It's just a phase 🌘🌗🌕🌓🌒

I have, for some time, been having a case of the 'wanties' but was refusing myself as I suspected what I wanted was probably being made in some sweatshop.... So I fought off those 'wanties'.

A little later I saw an artist making tree decorations using the metal from a used tomato puree tube and it was like a light being switched on. Firstly I made some tiny decorations for my tree ..... 

Then I used and saved my next tube of tomato puree for - the waxing and waning of the moon.

Want to know how I made it? Oh go on - I'll tell you seeing how nicely you asked!!

What you need is:

1. metal tube of tomato puree (Aldi's is a lovely gold colour on the inside, don't know about other brands)
2. Wooden spoon
3. Scissors
4. art paint brush - I used the wooden end for all the mark making 
5. needle and thread
6. black paint - I used acrylic
7. Cork board/mat
8. kitchen towel or rag
9. something circular - I used a large reel to make the shape of the moons
10. A nice twiggy twig

• When using up your tomato puree, don't roll or scrunch the tube as you go along, try and keep it as flat and as undented as possible. Cut off the top and bottom and along one side.
• Open - CAREFULLY as now you have sharp metal edges
• Wash and dry and then with a wooden spoon, rub out any crease marks or kinks as gently as you can
• Using the back of the paintbrush, draw around your circular template - you need FOUR moons to complete this particular pattern.

• Cut out the circles CAREFULLY!!
• One circle remains whole - this is the full moon
• Cut the second directly in half
• The final two circles, cut a large C shape off leaving you with SEVEN moon phases.
• New, Waxing Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full, Waning Gibbous, Waning Quarter and Old.

• Using the back of your paintbrush and leaning on your cork board (a folded tea towel works too), dimple and pock mark your moon phases.
• When happy with the texture, use the side of your brush and gently curve down the edges to give more of a three dimension shape.
  

• Using the acrylic black paint, I painted the backs to hide the origins of the tin - fully dry.
• Splodge black on the front, allow to partially dry then remove the excess with kitchen towel, add extra paint if you feel you need more depth - allow to dry fully

• Carefully pierce the top of the moons with a needle and thread - making sure you have a mirror image of the segments. 
• Tie to a suitable piece of twiggage
• Hang up!

• Step back feel chuffty wuffty with yourself and go and make yourself a brew and wash the paint off your fingers! 

Post Script - trying not to huff too much when the moon phases gently twist round and settle back to front.....

Have you had the 'wanties' and realised that you can make/do/find what you wanted without breaking the bank?

Let me know if you have made something like this or you try this one out - but if you do - PLEASE WATCHOUT FOR SHARP EDGES (yes I was typing firmly😁🌓🌕🌗)