Snake Guy Photo-Op {a how to of sorts}

Sarah sent me this link to a do-it-yourself cardboard cutout photo-op dealie-whopper {yes, I really do talk like that} as an idea for T’s party. When I first saw it, I was totally like “nah, that’s far too much work.” But…once the idea rattled around in my brain a little bit, I knew I had to give it a try! Since I wasn’t planning on it being on center stage, I knew if it didn’t turn out, I’d just pitch it and be sad I wasted a little bit of time.

However! However… I LOVE how it turned it!

{photo courtesy of my mom at Mia Photography}

Since none of the images on that site fit with my party theme, I dreamed up my own idea. Using cardboard we had in the garage, a pencil, some paint, a Sharpie, and a little bit of time, we now have the help-I’m-being-squished-by-a-snake-but-happy-birthday-T-guy. {I think I need a better name!}

So, yes, okay, this might take a little bit of sketching talent. But trust me when I say that I am no artist! On the site where I found my inspiration they suggested projecting an image and tracing it onto your cardboard. This is definitely the way to go if you have a projector and/or lack the ability or confidence to sketch on your own. But! If you have any kind of sketching ability, you could probably pull this off. Did I mention I’m no artist? Yeah… So if I can do this, you probably can too. And I’m so, so, so happy that I got to cut the face out, because {let me tell you a little secret} – I do NOT draw faces well at all!

Here’s a step-by-step of sorts on how I tackled this project. Since I worked on this in the evening, I didn’t take any photos. Sorry! It’s pretty self-explanatory. Refer back to my inspiration site for directions with pictures.

• I started with a sketch on paper. Just to see if I could get the idea that was in my head out into reality. So here ya go…

• Realize you don’t have cardboard big enough? That’s okay, you can hot glue some pieces together. My hubby had that ingenious idea.
• Next, sketch out your idea in pencil onto the cardboard. Keep in mind who will be using your prop – kids? adults? You want it to be a comfortable height for them to stick their heads in. I should have made my guy a smidgen lower. Because you are using pencil, you have the flexibility of erasing, and it’s also easy to paint over. Don’t be afraid to mess up! If you sketch lightly, the pencil will erase very easily. Trust me, I had to do the hat 4 times.
• Next mix your paints and have fun filling in the blanks. It’s just like coloring! I just used those little bottles of acrylic paint that you get at Michaels.
• Chase your children off of the cardboard, because they’ll invariably want to help. If you children are older than mine {5 and 3} then I’d say let them help!
• Once the paint dries, outline everything with Sharpie to make it nice and crisp. Adding in a few Sharpie details if you’d like.
• Have your hubby cut out the spots for the heads and trim the whole thing down to size. {Or, of course, you could totally do this yourself.}
• Freak out a little wondering if a snake squishing a guy is too scary for a 5 year old’s birthday party.
• Get reassured from a trustworthy friend that it’s not scary but funny.

Dun, ta, da, dun… You have a super-cool, totally free party photo prop!

Set it up at your party and take goofy pictures!

{photos from a friend’s phone}

Oh, a word on the setting it up thing…My husband used a staple gun to attach the cardboard to some thin stakes the height of the cardboard which he then drove into the ground.

And that’s a wrap! You’re probably sick of the party, huh? Well, rest easy…this is the end!

{Read about the party prep}
{See the party pictures}
{Check out all the details}

{Linked up to Just a Girl, Tatertots and Jello, and Skip to My Lou}