Kristy Mcneil - Foam Decor: Carve 30 Elegant Home Accents

T here are three steps to creating foam dcor: cutting (and/or T carving), covering (the foam), and finishing (faux painting). One of the greatest things about creating foam dcor is that getting started does not require a huge monetary investment. You may choose to use the simple hand tools shown, or invest in the rotary and heated tools. Please keep in mind that the rotary and heated tools will save a lot of time if you plan to try many of the projects throughout the book. Throughout this book, I will list the most time saving tool(s) in each materials list.

Foam Dcor projects may be composed of any type of foam! If it is foam, consider using it. Several types of foam options are pictured.

There are a number of shapes and sizes of craft foam.

Exterior insulation foam is excellent for large-scale projects.

Kid's craft foam can work in some cases. However, keep in mind that you cannot easily cover it with joint compound. It is too thin and flexible for the projects in this book.

Basement insulation foam is another foam dcor option. It is similar to packaging foam.

This flexible foam on a roll is normally used to insulate sills.

Even foam cups can be made into elegant creations. We will use these to make garden lighting. Not only can you punch designs into them, but you can also create wonderful embossed designs by simply drawing on these cups with a pen!

When cutting through craft foam, use your imagination. An obvious choice may be a kitchen knife. Some less obvious, but still simple to use, tools include a coping saw or a creative heat tool.

Use small-tooth knives from the kitchen or purchase a foam knife from the craft store.

S ERRATED K NIFE

The best knives for cutting foam have small teeth. Find them in your kitchen or at craft and home improvement stores.

Use a PVC pipe saw for long straight cuts.