Wood Bow Ties Thrifty Style November

Hello hello hello, welcome to the November installment of the Thrifty Style Team, where a gaggle of gals show us how to be thrifty in our homes and lives.

I happen to be one of the thrifty gaggle gals, and today I'm going to show you how around here last month we used thrifty style to be stylish.

I guess you could say I'm putting the style in thrifty style this month.

Now I will tell 'ya, as far as style goes I'm the last person who would ever claim to be any kind of a fashion plate, but I do know a good-looking bow tie when I see one.

When Daughter #2 wanted a little something special for the groomsmen in her wedding, she enlisted the help of mom and dad then put herself to work.

Really, my part in this thrifty style was limited.

I was in charge of purchasing, so I ordered a box of exotic wood veneer scraps from Ebay, some bow tie ribbons with hooks from Etsy, and I had the grueling job of taking photos and watching as the father daughter duo set to work.  It was hard I tell 'ya.

I'm pretty sure I brewed myself a cup of java and did my nails while they slaved away.

If you don't know what veneer is, I'll let the dictionary spell it out for you.....

I found a veneer bargain on Ebay since we only needed scraps, not big sheets of the stuff for a project.

We didn't really know specifically what exotic wood we were looking for, and this seller offered a variety packed full in a box.

Daughter #2 wanted each bow tie to be different.

Dad cut out some thin wood shapes, sanded them down, then attached the exotic wood veneer with exotic wood glue.

The veneer was cut with a knife to the shape of the bow tie, and the edges sanded again.

Each wood tie received two coats of varnish, sanding between coats.

The backs and edges of the bow ties were simply spray painted black, sanded smooth, and sealed with varnish.

Once upon a time I hit a garage sale that had all these square samples of leather for a quarter each.

I have used them off an on for things over the years.

Leather flags on a playground .....

A little leather banner on a dresser bar.....

And now daughter was using the colors of her choosing as the center part of the bow tie.

I happened to also have this old leather tool, and that's what she used to sew each little piece.

I think the tool is called a leather awl and I have no idea why I have it.

Daughter could have made the ribbon neck connectors too, buying the little hook parts and sewing them onto the ribbon, but you know sometimes it's easier to just buy stuff.

So to save time, and because I'm no help when sewing is involved, I ordered the ribbons with the hooks already sewn on.

In total there ended up being eight bow ties; a groom, four groomsmen, two fathers and a Ministerial Officiant who performed their ceremony and who happened to be the brides oldest brother.

I think they turned out pretty nice and kept with the rustic vision that daughter and her intended had.

The grooms bow tie and each of the groomsmen had the same leather because it matched the leather on their suspenders and their leather shoes.

Daughter #2 assembled each bow tie, boxed and wrapped them with the suspenders as a gift.

The bride and her father created a keepsake of the wedding day with their very own hands.

And that's just about as cool as the bow ties themselves.

Links to my past projects:

Leather Playground Flags

Famous Dresser Bar 

Visit the other Thrifty Style Team finds from Bliss Ranch....
Giant Mixer Beater
Maple Syrup Tote

The Barber Shop

Updated Lamps 

Blue to Orange Stool Makeover 

Vintage Wood Tool Turned Shelf 

Trash To Treasure Sliding Wood Barn Doors 

Glass Light Globes

Click the links at the bottom for the gaggle of gals Thrifty Style November.

An InLinkz Link-up