Recycled Chalkboard Book Wedding Table Numbers

All you need is some old hardcover books, latex paint, chalkboard paint, sandpaper, paintbrush and a piece of chalk.

The kids are heading back to school this week and this DIY wedding craft is timed perfectly for hitting the books.

At less than $1 each, these charming table numbers are perfect for teachers, librarians and all other book lovers.

HOW TO:
~ Assemble some unloved hardcover books that are in good condition (library discards, yard sales etc)
~ Remove the duct jackets
~ Paint outside of books with acrylic craft paint or latex paint (Sample pots from home reno stores are perfect and inexpensive) paying special attention to the edges of the cover.
~ Let paint dry and then go over the surface with sandpaper (skip this step in you want the surface to be pristine)
~ Wipe off any dust and paint your chalkboard paint in the shape and size you desire. Mine is rather crude and primitive but you could tape off a precise size and make it look more polished.
~ Let the Chalkboard Paint dry overnight
~ Write on the surface with chalk

These can be saved after the wedding and re-used in holiday or party decorating or everyday home decor. The dust jackets can even be replaced and reshelved! The actual book is untouched.

Recycle hardcover books into table numbers for a wedding or special event.

Also very appropriate for a “Classic Love Story Themed Wedding”. Instead of numbering the tables you can write a classic love story title on the chalkboard (eg Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, The Princess Bride, Much Ado about Nothing, A Room with a View)

Unique alternative to table numbers.

Have some fun, match your wedding colour scheme and name your tables after cities you have visited together or classic couples (Napoleon and Josephine, Tristan and Isolde, Elizabeth and Darcy)

Name the tables after classic love stories with these upcycled book table markers.

The books stand easily on their ends and are the right size for table numbers. Once everyone is seated they can be gathered up or simply laid down on the table. I got the books for about a quarter each, the acrylic paint was a $5 sample pot that I had for another purpose and the chalkboard paint was about $10 but I only used a tiny fraction of it for this project. The cost per book should be well under $1. Time for each book is just minutes but there are two separate drying times needed so it will take a day or two from start to finish.

Cheap and Cheerful DIY Table Numbers

It is really more like “Free and Easy” Table Numbers! I did use a bit of Mod Podge Glaze and Sealer but thamount used for each of these is just a few little drops and the rest of the items came out of my pantry, Blue Box or files.

Pictured below are three Table Number Ideas that I whipped up in just minutes.

These three examples of Table Numbers were whipped up in a couple of minutes using recycled materials.

#1- is made from a pickle jar. I tore a page out of an old book, wrote the number on it with a marker and glued it to the surface with Mod Podge. Another quick coat over top, a bit of twine and hand written tag and VOILA a free, recycled, DIY Table Number Marker. You can use it as a vase for flowers or twigs or put a candle inside to illuminate the number from behind. I used a page from an old book of sermons but you could use a favourite novel or classic novel as an added touch of personality or romance (depending on your novel choice).

#2- was created using a White Wine Bottle from the Blue Box and some vintage sheet music. I did not write a number on it but your could do this with a marker before you glue it on with a layer of Mod Podge. This could be used to hold a single rose or a table number on a twig.

#3- this one is a red wine bottle with a piece of card stock glued onto it with Mod Podge and then topcoated with the same. I pinched a heart into the paper and wrote the table number on it before attaching. This idea could be used with full bottles of wine on the tables. It works better for red wine because it is served at room temperature and would not have condensation on the bottles.

The Table number stands are pictured above with handpunched confetti made from vintage sheet music and a scrapbooking punch. Another inexpensive and easy Wedding DIY project!

Step by Step Photos. Follow the directions on the Decoupage Glue and use yoru imagination!

Tear a page from an old book that is destined for recycling anyway. Libraries often have book tables with free or cheap discards.

Apply the page to the surface of the jar and coat with a thin layer of Mod Podge.

Tie with twine and attach a handwritten tag. This one says “Thank you for sharing our special day” and signed by the newly hitched couple.

Mason Jars Wedding Decor

I LOVE Vintage Mason Jars (Crown, Corona, Ball and Beaver brands are most readily available in Canada). I have them all over my house; in the kitchen, in the bathroom, in my closet, in the sewing room and the Office. I have them filled with pencils, buttons, jewellery, cotton balls, marbles, thread, sand and shells, and a whole bunch of kitchen dried goods like rice and beans. I can’t resist them!

