We've all got the old standbys: work out more, get that promotion, save some money. While I can't guarantee you'll get much exercise out of the Mario Coin Bank (maybe some extra hand-eye coordination with those tiny beads), it's a cute way to start the year off saving or even teach your children the value of a penny saved.
A girlfriend of mine got me interested in the Perler Bead Crafts, but I soon got a bit bored with the two-dimensional designs. This three-dimensional bank cost me less than $10.00 to make complete with beads, template, glue, parchment and plenty of supplies left over for more crafts. All of these supplies can be found at your local Wal-mart or craft store or even purchased directly from EK Success Brands website.
Step 1: Typically Perler beads are bought in bulk, so you're going to want to separate your supply into the colors you need. For this project, I primarily used yellow, black, and white.
Step 2:
Lay your beads out in the pattern indicated below. I have enlarged the photo to make the template easier to follow. You will need four sides in this pattern. Your fifth side should be a solid color. Your sixth side should have an empty row in the center.
Step 3:
Place the parchment paper over the beads and iron gently, passing over every 10-15 seconds. Once finished ironing, be sure not to remove the parchment paper until the beads have completely cooled--this may ruin the design.
Step 4: Glue all six sides together. It is easiest to glue each "?" side to the solid base first and then glue the slotted piece on top.Step 5: Start saving! And be sure to share the pictures of your finished products!
I love your bank what a great idea for children and I am a huge fan of Mario! One question if all of the pieces are glued together how will the money come out? What if you put dollar bills in the bank? I have 7 young (8 and under) that would love this craft that I am going to pass this idea to.
ReplyDeleteIt was my personal preference to smash the block like the game once we reach max capacity--I found the "test group" of younger boys I ran this by to be all for this decision. LOL
ReplyDeleteHowever, if you'd like to preserve your cube there is always the option of gluing a second row of beads within the top of the bank. Each side of this second lid should be one bead short of your original design. This creates a sort of "lid" that will fit into the base of the cube and can be removed easily. Of course, there's always the option of peeling and regluing--which tends to be messy, but not as difficult as you'd imagine when using tacky or silicon glues.
This bank itself only ended up being about three inches tall, but dollar bills fit perfectly well inside as well as up to half dollar coins.
I just did this craft for the first time not too long ago - lots of fun!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a cool idea! I haven't made anything with those beads in such a long time, but I feel like this could actually serve some purpose! This would also be great for a Nintendo inspired birthday party!
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