Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Paint Danish Blue Chalkware

Chalkware above is painted in traditional patterns associated with Danish 
blue china. Modern chalkware is most usually made from gypsum poured
into plaster molds. Shapes like those painted above are easy to purchase in
craft and hobby shops for only a few dollars each. I've hand-colored two
baubles and an angel in blue for a Danish inspired Christmas tree.
       Chalkware refers to figurines either made of sculpted gypsum or cast from plaster molds and painted with watercolors; most typically those made in one of two periods: the first beginning in the late 18th century and ending by the beginning of the 20th century, the second being during the Great Depression. Those made during the first period were more typically serious art; those during the second period were more typically somewhat jocular. Early chalkware was often hollow and can be difficult to find unblemished. (Wikipedia)
      However, you can still purchase blank chalkware forms from many craft and/or hobby shops in America and paint these according to your own taste. These particular examples above were purchased at a Hobby Lobby. I hand-colored them with permanent ink markers and acrylic paints. Then I sealed them with a non-whitening acrylic gel medium. 
Fired, blank chalkware and porcelain may be easily purchased from your local hobby store; these came from Hobby Lobby.
Supply List:
  • chalkware baubles
  • a variety of permanent, blue ink pens
  • acrylic varnish or gel medium
  • white acrylic paint
  • pencil and eraser 
  • soft brush for applying paint and varnish
Step-by-Step Directions:
  1. Acquire chalkware blanks from your local hobby supply.
  2. Make sure these blanks have no cracks and that the surfaces are clean.
  3. Choose acrylics, inks, watercolor or even oil paints to decorate the surfaces with.
  4. You can draw some preliminary designs on the surface of the chalkware with a soft lead pencil. I've included links below to some internet resources that you can explore to view classical Danish patterns.
  5. Paint or draw your designs directly onto the surface of the chalkware before sealing it with an acrylic gel varnish or gel medium.
  6. Let the ornaments dry completely between all applications.
Here you can see me busy at my computer drawing and coloring blue chalkware for a friend. Blue trimmings for Christmas come and go according to popular trends. These ornaments however, are for someone who is a lover and collector of Danish blue china.
A closer look at some of the traditional Danish patterns I drew onto inexpensive chalkware ornaments.
I think this chalkware shape is especially attractive.
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Repurposed Ornaments Made From Costume Jewelry Parts

I used an old broach, a set of costume earrings and a few glass
beads to embellish my paper baubles. I cut out widow shapes
from the cardboard ornaments so that the jewelry elements
could be seen from both sides. The paper patterns are
identical on the reverse sides of these flat paper baubles.
            Don't toss out that old costume jewelry; repurpose it into unusual Christmas ornaments. I've included here a selection of flat, stylized, baubles featuring cut-away design elements and contemporary brass jewelry parts sewn into the paper designs.
      I intentionally selected  Christmas papers that would compliment the simple lines of my jewelry and glued on additional gold papers that emphasized the color of the inexpensive brass parts. When integrating elements from one design into another, it is best to repeat common shapes and colors so that the overall design looks cohesive.

Supply List:
  • decorative papers
  • cardboard (recycled)
  • costume jewelry
  • pliers
  • wire cutters
  • beads
  • scissors
  • white glue
  • tacky glue
  • gold thread or fine gold colored wire plus a needle
  • bauble pattern from this post
  • gold colored miniature cup cake liners
  • wire for hangers
Step-by-Step Instructions:
  1. Draw and cut out patterns similar to those designs found in vintage wrapping papers and trace around these on top of recycled cardboard. I use an old cereal box for my ornaments.
  2. Next, select decorative papers that will enhance the designs of the costume jewelry parts that you intend to sew into your design.
  3. Don't forget to cut out the windows from your cardboard baubles. This will allow the jewelry parts to be seen from two sides instead of one.
  4. Cut and paste the paper designs for both sides of your bauble designs, sandwiching the cardboard between the decorative papers for added support and strength.
  5. Use pliers and or wire cutters to dismantle your jewelry parts.
  6. Thread a needle with gold wire or thread and sew the pieces of metal and/or beads along the tops of the window shapes cut from your paper and cardboard.
  7. You may also wish to squeeze a bit of glue into the tiny holes left by your needle to strengthen the cardboard after you have sewn in the jewelry parts.
  8. At the top of your baubles, punch a hole and thread in a  loop of wire for the hanger. 
  9. Glue on small, accordion shaped pieces of cup cake liner at the top of each ornament to imitate a bauble cap.
Close up photos of Christmas ornaments made with costume jewelry parts,
cardboard and decorative papers. Left, the flower petal shapes are repeated in the
 paper. Center, the paper edges were cut with pinking shears in order to imitate the
zig-zag lines in the paper's print. Right, the circular shapes found in the printed
 paper are also repeated with the edition of both wooden and metal jewelry parts.