Some of them are very valuable- there is an elusive Left Facing Beaver jar that is worth a lot of cash (because it is rare) but many are easily and cheaply attainable at yard sales, thrift stores and granny’s basements. I grab them up for less than a quarter whenever I see them, even ones that are marked from the 1930s and 40s shouldn’t be more than a couple of bucks each. (I will show you a photo of the stash in my trunk later in this post! It might be a sickness) I expect you will pay more in cities than you would in rural areas. Many of the stashes of these are in old farmhouses, basements and barns.

I work in the Wedding industry and am always browsing catalogues, blogs and magazines for good ideas and was (not surprisingly) drawn to Mason Jar wedding decor. Here are some of my favourite examples.

Simple Mason Jar candles line this wedding banquet table. It doesn’t get easier or more cost effective! Image found at http://www.weddingwindow.com

Image- http://www.emmalinebride.com

Image from http://www.fleustseattle.com

I made these for my Cousin’s wedding. I would use caution when using candles inside the old glass jars. There are horror stories of them exploding. New Jars would be safer.

Some of the vintage sealer jars have a nice aqua tint to them but most of the ones I come across are just clear glass. But that doesn’t mean we have to leave them like that! With just a few simple ingrediants and a tiny bit of patience you can turn the plain old Mason Jar (on the left) to the tinted one pictured on the right. Click on the image below to go the Tutorial – DIY Tinted Mason Jars

Click image to go to Tutorial- Easy DIY Tinted Glass Jars

As promised- this is a peek into the trunk of my car at the moment. I coun’t pass these up at a thrift store and haven’t figured out a use for them yet!

Tips for Wedding Car Decorating

Car Pom Poms

Decorating the “getaway” car of the newlyweds is a fun tradition. This is done to draw attention to the fact that the couple was just married and the task often falls to the male members of the bridal party. Decorating the married couple’s car should be done with taste and common sense to avoid damaging their car and avoid putting their safety at risk when driving home from the wedding reception.

Do not decorate the car’s window so heavily that the driver’s view out of the window is obstructed, as this is an obvious safety hazard. Decorating a car with items such as confetti or glitter inside the car might seem to be funny, but it can take weeks or more to get all of those little pieces out of a car. The newlyweds will not appreciate this!

Also avoid tying cans or boots to the back of a car as they can come loose and harm other people, vehicles or cause an accident.

Focus on cheerful and non-invasive decorations that will be easily removed and will not cause harm should they come off in transit. You never want to damage the finish on a car and especially on one that is special enough to have been selected as the vehicle for the bride and groom.

Products that are designed to safely decorate a car include:

Liquid Chalk
Plastic Pom Poms
Cardboard Cutouts
Just Married Window Clings
Car Decorating Kit
Personalized Window Clings


Items such as Window Clings can be safely applied to a clean car. Either on the windows or on the body of the car. They can be removed and re-used and are a quick way to decorate. You want to avoid using tape of any kind so any add-on items such as pompoms and Cardboard Forms sould be affixed with twine using natural secure-holds such as the trunk, tailgate or spoiler. Pompoms can be attached safely to windsheild wipersm antennas, door handles and around the window frames.

If the couple is going to be driving on a highway to their hotel or off to the airport it is recommended that you limit the decorations to Liquid Chalk, Clings and maybe a few pompoms. Cardboard forms, balloons, and streamers will not survive highway speeds and will immediately become more hazardous than humourous!

Visit our Showroom in Ingersoll for you last minute card decorating needs. We generally stock the Just Married Clings, Car Decorating Kits, liquid Chalk and Coloured Poms.]

Personalized Just Married Cling

Wedding Sand Ceremony Supplies available in Canada

Weddingfavours.ca is pleased to announce 10 NEW colours of Wedding Sand. We now carry a huge selection of 80 different colours!

Designed to match David’s Bridal and Alfred Angelo colours, you can design a sand ceremony that is a perfect fit for your colour scheme and family situations.

We stock all colours and can usually ship them out the next day. Contact us at (519) 485-4222 to confirm stock or visit us at our Ingersoll Showroom to see samples in person.

