Cardboard Tube Elvis

I joke that I've built a career around making things out of cardboard tubes. While that's not totally true, it's not entirely false either. Today, I present to you: Cardboard Tube Elvis. 

Cardboard Tube Elvis is my latest craft inspired by the 50 states. Both Mississippi and Tennessee lay claim to Elvis, the first being where he lived until age 13 and the latter where he lived his remaining 29 year, minus his time in the Army. Today's craft is set toward the end of the Tennessee years. Affiliate links below. 

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Cardboard Tube Elvis

Materials: 

• cardboard tube (Wow - they actually sell these? I'd never checked before.)
• Folk Art paint
• felt (white and black)
• googly eyes
• gold Stickles
• craft glue
• Sharpies (gold and black)

Steps:

Paint the cardboard tube white. When it is dry, add Elvis' skin color to where the face and chest will be. (I mixed a light sand color with a light pink.) Paint some black hair on top. 

Before the skin area is dry, add a tiny bit of black to the skin-colored paint. Lightly paint a nose and the line to define his chin and jawline. 

The next few steps are a "do as I say, not as I do." I painted Elvis' jumpsuit and belt. Do not do this. Painting tiny straight lines on a curved surface is not easy or fun. You should just use a Sharpie. 

Use a gold Sharpie to draw the V of Elvis' jumpsuit, then paint any skintone areas beyond the lines white. Draw a large gold belt buckle, then outline it in black. Draw the rest of the belt in black. 

Paint Elvis' hair, eyebrows, mouth, and mutton chops black. (Or use the Sharpie.) Glue the eyes in place. 

Cut out a cape from white felt and dot around the edges with Stickles. Then dot the jumpsuit and belt with Stickles. Cut two very large triangles for the collar and dot them with Stickles. Let them dry completely, then glue the cape around Elvis' neck. 

Elvis' hair was a two-part project. First, I cut a circle of black felt that fit perfectly on the tube and glue it in place. Then I cut a slightly larger circle, made cuts on both sides of the circle, and overlapped and glued the felt to make a domed shape. When I was happy with the shape, I trimmed the excess and glued it in place. 

Finally, I glued the collar in place. Behold, Cardboard Tube Elvis!

For those who are clamoring for a Young Elvis craft, be patient. I have ideas. (Maybe THAT should be on my tombstone.)