Kreate Your Own Kaleidoscope!

By MARIA SETZER of Sweden

High Tea Design

FrenchKissed July Artist in Residence

This is a project making a simple but beautiful Kaleidoscope. This is quite an easy project to make as long as you manage the trick of fitting the mirrors into the cylinder. It is great to make together with kids as most children just love to see through a kaleidoscope and it is really exciting to show them that you actually can make your own. This one is a simple version, viewed by turning the entire cylinder, not twisting two parts in different directions. Still, it works and is just as colorful! Bring it to the beach and dream yourself away in colours. I got the inspiration from FrenchKissed’s Victorian Beach Kids postcard.

Kaleidoscope Supplies

First, you will need a strong cylinder. I used a cardboard mailing tube. It is about 1-1/2 inches in diameter and about 1/10 of an inch thick. You will also need a piece of plastic mirror cut into thirds, some cardstock wrapping paper, your favorite FrenchKissed printed scan and materials to decorate with.

Step One

Cut the cylinder into two pieces: one about 8 inches and the other about 1/2-inch. Use sandpaper or a knife to make the edges smooth. Later, you will match the two pieces back together. Next, cut two pieces of plastic matching the diameter of the paper roll. I used plastic laminating sheets since it is a bit "frosted" and not absolutely see-through.

The Triangle Mirror

Cut the plastic mirror into 3 pieces. The size of the mirror pieces depends on the size of your cylinder since you are going to shape the mirrors into a triangle that fits into the cylinder.
Here you have to do your mathematics, calculating how to make a triangle fit perfectly into the inner diameter of your cylinder.
To fit my tube, I made each mirror part 8 inches long and 1.2 inches wide.
Tape the 3 pieces together, mirrors facing inward, and gently push the triangle into the cylinder.

The Colorful End Piece
Now, let's turn our attention to the small cylinder part. Glue one circle of the laminate plastic part to one side of the cylinder. When dried, fill it up with stuff that shines and glitters. I used pearls, glass glitter and sequins in colours that I like. These shiny things are what makes the kaleidoscope sparkle, so make sure to use some contrasting colours.

Secure the Cylinder Pieces Back Together
Next, glue the other plastic circle to the long cylinder with the mirror triangle in the same way you did the small part. Put the two pieces together making the small cylinder a closed part containing all the little shinies. I used a doubled-sided tape and covered the whole of the two cylinders, thus holding the two pieces together and preparing it for the cardstock wrapping. When all is covered in double-sided tape, take your cardstock and cover the whole cylinder with it, leaving an extra bit extending at the top so that you can overlap and secure the plastic. You already have glued this plastic once, but it is good to make this extra step, both for looks and for safety. Cut the extra bit of extended cardstock into a frayed or spliced edge. Glue and fold it making an extra firm hold for the plastic lid.

To make it a bit more elegant, cover the folding with an extra piece of the same cardstock, still leaving the most part of the plastic lid open and visable. If you like, you can chalk the opening a bit for a more old-fashioned look.

Looking Hole
Now for the bottom part and the looking hole!
Cut a piece of cardstock so that you have a part that fits the bottom
end of your cardboard cylinder. Make sure you have an extra bit for overlapping and folding and that the little looking hole is no bigger than the mirror triangle.
You don’t want to make the triangle visable through the looking hole. Fold and glue or tape it into place.

Decorative Trim
Tape on some seam binding between the two lines of silver pearls. I used a teal coloured one, using the ends to make a handle for the kaleidoscope.
After that, I added a weaved part of seam binding, pink, teal and white. Add some paper roses if you like, and voila! The kaleidoscope is finished!

Good luck and many thanks to Trishia for letting me be the FrenchKissed Artist-in-Residence for July!
Maria
High Tea Design

FrenchKissed Exclusive Blog Offer: Buy the Victorian Beach Kids digital scan for this project (OR any beach/swimming suit-themed scan) and get one free scan, $3.99 or under, of your choice! This offer is good in both my shops but the link above takes you to my Zibbet store. Put the title of your free scan in a convo or under Message from Seller.