Craft Your Own Reproduction Retro Elf Drummer

This little retro drummer was made in 1967.

   Some of you may remember hanging drumming elves on your Christmas tree when you were quite small. You could make these for your own tree now with just a bit of glue and paper.  Don't fidget over getting your own to look just like the one above though. His felt clothing has faded and the paper drum has turned yellow with age. Make your own bright and charming for the next generation to remember.

Pattern pieces for the elf's hat and collar.

Supply List:

• Paper tube, such as a toilet paper tube
• scissors
• decorative paper
• narrow decorative ribbon
• holy leaf and berry sequins
• 1 inch Styrofoam ball
• a bit of grey felt or any color you like for the hat and sleeves
• a small piece of white felt for the collar
• yarn for hair
• nylon stocking, any flesh color
• permanent black and red ink marker (felt tip)
• one chenille stem (matched to nylon stocking in color)
• white tacky glue
• light weight cardboard
• pencil 
• a razor or craft knife 
• metallic string for the hanger 
• pink soft pastel or blush from your makeup kit
• needle with a large eye

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1.  Cut 1 1/2 inch section from the paper tube. 
2. Hold this paper tube against the light weight cardboard and draw around it's circumference. Repeat and cut two of these cardboard circles. 
3. Use a bit of glue to attach the cardboard circle cut-outs to the bottom and top of the paper drum.
4. Cut from the decorative sheet of paper a 1 1/2 strip of paper approximately six inches long if you are using a standard size toilet paper roll. This should cover the paper drum neatly. Apply the tacky glue to secure the paper to the paper roll. 
5. Cut out matching paper circles to cover the top and bottom of the drum.
6. Paste down a decorative ribbon along the top and bottom edges of the drum.
7. Tack on the sequin holly leaves and berries.
8. Cut two inches from your chenille stem for the drummer's arms.
9. Wrap the chenille stem with a bit of grey felt to create sleeves. Tack this felt down with tacky glue.
10. Bend the chenille stem to form two arms and glue this piece to the top of the drum.
11. Cut the 1 inch Styrofoam ball in half with a razor or craft knife.
12. Wrap and pin a small piece of nylon around one of the Styrofoam balls and pin it down at the back flat side of the Styrofoam head.
13. Glue a small piece of yarn at the brow of the elf.
14. Wrap the felt hat piece about the top of the head with some tacky glue. Let it dry
15. Cut another two inches of felt. Stab the chenille stem through the bottom of the elf's head to act as a neck.
16. Cut the collar from the white felt.
17. Stick the other end of the stem through the round collar and cardboard drum top between the arms with a little tacky white glue.
18. Draw eyebrows, eye lashes on with the black permanent marker.
19. Draw the lips with a red permanent marker.
20. Add a bit of blush to his checks with a soft pink pastel or makeup.
21. Cut the metallic string and thread it through a needle. Sew on the hanger.

DIY Sculpted Shell from Cotton Batting

       This cotton batting sea shell will make a lovely heirloom someday. It has an impressive "cork screw" design.  

      You may choose to finish this project by gluing glitter inside the open cup or just leave the cotton shell unadorned if you prefer.

Supply List:

• cotton balls
• masking tape
• paper egg carton
• white school glue
• wire for hanging
• glitter (optional)

 Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut and trim shapes from a paper egg carton. You can glue and tape these shapes into paper shells.
2. Cover the sea shell shape entirely with masking tape.
3. Decide in advance, where you want the hook for hanging the ornament will be and tape a wire loop down to the masked form. Add glue to the tape to make the bond more secure. This wire will get buried underneath a few layers of cotton but you can find it again with a fine needle when you are ready to add a fine wire or thread for hanging.
4. Unravel a fist-full of cotton balls.
5. cover the surfaces with white glue; spread this with a fingertip.
6. Layer the cotton strips on top of the glued surface and press gently.
7. Let this first application dry a bit and repeat the process.
8. Now roll some of the cotton strips into long "snake like" shapes. 
9. Squeeze the white glue out into a spiral trail around the faux sea shell. 
10. Now twist and apply the cotton rolls into the glue.
11. Let this dry and then apply another layer of white glue, smoothing down the surface with your fingertip as you go.
12. Apply more cotton to the raised areas again and repeat the the glue layers until you are satisfied with the results.
13. Twist cotton and white glue around the wire for hanging and push it through a hook embedded inside the cotton.

Masked shapes made from recycled paper egg cartons.

• See This Shape as a Mosaic Shell Bauble

Drawings of California Sea Shells. Print and look at while
designing your own cotton batting sea shell crafts.

