Betonbuchstaben als Geschenk: Ideen und Tipps

Are you looking for a creative and personalised gift? I can recommend concrete letters. If you build up a nice stock in advance, you can simply get started straight away. And preferably not just with colours, but with the complete mixed media range that suits you. Today I’m going to show you some very unique examples that I’ve already given as gifts. And give you tips for your realisation.

Concrete letters: Which word will it be?
My tip: Don’t go for something tasteless, like the ones you see in masses of universal decoration shops (“Home”, “Summertime”, things like that…). Don’t go for the most obvious choice either: the first name of the person you’re giving the gift to. Sure, it can fit sometimes. And you’ll see, it also appears in my examples. But a little more thought and thinking outside the box will certainly make it even more original.

How do you implement this? A few suggestions on how you can come up with a suitable word.

Think in terms of preferences:
– Typical exclamations and favourite words of the person. >> I have already given away the Palatinate “Alla hopp” : )
– Does the person have a special hobby? Do they have a funny Instagram name? Can you deduce anything from a tattoo the person has? Are they in the public eye with something?
– Favourite things about the person: travel destinations, song titles, band names, characters from films, etc.
Think from your close connection to the person:
– Insider that only you share. I once gave “Hasestadt Hamburg” to a friend from Hamburg who has rabbits as pets. (It was the result of a Freudian slip.)
– Words that give the person support or make them laugh. Does the person receiving the gift need encouragement or motivation? Do you know something that instantly brings out fond memories or giggles?

Think from specifics:
– Sometimes there are powerful words derived from the person’s gender identity or performance, for example. Words from activist contexts can also be appropriate and empowering for some.
– Has the person achieved something they are very proud of? An individual, major milestone? Then the word can be like a monument to this.
– Flexible alternating words: Perhaps you put together lots of letters for the person to create or choose their own alternating words. This is definitely the most challenging option 😉
Decorate concrete letters: How can you go about it?
My tip: Don’t go for anything tasteless, like the ones you see in masses of universal decorating shops (“Home”, “Summertime”, things like that…). Don’t go for the most obvious choice either: the first name of the person you’re giving the gift to. Sure, it can fit sometimes. And you’ll see, it also appears in my examples. But a little more thought and thinking outside the box will certainly make it even more original.
How do you implement this? A few suggestions on how you can come up with a suitable word.

Think in terms of preferences:
– Typical exclamations and favourite words of the person. >> I have already given away the Palatinate “Alla hopp” : )
– Does the person have a special hobby? Do they have a funny Instagram name? Can you deduce anything from a tattoo the person has? Are they in the public eye with something?
– Favourite things about the person: travel destinations, song titles, band names, characters from films, etc.

Think from your close connection to the person:
– Insider that only you share. I once gave “Hasestadt Hamburg” to a friend from Hamburg who has rabbits as pets. (It was the result of a Freudian slip.)
– Words that give the person support or make them laugh. Does the person receiving the gift need encouragement or motivation? Do you know something that instantly brings out fond memories or giggles?
Think from specifics:
– Sometimes there are powerful words derived from the person’s gender identity or performance, for example. Words from activist contexts can also be appropriate and empowering for some.
– Has the person achieved something they are very proud of? An individual, major milestone? Then the word can be like a monument to this.
– Flexible alternating words: Perhaps you put together lots of letters for the person to create or choose their own alternating words. This is definitely the most challenging option 😉

Decorate concrete letters: How can you proceed?

Consider the purpose and use of the gift

The first thing you need to know is how the letters will end up as a decorative element: Will they hang? Are they leaning? Are they free-standing? Do they stand on a base? What is the best way to realise this – where will you possibly attach attachment points to the letters?

The answers will determine how you decorate the letters. Because only then will you know what will be visible. So plan this in advance. Literally put your letters to the test. An i or an o in particular rarely stands up well by default.

Suggestions:

Would you like to give the person a lettering for a room in their home or at work? >> How can the letters be hung up?
For example: Do you stick them in a frame to hang them up? Do you attach a hook to each letter? Are you giving away one of these modern narrow boards as a shelf to stand on?
Do you want the letters to stand on a desk, chest of drawers or shelf? >> How will they stand securely?
Can they stand or lean freely or do you need to attach them to a surface (glue or magnets)?
Do you place the letters in a bowl of sand or potting soil? Do you connect them to other elements such as figures, dried flowers, candles?

Painting, spraying, sticking

Now comes the best part: decorating the letters. The purpose or the chosen word will probably already provide you with inspiration for colours and design.

I would like to give you just three things to help you on your creative way:

Plan time. Glue, colours and varnish need to dry well.
Use different layers / levels. For example: Colour first, then mixed media elements, then fixing varnish.
Mixed media: Don’t be afraid of decorative elements. Sand, feathers, glitter, small beads, sequins and so on and so forth. Why not? : )
Make sure you use strong glue.

Basics: pour your own concrete letters or buy them?

Finally, the basic points. Where can you get the actual concrete letters? Some shops or creative platforms sell pre-cast letters. However, with a bit of preparation, you can easily do this yourself. You will need craft concrete for moulding. And moulds. (And patience.)

Craft concrete
Depending on the manufacturer, craft concrete is sometimes lighter or darker grey. A more expensive version is also available in white craft concrete. You can also colour all of them with certain powders when pouring. I prefer to use light grey concrete. Cheaper suppliers didn’t work well with my smaller letters; they were crumbly. I go for a more expensive supplier (and am on the more breakable side) and compare the offers. For example, larger packs or multiple packs are often cheaper in the base price.

Moulds
Available in many different sizes. Sometimes individual letters, usually the whole alphabet in a row. Again, it is important to consider your purpose and use as a basis. In any case, it is advisable to have several vowels in one mould. Or you can at least reproduce the vowels in additional moulds.
You can buy silicone moulds. Or look for instructions on how to make your own. I can recommend very large moulds for letters that have been placed in the garden. The better garden gnomes, so to speak ; )

Patience
Finding the right mixture takes a little time. For me, craft concrete was a completely new material that I first had to get to grips with. I wear protective gloves and a face mask when mixing.
Immediately after pouring, you should shake the air bubbles out of the concrete by moving it. And then wait. Craft concrete has to dry for several hours. You will be able to read all this in the instructions. However, you should definitely plan the lead time in advance so that you won’t be disappointed if the drying process puts the brakes on your creativity.
In this post, I’ve given you some basic tips, especially on how to plan and approach your concrete letter craft. If you like, I can also explain, show and give tips on how I have realised some of the decorations on the letters in more detail in subsequent posts. Just get in touch if you’re interested.