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Craft Five Christmas Candy Cones Using Wooden Accents

      These little Christmas candy cones are made with recycled cardboard, decorative papers and a collection of holiday wooden cut-outs. My assortment of five ornaments includes: a candy cane, bell, fir tree, Santa and a star. 
      I turned these traditional shapes into classic candy cone ornaments that are sure to please any lover of jelly beans, lemon drops, peppermints, gummies and gumdrops for Christmas!
A candy cane, candy cone trimmed with striped green and red  paper.
      On occasion, I am given odds and ends by people wanting to clean out old craft supplies from their kitchen drawers, closets or the occasional shoe box from beneath their guest bed. 
      Among supplies such as these I often find wooden cut-outs that under usual circumstances are considered "juvenile" craft supply. These simple, plain shapes without decoration that some small child traced around or looked at with boredom, no doubt, are then tossed aside into the heap of unused parts belonging to that Christmas hodgepodge that collects in "the drawer" of discards in every average American home.
      So what happens to this odd sundry of supply once it reaches the Grimm household you may ask with just a hint of boredom in your voice followed by a yawn and a stretch? What do you think, smarty pants; it gets glued into the next thing of course!

Supply List:
  • cardboard (recycled)
  • scissors
  • white school glue and tacky glue
  • Christmas trims, odds and ends
  • ribbon
  • decorative papers
  • wooden Christmas cut-outs
  • A variety of acrylic paints; all colors but mostly: red, green, ivory, white, skin tone, whatever matches the colors found in your decorative papers.
  • The paper pattern included below, printed out and cut for tracing around
  • stapler
  • masking tape
  • clear acrylic varnish to finish the wooden shapes
Step-by-Step Instructions:
  1. Download and print out a candy cone pattern from the internet. 
  2. Trace and cut this shape from discarded cardboard. I used a tossed cereal box for these ornaments.
  3. Shape the cardboard into a cone. Add a bit of glue to the edge you roll inside of the cone. I stapled the top of my cone and then used a bit of masking tape to hold the cones together as these dried.
  4. Now wrap the outside of these cones in decorative papers. I used the same template as before adding an additional 1/4 inch to the outside of the pattern so that I could fold and tuck the edges of my paper neatly. I also lined the inside of the cones with that same paper. Use white school glue sparingly for this step.
  5. Poke a small hole on opposite sides in order to string a ribbon through the ornaments. Knot each end to create a hanger for each candy cone.
  6. I pasted the backside of each of my flat wooden shapes with the same decorative papers I used in covering the cone shapes.
  7. Cut around the edges of the wooden shapes tucking and gluing the paper down securely as you go.
  8. Now paint the front side of each shape with colorful acrylic paints. You may use my photographs as a guide if you wish to make candy cones that look exactly like mine. Or, if your feeling more adventurous, paint your own designs.
  9. I also glued on to the shapes a few additional elements like ribbon and silk flowers with a bit of tacky glue.
  10. Now glue your finished wooden shapes onto the cones and let these dry face down over night. I used more tacky glue for this process.
  11. On the following day brush a layer of clear varnish onto the wooden surfaces and hang the candy cones up until these have dried.
A bell candy cone trimmed with a bright red poinsettia.
A Christmas tree candy cone topped with a star.
A contemplative Santa candy cone; he wears a tired expression.
A festive polka-dotted star candy cone.
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Wednesday, August 20, 2014

DIY Paper Bead Ornaments And Garland

Above, Paper bead garland and snowflake.
       These aquatic themed, beaded garlands and snowflakes would make elegant additions to any ocean themed Christmas tree. Drape and hang them alongside mermaids, fish and shell ornaments to complete a unique customized tree.

