Ivy-Covered Letters

So in my quest to be crafty (in small, easy ways) for our wedding, one of the first ideas I had was hanging three initials: E, T, and R, on the door to the Pavilion or on an easel at the entrance to the Rose Garden.  It was an idea I'd seen in several Martha Stewart Weddings and on the Knot.  Some weddings featured letters covered with flowers, others with leaves, others just exposed wood.  The letters were hung by twine, ribbon, yarn, and other materials from doors, easels, and arches.

With many ideas in mind, I went to several craft stores to find supplies.

First, I bought several yards of 3/4 " light blue and dark blue satin ribbon, to use to hang the letters.

Next, I found three white wooden letters, about 1 foot high each, at Beverly's.  I chose these over the cardboard ones at Paper Source and the unpainted, more rounded wooden letters at Jo-Ann's.

I also picked up several long vines of faux English garden ivy.  The leaves were easy to snip off and apply to the letters using my industrial strength hot glue gun.

I placed and glued the leaves from the bottom up, creating a layered, natural effect, and using small dots of glue to minimize the gauzy white strands created by it.

Et voila!  We'll hang the E and the T on either side of the R, which will be raised about a half foot above them.  I'll attach the light blue ribbon, in thoroughly secured bows and lengths, to the E and T, and use the  contrasting dark blue ribbon to hang the R.
Completing this project is just another reminder that Todd's surname will also become my own in less than eight months - I can't wait! :-)