Admit it, Big Bang Theory fans (and even haters), you want a luminous fish just like the one at Sheldon’s beddy-bye stand in Season One.
Turns out, it’s pretty easy. If you don’t actually want a real fish, that is.
Fish Parts
What You Need:
Small Beta fish bowl, votive candle holder or jar
Small, lightweight toy fish
Glow-in-the-dark paint or nail polish
Craft epoxy resin
First, find a fish. I used a 25-cent coin machine plastic fish, but any small toy fish will do. These can be found in little nature in the educational section at toy stores or crafts stores. Old broken wind-up toys (with the ‘innards’ removed) work well for a larger bowls.
Once you’ve acquired your fish, coat it with glow-in-the dark paint. Acrylic paint works best if you’re using paint, but I actually recommend nail polish over paint; it dries nice and glossy and won’t come off or run when you’re ready to put it in the resin. If you do use polish, slap on about three or four coats (letting each one dry before adding the next) to make sure you cover the fish well.
Now, that the fish is ready, mix the resin according to the specific brand’s instructions, making enough to fill the bowl about half full. I’ve said this before, but follow the resin instructions exactly otherwise it won’t harden properly. Pour the mix in, wait until the resin in a little hard (not completely hardened), and gently push the fish on top of the resin. Make another batch of resin and pour over the fish to completely encase it in the “water.” Let it dry completely. This could take a anywhere from a few hours to a day or two, depending on brand of resin.
Keep the bowl by a window or under a bright lamp so he can soak of up plenty of light during the day and glow longer at night.
If he looks a little peaked, douse him with some light from desk lamp or flash light…then sing him “Soft Kitty.”
BOO-It-Yourself Halloween Costumes – Terra from Teen Titans!
BOO-It-Yourself Halloween Costumes – Ariel from The Little Mermaid!
BOO-It-Yourself Halloween Costumes – Misa Amane
BOO-It-Yourself Halloween Costumes – L from Death Note!
BOO-It-Yourself Halloween Costumes – Regina The Evil Queen!
BOO-It-Yourself Halloween Costumes – Amaterasu
Okay Whovians, let’s do the math.
Able to overcome limitations of time and space? Check.
Has appeared in varying “versions” of himself for different generations? Check.
Has a completely badass-yet-unlikely form of universal transportation? Check.
It’s official — Santa is a Time Lord.
How about leaving him at treat worthy of this title? Time Lord Gingerbread Men!
This is just a matter of taking your ordinary gingerbread men and jazzing them up a bit…something that becomes a pretty fun parent/kid holiday activity, particularly if you like to eat frosting.
Step One
Okay, since this is more about the decor than the flavor, I’m not going to commit you to any new and revolutionary gingerbread recipe. Find your favorite gingerbread (or sugar cookie) recipe, as long as it’s one intended for shaped cookies. I’ve used plain old Betty Crocker gingerbread mix for the little Whos shown in the picture above, but any brand will work for this.
Tip: When I’m in the mood to be more “authentic” I like to use the cookie and icing recipe Ray Keim (remember the Haunted Dimensions guy?), uses for his fantabulous gingerbread homes.
Step Two
Take plain old gingerbread man cookie cutter and get your 11 Time Lords cut out. Leave a little dough left over to cut out a rectangle for a Tardis. You can’t leave out your Tardis, after all.
Step Three
Plan out your designs while your cookies bake. Now, since these are cookies, we’re not going to get too elaborate, but simply give some “hints” to each Doctor’s distinct look. I’ve included some templates the geeklings and I cooked up, but feel free to outdo us in imagination! That’s what it’s all about. Don’t forget to leave some cookie scraps to make simple accessories like the Eleventh Doctor’s Fez or Seventh Doctor’s umbrella, you can attach with icing once they are done.
Step Four
Once your cookies are out of the oven, wait until they are completely cool before icing. This is the hardest part for my kids (and, yes, for me too). Pre-colored cookie frosting works best if you are dealing with kids, since they often come packaged with easy-to-use tips for designing.
Tip: Mix your own food coloring into plain royal icing for more specific colors (like that Willy Wonka-mated-with-the-Easter Bunny’s mutant offspring get-up the Sixth Doctor wore. Seriously, what even is that?) or create your own! Most basic icing recipes are as simple as mixing about a half pound of powdered sugar with one egg white.
Our favorites turned out to be, not surprisingly, the Fourth Doctor’s awesome scarf and Tenth Doctor’s red sneakers, but aren’t they the two best Doctors anyway (debate your own favorites among yourselves, here).
Step Five
Want to go beyond cookies? Lightly poke a hole in the cookies and string them together to make edible ornaments! Or place them out for Santa and see if bring his sonic screwdriver with him, because I’m betting he has one.
Want to create these for your friends for the holiday season? Share your photos with us on Twitter @SubCultured!
BOO-It-Yourself Halloween Costumes – Terra from Teen Titans!
BOO-It-Yourself Halloween Costumes – Ariel from The Little Mermaid!
BOO-It-Yourself Halloween Costumes – Misa Amane
BOO-It-Yourself Halloween Costumes – L from Death Note!
BOO-It-Yourself Halloween Costumes – Regina The Evil Queen!
BOO-It-Yourself Halloween Costumes – Amaterasu
Easter is coming!
Time to make a special egg for that special someone, and what is cooler than making your own Game of Thrones style dragon’s eggs to compliment your Easter decor? Move over, plastic eggs, because DIY Game of Thrones dragon eggs are way more interesting and can be made with stuff you already have lying around the house!
This is a pretty easy craft for all ages, so if you have little ones who love playing pretend, enlist their help! Dragon eggs are always cool, whether they belong to Eragon or Jane, or used as ceremonial gifts in an arranged marriage to a giant hedonistic barbarian warlord.
Materials:
Brown paper lunch bag
Egg (plastic or real egg, hollowed out)
White glue
Old naked black crayon
Scissors
Now it’s time to “dragonize” the egg.
Directions:
Step One: Cut your paper bag into several half-inch strips. Make plenty in case you screw the next step up a couple of times. It happens.
Step Two: Either fold the strips “paper fan” style or roll it while creasing it to make several layers ready to be cut into dragon scales.
Step Three: Cut each folded strip into teardrop, triangle, oval or similar shape to create several scales at once. Make sure you cut all the way around the paper so the scales fall apart separately.
Step Four: Now for the tedious (or therapeutic) task of gluing the scales on the egg. Start at the bottom of the egg (the less pointy end, of course) and start gluing individual pieces around the egg. Make sure to overlap each scale below it to give it that scaly texture.
Hint, cut about four or five “mini scales” about half the size of the others to paste on the top point. This will make it look more authentic.
Step Five: Let glue dry.
Step Six: Once the glue is dry, take the side of the crayon and rub up and own the egg to give it an antiqued look. Once you have the look and texture you like, it’s time to get messy!
Step Seven: Mix a little of the glue with some water and smear it over the surface to give it a little sheen as well as protect the scales. You could also mix in a very fine glitter with your glue to give your egg some more pop!
Behold, the dragon’s egg. Make sure you present it on a rustic tray accompanied by these words: “I am the blood of the dragon.”
Or just hand it to the person and say, “Hey, here’s a dragon’s egg I made you.”
Either way they will love it. Don’t forget to check out our other DIY Easter crafts! Easter Greetings from Essos!
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