Wednesday, May 2, 2007

DIY: Guestbook Pen

For anyone who wants one of those gorgeous feather topped pens, but - like me - chokes at the price of them, here are some ideas to DIY and create a beautiful pen for your guests to sign with. Plus if you're like me in other ways, I enjoy crafts and find them to be a relaxing way to work on the wedding, while taking my mind off the wedding.

Ribbon Wrapped Pen:

Materials:

- Regular Straight Pen: try to avoid clips or any fancy pieces, the straighter and smoother the better as not to have bumps under your ribbon.

- Ribbon: whatever color, pattern, etc. that you desire. Say 2 feet, but the wider the ribbon, the less you'll need and vice versa.
- Feathers: if desired. You can use individual feathers and layer them up to get a poofy pen, or cut chunks off of an old feather boa, or a single long feather, or whatever you come up with.
- Hot Glue Gun: if you hot glue your ribbon down you're more sure that it won't shift or unravel. My mother has used pens before that come apart and she simply takes both ends out and winds her ribbon inside the pen and caps it off with the ends of the pen.
- Scissors: To cut your ribbon.
- A Friend: To help if you're not craftily inclined, or just to pour the vodka... if that's a regular in your crafting routine.


Directions:
- This is easier if done with a friend, but not necessary, but one could do the gluing and the other wrap the ribbon for a quick and smooth procedure.
- Put a dab of glue at the end of your pen and attach the ribbon at an angle... OR... remove the ends of your pen, start wrapping your ribbon once, and then trim and insert your ribbon into the end of the pen and put in the cap end.
- If gluing, or doing both glue and making use of the end caps, you may want to put a dab of glue after every (every other?) wrap.
- Continue to wrap and glue until the pen is covered.
- Cut the ribbon at the bottom of the pen. Put an extra dab of glue and secure your ribbon down at the end, or take the tip of the pen apart and insert your ribbon and recap again like at the start.
- Put a dab of glue at the end of the pen and attach your feathers, or whatever you want to stick to the top.
- Stick more feathers or whatever to the top until you get your desired effect.

NOTE: You could start at the tip of your pen and work your way to the end (top) and when you get close, wrap the tip of your feather (or whatever) into the ribbon close to the end of your pen for a smoother transitional look. Continue to wrap up the base of your feather or whatever you need to do to achieve the look you want.


These are a little different, but I though someone may be interested. It involves weaving your ribbon, and although beautiful, very beautiful, it's not something I'm going to try anytime soon. Too much time for me, I like quick and easy with a bottle of vodka and a friend.

Instructions for these can be found here.



My Mood: Artistic