Supply List:
  • magazine pages and/or old book covers (the brighter the better)
  • white glue
  • tacky glue 
  • clear nail polish
  • a selection of glass bead and aquatic themed beads
  • thin, light weight beading wire
  • a long, thin wooden skewer
Step-by-Step Directions:
  1. In order to make these paper beads you will first need to cut long narrow strips of paper tapered from one end. I've included a video by the Frugal Crafter below that demonstrates how this is done. 
  2. The strips of paper should be tapered with regularity and the strips must all be the same length if you wish your beads to all be of the same relative size and shape. This being said, however, it is not necessary for this to be the case if you should so choose to string paper beads of different shapes and sizes. It is a matter of preference in the end.
  3. You will need to brush the backside or "inside" layer of each paper strip with white glue.
  4. Begin rolling each bead by twisting the widest end of your tapered strip around the thin, wooden skewer. 
  5. Neatly wrap the glue side of the paper on top of itself as you roll the skewer between the tips of your fingers.
  6. Gently remove the skewer so that your paper bead holds it's shape. It will take of bit of practice on your part to perfect the process. But once you have tried twisting and shaping a few beads, you will quickly improve your technique. 
  7. Let these beads dry completely over night before brushing them with clear acrylic nail polish. 
  8. Then let them dry over night a second time before stringing them onto garlands with decorative shells, glass beads and tiny sea horse charms.
  9. In order to wire the beads into a snowflake shape, simply begin with wiring together two lengths of wire of equal shape into a cross pattern. 
  10. String paper beads onto these cross pieces along with blue glass beads.
  11. Then twist a fine wire about one end of the cross shape and add beads until you have shaped a circular pattern to bend around the beaded cross. Remember to wire together every section where the two shapes touch as you go.
  12. After you have made these two intersecting shapes, a circle and a cross, bend the circle forward and twist wire about the snowflake shape to keep it from being bent back into place. 
  13. I then wired a tiny shell to the center of my "snowflake" design.
  14. Twist a wire around one end of the beaded snowflake in order to hang the ornament.
A paper beaded snowflake made from two simple shapes, a cross and a circle. I wired a small shell to the center of the "snowflake."
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Wrap Cotton Batting Q-tip Stars

      I crafted a set Q-tip shaped stars to hang on my cotton batting Christmas tree this year. I have photographed them on a fir in my backyard so that you may see how these would look on a live Christmas tree. These stars would also be lovely on a flocked tree as well.
Finished Q-tip star ornaments for the Christmas tree.
Supply List:
  • cotton balls
  • Q-tips
  • white glue
  • masking tape
  • wire for hanging the ornament
  • tiny Christmas baubles with attached stems
Step-by-Step Directions:
  1. First you will need to wrap the Q-tips into star shapes. I have included a series of photos below that show a sequence for the process. Every time two tips cross, you will need to add a bit of glue and wrap the two with tape and/or cotton in order to hold each Q-tip in place. Don't worry about how messy this looks; you will be wrapping the entire star with cotton batting later.
  2. Each star shape is made from five Q-tips. Two sets are wrapped into "V" shapes and then the fifth Q-tip crosses the two "Vs" to complete the star shape.
  3. Leave a hole in the center of the star or make one with the tip of your scissors so that the small wired bauble may be twisted into place at the center of the star.
  4. Unwind the cotton balls, several at a time, so that these look like long narrow strips.
  5. Now add white glue to each Q-tip stem and cross piece that you will be wrapping with the strips of cotton batting. Do not wrap the tips of the Q-tips, these come covered with cotton already.
  6. While you wrap the star shapes; weave the cotton around the small bauble so that it remains shown at the front side of your star.
  7. Always end each final layer of cotton wrap with an additional coat of white glue.
  8. Wrap a thin wire with cotton batting and twist this into place around one side of your star in order to hang the ornament. 
  9. Let your star dry over night.
A set of photos showing how to arrange the Q-tips before twisting and gluing bits of cotton and masking tape around the tips of the crisscrossed stems.
More Q-tip Crafts:
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Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Craft Old Saint Nick from Recycled Paper Tubes

      This St. Nicholas figure was made by my husband when he was about seven or eight years old. We've been hanging it on both of our family trees for over 50 years. 
      I recycle old paper tubes for my young students to use when making this Christmas craft; Santa can cost mere pennies to craft. 
      Teachers may have only construction paper on hand and this material may easily be adapted for the project. However, I use colored masking tape, duct tape and sometimes sticky vinyl for this little St. Nick. 
      Just cut and stick simple shapes onto the cardboard tube to create your own designs. Each child will need a small portion of cardboard to cut St. Nick's arms out. 
      You can challenge your students to cut and stick different figures besides St. Nick. They could design reindeer, angels, elves, etc...
"This St. Nicholas figure was made by my
husband when he was about seven
 or eight years old."
      I recommend the project for second and third graders.
  
