Mommy [Music] Camp | Dip and Swirl Maracas
Dip and Swirl Maracas has been previously published in part by Crafts Unleashed, materials provided by Consumer Crafts.
We've been updating our "music room" (just a section of the basement really), and I've been trying to find cheap, fun musical instruments that don't assault the ears of parents when the kiddos want to get creative. The first piece was a fabulous old piano (for free off Craigslist!) that has a deep, mellow (slightly out of tune) tone. A couple keyboards that can be kept on low volume (thank you Grandma and Grandpa) and the keys section was complete, but we needed a little something for the rhythm section. Drums are expensive and LOUD, but these maracas were the perfect kiddo solution for keeping the beat.
To fit in with the décor we have going on downstairs, I wanted to add a little color to the maracas. They have a pretty wood grain as is, so I didn't want to cover that up completely, but needed to amp up the volume just a tad. I decided to go with a "dip and swirl" technique in leftover paint we had from our house colors.
Choose a gallon of paint that is about half empty. If the gallon is too full, the paint will roll over the edges, but if it is too empty, the maraca will hit the bottom of the can. Dip the maraca slowly until the paint almost reaches the handle line. Slowly pull the maraca out of the paint and let it drip until the bulk of the paint has dropped off the edge. This takes a few minutes, so be prepared!
We've been updating our "music room" (just a section of the basement really), and I've been trying to find cheap, fun musical instruments that don't assault the ears of parents when the kiddos want to get creative. The first piece was a fabulous old piano (for free off Craigslist!) that has a deep, mellow (slightly out of tune) tone. A couple keyboards that can be kept on low volume (thank you Grandma and Grandpa) and the keys section was complete, but we needed a little something for the rhythm section. Drums are expensive and LOUD, but these maracas were the perfect kiddo solution for keeping the beat.
To fit in with the décor we have going on downstairs, I wanted to add a little color to the maracas. They have a pretty wood grain as is, so I didn't want to cover that up completely, but needed to amp up the volume just a tad. I decided to go with a "dip and swirl" technique in leftover paint we had from our house colors.
Materials needed to spruce up those boring wooden maracas:
- Wooden Maracas
- Paint
- Paper Towels
- String or Yarn
The process is fairly simple, but takes time and attention. I found it easy to watch the maracas as I was making dinner. They take about an hour to fully drip and dry. First things first though, they need to get dipped!
Choose a gallon of paint that is about half empty. If the gallon is too full, the paint will roll over the edges, but if it is too empty, the maraca will hit the bottom of the can. Dip the maraca slowly until the paint almost reaches the handle line. Slowly pull the maraca out of the paint and let it drip until the bulk of the paint has dropped off the edge. This takes a few minutes, so be prepared!
Once the maraca has stop dripping, you can prop them up in glasses to dry.
The paint will start to slide down the edge from the top. Before the paint reaches the handle line, grab a folded paper towel and gently swirl around the paint. The idea is to create swirled lines around the bottom of the maraca, while the top is a slick unbroken surface. Repeat this process several times until the paint has completely dried. As I mentioned, I let the maracas dry by the sink while I made dinner, so I was able to grab them and swirl quickly every 10 minutes or so.
Here is the maraca that has been swirled once and has been set to drip.
See how the paint has seeped down and is ready to swirl again?
At this point, you can leave the maracas as is for an understated look or go a little bolder with more dipping, swirling and dripping!
How to get that candy cane line without a paintbrush?
Dip string in the paint and slowly twirl it around your maraca.
You can get a true "drip" finish by dipping just the very top of the maraca in paint
and letting it naturally fall down the edges of the instrument.
All in all, the maracas ended up being a fun and vibrant mix of dipping techniques!
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