Maker Monthly Challenge - May 2025

The first Maker Monthly challenge is here! This month, can you make a paperweight using paper/cardboard? Share what you make, either here or on social media under makermonthly. And please post your ideas and discussion below!

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This one feels bonkers to start with, but I’m excited! I’m thinking I might try epoxy for the first time, and maybe encase a stack of post-it notes into a paperweight :slight_smile:

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I knew I’ve been saving cardboard for a reason. :wink: Sounds like fun!

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This is going to be awesome, and I am so excited to make it happen!

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A very out of season tomte paperweight made out of cardboard, construction paper and elmers glue next to its wooden doppelgänger. As a paperweight, it’s not the most effective haha, but I suppose I could glue some pennies on the bottom or something?

Looking forward to seeing others, thanks for a fun prompt!

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I like it! And you can totally add some weight that’s not paper - the “rules” didn’t say you only had to use paper/cardboard! :slight_smile:

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I’m trying resin for the first time. I know for sure I’ll have bubbles (made it too thick) but if I get any solid object I’ll be happy.

(Don’t judge the messy bench)

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Nice work, Erik! This is awesome - I love the little shoes!

I still have a few days, and I have a solid plan, I just need to put it together!

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Back to the drawing board for me! My first attempts in resin were a good lesson for sure, like:

  • I shouldn’t do thick layers with standard resin
  • I shouldn’t mix the two chemicals in the mold to “save on wasted cups”
  • Alcohol did help with cleanup, but not enough

I’ve got 24 hours to pivot - might make a paper cutout of a small pile of paper reams I can put some weight inside…

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That turned out pretty cool looking anyway! I like the way the irregular surface makes the green post-its something like a snow globe. :slight_smile:

Sadly it looked irregular because it hadn’t fully cured - I tried sawing/sanding to get to better cured resin, and I couldn’t find it. I could still deform it with my finger :frowning:

But, it gave me the opportunity to play with the print then cut feature on my Cricut. I made a papercraft box that looks like a few reams of paper, then folded/taped it and stuffed it full of coins!


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Nice! Full paper simulacra, I love it.

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@erik can I please share your picture of your tomte on our socials?

:+1: sure, thanks for asking

@erik I’m sending you a direct message - I got you a $10 gift card for Art & Sol, to thank you for participating in our first challenge!

That’s very nice of you, but please keep it in the organization, I had fun!