Supply List:
  • Red, White and Black Duct Tape or Masking Tape
  • hollow paper rolls cut to the length desired (use also toilet paper tubes)
  • scissors
  • gold cord for hanger
  • light weight cardboard (for arms)
Craft More St. Nicholas Figures:


How to Play The "Christmas Stockings'' Game

       Distribute pencils and small stocking-shaped cards. These should have printed on one side the title , "What I Found in My Christmas Stocking," and under that, the names of ten gifts that might be found in a stocking. The letters that belong to each gift are scrambled with a line next to each for the child to write the correct gift found in that stocking after they have guessed the word with it's correct spelling. An example would be a ''lold" unscrambled the gift is ''doll.''
       You may time the game to make it more challenging and give a small stocking with candy in it for the first child to unscramble the 10 gifts included with each card on the stocking game.


Description of Coloring Page: Santa up on the roof top with his bag of toys, chimney, snow, Christmas night, Santa's suit, stars in sky

        Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document and enlarge the image as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question about this coloring page, just type into the comment box located directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.
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Monday, August 11, 2014

Sculpt a Cotton Batting Deer

      To hand sculpt a cotton batting animal, such as this handsome little buck below, may seem a bit too ambitious at first. However, if you can dig a few plastic figures out of your child's toy box, to look at as you work, you may surprise yourself with the finished result! 
      Hold the small plastic animal in the palm of your hand and explore it's surface with your fingers; study it's shape carefully. By doing this, you are giving important tactile information to your brain. If you have never sculpted anything before, you must ask your eyes, hands, and mind to think about how shapes feel and look in three dimensional space over and over again. 
     Sculpting with any medium, whether it be clay, paper pulp, fabric or cotton is a tactile process. You can make many simple things but you must train yourself to be a keen observer with your hands as well as with your eyes!
     I've also included video links below to help guide you through the beginning processes of sculpting with both clay and paper. In sculpting, beginning concepts are the same no matter what medium you chose to manipulate.
Close up photo of my deer's face.

Supply List 
  • cotton balls
  • white school glue
  • chenille stems
  • newsprint 
  • tacky white glue
  • small soft paint brush (for painting)
  • acrylic paints: browns, black, white
  • bit of white fur or soft milk weed floss
  • wire for hanging
Step-by-Step Instructions:
  1. Shape a small piece of newsprint into the torso and extended head of the deer. Masking it with tape as you compress the paper into an approximate shape. 
  2. Bend chenille stems into antler and leg shapes. Use tacky glue and masking tape to attach these parts to your crushed newsprint torso and head. 
  3. Let the glue dry.
  4. At this point you need to shape a small wire loop and attach it with glue or tape to the backside of your deer. The majority of this wire will be covered from view by tape, glue and cotton. However, you need to leave a small piece of this wire exposed so that deer may be properly hung from the tree.
  5. Now wrap masking tape around the entire body.
  6. Unravel several cotton balls at a time and cover the surface of your deer with white glue and cotton batting layers several times. Always end a step in this process with a final coat of white glue. I spread this with my finger tips as I go. 
  7. Work in a warm, dry area so that parts of your deer will dry before others areas are completed. Anticipate that you will need several days to complete the whole process. Wrapping cotton batting figures is not a speedy craft.
  8. I rolled small bits of cotton between my finger tips to shape this deer's eyes, nose and ears. I shaped his mussel with a toothpick dipped in white glue.
  9. I have included detailed photos of the finished deer prior to painting him with neutral-toned brown acrylic paints. Study these photos closely. 
  10. After painting my deer, I then glued milkweed floss to his under belly, his tail and inside his ears. You may use any furry stuff that you have on hand to finish off these little details.
  11. Wrap and shape a cotton batting wire hook for hanging the deer with.
Masking the deer. Both his antlers and legs are shaped from chenille stems.
Wrapping the deer with cotton batting, multiple views.
The painted, finished cotton batting deer. His fuzzy tail, belly and inside ears are made from milk weed floss.
The Basics of Sculpting: Start With Basic Shapes:
  • Learn Sculpting - Lesson 1 - Clay Modeling This video will help you to get ideas and concepts about basic shapes, how these fit together etc...
  • How to sculpt with paper: This video shows how to build a paper shape like the process I used above. Except, I exclude the wire armature when crafting light weight figures for the Christmas tree. It is unnecessary to include intricate internal armatures for very small figures. Also this video depicts a finishing step that is not often used with cotton batting figures, the additional step of applying paper mache pulp.
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Bend a Wire Tree For a Miniature Ornament Collection

"The tiny wooden ornaments came with a larger set of turned wooden Christmas ornaments that I bought in bulk from a neighbor during our community garage sale."

