DIY Mums ~ Tips & Tricks #Sponsored

Posted by My Dallas Mommy on Tuesday, October 13th, 2015 at 1:00 PM
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Homecoming 4

DIY Texas Homecoming Mums

 

Nobody does football better than Texas!  And NO ONE does MUMS like Texas. What is a homecomingmum? Its a flower, suffocated by POUNDS of ribbon and trinkets, stuffed animals, lights and more!

I’ve been Texanized, so to speak, with football and homecoming.   And this season, Ozarka®  will be celebrating the three main facets of Texas high school football – community pride, homecoming and tailgating.  I’ve partnered with Ozarka® to bring homecoming to life and share my tips and tricks on how to make the best mums around without breaking the bank!

As the saying goes in Texas, “we do things big!”  Same goes for the mum, the BIGGER the better!   You can buy mums, but they aren’t cheap!  Please feel free to leave comments on your best tips or your favorite homecoming tradition in our comments below as we have a great community here that can all learn from one another.

Homecoming 1

As you can see, I’ve had my share of homecoming’s with my son.  And you bet your bottom dollar he wanted nothing to do with crafting up a mum himself!  Let’s start with where to get your items to make the mum.

Where to shop:

Craft Stores

Of course most supplies are bought at the local craft store where they have a homecoming aisle loaded with trinkets, garland, ribbons, bells, etc. But if you just start throwing things in your cart, you will end up spending upwards of $100 before you know it.

Here are an example of some prices:

The mum costs anywhere from $6 to $10 (depending on size and color)
Solid Ribbon is usually anywhere from $.50 to $1.00 a yard
Printed Ribbon is $1.00 to $1.50 a yard
Most metallic ribbons are $1.00 to $2.00 a yard
Trinkets vary from $1 to $4
Garland starts around $4 and goes to $7
Boas are $7 to $8
Braids are $5 to $8
Backers are $2 for a pack of 3
Pack of 2 small cowbells $2
And don’t forget the hot glue and staples

You can see how quickly this adds up even with a discount code or coupon.

homecoming 2

Craft Store Christmas Aisle

The biggest rule of thumb is to move away from the homecoming aisle!!

The Christmas aisle…yep, that is your best friend!

Most stores have Christmas items out in full swing already this time of year and you will find so much ribbon, bells, glitter stuff, garland, all those Christmas picks – these things will make your mum more unique and usually cost a lot less than the “homecoming” labeled items.

Kids Craft Aisle

Try the kids craft section – you can go over there and get a BIG pack of bells for just a few dollars – don’t forget to use coupons offered from places like Michaels & Hobby Lobby that you can find online.  Then you have enough bells to be heard across the school (which is a good thing!!!)!

You will also find all kinds of feathers, boas, masks etc in the kids crafts section. This is where you will find things to make a mum more specific to the individual – like little toys, noise makers, etc.

Scrapbook Section

In Hobby Lobby they have a Scrapbook section – they have these little charms and buttons for any theme you could think of – they also have great stickers.

Make Trinkets Yourself

You can also make a lot of items yourself – use cardboard, paper, metallic paints and glitter and it’s amazing!

Buy Mum Kits

Some online retailers sell mum kits. The kits come with tons of stuff in them including a step by step picture tutorial!  The best thing about the kits is that it is much cheaper than buying all the same supplies at the craft store AND no fighting the crowds at the craft store trying to get your items and no multiple trips for all the things you forgot!  The costs range from $40-$84!

Buy Wholesale

There are several suppliers in our area that sell wholesale mum pieces.  Just google “wholesale mum supplies” in your area for a list that will pop up.  Often times you can save a bundle this way!

Ribbon Tips

Homecoming Mum 3

More ribbon doesn’t always mean a better when it comes to your mum.There is a misconception about the more ribbon you put on it the bigger/fuller it will make it, but this isn’t necessarily true. It is how you use the ribbon that makes the mum bigger and fuller.

So you have your base solid streamers, and put enough to cover the back. But if you make your own braids, you will save a ton of money and that will really beef up the mum because they stand out more. A 36″ military braid takes 3.5 yards of solid ribbon in two colors. The Homecoming Loop that goes down the front is one of your best items to really make the mum bigger. Making little bows with bells on top of your trinkets is another one. Hanging trinkets from the end of curling ribbons gives it alot of dimension.

Buying Mums

Homecoming Mums 4Now all this being said, you also have to take into account the time factor. You will put in a TON of hours making these things, it isn’t as simple as it looks to just staple it all together. But if you do have the time you can really make one of these your own.


Get the BEST Deal When Buying:

For people who don’t have the time – going to a professional is a great option. Many will get “sticker shock” when they see prices, but remember the amount of labor going into mums AND all of the small items on them as well!

Also be a little careful of places that charge you for every item – there are a lot out there that say – a single mum is only $25! And you think WOW – but that is for a flower with some solid streamers and a few points in the back – something you could easily make yourself for about $15 – and then they charge for every little trinket, bell, printed ribbon etc.

You will actually end up paying a whole lot more for it by the time it is all done AND they don’t usually look as good because you are only getting the items you paid for added. You can get more bang for your buck going with someone who has one set price for different size mums and then has a few additional prices for luxury “add ons”.


The Unspoken RULES of Mums:

Freshman – Single Mum
Sophomore – Double Mum
Junior – Triple Mum
Senior – Triple or Quad Mum

Of course football sponsors are huge and this year Ozarka®  has taken a big role at supporting Texas communities–  specifically through a partnership with Southlake Carroll High School as the official spring water of Dragon Stadium. Ozarka® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water is a brand with more than 100 years of Texas heritage.

As Texans, we appreciate those who support our youth and a game we love so well here in Texas.  As a sports mom, I’ve always know how vital these sponsors are to our sports, so thank Ozarka® by being a great patron of their product.

You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter!

Disclaimer:  This post has been brought to you on behalf of Nestle Waters North America, Ozarka Brand. I was compensated for this post but all written here are my own opinions, advice and pictures.

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