Natalie MacPhee

Herald Contributor

On the evening of Friday, Feb. 10, Upper Commons was packed with students getting their hands dirty with paint and Mod Podge as Campus Entertainment Network (CEN) hosted a DIY Pinterest craft night.

A line of students formed out the door at 9 p.m., anticipating the chance to unleash their creative minds. The students had the option to make marbled nail polish coffee mugs, customized cup coasters, and mason jar moss aquariums.

A popular craft throughout the night was the marbled nail polish coffee mugs. This craft consisted of taking a plain white coffee mug and decorating it with instant dry nail polish. CEN members helped fill plastic tupperware bins with water, and students then coated the water with their favorite nail polish paint colors.

Colors ranged from hot pink, soft purple, yellow, bright green, gold, and light sea foam green. Students made different designs with the various colors and used toothpicks to swirl colors around before dipping their mugs into their painted masterpieces. To apply the marble like design to the mug, students dipped the mug into the water and spun it to coat the entire outside of the mug. Some students dipped their mugs multiple times to create different color effects and designs.

“I really love the gold splatters against the hot pink background,” said one student. A table lined with drying mugs showed off the finished products, with each one consisting of its own unique design.

On another table, a printer was set up for students to make personally customized coasters. Students sent a picture to the CEN helpers working the printer, and after the picture was printed, students would cut the picture and apply it to a blank cardboard-like coaster.

The craft got messy, but students had fun applying the picture to the coaster with mod podge. A few layers of mod podge later, the students had created their own coaster with a specialized picture on it. The mod podge made the coaster water proof and worked as an adhesive for the picture. One student said her coaster was a Valentine’s Day gift to her boyfriend. Others decided to put personal pictures of family and pets. It was perhaps the most individualied and customizable craft at the event, which students seemed to take a liking to.

Lastly, students could also choose to make a mini aquarium with a mason jar and various materials to submerge in water. Moss balls, mini plastic fish, and other underwater plants and animals were available for students to customize their jar aquarium. Students designed their plant-like scene then filled the glass jar with water, and finally screwed the jar cap on to hold in the masterpiece. As was the case with each craft, all of the students made their mason jar a little different from the rest. One student described their underwater garden as a zen sanctuary.

After a night of getting together with friends to do DIY Pinterest activities, students walked away with a usable creation of their own. Many were inspired to continue the fun another day with friends by finding more unique crafts to do in their own free time.