DIY Projects

Viola, the creative force behind the design firm Chewing the Cud, has another absolutely gorgeous DIY project to inspire all of us…the oh-so-cute ringbearer book slings!

Ringbearer Book Sling

Materials:

3 Hardbound books of varying sizes

(Mine were: 4.5″ x 6.5″ ,4″ x 5.5″ ,3″ x 5″)

The books can be of any size, but don’t make them too big. Remember: little hands, little books.

Decorative Papers and/or Book Cloth

2 kinds of Ribbons (1.5″ wide; 0.25″ wide)

PVA glue (also known as bookbinding glue) 

1. Lay books wide open and measure lengthwise from one end of the cover to the other, including spine thickness.

2. Cut decorative papers so there is an excess of 1/8″ all around (except top and bottom of spine).Apply a light coat of PVA on the back of papers.

3. Position book covers on papers and smooth.

4. Fold over the excess 1/8″ on all sides. Smooth.

5. Place a phonebook/heavy objects over the closed books and let dry.

6. Stack covered books so the smallest book is on top. To secure the position of the stack, you can add glue/double-stick tape the books to each other.

7. Tie stack using the wide ribbon first, then layering with the narrow ribbon.

8. Slip rings on the narrow ribbon and make a loose loop. (Or if you have a young ringbearer like we did, use fake rings and give the real ones to your best man) 

We used plain book cloth for the base book and a plain wide ribbon so the textures wouldn’t be overwhelming. But don’t be afraid to experiment! Think patterned book cloth, rubber stamps, fabric pens, leather books, personalized ribbons with your names, initials… have fun! Make it yours!

Here is another adorable picture of these great ringbearer bookslings…

Thank you SO much to Viola for sharing these great projects with us!!! And if you haven’t already, you HAVE to check out the Chewing the Cud wedding line. Her invitations are absolutely gorgeous.

There are so many ways to work within a budget when it comes to wedding invitations…if you are working with a flexible budget, finding a great custom designer or ordering out of a pretty letterpress or engraved album is absolutely worth it. There is just something so luxurious and easy in going about it this way.

With that said, there are great…really, really great ways, to design a beautiful invitation on a budget!

Companies like Paper Source have great invitation kits that allow you to purchase a pretty suite of papers and envelopes, print your own invitations, then assemble the finished project. If you are willing to put in a little leg work, you can save quite a bit of money! And, if you are a bit resourceful, you can save even more by ordering through Waste Not Paper, the wholesale portion of Paper-Source. You will need a wholesale account to do this and you will have to order in bulk, so the best way would be to work with your area store on this.

If you are willing to really get your hands dirty, you should skip the kits all together as a lot of the cost is built into the manufacturing of these pre-made pieces. Places like Paper-Source and Paper-Papers sell gorgeous card stock and envelopes that can be hugely customized into drop dead gorgeous invitations. The curious collection at Paper-Papers is particularly beautiful.

(these are some fun designs that I “whipped” together…forgive the picture quality! The first was actually used for my wedding program. The second is for my sister-in-law’s bachelorette party…the cute frame was made by Heidi at Spitfiregirl Design)

Here are some tips if you are printing your own invitations…

*If you aren’t an artist or graphic designer, the best way to do add decor elements is by using high-end clip art…Dover makes clip art books that have beautiful Victorian flourishes, pretty vintage icons, florals and branches, the options are endless. They come with a CD that you can just put right into your computer. You can also use pretty rubber stamps to add a bit of flair.

*Use a program like Adobe Illustrator to create your invitations. Although it might take a little while to figure out, it will ultimately allow you to play around more with the general design. You can download free versions on the Adobe website.

*Choose your fonts carefully. You generally want to use 2 fonts on each invitation…a script and a block. Check out My Fonts or Linotype for a great selection. These will usually cost around $20-$30 to purchase but you can use them on all of your stationery needs.

*Think about the pieces you need…most people generally want an Invitation, a Response Card and perhaps a Reception Card. Make sure you order enough paper for mess-ups as printing each piece can often result in a few wasted pieces. I always order at least 25 extra pieces of each card stock size. To save even more $$, order sheets of larger paper, then cut them down to the right size.

*To really take the invitation suite to the next level…think details. I like to layer my printed card stock on top of a different color so that it appears to have a border around it and it seems thicker and more luxurious. That means that I have to cut about 1/4″ off of each side using a basic rotary cutter, then paste the top sheet onto the base using the amazing 3M tape gun. Time consuming, yes. But, the end result seems more unique and definitely more high-end.

*Wrap it up! I also like to wrap each invitation suite (invitation in front with response and reception cards in back) with a really pretty ribbon. No bows or anything as they usually get crushed in the envelope, just a single wrap secured using my scotch tape gun in the back. You can also use pretty strips of wrapping or scrapbooking paper to do this. My favorite look for an invitation (and perhaps the easiest to achieve) is a simple white card stock, layered on a chocolate or black stock, then wrapped with a gorgeous graphic belly band. Simple & Chic.

Although designing and printing your own invitations can take a serious time commitment and can often be frustrating if you are a novice, if you give yourself room for error and enough time to practice, this is a GREAT way to infuse your invitation with personality and that handmade touch. If it still seems a bit too intense for you, I have some tips on ordering out of an album coming up in a future The Look For Less feature!

I spent some time last night looking through all of Matthew Mead’s gorgeous websites and I was reminded of some of his absolutely beautiful DIY projects, most of which can be incorporated into just about any wedding…

all photos and instructions from Matthew Mead Style

These shabby chic touches are from Matthew’s Summer 2007 site. They are sweet and girly and would be perfect additions to a vintage, chic, backyard wedding. OR, use a different paper to cover or line the items and they can instantly be transformed into a more modern look.

1. To make the cute lunch boxes, featured in the top left corner, find a paper beverage box that you can cover and re-create. Using paper (either your own favorite wrapping paper, or a paper from Matthew’s downloads section), wrap the container so that all sides are covered, using double sided tape to attach the paper. Matthew’s version includes a soda, a sandwich, an apple, a flower, and
silverware. A cloth napkin adds an elegant touch to this literal
“lunch-to-go.” These lunch-to-go kits are PERFECT for a day-of treat for your bridesmaids.

*Alternatively, include two bottles of water, some locally inspired candy, a map of the area and some late night snack for your welcome baskets.

2. To make the beautiful Home Plates, featured in the top right corner, choose a small platter (5 1/2 X 7 ). Matthew offers papers that you can download from their
site. Add the number using a
stencil or rub off numbers from the craft store. Matthew used mod podge
(decoupage medium available at the craft store) to adhere the paper to
the plate. For outdoor use, weatherproof with urethane.

*Alternatively, use a hodge-podge of different plates as table numbers. You can set them up on each table using a frame stand.

3. Top make the perfect lanterns, featured in the bottom left corner, use two sheets of paper back-to-back against the outside of the glass.
Double-sided tape will hold things in place. Paper all four sides of
the lantern, including the door. Hang multiple lanterns over a dining
table, spread around a great room, or place strategically on a porch
for just the right amount of romantic light.

4. To make these oh-so-cute favor bags, fill wax paper bags with cookies, candy, salt-water taffy, and other yummy
summer treats. Use printed paper, cut with a deckled edge to secure the bags. Give to guests at showers, tea parties, weddings, etc.
Cut the edges with pinking shears for an heirloom feel or use other
shaped scissors for an innovative decorative edged look.