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After months of dragging my feet on this projects, I finally got it together and finished these.
Here’s what I did; sorry I’m missing some of the early pics.
1) Got some pink foam from Home depot, used high tech knife and spoon to make the basic shape and dig out the holes for the food dishes. Then I took a wood burner and melted in the lines. Next I got some black silicon and put it in the food dish holes. I wanted them to be extra water proof. The dishes are basketball easter eggs I got at the dollar store.
**Update – If I was going to make these again, I would add a small drainage hole in the middle of the siliconed area so that water could drain through the bottom when I spray the tanks.
2) Then I spray painted everything. There’s a kind of spray paint that will melt foam and a kind that won’t (water based). I grabbed the wrong can from the basement and used the melty spray paint. I figured I ruined it and put them both away on a shelf for months. A week ago I noticed that they didn’t smell anymore, so I figured I could save the project. I covered them w/ 3 layers of black non toxic craft paint.
3) I got a thin piece of wood from AC Moore and siliconed it to the back. I needed a flat surface to glue the magnets to. You can kind of see it in this pic.
4) I went to Lowes and found some really strong square magnets. They chipped a bit when I was handling them. I think that’s a normal trait of earth magnets.
5) The magnet portion of the project has 2 parts. (4 magnets per dish)
a. I glued fabric around the outside 2 magnets (wrapped them christmas present style),and then a gecko needed to be added of course.
b. I siliconed the inside 2 magnets to the piece of wood. I then siliconed fabric over them. I was sure to seal the edges up really well.
6) Then I dry brushed on the other colors (non toxic paint again).
7) I got some mod podge and went to town on them. I wanted to seal it very well. After two days of sealing and drying, here they are. Enjoy!
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