Thicker wire was used to shape the outside
edge of this little Christmas tree. Cotton is
used to conceal every part of the wire and
masking tape.

      This wire shaped Christmas tree jingles when you open and shut the door in which it hangs. This is because I wired three jingle bells to it; these are painted to look like Santa. I purchased these funny little character bells as you see them. The tiny wooden ornaments came with a larger set of turned wooden Christmas ornaments that I bought in bulk from a neighbor during our community garage sale. I have too many boxes and drawers with little odds and ends like these throughout my house! So I decided to put them to use within the context of an ornament. This ornament is a bit too big for my trees and a little too small to call a wreath. However, it displays nicely hanging from the door knob of one of my Early American cupboards.
      As you can see from the photo below, I crafted this ornament from a long piece of wire that I bent into the shape of a Christmas tree. Wrap masking tape around the two wires where they overlap at the bottom half of the trunk. This will prevent sharp edges from cutting into the fingers of any person who handles this decorative little tree. 
      Cover the wire shape in cotton batting and white glue by unraveling cotton balls and separating the fine wadding into long strips. Apply the glue to three or four inches of the wire at a time and wrap the cotton around the wire and glue. Twist the cotton down onto the surface, rolling the wire between your fingers as you proceed to cover the wire completely in cotton. 
      Then cover a thinner wire with more cotton before twisting it into all kinds of loopy shapes connecting and wrapping smaller areas within the tree for miniature ornaments to hang.
     Twisted the miniature ornaments onto the Christmas tree with cotton covered wire wherever these may fit securely.

More Ways to Display Miniature Ornament Collections:
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Friday, August 1, 2014

DIY Miniature Toothpick Nativity

      Although you do not need a great deal of experience to craft a Nativity ornament like this, you will need an abundance of time. The stable alone will take several hours to construct and it must be allowed plenty of time to dry. It is an ideal craft project for fourth and fifth graders and the amount of time it takes to complete is dictated by the size of the box you select to use as your stable. 

Supply List:
  • stalks of wheat
  • small cardboard box, about the size of a soap box
  • both flat sided toothpicks and round toothpicks, natural, unstained colors
  • decorative printed papers (very small designs, plain or striped)
  • flesh colored acrylic paints
  • cotton balls
  • wire for hanger and shepherd's staffs
  • white glue
  • tacky glue
  • wood glue
  • small sized cupcake foil liner (gold)
Step-by-Step Instructions For The Stable:
  1. Choose a small box for a stable. I chose a soap box.
  2. Reinforce this box with masking tape and glue. Tape down all the flaps.
  3. Cut away one whole side of the box. 
  4. I cut extra cardboard from another recycled cereal box to bend a narrow strip into the A shaped roof.
  5. I left the loft space above my stable open and also cut an additional rectangular window at the backside of this cardboard stable. (pictured below)
  6. Cover every surface of the box with masking tape and tape on a wire hook to the roof top for hanging as well.
  7. Now you are ready to start gluing flat sided toothpicks over the surface of your small cardboard stable. I cut my toothpicks with scissors to fit the sides of the stable in advance. This can be time consuming if you do not cut the toothpicks in groups of six or seven at once. Flat sided tooth picks are very fragile so this method of cutting is easier than you may think. 
  8. Glue the toothpicks directly onto the masked surface with Elmer's wood glue. This type of glue will allow you to work quickly. Decide in advance which direction your tooth picks should be glued. 
  9. I chose to glue heads of wheat to the surface of my loft floor and also to trim the outside of the box with as well.
  10. I bent a singular wheat grass stem into a star shape and twisted thin pieces of cotton around the star points to hold it into place. I then glued the star to my ornaments hook.
  11. Let your stable dry completely over night. Now you are ready to fashion the Nativity characters from the round-sided toothpicks.
Above is the little soap box that I covered with masking tape for this Nativity craft.
      The second half of this project involves the crafting of the Nativity figures. I chose to focus upon the shepherds, angel, and Holy Family from the book of Luke, chapter 2. Below I have shown photos of the process of gluing a toothpick angel. However, all of the tiny figures in my Nativity are made by the same process.

