DISCLAIMER: A big gulp of Belgian beer preceded this post...
Time for a manly (yet still very nice decor oriented) DIY Friday post, from Mr. H&HH. I'm happy to be updating you all with my homemade paper mache moose antlers. As with most of my projects, these took a tad longer than I had originally estimated but I am really pleased with the end product. Best part of all - this cost me about $6...not $900!
Drumroll please..........
I bet you're wondering how this Magnificent Moose Antler came to be. Well, sit back in your finest easy chair and go on a little DIY journey with me...
Quite some time ago, in a dining room not too far away, a wild idea spawned from Carla's lodge/north woods cabin themed holiday decor. The idea grew slowly and started with with nothing more than simple 20gauge hobby wire and masking tape (in hindsight, a slightly larger gauge would have made this project slightly easier).
I knew that I would need a sturdy skeleton to attach the paper mache to, and the hobby wire served as the perfect platform. I spent my first night twisting, taping, and bracing the shape of the antlers (seen below), while Carla laughed at me and made sexist cat calls and whistles (just kidding). The main shape construction was then followed with further support from "cross section" hobby wire pieces and masking tape.
Next came the fun part - a quick trip back to 2nd grade art hour...flour, water, and paper come together to create a beautifully artistic platform...Paper Mache! This stage took two nights as there was a lot of drying time required. I focused on the top (forward facing) part of the antlers on the first night and then the back on the following night. The result was a hard/sturdy cast of my DIY moose antlers.
I wasn't certain which option would be best for painting the end product so, I grabbed a couple from Home Depot and a leftover from the basement and got to work!
Sadly, after a coat of nearly EVERY spray paint that we own....I still didn't have quite the look that I had imagined. Alas, I was not defeated! I realized that all of the paint left an end product that was far too glossy and left much to be desired with newspaper seams and a serious lack of depth.
The solution: drywall repair spackling. With the addition of this simple "repair" I was able to achieve a more natural look for the antlers while also adding some much needed depth. The best part - the spackling dries white and looks like perfectly sundried antler bone!!
So, again one more look at some great inspiration from West Elm...
Time for a manly (yet still very nice decor oriented) DIY Friday post, from Mr. H&HH. I'm happy to be updating you all with my homemade paper mache moose antlers. As with most of my projects, these took a tad longer than I had originally estimated but I am really pleased with the end product. Best part of all - this cost me about $6...not $900!
Drumroll please..........
I bet you're wondering how this Magnificent Moose Antler came to be. Well, sit back in your finest easy chair and go on a little DIY journey with me...
Quite some time ago, in a dining room not too far away, a wild idea spawned from Carla's lodge/north woods cabin themed holiday decor. The idea grew slowly and started with with nothing more than simple 20gauge hobby wire and masking tape (in hindsight, a slightly larger gauge would have made this project slightly easier).
I knew that I would need a sturdy skeleton to attach the paper mache to, and the hobby wire served as the perfect platform. I spent my first night twisting, taping, and bracing the shape of the antlers (seen below), while Carla laughed at me and made sexist cat calls and whistles (just kidding). The main shape construction was then followed with further support from "cross section" hobby wire pieces and masking tape.
Next came the fun part - a quick trip back to 2nd grade art hour...flour, water, and paper come together to create a beautifully artistic platform...Paper Mache! This stage took two nights as there was a lot of drying time required. I focused on the top (forward facing) part of the antlers on the first night and then the back on the following night. The result was a hard/sturdy cast of my DIY moose antlers.
I wasn't certain which option would be best for painting the end product so, I grabbed a couple from Home Depot and a leftover from the basement and got to work!
Sadly, after a coat of nearly EVERY spray paint that we own....I still didn't have quite the look that I had imagined. Alas, I was not defeated! I realized that all of the paint left an end product that was far too glossy and left much to be desired with newspaper seams and a serious lack of depth.
The solution: drywall repair spackling. With the addition of this simple "repair" I was able to achieve a more natural look for the antlers while also adding some much needed depth. The best part - the spackling dries white and looks like perfectly sundried antler bone!!
So, again one more look at some great inspiration from West Elm...
So, what do you think? Did my antlers turn out nicely?
There a bit smaller than the fancy ones that served as my original inspiration from Etsy....and again, they cost about $890 less!!!
Are You Head Over Heels?
I know I am! Thumbs up for DIY Moose Antlers!!!
Carla and I hope you have a great New Year's weekend! We are thinking of diving into a new home project instead of spending on going out, what are your plans?
Posts
Hey, Alex - they turned out great! I haven't done anything with paper mache in over 50 years and though this isn't going to inspire me to get into that mess again, I do love your antlers! Thanks for sharing, especially the paint issues and the use of spackling.
ReplyDeleteYay!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I have checked back every day this week for a moose update!