Mini tiki huts can be made from raffia, twigs and straw.
Summer is a time when luaus, beach-themed shindigs and Hawaiian parties are common. Whether you're hosting a backyard barbeque or a Polynesian wedding, centerpieces are almost a must. A small tiki hut with an open design allows for the centerpiece to have both form and function. You could store condiments, drinking glasses, or all manner of party necessities under the roof of your tiki hut centerpiece. This project is simple enough for almost anyone to accomplish but impressive enough to fascinate all your summer guests.
Instructions
1. Divide the pile of straw in half so you have two equal piles. Use the utility knife to trim one pile to 12-inch lengths. The second pile should be trimmed to 6-inch lengths. Keep the piles separate to avoid having to search for the correct length of straw later on.
2. Use the saw to trim the twigs. Take four twigs and trim them to eight inches long. Also cut four 4-inch long twigs and four 6-inch long twigs. These twigs will form the frame of your tiki hut.
3. Gather two 6-inch long twigs and two 4-inch long twigs and form them into a rectangle on a firm surface. The 4-inch long pieces form the short ends of the rectangle while the 6-inch long pieces are the long ends. Apply a small amount of hot glue to each corner to secure the corners together. Hot glue dries very quickly, so you only have to wait a few minutes. When the glue is set, take a few lengths of raffia and wrap them around the corners of the rectangle. this hides the unsightly hot glue.
4. Repeat the above process to form a second rectangle. These two rectangles form the right and left walls of the tiki hut. Each wall will be six inches high. The front and back of the tiki hut remain open.
5. Glue the wall frames to the 12-by-4 inch piece of cardboard. The walls should both be six inches high and should be placed at the very edges of the cardboard, 12 inches apart to allow for a peak in the roof. Add the framing for the roof by gluing one 8-inch twig to each top corner of the wall frames. These should stretch across the span between the two wall frames and meet in the middle. The result should be a peaked roof. The four 8-inch twigs should NOT all be touching each other. There should be two twigs that meet at the roof peak at the back of the tiki hut and two twigs that meet at the roof peak at the front of the tiki hut.
6. Cut one piece of twig four inches long. Glue this between the roof peaks to add stability. Wrap raffia around all exposed joints.
7. Glue the wall cardboard in place to cover the outside of the walls. Only the side walls will be covered These pieces of cardboard should fit exactly. Glue the roof cardboard in place.
8. Thin two tablespoons of white glue with one teaspoon of water. Use the paintbrush to coat the walls and roof. Make this coat of watery-glue as thin as possible. Use the 6 inch straw to cover the walls and the 12 inch straw for the roof of your tiki hut. The straw on the roof should overhang the walls somewhat. Allow the entire thing to dry for at least two hours.
9. Coat the cardboard base with a very thin coat of watery-glue. Add the white sand in a thin layer and allow to dry for two hours. Shake off the excess sand.
10. Cut five more 4-inch lengths of twig. Glue these in place with the glue gun to give your tiki hut more detail. One twig could be glued across the peak of the roof, two could be at the top of the left and right walls and the final two could be at the bottom of the right and left walls. Allow to dry for two hours and your tiki hut centerpiece is complete.
Tags: your tiki, long twigs, 4-inch long, 6-inch long, wall frames