diy (6 of 8)

Surprise, surprise! I’m back with another DIY tutorial. Our September wedding is fast approaching, and I’m feeling the pressure to get my projects completed. With most of our other details already hashed out, I’m lucky to be able to devote my time to hand-making most of the wedding decor.

Back in January, Travis and I had our engagement shoot with our lovely photographer, Erica Clark. During our shoot we had the opportunity to go on location to a real life, rock ‘n’ roll time capsule, Bad Kitty Music, a record store specializing in new and used vinyl LPs, located in my hometown of Macomb, Illinois.

Austin (52 of 57) — On location at Bad Kitty Music (photo credit: Erica Clark Photography)

Stepping into the store, which touts “Yes Barry White, No Barry Manilow,” we were enamored with the stacks upon stacks of vintage records, ironic lime green walls, and the laid-back, kind nature of owner, John Gorlewski. On that blustery, snowy January evening, he allowed Erica and us the time and resources we needed for the shoot, going so far as to try to locate a hard-to-find record specifically for the shoot.

Wanting to incorporate elements of our passion for music into our wedding decor, I set out in search of 45s. But I came across a problem. Most 45s I found either had too large of a spindle hole or were priced too high. Around the time I was beginning to get discouraged, John posted a photo to the Bad Kitty Facebook page of six cases of 45s he had in his shop. I reached out to him, told him I needed small holed 45s, in any condition. He generously offered me about twelve records for free since they weren’t sellable.

1184866_625900250773579_670563688_n — Bad Kitty Music, located at 233 E. Carroll Street in Macomb, Illinois

With all the records I needed plus some in tow, I thought long and hard about how I could transform them into upcycled table numbers for our wedding reception. My first thought was to paint them which I eventually scrapped, realizing how hard it would be to tape along the round label. After asking my crafty neighbor, she suggested I use paper to which I agreed. Here’s how I made them:

Materials

Small spindle holed 45s
Compass
Scrapbook paper in two contrasting colors
Number stencils/pencil
Scissors
Mod Podge (check out this handy Mod Podge formula guide)
Paper plate to use as a palette
Small foam brush

diy (1 of 8) — Too bad these were damaged. Gremlins!

Directions

Wipe down each 45 to remove any dust or debris.
Measure with your compass the distance between the center of the spindle hole and the edge of the record label.
Use your compass to draw circles on the back of a sheet of scrapbook paper. You’ll need two circles, one per side of the record. Cut out the circles.
Trace the numbers on the back of the contrasting scrapbook paper. Again, you’ll need two numbers for each side of the record. Very carefully cut out the numbers.
Apply Mod Podge with your foam brush directly to the label of the record and apply the paper circle, lightly pressing out any wrinkles or air bubbles. Repeat on the other side.
Lightly brush Mod Podge on the back side of the number, center, and lightly press down to adhere. Repeat on the second side.
When dry, apply a light coat of Mod Podge over the entire new “label,” let dry, then repeat on the other side.
Display with a photo easel or menu card holder.

diy (7 of 8)

Since the records were free, my only costs accrued were those of supplies, most of which can be used many times over. Only factoring in the cost of the paper, these ended up costing about fifty cents a piece. I even had enough paper left over the make the “mrs. and mr.” signs at the top of the post from old children’s records!

I went into this project rather tentatively, afraid I might have to abandon it and go in another direction. I was so surprised by the ease and simplicity, and I am in love with the end result! By turning these old, damaged records which were destined for the dumpster into something worth displaying, I’ve helped not only our budget but also the environment.