diy project: mossy initials.

One of the first projects I decided I wanted to take on for the wedding were some initials to hang on the doors of the church. They are just so pretty!

Here are my initial inspiration pictures...

Jennifer Brum

April Smith via Style Me Pretty

Here's what you'll need to make your own mossy initials.

- A large piece of styrofoam insulation (the pink stuff works just fine!) , cardboard letters would also work. We used 1/2" thick insulation and doubled up the layers for strength.

- Box cutter

- Sharpie

- Spray adhesive

- Sandpaper

- Spray paint (I used a light green color)

- Spanish moss

Instructions:

1. Draw the letters onto your stryofoam with a permanent marker.

2. Carefully cut the letters out with a box cutter. 3. If your styrofoam is thin like ours, trace the letter you just cut out onto more styrofoam. This will be your second layer to strengthen the letters.
4. Carefully cut out your second letter with a box cutter.5. Now you have your two layers!
6. Apply spray adhesive to the front side of the bottom layer and to the back side of the other top layer.
7. Match the edges and carefully press the two layers together. Now you will have one letter with double the thickness. 8. Use sandpaper to smooth the edges of the letter. Sand, sand, sand until all edges are complete.

9. If you are using insulation, remove the plastic covering from the top and bottom of the letter. This is an important step! If you forget to do this, the paint and glue in the next steps might rub off.

10. Spray the top, bottom, and all edges of the letter with spray paint. Be careful not to spray too close, or the paint will eat away at the styrofoam.

11. Wait for the paint to dry!

12. When the paint is dry, apply spray adhesive to the top and all edges of the letter.

13. Spread the spanish moss over the letter to cover it.

To help the moss stick, squeeze it around the edges of the letter.

14. Admire your pretty initials! Depending on how you plan on hanging them, you will have to add a ribbon, mounting tape, etc. to the back of the letter. We're going to add some plum double faced satin ribbon to the tops of ours (similar to the first inspiration photo), but I haven't ordered the ribbon yet.

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial!

another option.

I'm still looking for something to decorate the pews of the church. Here is another contender.
These wreaths are so cool and I love that they are monochromatic. It makes them so much less Christmas-y, so much more elegant. And there are even instructions on how to make them. Thanks Martha.

pew decorations.

I'm not sure what to do for pew decorations. The church is pretty but I would like some simple decorations in the aisles. I'm thinking of somehow incorporating hydrangeas on the pews.

Do I tie the hydrangea into bows on the pews...

or make paper cones out of the same paper I'm using throughout the wedding and stick the stems in the cone?

I'd love some opinions. I'm open to other ideas if you have any.

First two photos from The Knot. Last photo from Style Me Pretty's Little Black Book Blog.