By Adrianna Zampieri
One of the most anticipated traditions at for any Texas A&M student is almost here: Aggie Ring Day! Hundreds of Aggies are eagerly awaiting the moment when they’ll finally receive that treasured piece of gold. It’s an accomplishment to be proud of, having completed a solid 90 hours of hard work at a highly respected university, but it’s also an investment that needs to be taken care of. You don’t want that ring slipping off of your finger and escaping down the drain when washing the dishes or taking a shower. But what’s a great way to prevent that heart-stopping fiasco? It’s simple: make a frame ring holder.
Using a ring holder is a cute, crafty way to protect your Aggie ring—whether you’re cleaning your apartment, cooking dinner, or settling in for the night. Keep it on your bedside table, the kitchen counter, or your bathroom sink for a beautiful display, and you’ll always know where your ring is when it’s not at home on your finger.
Of course an Aggie-themed ring holder is perfect for an Aggie ring, but there are more ways than one to decorate your frame. Paint it your favorite color. Keep it simple. Add some sparkles. Make it your own. But if you’d like, follow the directions below to learn how to make the frame ring holder pictured here.
What You Will Need:
- A Small Frame
- Maroon Paint and a Paintbrush
- Adhesive Pearls
- 1 Quilting Pin
- Computer and Printer
- Pencil, Scissors, Hot Glue Gun
Here’s How to Do It:
- Get a small frame. You can use one you already have, or Hobby Lobby has a number of different shapes and sizes to choose from that are almost always 50%. The frame in the photo is 2 1/2″ X 3” in size.
- Remove the glass and any cardboard inside the frame and set aside. You’ll need to use both of these later.
- Generously coat your frame in a glossy Fightin’ Texas Aggie Maroon. After your frame is dry, it’s time to use the adhesive pearls, which can also be bought at Hobby Lobby. Remove the pearls and apply along each side of the frame. Press down hard to prevent them from falling off. (Tip: Hobby Lobby always has a 40% off coupon on their website that you can take advantage of if the pearls are not on sale.)
- Once all of your pearls have been applied, it’s time to search the Internet for A&M-themed designs to use as the background for your ring holder. Find one that appeals to you and print it off.
- Using the glass as a template, cut out your background. Simply place the glass where desired on your printed design, trace around the edges with a pencil, and cut it out.
- Now you will need the quilting pin; this is what your ring will hang on. Poke it through your printed background about one-third of the way down from the top. Repeat this process with the small piece of cardboard you set aside earlier. Both the background and the cardboard should now be on your pin, the background in the front and the cardboard behind it.
- Bend the back two-thirds of the pin flat against the cardboard, making sure there is enough length left in the front to hold your ring.
- Secure the folded length of the pin against the cardboard with a few dots of hot glue. Then place it back in the frame, but before you close it, put the glass back in last, too. This will make sure the fit is extra snug.
- With your frame now completed, put your ring on it, take a photo, and share it on all of your social media sites. Let the world see the results of your hard work, both intellectually and artistically!