As much as I tried, I could not find a simple inexpensive little globe and plane that I could use as cake toppers. I didn’t want anything fussy and I find that most of the time, the more simple something is, the harder it is to find.
I managed to get some old road maps that I could cut up and so I thought it would be just as effective if I just made a small papier-mache globe, after all this was not a globe that I was going to be teaching Henry geography on, it was just for decoration and I think the effect was achieved quite nicely.
The same went for the biplane (I was after that vintage plane and found out it was called a biplane) it was so hard to find a little model that didn’t cost an arm and a leg. I visited a few local toyshops and when I got to the Model shop in Iklin, I realised that making the biplane was an option. Knowing that my husband had made a few models in his younger years I got on the phone and asked him, ‘how difficult is it to make a model?’ He quickly replied with that oh no, what is she thinking voice… ‘why are you asking?’ When I explained he was quick to accept the challenge to make this tiny plane and I was thrilled that Henry’s First Birthday cake topper would be something he could keep.
DIY Globe Cake Topper
Materials:
1 10cm styrofoam ball
strips of newspaper (1.5cm x 8-10cm)
strips of old maps (1.5cm x 8-10cm)
mixture of water and white craft glue (2 parts water to 1 part glue)
1 long wooden kebab stick
tall cup/glass to hold globe
Instructions:
- Cut up plenty of strips of newspaper and map paper and set aside.
- Prepare the glue and water mixture.
- Put newspaper strips in glue mixture.
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Insert wooden stick into the styrofoam ball and place in the tall glass, to hold up.
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Start putting the newspaper strips over the styrofoam ball, one strip at a time till its completely covered. Don’t worry, it gets a bit a messy. Smooth out any creases and bubbles as much as possible.
DIY Bi-Plane Model
Materials:
1 model kit Neuport N.28 C-1
model paints
brushes
Here are some photos that I took while R was working on the b-plane. The finished plane was only 9cm so it was perfect for the cake. It wasn’t so easy to piece all the little pieces together and they are really details, even the propeller works!
He used some plasticine while painting some of the bits since they need to dry without touching anything. Most of the time its best to paint all the pieces before putting the model together… I knew very little about model kits and so it was really interesting to see the process.
I loved the little tiny pots of paint that he had. Even after all this time together, I knew little of how involved he got into the models and all the tools and supplies he had, some of which even belonged to his father who also made models many years ago. Can you believe that some of the paint tins in this photo are over 30 years old and are still good.
Now I wonder if the hobby will be passed to H as something he might like to do…