Adjust this little paper pattern to fit your own toothpick figures.
Step-by-Step Instructions For The Toothpick Figures:
  1. Depending upon the size of your stable, you may need to trim away a bit of the height of your figures. When I made my figure of Mary, I cut away half of the toothpick's length so that she would look as though she were knelling beside the manger of Jesus. I used only one small end of a toothpick to craft the baby with. (shown below)
  2. Hold two round toothpicks together between your finger tips. Put a bit of glue on top of the spiked tips and wrap a fine bit of cotton batting around the two toothpicks to shape all of the figure's heads. 
  3. Add also a little glue down the length of the toothpicks where they share a common side. Set these little shapes aside to dry.
  4. I then painted my figures heads a tannish color with acrylic paints and let them dry again.
  5. As you can see from the photographs below, the clothing on the tiny angel was made by: cutting out tiny templates, tracing around these on top of my selected decorative paper and then cutting these to fit my toothpick figure. 
  6. First wrap the paper around the neck of each figure to measure it's proper length. Trim off enough of your cone shaped cloak so that the bottom edge of the figure's gown is level to the stable's floor. In the case of my angel, I clipped off enough paper to expose her feet. She was to be floating above the stall and I wanted to expose the toothpick stubs for preference sake.
  7. Next you will use one round-sided toothpick to shape the adult figure's arms. Twist a cone shaped sleeve to fit this single toothpick. Add a bit of glue between the paper sleeve and the single tooth pick as you twist it into place. Clip off the toothpick end to finish the arm. Make two and glue these to opposite sides of your figures.
  8. I dabbed a bit of glue to the top of my angel's head to add a cotton batting halo. 
  9. For my shepherds, I dabbed glue to the top and backsides of their heads and also underneath their chins. Then I wrapped small pieces of cotton batting around their heads to imitate the head covering most commonly worn by Bible characters often portrayed in the Nativity. The baby Jesus was wrapped entirely with cotton batting to imply swaddling.
  10. Then I bent a couple of wire stems, covered in cotton batting, into shepherd's crooks.
  11. The angel figure was given an additional trim. I shaped a small, gold cupcake liner into a halo and/or wings and glued this piece to her back before gluing her onto my stable vignette.
Left, the tiny toothpick figures are compared here to the size of a penny. Center, the cloak of my toothpick angel is shaped like a cone. Right, press the paper cloak firmly at the neck while the tacky glue dries.
Left, twist the cone shaped sleeve around just one toothpick to create the angel's arms. Center, you can see the blunt end of the rounded toothpick underneath the sleeve. Right, leave a tiny amount of the toothpick tip showing so that your angel will look as though she has tiny hands.
Left, see a detailed photo of how my toothpick angel looks from beneath the skirt. It helps to stuff a very tiny amount of cotton under the skirt with the tip of your scissors and a small amount of glue in order to help the cone retain it's shape. Center, my toothpick angel is finished! Right, a detailed photo of the angel from the backside.
Details from my toothpick Nativity Vignette. Left, the star bent from a single wheat grass stem. Center, the Nativity figures: Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, two shepherds and an angel bringing glad tidings of great joy. The floor of the Nativity is also covered with wheat grains. These figures are glued in place. Right, see how all of the sides are covered with flat sided toothpicks.
Left, the angel is suspended above the peaceful scene watching over the tiny figure of baby Jesus. The baby is wrapped in cotton batting and so are the heads of all the adults watching over him. Right, I switched the direction of the toothpicks on the backside of my stable to imply a "doorway."
      There are some amazing toothpick structures built by people across the internet. My stable is quite humble by comparison to be sure!
More Toothpick Crafts:
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Thursday, July 31, 2014

Craft Gourd Snowman Ornaments

Children always enjoy crafting these gourd snowmen during the holidays.
      You will need to plan ahead for this particular ornament craft. It requires that gourds be dried several months in advance. Drying gourds is not an exact science. There are always a few that don't make it to an acceptable stage and mold must be roughly sanded off before applying paint.

