DIY 'LOVE Letters' tutorial.

Happy Tuesday!

As promised today on Lucy Locket I will be writing a tutorial on how to create your very own DIY L.O.V.E letters which were featured on the blog yesterday in this Great British photo shoot.

You will need:

1. Paper mache letters to spell out your chosen word.

2. Different coverings for each letter (think wool, fabrics, paints, papers etc.)

3. Glue/Double sided tape.

4. Scissors.

Let's get to it!

I bought my paper mache letters from Hobby Craft. These were priced at £1.99 a piece, which works out to be quite cost effective if you are only making small words such as 'Love' or 'I Do.' If you want to create longer words why not find a local craft wholesaler? Hobbycraft and other craft stores can be quite expensive when buying in bulk and you will usually find similar quality materials at a much cheaper price.

 For my letting coverings I bought some cheap patterned felt, some tissue paper, cheap wool and a pot of white children's paint. This cheap paint is perhaps not the best to use if you want to create a masterpiece. However it worked perfectly well for covering the paper mache 'E.'

Try and stick to your colour scheme when picking your coverings. Explore this with different shades and textures. To get an idea of what each material will look like next to another don't be afraid to compare and contrast! The main thing is to go with your instinct and pick what you think compliments one another.

1. To decorate my 'L' I used the spotty felt. As the 'L' was quite angular I wanted to soften this up with a fun and playful texture. I used double sided tape to attach the felt to the paper mache letter.

2. The corners were quite tricky to finish. The felt became bulky and difficult to neaten. So I began to fold in the edges (much like an awkward Christmas present!) and hand-stitched the excess with white cotton. This looked much neater and added an extra 'shabby-chic' dimension. (If you find stitching difficult try trimming the edges neatly and fixing down with fabric glue)

3. I chose wool for the 'O' as I liked the contrast between the rigid stripes and the curvature of the O. It is easier to decorate a curved letter with wool as is just a simple wrapping motion to completely cover it. 

4. I taped one end of the wool to the back of the 'O' and began wrapping round. When I came to the curved edges I found it was best to go over existing layers of wool to ensure complete coverage of the whole letter.

5. With the 'V' I simply wrapped as though wrapping a present with gift wrap. However I did take extra care in trying to ensure the Union Jack tissue paper stayed straight & neat.

6. For the 'E' I used my cheap & cheerful children's white paint. I used a thick paint brush and used as little paint on the brush as possible to try and get a 'streaked' effect. The streaky paint leaked a bit of the paper mache colour through, provoking an image like old vintage painted wood.

7. After letting the 'E' dry, I put my letters all together and marvelled at the effect. The colours and textures created a fabulous shabby-chic letter display. 

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So there you have it, tips and advice on how to create your own 'LOVE' letter display, perfect for livening up the head table, gift table or cake table!

Tune in tomorrow to see how to create other DIY designs featured in the Great British photo shoot!

Lucy x.