Make your own bubble gum machine

Many years ago I learned to make these – and at the time I made them as gifts for everyone I knew.  Back then I didn’t have kids.  Funny – I just never thought to make them now that I have kids and what is even funnier is – they are extremely fascinated with bubble gum machines and have a “collection” of them (the cheapo little plastic ones). 

I know how I made them before, but just wanted to be a little different this time.  I didn’t want to use the terra cotta pots and paint them; and I didn’t want traditional red; and since candy doesn’t really come out of a hole, I wanted the front to have a slightly different look since it doesn’t need to be functional. 

To start with I chose a white pot and plate with a glossy coat already on it.  Then I purchased a glass bowl from the thrift store and I had white drawer knobs – although I only ended up using one.  I used one of my fabric covered flat back buttons for the front of the machine.  I went with that as an option because I could cover the button in candy designed fabric.  Plus it is a nice black/red/white combination that really jumps out on such a glossy white background. 

Here are the supplies:

You just use E600 ( or some other really strong glue) and glue the glass bowl to the upside down pot; glue a knob (or whatever you choose to use as a handle) to the upside down plate.  This will be the top of your “machine”.  Then I glued the fabric button to the face of it.  I had to glue something inside the button first to allow it to be flush with the machine – magnets are what I had on hand so that is what I used.  It doesn’t matter what you use since you can’t see it and it isn’t functional.

This is the finished machine:

And this is the machine with York Candies in it.

Since I didn’t have to paint anything it took two minutes to construct; a couple hours to dry; and the kids will be so surprised in the morning.

The Sasse Life