Squishy Bag

Level: Sticky (Beginner)

I made my first squishy bag about 4 years ago when my son was diagnosed with a sensory integration disorder. He went to a lot of occupational therapy in those days, and his therapist at the time gave him one after therapy one day. It was just a sandwich bag with a stretchy frog and a few beads in it, but he loved it. For the full 25 seconds it lasted before it busted open and he ended up with a lap full of gel, that is.

I figured there had to be a better way, and I was right. I developed this project over the following months and continue to revamp it for many purposes. All of my kids have used them, even the ones without sensory issues–they’re great entertainment for the car or any place they need to sit still! I’ve made ”Hide and Seek” type bags, “puzzles” where you assembled animal parts into a whole (as shown at the end of the video) and many more. Check back for future applications, Ducko-s; I’ve got a few things up my sleeve, including some Quiet Book pages that are going to be fantabulous!

If you have questions that aren’t addressed in the video, leave me a comment and I’ll try to help you.

Water Bottle Holder-Glacier Not Included

Level: Sticky (beginner)

**Make sure you scroll down to the bottom to see a genuine Alaskan hippy collecting genuine glacier water off a genuine iceberg in genuine duct tape water bottle!** (you can’t miss it…it’s huge)

So I’m putting all my video projects on hold for a minute, pending some copyright approval. In the meantime, I wanted to post something simple that can probably be done WITHOUT video while I wait. Since we’re going to the glacier today (Can’t waste the sunshine!) and will want to haul water I thought it was the perfect time to whip one of these out!

I like this project because it’s not only practical, but because it uses the cardboard rolls that duct tape comes on. I KNEW I saved them for a reason…not just because I have a little pang of guilt every time I chuck things into a landfill!

First, the supplies:

You’ll need 3 empty rolls of duct tape in any three colors you like–make sure they are still nice and round and haven’t been stepped on or anything. You will also need duct tape for the handle and bottom. Clear duct tape is also a must. Okay, so you don’t HAVE to use clear, but if you use colored you won’t able to see the inside of the duct-tape rolls, which I think is pretty cool. Beside that, you just need your basic toolbox (Xacto knife, scissors, cutting mat or board, wet erase marker).

Step 1: Pulling a Long Handle

The trick is to make the handle long enough to drape over your shoulder. I’d give you a measurement except it is different for everyone! I made this one 52″ for a medium height child. If I decide at the last minute to give it to her younger sister, I’ll just loop the finished handle and wrap tape around it at the appropriate length.

Pull the entire length of the color you want in the MIDDLE of the handle, carefully, and put on your surface sticky side up. Starting in the middle-ish, fold tape in half, working the tape as smoothly as possible towards either side until it is completely folded.

Pierce any air bubbles with the tip of your Xacto knife and push flat.

Step 2: Finish Handle

Take an 18″ strip (or so) of the color you want showing on the outside and trim the ripped edges with your knife. Turn sticky side up. Then, starting on one end, lay the folded handle down the center of tape and fold up edges. Rinse, Lather, Repeat until the entire handle is striped, taking care to line up stripes from one strip to the next.

Step 4: Tape Empty Rolls Together

Pull a strip of clear tape, about 10″. Carefully string your first roll onto the tape, with the cardboard against the non-sticky side. Carefully add the other two in turn, lining them up and then pressing the sticky side down so they are stuck together. Trim fairly close to the rolls so you don’t have a bunch of tape flapping around.

Step 5: Attach Handle and “Waterproof” bottle

Take a 10″ piece of clear tape and stick your handle to it–striped side UP (the solid color is now stuck to the tape.) Next to your first clear strip, but not overlapping, carefully tape the handle to the cardboard, keeping the 3 rolls lined up. Repeat for the other side.

Cover all remaining cardboard with clear tape so it won’t fall apart with the inevitable condensation from your bottle. Trim all clear tape against the rolls so there is no overhang.

Step 6: Prepare to Cover Your Bottom

Take two strips (4″) of tape and trace around an empty roll. Cut out the circle, right on the line. Then take three strips (4″) and trace around a partially used roll of duct tape. (the white roll on the left hand side was the one I used.) Cut out the second circle.

Flip larger circle sticky side up. Carefully center smaller on larger circle and stick-sticky sides together.

Step 7: Actually Cover Your Bottom

Cut “fringe” from the smaller circle out, about 1/4″ apart. Remember that the closer they are together the smoother it will lay.

Carefully place waterbottle on small circle, then press fringe up onto bottle to attach.

Step 8: Fill in the Cracks

Pull an 11″ piece of tape and trim ends. Cut strip into 1/2″ wide strips. Wrap around each seam in the holder. Add one to the top and carefully fold it down.

Add your scraps to your Duck-o ball, make plans to visit the glacier nearest you, and you are done!

Just…watch the video and…uh…hum to yourself quietly…

…yeah, that’s it!

I made an AMAZING music video (it’s getting better in my head by the second, btw) this last week so I could post it to YouTube last night. It took me hours to take the 16 and-a-half minutes of footage and crop it down and edit it to a cohesive story line that would fit in a 3 minute and 56 second song and still show all the steps to making a fabulous duct-tape project. I busted my chops all week to get it done by my self-imposed Tuesday deadline. I ignored my house and kids. I neither ate nor slept, and I got it done. And I loved it. (hyperbole, anyone?)

But you don’t get to see it. Sorry. Just as I getting ready to publish it to YouTube so I could embed it in the blog, a nice little reminder came up about using copyrighted material.

Um, I don’t own the rights to the song. Columbia Records sort of does. heh heh. So, I have filled out the permission form and submitted it, and we’ll all just wait with bated breath to see if they’re going to let me use it, and for how much of a “nominal fee”. (Anything over about $25 and I’m pretty much out. This is not a money-making blog!)

