Dancing Aliens Silhouette Light

This is a quick, fun and economical small project for digital cutter owners.

Materials
1 sheet black 300 gsm card – A4 or US letter size
I led tealight – colour change is best!
Mulberry or other transparent paper 21cms x 17cms
Mod Podge or other clear-drying matt glue
Printer paper
Tape

Tools
Digital cutter
Jar or tube, with a circumference of approximately 22 – 25 cms
Piece of clear plastic / polythene sheet, 12 x 25 cms - a “punched pocket” is perfect
Scissors
Brush for glue
Ruler
Ballpoint Pen

Use your craft cutter to cut the aliens-tealight-polyfacets.svg file from 300gsm card and ( image 1) carefully remove the three pieces from the mat.

Print the mulberry_paper.svg sheet on printer paper to use as a template ( image 2 )
Cut it back to the outer green line and ( image 3 ) cut a piece of clear plastic the same size.

The black line is the template for the mulberry paper.
The blue shape is to position the card.

We’re making a “window” two layers thick, so fold the mulberry paper lengthways ( image 4 ) and use the fold as the bottom edge.
Unfold it, place it on the template and draw the outline ( image 5 ).
Re-fold it and cut the paper with scissors ( image 6 ).
Use the window template underneath the plastic as a guide for where to glue. Lay down a generous coat of Mod Podge ( image 7 ).
Add the window unfolded, ( image 8 ), then apply another layer of glue ( image 9 ), before you fold it ( image 10 ).

Work from the bottom, making sure that you don’t trap any air bubbles.

Now add another layer of glue ( image 11 ). Cover the edges but avoid getting glue on the rest of the plastic. Wipe it, if necessary.
Be gentle with the glue - make sure you don’t tear or drag the paper.

Carefully position the main shade piece on top of the window ( image 12 ).
Gently press it down, then brush over with glue, coating the card and making sure there’s plenty around the internal edges. ( image 13 )

Try to coat all of the card but avoid going over the outside edges.
We use the jar or tube as a former, to set the shade in a curved shape.
Tape the side edges ( image 14 ), stick one end to the tube / jar / former ( image 15 ), then gently roll the whole thing around the former ( image 16 ), , making sure that nothing creases, before you tape the other end ( image 17 ).

If some parts are resisting the curve, add a little more glue to soften them and then press them down ( image 18 ).
Coat the design with glue but avoid the outside edges ( image 19 ).
Leave this to dry completely – it may take 24 hours, it takes much less time if you leave it somewhere warm and dry.(image 20 )

Use your ruler and ballpoint pen to mark out these lines on base piece 1 ( image 21 )
Use your ruler to fold them upwards ( image 22 )

Make sure all of the cutouts are good on base piece 2
Now fit the two pieces together, starting at the longest side ( image 23 ).
Locate the teeth into their holes ( image 24 ).
When in use, the tealight rests in the holder like this ( images 25 & 26 ).

Release the tape from the former ( image 27 ) and slide off the shade, which is still glued to the plastic sheet ( image 28 ).
Peel the plastic gently, it will come out easily if the glue is completely dry ( image 29 ).
Your shade should keep the curve ( image 30 ).
Make the two joins at the back ( images 31 & 32 ).
Line up the teeth with the holes and gently push the shade onto the base, starting at the back ( images 33, 34 & 35 ).

Enjoy your dancing aliens.