A Little Red Riding Hat (upcycled from cardboard and tissue paper)

[mieljolie]

For my paper challenge entry I give you an "upcycled" red riding hat made mostly of cereal box cardboard and tissue paper.



Even the decorations are mostly crepe and tissue paper, minus the couple of earring embellishments, the feathers and the veil (This veil is made from those net bags you get on produce at the grocery store.  I think these red ones are from Lychee at the Vietnamese Store.).



I made this cereal box cardboard hat as a pattern back when we were trying to work out the black leather version here.  But, I'd been wanting to go ahead and work it into a hat of it's own ever since.  It's just been sitting in my craft room in pieces for ages.  So, this challenge has motivated me to pick it up and put it together.  
 


Being a paper challenge, I tried to use mostly paper.  This is why I covered the whole thing in wrinkled red tissue, which gives a nice leathery texture to the surface what you cover.  We have a LOT of red tissue from many a Christmas gift from the past.



I used a few other product to finish the hat, as well.  I painted over the tissue with red acrylic craft paint and then stained the red with a dark brown shoe polish from Kiwi.  I'm beginning to favor this stuff over acrylic paint as a stain.  It's a nice color, goes one easy and has a pleasant smell, too.



I must say, I was excited when I read Elmer's was sponsoring this challenge.  How fitting that I glue the whole thing together with my daughter's Elmer's school glue she brought back for the summer break.  I adore Elmer's white glue.  At our house, we use it for so many purposes.    (Thank you, Elmer's, for helping make us successful on so many projects throughout the years.)  This year we got the daughter the newer clear school glue.  I tried the clear glue to apply the tissue to the bare cereal box cardboard.  It worked great.  It's not really tacky and dries fairly slow, so the paper can be pushed around and doesn't stick too badly to your hands.



The flowers in back and cockade in the front were fun to make.  I experimented with different flower techniques I found online.  That's why none of the flowers are the same.  Most are made from crepe paper.  Though the carnations are the easiest/quickest of these flowers to make, I like how the far right one turned out, which is made from a thinner cardboard from a saltine cracker box

So, that's what I came up with.  Hope you like it!  Thanks for looking and don't forget to vote!

[Antidigger]

That looks amazing. I think it's a brilliant idea to use shoe polish to get the tone you want, and also I'm sooooo impressed that it's recycled like that.

[cinnajess]

I am truly madly deeply in love with this!!!

[WaywardDaughter]

That is so beautiful, and I enjoyed reading the description of your process and the origins of all the materials

[dewshinesdopp]

This hat is GORGEOUS! Any chance you would pop it in the mail to me?

[mieljolie]

Thanks, everyone for commenting!   Please vote, if you like the hat.  I've really REALLY wanted one of those Craftster t-shirt for a long time now. 

...I think it's a brilliant idea to use shoe polish to get the tone you want, and also I'm sooooo impressed that it's recycled like that.

This shoe polish is pretty great.  It has a bit of glossy satiny sheen to it.   I've tried other cheaper brands with varying results.  But, this one, particularly the brown, looks really nice.  I've used it on leather, wood, painted plastic and now cardboard.

I am truly madly deeply in love with this!!!

Glad you like it as much as I did making it. 

...I enjoyed reading the description of your process and the origins of all the materials

I'm so glad to hear that others enjoy reading my babbling.  I get excited when I can find what I need around me, and I don't have to run around every place looking for supplies. 

This hat is GORGEOUS! Any chance you would pop it in the mail to me?

I would definitely do that, if my mom hadn't already put claims on it.    And, I want to wear it at least once before I give it up to her.  Perhaps I will make a few more someday.  I should probably put some undecorated ones in my Etsy store.

[rackycoo]

Oh wow, that's very cool. I can't believe it started its life as a cereal box!

[mieljolie]

Yeah, rackycoo, not to brag or anything, but I think it just does look better perched on my head than it did covering the shreaded wheats.

[allyourown]

Really love that the form is made from throw aways. Nicely done!

[Phria]

Love this hat!