diy airplane mobile
Logan's nursery redo is almost complete, and I wanted to share one of the projects I am most proud of. I never found a mobile I liked in my price range, so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to make one myself. It was simple, quick, and cost less than $5. Best of all, Logan loves it! The primary colors and spinning airplanes always catch his attention.Here is the completed mobile, followed by step-by-step instructions (although it's pretty self-explanatory):
I started with MDF cutouts bought at Hobby Lobby. I bought 6 for less than $3! I wish I had taken a before picture of the planes, because they were an interesting pink/baby blue/neon green combination.
I painted each plane in a red/blue/yellow theme, using acrylic craft paint I already owned. I followed the original design, and painted several coats until I achieved the bold look I wanted. I chose to paint the back a solid blue for simplicity.
Once the planes were painted and dry, I used a small nail and hammer to create a hole in each plane. I placed the holes at the top just behind the wing, allowing the planes to fly straight once suspended.
I also purchased a pack of simple wooden rods from Hobby Lobby and used white twine I already owned to suspend the planes. I used the twine to tie the rods together in a star pattern, and then used a piece of twine from the end of each rod to hang the planes. I left the twine long so that I could adjust the length of the planes once hung from the ceiling. By twisting the twine around the rod, I can adjust the planes in the future according to Logan's development (and ability to grab the mobile and pull it down on his head!).
My husband also suggested cutting a notch into the both ends of the rods to hold the twine in place, but so far it hasn't been necessary. I chose the wooden rots and twine to give the mobile a simple, natural look, but you could also use a variety of other things- colored yarn, fishing line, a round piece for the mobile base, etc. I even bought a old mobile from Goodwill with the intention of using it as the base of my mobile, but decided against it. Instead I bought a ceiling hook from Lowe's for $1 and used another piece of twine around the center of the rods to hand it from the ceiling. The opportunities are endless!
Supplies used:
MDF Airplane cutouts
Wooden rods
Twine (or string, yard, fishing line)
Acrylic paint
Small paintbrush
Nail & hammer (for creating the hole)
Ceiling hook
Approximate cost: $5.00
Time: 30 minutes (not counting drying time for the airplanes)
Love the mobile! I'm impressed with how you were able to do it so inexpensively!
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