Series 4 - The Candy Wrapper Chain #3

Hi there. I'm late. Sorry about that. The boy has had the flu all week... He's quite ill... So my attention has been elsewhere. But, I squeaked out a post, thank goodness. Shall we get to it? Let us go.

Welcome to the third installment of Series 4 - The Candy Wrapper Chain! To see what fun I've been having with these nifty chains, visit my previous entries in the series: Installment 1 and Installment 2.

Today I'll be showing you a few different things:

• How to make a large quantity of chain links in very little time [which makes this a much more efficient project than when I first learned (two weeks ago now... so long ago...)]
• How I've used the chains as a frame in a couple of different projects.
• How to make the rosette I first made in Installment 1.

Making Lots o' Links

1. Using junk mail, or phone book pages, cut out narrow sheets. Mine are 3-3/4"(9.2 cm) wide (this measurement allows me to get 2 strips from 1 phone book page, but I make all my strips this width for consistency's sake).

2. Fold a strip in half lengthwise.

3. Unfold the strip, and fold the long edges in so that they meet the center fold. Refold in half lengthwise.

4. Fold all your strips in this way.

5. Mark a strip at increments of 3/8" (1 cm).

6. Clamp several folded strips together using a clip.

7. Make links by cutting through all the folded strips at the marks you made.

8. You'll get many many links in no time.

Now you have everything you need to make the chains. Here's the video tutorial that shows how to do that! It's surprising how long a chain you can make during an hour-long TV show... Have fun!

Making a Frame

For my first project, I cut a slightly larger than plate-sized circle from one of the months of an old astronomy calendar (could not throw it out... could not). I also cut a similar circle from a pizza box. Then I glued those two circles together.

9. To frame my picture, I took a chain.

10. After placing a plate in the middle of my calendar picture, I applied a bead of white PVA glue around the perimeter of the circle. I then placed my chain on the bead of glue using the plate as a guide to keep the chain along a nicely circular path.

11. I trimmed the chain and inserted the end links into each other and glued them in place.

12. I removed the plate, and voilà, a picture framed!

The "framed" astronomy calendar page will decorate the closet door of the boy's bedroom. I'll be making a few more of these to create a unique astral door decoration!

For my next project, I cut a circular ring out of a cracker box, and glued two chains to it.

Making a Rosette

I made a few little rosettes as shown in the following photo. And glued those on my ring...

... creating a sweet telephone page candy wrapper chain wreath!

I can imagine adding a few coats of paint to this wreath and framing a round mirror or a simple clock face with it, can't you? The possibilities never end, do they?

Well, now I'm off to tend the sick...

Have a healthy weekend and I will see you again soon!

I'll be linking here!