Last week I noticed our local charity shop had piles of vinyl records for just a few pence each. I had no clue what to use them for initially, but picked up a few that didn’t look too good music wise to take home for crafting. My apologies to any vinyl fans out there, I know this may be sacrilege to some!
With the new addition of our Bosch Sky variable temperature kettle from Euronics, I decided to create bowls using our new (old) vinyl records, combined with some hot water and a little manipulation with kitchen utensils. I’ve always loved vinyl records but simply don’t listen to them any more, so this way I can still have them around, but with a little more use day to day.
YOU WILL NEED
- Vinyl records
- A large heat proof container
- A smaller Pyrex bowl to fit inside (you’ll mold your record over this)
- A kettle
- Some heat proof tools or kitchen utensils
- Towel
MAKING A VINYL BOWL
- Fill your kettle and boil fully. The great thing about the variable temperature on our Bosch Sky kettle is that I can select a cooler temperature for our coffees for example, but for a craft like this where maximum heat is key, I can whack it up to 100 degrees. The hotter the water, the more pliable the record will become.
- Whilst the kettle boils, place your large container on a towel to catch any leaks or spillages. Then place your Pyrex bowl upside down inside. Then just place the record on top of the bowl, as central as possible.
- Once your kettle has boiled fully, pour water over the top of the record, you will see it start to warp and bend very quickly. If you have a large record and container, you may want to pop some boiling water in there first to give the record more heat, and then pour another kettle load over the top.
- Once the record starts to flop in the boiling water, hold it still with one utensil by firmly pressing down on the centre of the label. With the other, pinch and bend the sides to get the basic shape you want for your bowl.
- If you need to even out the shape, you can dip the chosen side back into the boiling water and re shape as required. Be careful though it’s super hot!
- Your record will go hard again within a few seconds out of the water, so you need to shape quickly and simply leave to dry or dry with a towel.
- Now your record bowl is all finished and ready to use.
This is such an easy craft to do and I think they look really cool and a little different. These are a great addition to a room and handy to use for a slightly more exciting looking table spread, fruit bowl or seasonal display.
CRAFTING WITH THE BOSCH SKY KETTLE
The kettle we used for this craft worked so well. Being able to select a higher temperature on the Bosch Sky with the simple touch screen display, meant that I could get the maximum heat needed to melt the record, making the craft so much easier.
This kettle is light weight, extremely sturdy and even boils quickly with its rapid boil function. It definitely boils quietly compared to older models, and without gushing out too much steam into the kitchen too. Holding up to 1.7 litres of water (over six cups of tea!), I was able to boil water super quick which was great doing something like this where you may need another quick load of boiled water. There is also a ‘keep warm’ function which meant if I needed a little more water (for up to 30 minutes after it boiled) I could grab it quickly without the need to reboil – perfect!
I love the look of this kettle too, it just screams quality with it’s touch screen digital display and black stainless steel finish. The smooth action lid opening and stylish design mean it would look great in any kitchen too. The double wall makes it cooler too touch which is great when you’re clumsy like me!
When using for normal every day tasks like teas and coffee, you can simply select a lower temperature instead of having to wait for your drink to cool down, how cool is that? Changing the temperature in 5 degree increments between 70 and 100 degrees. There’s also a filter included that can be cleaned easily when needed, as well as a nice chunky handle which is great for weaker hands like mine that struggle to grip narrower handles well.
Currently on sale at Euronics for £99.99, this is a higher price kettle, but it’s so worth it with all the features and quality of the build. The display and touch screen are so easy to use, this is far from your average kettle and perfect for today’s craft!
