Michele Made Me

One birdie's attempt to figure things out. Oh, and crafts.

Series 4 – The Candy Wrapper Chain #3

by

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!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amy says

    I'm sorry to hear that your little guy is sick. The flu landed me in the hospital one year. Keep him hydrated! I hope you and your husband stay well.

  5. katia says

    Hi, I'm so sorry that your little boy is still sick…
    I like your chains, but i like more the astute way you make them!!!!
    When I saw the calendar picture I thought was painted with purpurin…
    Ps, sorry for my rusty english….

  6. CREATIVE MIND says

    These are totally awesome..you always share extraordinary stuff !! so its nice as usual 🙂
    I wish u & ur family stay safe & healthy from seasonal reactions..hmmm

    Ohh,i wanna say thnx to you also,you write lovely comment about me on my feature at Mod Podge Rocks blog..
    Thanx..stay blessed

  7. Teresinha Ferreira says

    Melhoras. Gripe é terrível mesmo.
    Olha, esse trabalho me remeteu a lembranças belíssimas da minha vida…Da minha mãe!!! Ela fazia muito e eu ficava encantada.
    Dá pra fazer coisas lindíssimas. É só das asas à imaginação e voar.
    Bom final de semana.
    Bjs mil

  8. Melissa says

    The last wreath is my favourite, especially with the little pops of yellow from the phone book pages. And of course, the rosettes are fabulous.

  9. Melissa says

    p.s. Have you heard of Greencraft magazine by somerset studios? They have an ongoing feature called from the bin, I think you should submit your projects.

  17. creativejewishmom/sara says

    Hi Michele, great to see you, and thanks for sharing despite pressing family matters— good health for all! Love this wreath, as kids we used to do this with gum wrappers and I've been wanting to try it again, so thanks so much for the inspiration and for sharing on Craft Schooling Sunday!

  22. SisterDG says

    This is such a cool idea. I've always wanted to know how to make these chains – thank you for the awesome clear tutorial! And those flowers are just so sculptural and pretty.

  23. Charissa says

    I found you on Creative Jewish Mom. I love the wreath! The rosettes remind me of artichokes (in a good way). Lovely work.

  24. Dawn says

    I must tell you that we made these chains from gum wrappers when I was a girl. The teen girls made them the height of their boyfriend and hung them in their rooms or rolled and hung from the car mirror. The same era that the going-steady-girls wrapped their guys' rings in angora yarn and brushed it all fluffy-like around the stone.
    Yup! I am an old reader here…
    🙂
    Sweet to see this again.

  25. Anonymous says

    What a hoot!! It brought back sooo many memories. I had begun making a chain out of gum wrappers when I was probably in the 8th grade (many many MANY moons ago). It's about 15 feet long and I STILL have it along with some stick gum wrappers that haven't been used yet. It also brings back memories of the Adams gum and Zebra Stripe. It's fun to take it out from time to time and walk down memory lane.