Soldier's Armor - Breastplate for Courage of Kings VBS 2012
The following is a list of materials & techniques I used to create this breastplate: Corrugated cardboard from largest boxes I could find. Cut out pieces to size making sure the corrugation is running vertically, otherwise it won't bend right. Paint the cardboard whatever color you choose. For the straps, I used an old black leather belt that I cut in two. I used my Cropadile to punch the holes in the belt ends as well as in the handmade buttons, then used heavy weight yarn (didn't have anything better on hand) to attach the buttons to the breastplate; I did the same thing in the back where the waist part comes together and ties. The buttons were made by stacking and gluing cereal-box thick cardboard, then embossed with Cuttlebug fancy corners and heat embossed to make shiny. The front of the breastplate was made by taking inexpensive cardstock and embossing it with the Sizzix embossing folder (the little bubbly looking one), then I used a sponge to squish brown craft paint all over it. After that I took some Encore metallic ink and blotted that all over. I then coated all the sheets with Versamark and heat embossed with UTEE. Whallah, it looked just like well-worn metal. After all this work to make paper look like metal, I took my SU large tag maker punch and started punching. My daughter then started gluing them to the breastplate. The waistband was put on last and was made from black paper stamped with versamark, coated with UTEE, and heat embossed.
The "rightousness" strip across the front of the breastplate, as well as all the other labels I made for each piece of armor, was made by printing out on inexpensive cardstock. I then sponged each with chalk to give a distressed look, stamped with
Versamark, coated with UTEE and heat embossed.
The breastplate and the helmet were the most time-consuming to make, but they were well worth the effort. The kids actually thought this stuff was real, can you believe it! Look through photos for directions on how to make some of the other pieces.
Date: Thursday, July 19, 2012 GMT Views: 411
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Registered: July 30, 2008 Location: Tennessee Posts: 86
Mon, Feb 04, 2013 @ 1:10 PM
Kewl! A few years back, I had my first grade Sunday schoolers make paper sandals at the beginning of the year so we could climb up Mt. Zion through the year. The sandals had to withstand walking up and down the hallway without falling apart, ha, ha.