DIY Network

Father's Day Gift Desk Set From "DIY Crafts" episode DIC-105

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Figure A Figure B Figure C Figure D Figure E

Using plaster of Paris and a little paint, Carol Duvall, host of HGTV's The Carol Duvall Show, demonstrates how kids can make a desk "bin" for Dad that will hold paper clips, spare change, tacks and other small items.

Materials:

Plaster of Paris
Water
Mixing bowl
Stirring utensil
Petroleum jelly
Small cardboard containers (for example, boxes that once held checks, milk cartons, gift boxes, etc.)
Plastic foam balls
Paint
Duncan Granite Stone Paint (optional)

1. Prepare the plaster of Paris according to package directions, and stir gently until well mixed. It doesn't matter if the mixture is a little lumpy.

2. Cut a half-gallon paper milk carton or other container in two so that the bottom half is 3" to 4" tall.

3. Smooth a generous amount of petroleum jelly on the inside of the carton. This will prevent the plaster of Paris from sticking to the carton after it dries.

4. Pour the plaster of Paris into the milk carton until it reaches 1 1/2" from the lip of the container (figure A). Gently tap the carton on the work surface to force any air bubbles out of the mixture. Be sure to rinse out the mixing bowl before the plaster of Paris dries, but don't pour the residue down the sink.

5. Cut a piece from the foam ball so it has a flat side; apply petroleum jelly generously to the round part of the ball.

6. Push the rounded side of the ball into the plaster of Paris. You can draw a line around the foam ball to make sure it is sitting level in the plaster. Place a weight (coins work well) on the flat side to hold the ball down (figure B).

7. Let the plaster of Paris dry according to package directions, then remove the foam ball and the carton from the hardened block of plaster of Paris.

8. Use an emery board to smooth any rough areas on the block, if desired, then paint it. Carol used Granite Stone Paint from Duncan to make her desk accessories look as though they were carved from stone.

Make a paperweight by pouring plaster of Paris into a small gift box and letting it dry "as is" (figure C).

To make a desk accessory that includes a pencil holder, pour the plaster of Paris into a petroleum-jelly-coated check box. Push two foam balls (cut as explained in step 5 above) into the plaster next to each other. Place a ruler across the cut-off flat tops of the foam balls and add weight to the ruler with coins. Coat the tip of a pencil with petroleum jelly. Insert the tip in the plaster of Paris between the two foam balls (figure D), and prop the opposite end of the pencil against a tall object. Let the mixture dry, remove the box and the pencil, and sand and paint as described above (figure E).

RESOURCES :
Granite Stone Paint
Duncan Enterprises
Website: www.duncancrafts.com