So. Time to adapt and overcome, I suppose; time for a new deadline. I am hoping (no promises) that I’ll get SOMETHING on here by Thursday. And all of it will be legal, I promise!

Know where your talents lie

Confession: I am lousy at computers.

On the upside, I am awesome at duct tape.

So, rather than focus on the logistics of the shopping carts and such, I’m going to work on getting a new post up for next Monday or Tuesday.

Ignore all my “add to cart” or “purchase now” type language in the posts until further notice! I’m going to work on getting it all fixed up…eventually.

If you really want to buy something, (and feel free, really) contact me at:

headduck-o@artduck-o.com

In the meantime, feel free to browse around the blog–there’s some awesome stuff pictured in the tabs (Boo-tiful are my personal favorites).

Strawberry Purse

Level: Sticky (beginner)

*Purchase Strawberry Duct Tape Purse $6.95*

This purse is my duct tape wallet alternative! I love it. I get a ton of compliments on it everywhere I go, and the best part? SUPER EASY to make, or if you don’t want to bother or don’t have all the tools, SUPER CHEAP to buy!

First, the Supplies:

Okay, so normally I would post a picture of all the things you need, but I just didn’t get it done this time. SO, I guess you’ll have to deal with a list this time!

1-Strawberry Purse Template (Confession: I am terribly terrible at computers these days. I have yet to figure out how to put the template on the blog to make it available to you. Oh, well. Check back and I’ll have it when I have it. :S)

2-Red Duct Tape, regular

3-Dark Green 3M (Scotch) Brand Duct Tape (The reason I recommend 3M in this case is because it is a thinner tape and makes the leaves lay a lot better. Any brand will work; I just like the thinner for this application if you have it)

3-Rivets (25 plus a few extra in case you drop or mess one up or want to practice) and Rivet Pliers (available at many discount and craft stores–if you don’t know what I’m talking about, scroll down…there’s a picture or two with me using them)

4-Wet Erase Marker

5-The “Regular” Cutting supplies (Scissors, Xacto Knife, Cutting mat–although, a cutting board will work fine for this project if you don’t have a mat)

Step 1: Prepare Template

First, Download Strawberry Template for $1.49 (Check back later. It’s not up yet. Sorry!)

Copy and paste the image into your word processing program and resize it to 6.5″ wide. Print.

Lay template upside down and cover back with tape.

Cut out Strawberry image using a regular old pair of scissors.

Use Rivet Pliers to punch out holes where the seeds will go.

Step 2: Lay Tape, Trace Berry

Lay out 5 strips of red duct tape, about 13″ long. Be sure to overlap each strip so you can peel it up in the next step.

Trace Template onto Red Tape using a wet erase marker. Mark each hole with a black dot. Then, differentiate your normal dots, stars, and squares by “X”ing the star dots and circling the squares. Make two! (Front and back)

Step 3: Peel, Back, and Cut

Carefully peel up tape layers. Cover back with red tape, sticky sides together, to make it red on both sides. Cut out strawberries with regular scissors.

Step 4: Punch and Rivet Seeds

**I would practice riveting on a “scrap” piece of duct tape to save having to re-do a whole berry!**

Punch each “Seed” with Rivet Pliers. You have to sort of scrunch the duct tape to get to the dots, but if you work quickly it smooths out pretty well afterwards.

For One Handle: Punch out all the regular dots, and on ONE of the berries the circled dots as well.

For Two Handles: Punch out ONLY regular dots on BOTH berries.

Then, starting in the center, poke a rivet through one of your holes. Place rivet pliers on top of rivets and squeeze. Repeat for all your seeds. (Make sure you do them all the same way!)

Step 5: Cut Leaves

I just free handed my six leaves by drawing with a wet erase marker, but you could easily print a second Strawberry Template and make a pattern the same way you did the berry. (if it was available, which, sadly, it is currently not.) Cut each of the leaves with an Xacto knife, six total (3 for each side) individually so they are easier to line up with the purse top. Trim any excess green from the top.

Step 6: Make Handle(s)

Pull a 12″ ish piece of red tape, and rip or cut into a half-strip. If you are doing 2 handles, set one half aside.

Fold in half, width wise, sticky sides together, to make a red strip about 1/2″ wide.

Pull a 12″ ish piece of green tape, and rip or cut into a half-strip.

Lay out on board, sticky side up. Carefully position red tape down the center. Fold green sides down to make a green handle with a red stripe.

Trim each end of handle with scissors. Punch hole in each end, about 1/2″ away from end.

Repeat if doing 2 handles.

Step 7: Attach Handle(s)

Punch out the two center dots that you circled back in step 2.

Push rivet through FRONT of berry, and then push through the STRIPED SIDE of handle so that you can see the backs of your original seeds as you push the rivet through.

It is important to push the rivet all the way through the handle so that it stays on securely.

Rivet handle.

Repeat for other side of handle to make a loop at the top.

Repeat for second handle (if doing two).

Step 8: Join Front and Back

Line up purse, wrong sides together. Don’t worry if it doesn’t line up perfectly, although it should be pretty close. While holding both layers of tape, punch the “X” marking at the bottom of the berry.

Push rivet up through FRONT of berry, and rivet the two layers together.

Continue for the other 4 “X” markings around berry, lining up sides as you go. Be sure to push rivet from the back every time!

Step 9: Tape around Berry

Take about 8″ or so of red duct tape and trim ends. Cut lengthwise into thirds, then cut in about 3/4-”1″ individual pieces of tape. Starting at the top rivet, fold narrow strips from front to back to finish the edges. The shorter your pieces, the neater it will be.

Add your scraps to your duck-o ball and you are done!