Those are cute! I've been seeing a lot like that done in paracord for military spouses/kids.

If you're in the US, most places call that plastic stuff "lanyard." You can get it at just about any craft store (look in the kids' crafts section), and sometimes even at the dollar store. I've never heard it called Scoubidou, but that's a much more fun name!

That looks amazing, and the timing couldn't have been better--we're redoing our kitchen after Christmas, and I think you just saved me from having to tear out perfectly good (but ugly) countertops! Now, to convince my husband...

I'm not Jewish and have no idea of the customs or acceptable.... well, anythings... of the Chuppah, but I have an idea for recreating this one (in a freestanding format):

You'll need four poles (see note below), a length of clear tubing equal to your desired circumference and smaller in diameter than the poles, 2 pieces of PVC that's thin enough to bend easily, one male/male connector for the tubing, 8 "T" connectors that fit snugly over your poles and allow the clear tubing to move freely, heavy-duty zip ties, and whatever fabric you want--organza, maybe, or some sort of netting?
*NOTE: Make the four poles from PVC, in whatever thickness you think best. (Alternatively, if you're nervous about or don't like the look of PVC, galvanized pipe can be found in the plumbing section and is pretty inexpensive too.)

What to do:
1. Cut your poles to the height you want the ring at the base of the top to be, allowing a bit extra to splay the legs for balance upon setup; set aside.
2. Cut tubing to your desired ring circumference, if it's not already.
3. Slip all 8 "T" connectors over the tubing. (You want the tubing to go through the cross-part of the T, if that makes sense.)
4. Connect the two ends of the tubing with the male/male connector.
6. Insert one end of one remaining PVC piece into on of the Ts on the circle. Have someone hold that end so it doesn't get away from you if possible and lay it across the center of the circle, then push on the other end to create an arch. when you like the height of the arch, mark the end you pushed on. (I don't know how to make this make sense; you want it to hook into one T, go across the circle in an arch, and hook into a T directly opposite.) Take the piece out of the T and cut it, then mark your second piece and cut it a little longer (to allow room for one piece to arch over the other in the center)--remember, it's better to cut it too long and then cut it down than to cut too short and not be able to undo it.
7. Insert the pieces you just cut into alternating T's on the circle, leaving the remaining T's free for your corner poles.
8. Use two zip ties to hold the two arch pieces together at the top of the arch, if necessary.
9. With the help of that handy-dandy stuff-holding friend, insert your corner poles into the remaining T's and stand the whole thing up, splaying the bases of the poles out a bit for balance.
10. Cover the whole thing with your chosen fabric, and tie the fabric about halfway down the poles (like you would tie curtains).

Now, I have no idea how much of this makes sense to you, but it's very clear in my head!  If you do have any questions, just let me know. Good luck!

Love it!!! I am a total wreck with markers, so I'm definitely envious of your skills. Great work, I'd love to hang this in my hallway!

I would too! If nothing else, it'll be god practice for when you do have the money for the right materials. Good luck!

Could you use one fabric for the front portion and a different (complimentary) one for the back? If you're planning to cover it with rhinestones, you could probably get away with just using two similar fabrics if you're looking for uniformity, or go crazy and pick two very different ones to make a statement. I don't know how much sewing you've done, but do keep in mind that you don't necessarily *have* to lay the pattern pieces out the way they show on the pattern. With a bustier, it's pretty important to lay them in the right basic direction so things will sit right when it's all together and not get all wonky, but by positioning the pieces yourself, you can often shave off a good half yard from what the pattern says. Just play with it and see what you can come up with.

PS: Sorry I keep writing a novella every time I reply, I just keep thinking of things! 

Now you get to think outside the box.  Have any coat hangers? Wire or plastic ones? Even anything like a plastic container would do--treat it like a Shrinky-Dink (just be prepared to open your windows if it stinks, as shrinking plastic can have some nasty fumes) and cut it before you shrink it up. Or don't shrink it, depending how much strength you need. Check around at the college (mail room or the student union bookstore would be good places to start) and see if they have any scraps of the plastic strapping used to hold together reams of paper and when shipping heavy boxes. If you're under some sort of time constraint, use whatever you have (plastic, popsicle sticks, even corrugated cardboard) and just tack the lining on one end of the channels; then you can slip out your "emergency bones" out when you need to wash it or they need to be replaced, or when you get a buck or two and can get some zip ties.

I second (third?) zip ties, or if you're just looking for light boning, you could use the slats from vinyl blinds. If you double them in each channel, they'll be a lot more sturdy. You could also use a fairly thick wire (think coat hanger wire), or if you have it, leftover cable even works, though I don't know how it would stand up to multiple washings. Really, there are no rules I know of as far as what you can and can't use; if it's thin and strong, give it a shot...I've even used those wide popsicle sticks in a last-minute costume, though that would of course not be appropriate for an item that would get a lot of use. Just make sure that on anything you use, you sand any ends you cut before putting them in your channels or cover the ends with glue or nail polish or something to smooth them. You wouldn't believe how quickly sharp ends can chew up your fabric! The best thing I can suggest is to make a muslin first (doesn't actually have to be made of muslin, just use any junk material you have laying around) and try a few different household items to find something you like before you cut and sew your "real" fabric.
Good luck!

Are you planning to use it for regular wear, or is it for a costume or to be worn for just a little while (like as lingerie), or...? There are many many things you can use in place of real boning, depending on the bustier's intended use.

Do they make bags bigger than gallon size?

I'm not in this swap, but I saw this and wanted to chime in... I've seen Ziplocs in sizes up to 3 gallons at my local grocery store--they're really quite large. If you need something even bigger, check in the storage bin aisle of a place like Walmart--they sell Ziplocs that are like 3' tall (for comforters and such)! Great idea, I'll have to remember it for my next messy project!