Key Lime

Lapis

Ruby

Jade

Guava

Saffron

Sangria

Iris

Malibu

Golden

New colours for 2011 include:
Key Lime, Lapis, Ruby, Jade, Guava, Iris, Sangria, Saffron, Malibu and Golden. Visit our website www.weddingfavours.ca for more information and to see all 80 of our spectacular Sand Colours.

How to Choose Colours for a Sand Ceremony

The Sand Ceremony is quickly overtaking the traditional Candle Unity Ceremony in popularity in Canada. We have been selling the Vase Sets and Sand for about 4 years now and have noticed that awareness has grown immensely.

Weddingfavours.ca Item #3853 Sand Ceremony Set

The symbolism of the Sand Ceremony, not unlike that Unity Candle, is that the two people are exchanging vows that make them inseparable as illustrated by the joined flame or the mingled grains of sand. Two lives are joining to become one.

How to Choose Sand Colours for a Wedding Sand Ceremony
There are several things to remember when you are selecting sand colours. One is that the vases will only be at your wedding for a few minutes but the finished product will be in your home for years. Some couples carefully choose the exact colours to match the bridesmaids dresses while others choose a neutral palette that will complement any décor.

Children love to choose their own colours. They love that there is a layer that represent them in the finished keepsake vase. We have helped families choose favourite team colours, birthstone colours or colours that represent individual personalities. We have small vials of sand on display so that customers can experiment with their own combinations. Here is a picture of my desk as I am typing this…

Consider choosing colour based on Birthstone colours.
January- Garnet Stone… Burgundy or Rose sand
February- Amethyst…… Lilac or Victorian Lilac sand
March- Aquamarine……. Cornflower or Ocean Blue sand
April- Diamond………. White or Champagne sand
May- Emerald………… Emerald or Clover sand
June- Pearl/Moonstone… Champagne or White sand
July- Ruby………….. Apple or Watermelon sand
August- Peridot……… Celadon or Honeydew sand
September- Sapphire….. Cobalt or Blue velvet sand
October- Opal/Tourmaline Azalea or Pink Blush sand
November- Topaz/Citrine. Natural or Hazelnut sand
December- Turquoise….. Capri or Tropic Blue sand

Blended families can be celebrated with sand colour choices. For example- maybe the bride is represented by red and her children are shades of red (pink, burgundy, fuchsia) and the groom chooses Black and his kids are different shades of black (Grey, Pewter).

Colour Schemes
PINKS- Azalea, Pink & Pink Blush
BLUES- Marine, Cobalt & Ocean Blue
GREENS- Fern, Sage/Peridot, Celadon
SOFT BROWNS- Dark Chocolate, Tan, Hazelnut, Natural & Champagne
PURPLES- Royal Purple, Victorian Lilac, Lilac
GRAYS- Black, Pewter, Gray
ORANGES-Pumpkin Spice, Burnt Orange, Tangerine, Mango
JEWEL TONES- Oasis, Rose, Azalea, Royal Purple, Cobalt, Emerald & Apple
PASTELS- Yellow Chiffon, Honeydew, Pink Chiffon, Ocean Blue, Lilac
EARTHY- Espresso, Fern, Mango, Natural, Light Chocloate, Champagne
HALLOWEEN- Orange, Black & White
TROPICAL- Teal, Azalea, White (& include actual beach sand)
BRIGHTS- Orange, Sunflower, Lime Green & Pink

Our top-selling sand ceremony set featuring the heart-shaped centre vase

Pictured here: Cobalt, Kiwi and White Sand
You have your pick from a rainbow of sand colours. As in most wedding decisions you should relax and have fun with them! If you love in the London/Woodstock area- drop by our showroom in Ingersoll to experiment with our colour samples. Bring in a swatch of your dresses to find the best match.

NOTE: Sand Colours are named and formulated to match the Alfred Angelo Colours. If your are ordering Alfred Angelo bridesmaid dresses and want the sand colours to match- order the sand colour with the same name! Alfred Angelo Pool dresses are a perfect match to our Pool coloured wedding sand.

Make your own Decorative Twine Ball

I saw this craft idea on The Nate Berkus Show last week and decided to give it a try. Here are all the things that you need:

The project is a bit messy but it is just white glue so it cleans up easily.