Supply List:
  • baby socks for the snowman's stocking hat
  • plaid paper
  • black seed beads
  • orange oven-dry clay
  • paper face mask (to prevent the inhaling of mold spores)
  • white school glue
  • white tacky glue
  • either white acrylic paints or Gesso
  • scissors
  • dried gourds
  • wire for hanging the ornament
  • translucent glitter 
Step-by-Step Instructions:
  1. You will need to prepare your gourds by hanging them in a sunny dry spot. They will get a little moldy, however.
  2. Where a paper mask while you remove most of the mold with a fine grade sandpaper. 
  3. Then apply either a bit of Gesso or white acrylic paint with a sponge. I let some of the original patina of my gourds show through because I prefer the look.
  4. Now fold and trim a few baby socks for your gourds stocking caps. Glue these on top of the gourds with tacky white glue.
  5. Cut a few strips of plaid scrapbook paper and snip the ends to create a fringed edge. Glue these scarfs directly onto the surface of the gourds.
  6. Use tiny, black seed beads for each snowman's eyes and mouth.
  7. Roll out a carrot shaped nose from orange oven-fire clay. Bake according to the package's instructions. Glue the carrot nose to the center of each snowman's face.
  8. Brush a thin wash of white glue onto the gourds and sprinkle a bit of translucent glitter wherever you wish.
  9. Hook a wire hanger through the stocking hat for hanging.
This is just part 1. follow the links at youtube to view additional video.

See More Gourd Crafts:
Make more little snowmen for Christmas:
  1. Multiple snowman crafts from Kid Activities
  2. DIY duct tape/bottle cap snowmen (video)
  3. Simple shapes snowman paper bag puppet
  4. Frosty collection of snowman crafts
  5. Winter snowman crafts at DLTK
  6. Toilet-Paper Tube Snowman Craft
  7. How to make a snowman hair clippie
  8. How to make a balloon snowman (video)
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Hand Color Laser-Cut Balsa Wood Ornaments


Coloring intricate lazor-cut Christmas ornaments is a fun family craft.

       I purchased these laser cut, wooden ornaments from a local hobby shop and colored them with permanent ink pens. You can find some truely intricate designs to decorate for just a few pennies.
 laser-cutting Christmas snowflakes
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Pierrot Cotton Batting Figure Ornament

Left, Pierrot porcelain heads found in a resale shop.
Right, a detailed photo of my finished cotton batting version of Pierrot.
      I found these little china doll parts of Pierrot in a resale shop not far from my house. I thought that it would be a good exercise to "dress" them in cotton batting instead of the predictable cloth body and costume. 
      Pierrot is a stock character of pantomime and Commedia dell'Arte whose origins are in the late seventeenth-century Italian troupe of players performing in Paris and known as the Comédie-Italienne; the name is a hypocorism of Pierre (Peter), via the suffix -ot. His character in postmodern popular culture—in poetry, fiction, the visual arts, as well as works for the stage, screen, and concert hall—is that of the sad clown, pining for love of Columbine, who usually breaks his heart and leaves him for Harlequin. Read more . . .

The chenille stem body of my
 Pierrot character.
Supply List:
  • Pierrot China Heads
  • chenille stems
  • cotton balls
  • tacky glue
  • white school glue
  • silver cupcake liners
  • red pom-poms
  • black acrylic paint
  • wire for hanging
  • recycled egg carton parts for his hat
  • gold thread
  • neddle
Step-by-Step Instructions:
  1.  Twist together several chenille stems to create two arms, a short torso, a neck and two legs for your pantomime figure (pictured right)
  2. Use very tacky glue to paste the neck of this chenille stem body inside the hollow porcelain head. Let it dry over night.
  3. Unravel several cotton balls so that the cotton resembles thin strips of batting to work with. I used many cotton balls to layer with white glue in order to dress these dolls. 
  4. First I twist the cotton with a bit of glue onto the tips of my wire body's hands and feet. 
  5. Then I proceed to wrap the entire figure with layers of cotton batting and white glue, always ending with a generous layer of glue so that the figure must dry over night after several applications.
  6. Pierrot wears a traditional long skirted shirt over his white pantaloons. His black skull cap and large pleated collar are unmistakeable costume features. I switched out the traditional white or black pom-poms with red in order to add a little color. However, Pierrot is most usually dressed in only black and white.
  7. After the batting has dried completely, paint the dolls gloves and shoes black. 
  8. Glue on a silver cupcake liner to serve as a dramatic collar.
  9. I covered some small recycled egg carton parts that reminded me of hats with cotton batting and glue. Then I took a needle and punched a tiny hole on opposite sides of the hat in order to string a thin gold twine through. I hung this paper mache hat around my Pierrot's neck.
  10. At last I wrapped an long piece of wire with cotton batting and white glue before twisting it around my clown's waist. I will attach the small doll to tree branches with this wire instead of hanging the Pierrot from a traditional hook. This small doll is just a little too heavy to attach it otherwise.
My three completed cotton batting figures of the popular pantomime character, Pierrot. Dolls are often too heavy to hang from fragile branches via a hook and so they must be attached by alternative means. I frequently twist a wire around the torso of a small doll in order to hang it securely to a tree branch.
I gave this Pierrot figure a hat similar to one painted by Paul Cezanne.
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Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Print and Assemble Old-Fashioned Ice Skates

