Craft: Lace Crown Prop for Photography

I have been wanting to pick up some photo props to take more creative pictures with my kids and their friends, but even a small prop could cost quite a bit of money. There are so many things I would like to buy, but since we are on a tight budget, I decided to make things I am able to. This way, I am able save the money for those things I absolutely can not make myself.

One of the things I thought would be great to have on hand is a crown prop for little girls. After checking online for a bit, I found that they could cost anywhere from $10 to $50, and that doesn't even include shipping. Being adventurous this morning, I stopped by the local craft store and picked some supplies to try to make some myself.

The most basic things you need are: fabric stiffer, lace for the crown and paint brush (or sponge). The additional supplies you might want to have on hand are: glitters, rhinestones, silk flowers, and feathers. 

To begin, cut the lace to your desired length. I made them about 16". I made some longer for bigger crowns and also shorter ones for smaller ones. I prefer the way the smaller ones look on DD's head, but it's really up to you how large or small you want them to be :).

After I cut my lace, I placed the lace on a piece of foil. I put about 4 coats of fabric stiffer on the lace. The fabric stiffer does need to dry between each coat. To speed up the process, I used a blow dryer.

After your last coat of fabric stiffer is dry,  you can decorate it however you like before sealing the ends together using a glue gun.

This is a lace crown I made that's totally plain. When you pick up your lace, I recommend buying the coarse, cheap ones. I only need to apply 4 coats of fabric stiffer on the lace, but with more delicate soft lace, I ended up applying 6 coats of fabric stiffer.

This is a crown that I covered with glitter. After 4 coats of fabric stiffer, I applied a layer of glitter glue on the crown and then covered the entire thing with glitters. Although DD is a huge fan of this look, I founded that glitter is difficult to work with because it makes huge messes.

This was originally a white lace crown. Before sealing the ends together, I painted the entire crown using copper color fabric paint. I think when I make this again, I will pick up some gold and silver paint :).