Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Perler Display


Kenz has created hearts, circles, squares, pentagons, and octagons. Her little hands have made tulips, butterflies, stars, crowns, children, horses, dogs, fish and dolphins.


She's been "Perlering" for over a year now and her collection has grown and spread everywhere.

There's a bucket of em at my house and a shoebox at her moms. The plastic iron together beads are in closets, drawers and desks, in our cars, purses and backpacks.

I wanted to somehow put them all together, display them so they could be appreciated and admired. I came up with the idea of thumb tacking them on a bulletin board. A little less enthusiastic, but willing, Kenz started arranging them, pushing them into the cork with the stick pins. While she worked, she got the itch to do another design--- so she gave the job back to me.


As I suspected, the stick pins looked tacky , even though they are clear. I had some of those two sided sticky things, (60 for $1.99) so I took out the pins and used them instead. The clock was ticking and Kenz was on to a whole new activity, coloring at the kitchen table.


When the Perler Bead patterns were all lined up in rows, (Kenz's decision) they looked OK, but somehow the board didn't shout "look at me." In fact, it was a bit blah. My other brillant idea was to use the colorful sticky foamies and decorate the edge.

Kenz must have known that would make it worse. No Nana, I don't want to do that.


I set the board in the hallway so my daughter could decide where she might like to hang it.
I don't know, Mom. I have to think about it, maybe in the corner in the storage room.


It was past dinner, the three of us decided on Sushi. I was in Kenz's room when my daughter mumbled something from the hall. Oh, Oh, they are falling off.

The plastic patterns had fallen like new snow, quietly onto the table which held the clumsy looking cork board. I went and got the stick pins and replaced them, thinking some of them needed extra help. One by one the sticky stuff gave up. My daughter and Kenz could only shake their heads. You've been working on that thing for hours Mom. Let's go, we're hungry.


We left for dinner and I left the board. The next time I am over there, my plan is to disassemble it. I've come to the conclusion that part of the magic and the fun of the Perler creations is picking them up, feeling them and finding them in unlikely spots. I think the bulletin board ruins the charm.

Help! How do you Perler freaks display your creations?


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I don't know the name of the ironed plastic thingies that my granddaughter makes, but they certainly sound like your Perler creations. She has made little round circles and adorable little people. I just sort of leave them around. I haven't come up with a better plan. When you do, let me know!

Sally

Total Pageviews