Mossy Ampersand Tutorial

The other day I made a moss covered ampersand to go in between the moss covered "C" and "B" initials for our wedding. We're getting married in front of a large, stone fireplace, and we're going to set them on the mantle.

While I was making the ampersand I couldn't help but to keep singing "I'm mos-sy" to the tune of

Kelis's "I'm Bossy". It went something like this, "You don't have love. You you don't even have to like me. But you will respect me. You know why? Because I work with MOSS... I'm mos-sy."

I like to think that Brad shaking his head and laughing at me was his way of appreciating the multitude of my creativity.

So, the "C" and "B" were easier to make because they were pre-made paper mache letters.
{Here's the tutorial I did on the "C".} The only paper mache ampersand that I could find was online, and it would cost $12 {that includes shipping}. I decided to pass on it and make my own. After the wedding, I plan on using the ampersand in my office or maybe on the entryway table.

I used the following materials:

• Styrofoam
• Spanish moss table runner
• projector
• laptop
• poster board
• pencil
• green spray paint
• hot glue gun
• Sharpie
• scissors
• Xacto knife

Instructions:

1. In Microsoft Word, make an ampersand in font size 600. After much font research, I chose to use the font Cambria.
   
   
2. Hang your poster board up {I taped mine to my wall. Don't worry, no paint was harmed in the creating of this project}.
   
   
3. Project the ampersand onto the poster board and trace the ampersand with a pencil.
   {I borrowed my friend's projector to do this. The size of ampersand I needed was too large for an 8 x 11.5 piece of paper. But you could always print it out as a poster on your computer-- I just couldn't figure out how to do that.}
   
   
   
   
   
4. Cut out the ampersand with scissors.
   
5. Trace the ampersand onto the Styrofoam with your Sharpie. Save your poster board template. You'll need that later.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Cut the ampersand out the Styrofoam with the knife. {While I'm not the biggest fan of the carpet in our house, I still put cardboard underneath the Styrofoam to protect the carpet.}
   
   
   
   
   

   Now, here's where I hit a little snag. I broke the little arm thingy off of the ampersand. Whoops.
   
   

   
   
   Enter hot glue gun. See, all better!

   
   

   

   
   
7. Unroll the Spanish moss table runner. Turn the ampersand so that the front is facing the correct direction. Trace the ampersand with your Sharpie.
   
   
   
   
   
8. Cut out the Spanish moss about 1/4 inch outside the tracing line so there will be a slight lip when you attach it to the Styrofoam.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Hot glue the moss to the Styrofoam.
10. For the side edges, cut 1 and 1/2 inch strips of moss and hot glue them to the Styrofoam.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
11. Spray paint the backside of your poster board template with green spray paint.
    
    
    
    
    
12. Place the poster board template onto the backside of the Styrofoam.
    
    
    
    
    
    
13. Bend the moss over and hot glue it to the poster board. You may have to cut or fold some of the bends to get them to lay flat.
    
    ***Note: My ampersand ended up being 13 inches tall.
    
    
    
    
    

    

    
    

    That's it!

    I can't wait to see these on the mantle at our wedding ceremony!

    
    

    
    

I'm guest blogging over at lovely little details later this week and sharing my moss covered initial tutorial. You should head over and check it out!

Have you entered to win this glass pendant in my very first GIVEAWAY?
You definitely should!