Unique and Creative Ring Bearer "Pillows"

 Unique and Creative Ring Bearer "Pillows"

Traditional soft, lacy pillows with the wedding rings set pristine in the middle is still a beautiful and popular choice for ring bearers. BUT ... what if you are not a traditional kind of bride and groom?  If you are looking for a unique and creative option for your ring bearer, paper mache may be the answer for you.

The Cinderella Slipper (photo right) is a glittering fairy-tale presentation for the symbols of your love. The whole form was made entirely of newspaper and paper mache. Then it was painted (I used spray paint), glittered and finished with a delicate ribbon.

For all you country girls and guys, The Cowgirl Boot (photo below) veers from the traditional pillow while still maintaining flair. And if you like "Bling", the boot can be bedazzled with jewels and other glitzy gems of your choosing. When it comes to the design, you can paint the boot any color and add whatever pattern or design that fits your theme.

DIRECTIONS: I recommend reading through entirely before starting - mainly because some of the steps will depend on what choices you make for your unique design. You may want to jot down some notes on what you will want for your individual project.

What you will need: 

• large mixing bowl
• flour, water
• LOTS of narrow strips cut/torn from newspaper
• several sheets of newspaper
• masking tape
• paint colors of your choice
• medium size paint brush for full body panting
• smaller paint brushes for any detail painting,
• glitter is optional
• spray glue if working with glitter or decoupage
• narrow ribbon in a color of your choice
• hot glue gun and glue sticks
• One spray can Clear Acrylic 

Starting Your Project:

Cut or tear newspaper strips in advance. You will need a LOT. I tore them and just dropped them into a box. Narrow strips are easier to handle, place and manipulate. The length can vary. I always go with longer strips when I will need t be wrapping around on the project and because I can always tear a strip shorter where needed.

Start with forming your project. Using the newspaper sheets, tightly crumple up ball shapes and long, thicker shapes. Use strips of tape to help keep the paper from opening and loosening up. Lay them out on your flat work station to create the basic, rough form of what you are designing (I find it helpful to have an item in front of me to look at or even a photo to help guide me). The most important part of this is keeping the shapes tight.

Once you have the basic rough form, begin taping them together into the shape you are planning for. You may need to add more crumpled newspaper in certain areas. Keep using the tape to tighten and manipulate the form into the shape you desire. This can take some time so be patient and keep working it. 

For the Cinderella Slipper, the heel is also made of newspaper tightly formed. For the Boot leg, I used cardboard from a 12 pack soda can box, cutting the box open and then forming a tube by overlapping the edges and then taping. Don't worry about the seam because that will be covered by the paper mache. You can leave the upper leg straight or make it rounded like I did by simply cutting the top curve before taping the edges together. I then packed the tube with crumpled newspaper to give it stability. The heal on the boot is, again, tightly crumpled newspaper that was shaped and held in place with tape.

Now you're ready to mix the paste. Start with two to three cups of flour in your large mixing bowl. The large bowl may seem extreme but it does help to contain the mess. Add water. How much water depends on preference. Add enough water to make a liquid paste - not heavy thick paste. Best way to think about this is to compare to pancake mix - you want a consistency that is a tad thinner than pancake batter.

Take a newspaper strip and dip it into the paste. You'll need to push it down into the paste, give it a couple seconds and then lift out. As you lift it out, use the fingers of your other hand to gently remove excess paste. This is an important step. Excessive amount of paste left on your project will add a ton of time for drying! A soft touch is needed when doing this so you don't keep tearing the wet paper.

Begin covering your project with the pasted paper strips. As you go along, smooth out ripples and smooth down lifted edges so when it dries, you will have a very finished and smooth appearance. I recommend two layers of paper mache to start. Allow to completely dry and then add two more layers. The drying time during the second round will take a little longer because moisture of the paste will also affect the first two layers. Here is where the phrase Better be safe than sorry comes into play. You want to make sure the project is completely dry or it will rot from the inside out. Give it the time it needs and then a little more, to be certain.

Now, you are ready to decorate! Here are some tips depending on the materials you have chosen. 

• To attach the ribbon, I used a hot glue gun. When pressing the ribbon onto the glue, use the eraser end of a pencil but NOT your fingers. The glue is hot. It hurts and it will burn! Lesson I learned the hard way.
• For painting the entire body of a project, I use spray paint. First of all, it is fast. I put one layer on, let it dry and then apply a second coat for full and even coverage. Second, paint is moisture - so, although using a paint brush works just fine, you have to be fast and be careful not to brush the same area for too long or you could loosen the paper strips there. Once the body is painted and dry, using the small paint brushes and acrylic paint to add the details works great. And the body paint is a buffer between the moisture of the detail paint and the body itself. * Be careful with the spray paint. Do this in a well ventilated area. 
• I used spray glue to apply the glitter on the Cinderella Slipper. Again, it's faster than applying glue with a brush and not as wet. I sprayed the glue in one side, sprinkled a heavy layer of glitter on and then gently shook and tapped the extra glitter off. I also had on thin surgical type disposable gloves - gently pressed the glitter to secure onto the glue. This will help stop the glitter from getting all over everything! I did this over a sheet of newspaper so I could catch the extra glitter and pour it back into the container. * Be careful with the spray glue. Do this in a well ventilated area. 
• After your project is completely dry, painted and/or glittered, but BEFORE adding jewels and ribbons, spray generously with clear acrylic to seal and protect. With glittered projects, I would give it at least two full coats - this not only seals, but will also help keep the glitter in place. Once dry, you can go on to add the Bling!

I hope you enjoyed this blog. I have great fun with paper mache and the possibilities are endless. It is a super way to personalize your wedding day and to have exactly what you want in it.