Adding an image on either side of the page number

Question

I want to use this image together with the page number that is in the bottom of the page; one image in each side of the page number for all the pages. Can someone show me how to do it?

Maybe this image will make it clear:

Answer 1

The symbols as part of the page number

\documentclass[a5paper]{article}
\usepackage{lipsum}

\usepackage{pifont}

\renewcommand*{\thepage}{\ding{63}\arabic{page}\ding{63}}

\begin{document}
\tableofcontents
\section{Lorem ipsum}
\label{lorem}
\lipsum[1]
This is page \pageref{lorem}.
\end{document}

The symbols only appear in the footer

\documentclass[a5paper]{article}
\usepackage[pass]{geometry}
\usepackage{lipsum}

\usepackage{pifont}% Provides \ding

\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\fancyhead{} % clear all header fields
\fancyfoot{} % clear all footer fields
\fancyfoot[C]{\ding{63}\thepage\ding{63}}
\renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{0pt}
\renewcommand{\footrulewidth}{0pt}
\pagestyle{fancy}

\begin{document}
\tableofcontents
\section{Lorem ipsum}
\label{lorem}
\lipsum[2]
This is page \pageref{lorem}.
\end{document}

Variation with larger symbols

\documentclass[a5paper]{article}
\usepackage[pass]{geometry}
\usepackage{lipsum}

\usepackage{pifont}% Provides \ding

\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\fancyhead{} % clear all header fields
\fancyfoot{} % clear all footer fields
\fancyfoot[C]{%
  {\large\ding{63}}%
  \,%
  \textbf{\thepage}%
  \,%
  {\large\ding{63}}%
}
\renewcommand{\headrulewidth}{0pt}
\renewcommand{\footrulewidth}{0pt}
\pagestyle{fancy}

\begin{document}
\tableofcontents
\section{Lorem ipsum}
\label{lorem}
\lipsum[2]
This is page \pageref{lorem}.
\end{document}

Font Alice-Regular with LuaLaTeX or XeLaTeX

Starting point for using a font with LuaLaTeX or XeLaTeX. The font setup for non-Unicode TeX compiler (pdfTeX, TeX) are much more complicate, because font metrics need to be generated and used.

The font file Alice-Regular.ttf can be put in the working directory or installed in the home or local TDS (texmf) tree below TDS:fonts/truetype//.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pifont}
\usepackage{fontspec}
\newfontface\FontAlice{Alice-Regular.ttf}
\begin{document}
\ding{63}\,{\FontAlice\thepage}\,\ding{63}
\end{document}

Scaled version

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{pifont}
\usepackage{fontspec}
\newfontface\FontAlice{Alice-Regular.ttf}
\begin{document}
\begingroup
  \sbox{0}{\ding{63}}%
  \usebox{0}\,%
  \resizebox{!}{\ht0}{\FontAlice\thepage}\,%
  \usebox{0}%
\endgroup
\end{document}