Needed:
~Balloons
~Ball of Twine or Jute or String
~White Glue mixed with equal parts Water
~A bowl or plate to hold the Glue

I mixed the glue and water with a whisk. Then I cut off a large piece of string- I didn’t measure- I prefer trial and error to actual mathematical calculations!

I dropped the twine into the glue and water and let it soak for a minute or two.

Then comes the messy part. I used a plastic cutting board to contain the drips and started wrapping the wet twine all over the balloon. The twine tended to slip and slide but I kept wrapping it and tried to cover the balloon evenly.

I set it down on the cutting board and let is dry a bit. I picked it up and cleaned the glue off the cutting board several times. Once it had stopped dripping I set it on a glass overnight so it would continue to harden.

In the morning- I broke the balloon and was left with this ball. It is not bad for a first attempt. I think I would go for more coverage in future attempts.

UPDATE- I decided that the ball pictured above was a bit skimpy so I pushed an empty balloon into the ball and blew it up to the same size. Them I wrapped more twin around it so that the gaps were smaller and the ball had more structure. Here is a picture of the new and improved twine balls.

Improved Twine Balls

Okay so now what? You may be asking. Good question!

These can be stacked in a wooden bowl or on a tray. They can be covered in glitter or painted. Make a variety of sizes and use them as sculptures or hang them like paper lanterns or use them in your Wedding Centrepieces. I intend to experiment further with this idea but wanted to post the initial results.

I broought my best one into the showroom to display with our Love Birds Collection. Here it is pictured with the Love Birds Cake Topper. I like it so much I may get one of the cake toppers for my living room- now that I have so many twine balls!

The same technique would work with lace, string, jute, raffia, yarn or thread. Experiment with different materials and stack them all together for an interesting look.

Watch our blog for Centrepiece Ideas coming soon!

Based on this photo of Nate and his Twine Ball effort- I will assume that “his people” did the prop ones! Don’t worry if yours looks a bit loose and screwy the first time. You will catch on fast and be in production in no time flat. I estimate the cost of these to be about 40-50 cents each. I found the twine in the hardware section of the dollar store and you can make 2-4 balls per roll depending on the density and size of the ball.

UPDATE April 2011: I did a Lunch & Learn workshop at the Ingersoll Public Library and taught this to several ladies- at first they thought I was a loon and were a bit distressed by the messiness. They stuck at it and ended up with a successful attempt- though I don’t imagine they will start doing it for pleasure!

Bunting For a Wedding

What is Bunting anyway??

I was curious about this when the word started surfacing in my wedding decor research. A quick Google Search and I understood the appeal- Bunting is easy to make, colourful, inexpensive and very charming.

Simple Bunting- image from paintedfishstudio.com

“Bunting” is a term for festive decorations made of fabric, plastic, paper. Typical forms of bunting are strings of colourful triangular flags, also known as pennants, and lengths of fabric gathered and draped into swags or pleated into fan shapes.

Whether you are decorating for a summer picnic, baby shower, birthday party or wedding- this simple DIY project can lend a festive spirit and decorate the least festive of venues!

Bunting could even be used a Wedding Motif- you could make your own invitations using paper scraps and a ribbon. You can make miniature bunting for the top of the cake. Strings of bunting can decorate the head table, bar area, entry way and can even be used as a backdrop for a photo booth.

Here are some of my favourite examples:

Decorate a barn with bunting

Decorate your Candy Buffet with Colourful Bunting

Fabric Bunting Banner

Image from ProjectWedding.com

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Image from lisadawn.co.uk

I was going to come up with instructions for simple bunting but in my search I found this tutorial. This Blogger does a great job of explaining it all. I will direct you to her tutorial at Navy Bean Online.

Her basic instructions can be modified to different sizes, materials and purposes. For a totally no-sew version you can use paper triangles, a hole punch and a thin ribbon. Punch a hole in each of the corners on the short side and string the ribbon through.

All these great pictures and instructions are making me anxious to throw a party so I can decorate with bunting! They can be made with minimal cost and can be used over and over again. Consider making a string of them to decorate for a baby shower and then using them to decorate the nursery after the baby arrives. This could also be a great DIY project for bridesmaids before the wedding.