How to Make a Paperweight Displaying an Insect
Display an insect you have caught or collected inside of a paperweight. The paperweight protects the fragile insect. You can make the paperweight from a jar or a rock. The jar protects the insect through both the glass and the stick holding the insect upright. Cover the rock with a glue-like solution called decoupage to protect an insect on the paperweight. The decoupage creates a sealed coating over the insect. Base the type of paperweight you make on the type of insect. Flatter insects, such as butterflies and moths, lay on a rock better than fatter creatures such as bees.
Things You'll Need
- Wood craft stick
- Hot glue gun
- Clear jar with lid
- Clear gel candle wax
- Saucepan
- Stove
- Wooden spoon
- Masking tape
- Wax paper
- Book
- Glue
- Measuring cup
- Foam bowl
- Water
- Tablespoon
- Mixing spoon
- Sponge brush
Instructions
-
Jar
-
1
Apply glue to one flat side of a craft stick. Set the insect in the glue. Do not push on the insect. The pressure can cause it to break or crack. The belly of the insect should face the stick. The stick keeps the insect from crumpling or folding.
-
2
Pour the clean gel candle wax into a saucepan. Place it on a stove burner. Turn the burner on to low-medium heat. Stir the gel wax until it melts completely. Turn off the burner once the wax has melted.
-
-
3
Pour the melted wax into the jar until it is two-thirds full. Tear off a small piece of masking tape, long enough to reach from the top of the stick to the lip of the jar. Wrap one end of the tape around the top of the stick. Insert the stick with the insect attached into the wax. Press the other end of the tape to the lip of the jar. Pour in more wax until the jar is full. Do not pour wax on the tape. The wax will move around the jar to fill it as it is poured. Remove the tape.
-
4
Set the jar in a cool, dry area while the wax cools. Once the jar is completely cool when touched, proceed to the next step.
-
5
Apply a thin layer of glue around the inside of the lid, and screw the lid on tightly.
Rock
-
6
Place an insect between two pieces of wax paper. Slip the paper in the middle of a large book, and leave it there for 24 to 48 hours to flatten the insect.
-
7
Pour 1 cup of glue into a foam bowl. Add 2 tbsp. of water to the glue. Stir to make the decoupage solution. Dip the foam brush into the diluted glue. Spread the diluted glue over the entire rock. Remove the insect from the book and wax paper. Press the insect into the glue.
-
8
Spread the decoupage solution over the insect. Allow it dry. Add another two layers of the decoupage solution; each layer needs to dry before adding another.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Use caution when heating the candle wax, as it can catch fire if it gets too hot.
References
- Photo Credit insect image by Henryk Olszewski from Fotolia.com
