The Themed Mum - Tips for Survival
Sooner or later (although probably sooner since you’re reading this post) every mum maker will get that one student that wants to be different. They want a mum or garter, but they don’t want it to look anything even remotely close to the traditional mum. And hey, that’s ok! Each mum is supposed to be personalized to the student wearing it! You want skulls and black? You got skulls and black! But how does one go about obtaining items for these off the wall requests? That’s where I come in…
I’ve had students ask for weird color combinations like yellow with gold and white. I’ve had a very creative student ask for a blinged out set of skulls and cross bones to be incorporated into her mum. And even my show mums are collegiate themed and hockey themed (which, in Texas is just not normal.)
When I get these different requests, I start my research. I ask;
What are some things that symbolize this theme?
What colors are in this theme?
Are there stores that sell items specifically for this theme?
What does the theme mean to the student?
With all of that in mind, it is time to hit the internet! There are a few resources I like to use when looking for something different, Ribbon Hoarders Rehab & Destash, is a good place to get any ribbon associated with a theme. People will post movie ribbon, brand ribbon, and school themed ribbon in the group for others to buy. Granted, this is not the most cost-effective way to purchase ribbon, but when looking for just a few yards of something very specific, this is where I go first. I also purchase resins, or small trinkets to go in the center of boutique hair bows, and use those in mums as well.
Other places I like to look are the dollar store, target dollar spot, or even Walmart. Especially if the theme is related to something in pop culture, like a movie. I’ll look for little key chains or small figurines that can be used in a mum either in the skirt hanging or in the crown in replacement of the bear. For example, my yellow and gold mum I looked at Party City and found yellow noise makers to hang in the skirt of the mum.
There are also some other options for getting in some of the random items requested, like if it’s just a symbol of a club/organization or a sport that isn’t always popular in the south. I use my Silhouette Cameo 3 for things like this. I will either create the SVG file, or buy one off Etsy. In my hockey mum, I purchased an SVG file of the Dallas Stars logo, and cut it out of cardstock to put in the crown of the garter.
Something really important to remember to think about when doing a themed mum, is to look everywhere! Find inspiration in the theme, but always always always keep your eye out looking for things that can be used in the mum.
Resources :
https://www.facebook.com/groups/RibbonHoardersRehab/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/NeatPrettyCutFiles https://www.etsy.com/shop/KingRoseCreations
Thanks Everyone,
Samantha Vickroy
Bells and Bows Mums