Silver and Gold Tinsel Icicles and Angels

Make your own metallic angel to decorate a tree or window in your home.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Smear a light film of white school glue around the outside of a paper cup similar to the one illustrad above. Cover the glue with aluminum kitchen foil.
2. Poke two holes for the arms of the angel on opposite sides of the cone inverted. 
3. Push a chenille stem through the two holes with a bit of school glue and let these dry in place.
4. Use a hot glue gun to squeeze a bit of glue at the top of the angel's body and push on a wooden bead for it's head.
5. Trim a gold or silver cup cake liner into wings and glue these to the backside of the angel. You may need to use a pin to hold these in position while they dry in place.
6. Glue on a silver or gold paper halo and scrap yarn for hair too!
7. Paint a friendly face on the angel.
8. Shape the arms to hold a tiny candle or music sheet or perhaps a Christmas flower.
9. Glue on a ribbon hanger to hang the angel on a tree.

       These fun homemade icicles are so easy to make, even a child would enjoy the process. Of course, I can't guarantee they won't poke each other with the skewers while they craft these; so parents, watch them closely to make sure your kids behave!  

A silver and gold tinsel icicles hanging
on my white Christmas tree.

Supply List:

• wooden skewers or toothpicks
• wire for hanging
• aluminum tape
• decorative gold wire with stars
• aluminum foil 
• masking tape

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut or break your wooden skewers to the lengths you prefer for icicles. I choose to make my versions 6 inches in length.
2. Bend your wire in half and attach it with masking tape to the top of the icicle.
3. Crush a bit of aluminum foil to the upper part of the icicle in order to wrap it into a tapered shape.
4. Cut the aluminum tape into stripes and twist these down the skewer, overlapping the tape a bit. Cover the entire skewer with the aluminum tape.
5. Cut and twist the gold wire around the silver tinsel icicle.
6. Add a hanger.

Step-by-Step wrapping process for tinsel icicle.

Clip Art of Old-Fashioned Sleds

Description of Illustration: wooden sleds drawn by Kathy Grimm, boards, hand-built, for sledding, Victorian scrap of a young boy in red with holly on his sled.

Have a question about the illustration? Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject, folks.

 

 

Victorian die cut of a small boy on a sled

A Cool Balancing Act Ornament Craft

Left, the snowman before his features are glued on and painted. Right, the finished result.

       This little snowman balances snowballs and one tiny red bird on his arms and hat. He has faux black coal bits for eyes and buttons and a bright orange carrot for a nose. He's a jolly cute addition for any Christmas tree this holiday season.

Supply List:

• Q-tips
• white cotton balls
• white school glue
• paper egg carton
• acrylic paints: orange, green, red and black
• masking tape
• newsprint
• wire for the hanger
• scissors
• transparent glitter

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. crush three balls from the newsprint and cover these with masking tape. 
2. Tape the snowball body parts together.
3. Poke holes where ever you would like his arms to be with the tip of your scissors.
4. Squeeze a generous portion of white glue into these holes and press the Q-tip arms inside the cavities. Let the body dry.
5. Unravel a generous portion of white cotton balls.
6. Apply white glue to the masked surfaces of your snow persons body and wrap the cotton around the form excluding the O-tip arms. 
7. Apply maybe three to four layers of cotton batting always layering it with white glue. 
8. Cut a little paper cap from the egg carton and glue this to the top of his head.
9. shape a carrot nose, coal eyes and buttons, plus snowballs and a small bird from the cotton batting. Ad small amounts to the batting as you do this and let these tiny parts dry.
10. Glue on the miniature features and let the snowman dry thoroughly before painting him.
11. Paint his features using fast drying paints.
12. Apply one last coat of white glue to his body and sprinkle on top some transparent glitter.

My snowman is finished and hangs on the Christmas tree
 branch very careful not to drop and single snowball.

Recycle vintage crochet for the tree...

Believe it or not this vintage crochet craft was made to decorate cutlery. No,
really, I mean yes. Well I haven't acquired a doll for it yet so I guess I'll just
hang it on the tree. I made the wire hanger anyway.

    What once was used to decorate flatware with is now destined for the Christmas tree! This craft when not used for dolls really doesn't make since. So, I twisted a miniature hanger from scrap wire and hung it on a Christmas tree. There it may be appreciated, at least until I knit a doll that needs dressing.

• Vintage Potholders: History of Crochet Dress Potholders
• Crochet a Baby Dress with a Bow
• Vintage Crocheted Dress Potholder: step-by-step
• Salad Set Pot Holder Pattern
• Dinner at The Kiringles: Crochet for Cutlery
• Dressing Cutlery in Christmas Stockings

I've Restored A Few Angelic Postcards...

      I've restored a few angelic postcards from Germany. These were once antiques but they've been made new again. Print them out for crafts and nostalgic Christmas cards/letters. Go here to see more  angel clip art at The Christian Clip Art Review.

This angel carries a Christmas tree on a cloud above a quite church in the snow.

Here is an Angel with an evergreen, surrounded by cherubim, clouds and stars.

This angel stands next to a decorated tree with lighted candles, apples and gingerbread.

A little angel rides on the back of a deer through the woods and points to the peaceful village below a starry sky.

This tall angel spreads her wings to reveal the wise kings searching the night sky for a star.

Have a question about the illustration? Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject, folks.

More Christmas Angel Clip Art:

• Angelic Announcement "Christmas Carols"
• The Holy Seasons: Advent
• "Advent Service" in traditional colors