Marion Dawidowski is a veteran author of over 80 craft titles from sewing through interiors design and Christmas decorations and now the trending concrete art. Marion is married, with two sons and a dog. She lives in Brockhagen near Bielefeld, Germany.
Ingrid Moras is a multi-disciplined author of titles including silk and fabric painting: paper, wood, wire and mosaic work; jewellery making and – of course – creating designs with the on trend concrete. Ingrid is married with two daughters. She finds relaxation and inspiration in her garden, and enjoys hiking in her homeland, the Allgäu, in southern Germany.
Concrete, once reserved for purely utilitarian purposes, has gained
popularity as a design element for home and garden. Since the
materials are readily available in most areas, and the required
skills can be learned without formal training, concrete has also
become a popular medium for DIY projects. Those included here start
small, with candle holders, and gradually move up in both size and
detail. The largest are still relatively small—table-top vases and
bowls—though the concepts could easily be translated to larger
applications. Most of the work required for these projects is in
the preparation of the mold, which here can take the form of
plastic storage tubs, discarded bottles and other household
recyclables, and modeling foam, as well as store-bought molds made
of silicone and other materials. Many of those that use modeling
foam are designed to work with one of the templates on the last
half-dozen pages of the book. While a few projects use pigment or
glaze, most show off the concrete’s natural finish.
*Booklist*
Issue 50 Concrete may not necessarily spring to mind as an exciting
eco friendly matierial, but it is quickly growing in popularity
among modern makers due to its versatility due to its versatility,
durability, cost effectiveness and minimalist beauty. Banish from
your mind images of industrial concrete mixers, and image instead
bags of pre-mixed or easy-to-mix concrete, available from DIY and
craft stores in a variety of decorative finishes. With a small
amount of know-how and a few basic tools and accessories, it is
possible to create beautiful contemporary gifts and accessories
using this previously undervalued and unfashionable ingredient. In
Concrete Creations, Marion Dawidski and Ingrid Moras, together with
other designers, explain how to fashion plant pots, wall art,
bowls, candle holders, clocks, decorative letters, vases, pots,
figures, door stops, 'diamond' and embroidered necklaces and even a
cake stand using modern concrete mixes and a variety of different
moulds. The book's concepts are well-illustrated with stylish
photographs, templates and lists of 'what you need' and 'what to
do'. Not only is concrete itself easily recyclable, but unwanted
plastic bottles, ice cube trays, plant pots, pipe insulation, milk
cartons and cereal bozes all make the perfect cereal moulds.
Another good reason to embrace concrete as a versatile easy-to-use
craft material.
*Reloved*
Like me you probably associate concrete with the building industry
and large scale, outdoor projects. But it can also be used
for making many smaller items from planters to necklaces.
Here’s how… I had no idea that concrete was “in” as a craft
medium or that you could buy it in small quantities. I was
also surprised to read that it wasn’t difficult to mix in a bucket,
was suitable for small indoor projects or had so many uses.
It is even environmentally friendly being made of natural materials
– what’s not to love? You don’t need many tools to get
started, and as the introduction states you can do it with “no
extensive craft skills or prior knowledge”. After a short
section explaining about mixing, safety and using molds the rest of
the book is filled with forty-five projects. These vary
greatly from the more obvious such as planters, house signs,
doorstops and ornaments to the surprising which include jewelry,
candlesticks, a soap dish, bowls, a wine cooler and cake
stands. Each project shows a large photograph of the finished
item in situ plus a list of what you need (in metric and imperial)
and instructions. Some projects have an interim photograph
showing a stage but mostly the instructions are in written format
and fairly brief. This is not a problem as mixing, molding
etc are surprisingly simple procedures so extensive expounding on
steps is unnecessary. At the back are templates, some the
right size but others need to be enlarged. This book was
originally published in Germany a couple of years ago but a brief
hunt on the internet showed that most of the items shown are
available. It is fascinating to see how something as ordinary
as concrete can be made into so many unexpected things that are
attractive, modern and useful
*myshelf.com*
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