) tends to fall apart >.< My mertender has a Dremel, and he drills the holes for me.
Thanks for the advice, Miyu. Specifically I'm thinking of attaching shells to netting. My first instinct would be to sew (i would think glue wouldn't work since there wouldn't be enough surface area) but in that case I would have to buy shells with holes drilled in them already.
Hmm, I don't think I've seen any large shells with pre-drilled holes... Do let me know if you find any - I'd be interested in seeing them!
If you can't find any with pre-drilled holes, maybe you could purchase some shells and have them shipped to someone who can drill them for you, then have them shipped to you?
I have a number of shells with predrilled holes, including some 5 inch lion paws. Also have smaller mixed shells. Let me know if you are interested and I can send pics.
I just made molds of some pretty big shells, 1 large scallop baking shell, shallow and flat; and 1 good sized Lion's Paw. I cast them in white resin (lightweight and durable!) and I rotocast them so there is space inside for boobage! Ready to paint, and I can drill them before I send them out. I'll take a photo of them tonight, if you like...they are going to be available in my Etsy shop!
Ooh, PearlieMae, I'm going to have to check those out :D
PearlieMae and BayouMermaid, pics would be great! ;D
Also to those interested, I found some pre-drilled shells on Etsy:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1587875...?ref=hp_mod_rf
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1819711...ef=favs_view_5
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1289785...ef=favs_view_6
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1548330...ef=favs_view_7
https://www.etsy.com/listing/9569747...f=favs_view_12
While we're on the topic of shells, I love abalone but I've heard that it's endangered. Does anyone know of shells that we mers should stay clear of? (It would be awkward if I was teaching kids about how to save the environment and then I had an endangered animal on my chest haha)
I personally try to only buy from sources that I know sell mainly shells from food-fishing and such - not critters that were caught and killed just for their shells! I'm trying to put together a list of ecological-minded shell/supplies vendors for my post in the environmentalism and conservation section of the forum :)
Miyu, that sounds like a great contribution!
Here's NOAA's list of endangered invertebrates
SpeciesStatus
- Acropora globiceps coral
(Acropora globiceps)
- Acropora jacquelineae coral
(Acropora jacquelineae)
- Acropora lokani coral
(Acropora lokani)
- Acropora pharaonis coral
(Acropora pharaonis)
- Acropora retusa coral
(Acropora retusa)- Acropora rudis coral
- (Acropora rudis)
- Acropora speciosa coral
(Acropora speciosa)
- Acropora tenella coral
(Acropora tenella)
- Acropora spinosa coral
(Acropora spinosa)
- black abalone
(Haliotis cracherodii
- boulder star coral
(Orbicella franksi)
- elkhorn coral
(Acropora palmata)
- Euphyllia paradivisa coral
(Euphyllia paradivisa)
- Floreana coral
(Tubastraea floreana)
- green abalone
(Haliotis fulgens)
- Hawaiian reef coral
(Montipora dilatata)
- inarticulated brachiopod
(Lingula reevii)
- Isopora crateriformis coral
(Isopora crateriformis)
- ivory tree coral
(Oculina varicosa)S
- Johnson's seagrass
(Halophila johnsonii)
- lobed star coral
(Orbicella annularis)
- Montipora australiensis coral
(Montipora australiensis)- mountainous star coral
(Orbicella faveolata)
- Pavona diffluens coral
(Pavona diffluens)
- pillar coral
(Dendrogyra cylindrus)
- pink abalone
(Haliotis corrugata)
- pinto abalone
(Haliotis kamtschatkana)
- Porites napopora coral
(Porites napopora)
- queen conch
(Strombus gigas)
- rough cactus coral
(Mycetophyllia ferox)- Seriatopora aculeata coral
(Seriatopora aculeata)
- staghorn coral
(Acropora cervicornis)
- white abalone
(Haliotis sorenseni)
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/...ates/#mollusca
Is there any reason I rarely (if ever) see polished lion's paws used for tops? I'm thinking of using it for my next one, but I was wondering if there was some reason no one uses them. https://sep.yimg.com/ay/yhst-4869917...s-5-to-6-1.jpg
People use them for tops, they're just not common because finding them in person can be rare, and ordering online they tend to be overpriced. Also they can be a bit more on the fragile side (when compared to non polished) and chip easier. But yeah, people use them :) I've had 3 pairs sitting in my craft shells waiting to be used for a few years haha- I am horrid when it comes to procrastinating making tops :P So if you like them, yeah use them! They're very pretty :)
Huzzah! I did find some for quite cheap at this site:Quote:
Originally Posted by Winged Mermaid
http://www.seashellco.com/lions-pawn...57-p-1233.html
So I have everything I need to make my shell bra, but I've put off working on it because the next step is attaching the fake seaweed. I really REALLY don't like sewing and dread the thought of hand stitching all that (I need to use a lot since the lion's paws leave a lot of the bra uncovered).
My question is has anyone ever glued the plastic seaweed directly to the bra fabric? The glued down bits would later be covered by the shells so what it looks like is not an issue, but I worry about the glue not adhering to the plastic stems very well. I have both gorilla glue and E6000. I can still stitch down seaweed in some places, I just don't want to do it for dozens of pieces.