Four different variations of paper ice skate ornaments; red, brown, green and blue. You can make these look different by trimming them with all kinds of lace, fur, ribbon flowers and three dimensional stickers.
Use this patter for a cardboard reinforcement
on the inside of the ornament.
      These paper Victorian ice skate ornaments would look great on a Christmas tree or on gift packages as either extra decorative elements or tags.
      They are fun to embellish with all kinds of small recycled sewing notions and scrapbook stickers too!

Supply List:
  • ice skate graphics, front and back sides
  • recycle cardboard 
  • ribbon or wire for hanging
  • printer
  • sharp scissors
  • white school glue
  • silver papers for the skate blades or silver glitter
  • a few Christmas trims for pasting across the top of the skates: ribbons, flowers, stickers etc...
  • white, fuzzy fur for cuffs or cotton batting
Step-by-Step Instructions:
  1. Download, print, and cut out your choice of ice skate graphics.
  2. Cut an additional ice skate with blades from cardboard. (pattern on the right, above) You will need to cut this slightly smaller than the graphic so that it will not show. Sandwich this cardboard ice skate between the front and back graphic with a bit of white glue.
  3. Next, you will need to add glue to both the front and back sides of your ice skate ornament and pour a bit of glitter into the glue to make the skate part of the boot silver. Let each side dry completely before moving on to the next step.
  4. Glue across the top of your Victorian ice skate a bit of cotton batting or fur trim along with additional wire or ribbon in order to hang the ornament. 
  5. Glue also a fancy ribbon flower, 3D sticker or lace for additional flourish across the cuff.
Left, printed graphics of Victorian boots. Center, the graphics have both a front and back side. Glue the cardboard cut out including the ice skate blade between these front and back graphics. Right, finished ornaments.
Blue boot graphic for Victorian ice skate ornament
 Green boot graphic for Victorian ice skate ornament.
Red boot graphic for Victorian ice skate ornament.
Brown boot graphic for Victorian ice skate ornament.
More Lovely Ice Skate Ornament Crafts:
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Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Make a Jingle Bell Snowman Ornament

Finished Jingle Bell Snowman
 Supply List:
  • jingle bells 
  • white paint
  • black permanent ink marker (fine tip)
  • red chenille stem
  • two red pom-poms
  • orange toothpick
  • soft paint brush 
  • sandpaper
  • white glue
  • wire for hanger and for stringing together the jingle bells (approx. 2 ft.)
  • white twine or cotton batting for wrapping the wire between the bells.
Step-by-Step Directions:
  1. Sand the surfaces of the silver jingle bells so that the white acrylic paint may adhere to the smooth surfaces properly.
  2. String a wire around the first jingle bell hook and then pass it up through the bottom of the next. Feed the wire through the inside of the bell's hook, wrap it around the hook and then feed it up through the bottom of the third bell through the next hook from the inside. Now wrap the wire around the top third bell's outside hook firmly. The bells should look stacked.
  3. Wrap twine or a bit of cotton dipped in white glue around the wires sandwiched between the stacked bells. This will keep them lined up better and prevent small fingers from getting nicked by the wire ends.
  4. Now paint the jingle bells white with a soft brush and hang the snowman from a hook until it is finished drying.
  5. Wrap and cut a bit of the chenille stem to glue onto the top head of the snowman. This will be his "earmuffs." Attach on either end a red pom-pom.
  6. Glue on a clipping from an orange toothpick for his nose.
  7. Draw on black dots for coal colored eyes and buttons.
These bells have been both sanded and strung together with wire.
The sanding helps the white paint to adhere to the otherwise slick surface.

More Jingle Bell Snowmen:
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