Project & Tutorial by Jessica Rich
I live in the US so when Thanksgiving rolls
around I inevitably start to think ahead to Christmas. You
can't help it really; the onslaught of television ads began just
about a week ago. And then there's Black Friday - the day after Thanksgiving
and the official first day of Christmas shopping in the US.
Early Bird specials galore, as long as you're willing to roll out of
bed, pile the family into the car and lay siege to the fully stocked
shelves at 4am. That Pavlov guy was onto something. And
apparently, so was W.P. Kinsella, because if you put it on sale,
they will come.
While all that commercialism can bring out the
Grinch in even the cheeriest among us, there is nothing better than
hunkering down in front of a fire and making something festive and
beautiful. Two years ago, Barbara and I made some
assorted Santa ornaments from the Country in the City pattern
Scrap Art Santa. I thought now was as good a time as any
to think about making some new festive ornaments of my own design.
As you might remember, I hate to sew. My ornaments are
super-easy since they are assembled with some Crafter's Pick Ultimate
Glue. So help your Grinch heart grow three sizes and read on
to learn how.
You'll need the pattern for the star, tree, and
stocking. Click
here download the pdf pattern. You'll need the Adobe
Acrobat Reader to open and print the pattern. Click
here to get the Acrobat Reader.
Start by cutting out the pattern pieces in
paper. Cut two pieces of the shape in Warm and Natural cotton
batting to make one ornament. Remember, these cut edges are
your finished edges since we aren't sewing and then turning them.
Neatness counts!
To assemble, apply a line of Ultimate Glue around the
edges using a toothpick, leaving a one inch length open for
stuffing. When the glue has dried, lightly stuff the ornament
with your choice of fiberfill. After you are happy with the
shape and feel of the ornament, close up the open seam with the glue
in the same manner.
I’ve coated my ornament with Adirondack Acrylic
paints, but any acrylic will do. Use Lumiere, Neopaque and
more. Acrylics are great because they are mixable for just the
right color! I achieved this creamy toned base by blending a touch
of Butterscotch with Pearl. Coat the ornament in your base
color. Don't forget the cut edges! Add visual as well as
physical texture by layering on additional colors. I layered
on Pearl by blotting over the wet base coat with the dabber top.
While the paint is still good and wet, sprinkle
on the glass shard glitter, front and back, and allow to dry
completely.
Select an appropriately sized collage image to
use as the focal point of the ornament. Mine is from Carol
Murphy's Altered by Design collage sheet Vintage Angels 1.
Since the image will likely overhang or not be completely adhered to
the ornament, reinforce it with a cardstock backing for stability.
Yes! Glue or Nori Paste are both excellent choices for this task.
Use a credit card to apply a thin, even layer of adhesive.
Taking the extra time now will ensure that your ornament looks just
as beautiful in 10 years as it does today. Attach the collage
image to a velvet leaf and then to the ornament with more
Ultimate Glue. Backing the image with cardstock also means you
don't have to worry as much about the adhesive making the paper
buckle.
Add beads to embellish. My personal style is "less is more",
but I have a great appreciation for those artists whose heart tells
them to encrust their work with beads of all types. I am
forever in awe of their dedication (it takes a long time to stitch
all those beads down!) and that their Artists' Eye shows them the
way. Mine does not. Which is why my ornament has but 5
tiny Miyuki Drop beads (Cream Ceylon, #421D) delicately placed on
the tips of the star. While you have your thread out,
add a length of it to hang your ornament.
Above: Wool Felt
11”x18” Sheet (Robin’s Egg Blue)
Venise Lace #500
Caron Rachelette #A17 (Frosted Blue)
Piccadilly Fibers (Lady Grey)
14/9 Leaf Beads [MX-5023] Matte Olivine AB
Miyuki 6/0 Seed Beads #146-FR
Miyuki Bugle Beads #66
Swarovski 4mm Cube Beads (Peridot AB)
Miyuki 11/0 Seed Beads #263 and 284
Angelina Gold Iris
My ideas are just the beginning. Let these
ornaments be the canvas for your imagination (and your own Artists'
Eye). Try wool felt instead of Warm and Natural, charms, various
paints, embroidery floss, ribbons, trims, Venise lace, glitter,
distress sprays and inks, family photos and anything else you can
think of. But most importantly, try something. Make something. Your
Grinch heart will thank you for it. Mine did.
Supply List:
Pattern Pieces
1/2 yard Warm and Natural Needled Cotton Batting
Fiberfill
Crafter's Pick Ultimate Glue -
4 ounce bottle OR
8 ounce bottle
Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabbers
AIG Vintage Shard Glass Glitter
Altered by Design
Collage Image
White
OR
Ivory Cardstock
Yes! Glue
OR
Nori Paste
Velvet Leaves
Miyuki Drop Beads
Angelina Fiber
Other Items You'll Need:
Scissors (paper and fabric)
Toothpicks
Stuffing Tool
Credit Card or similar
Paintbrush
Sewing Needle
Notes on the other Ornaments:
For the Stocking Ornament, align the top edge of the stocking with
the top edge of the cuff. Glue the cuff down on the front and back
sides in this manner.
For the Fir Tree, since it is so narrow, use a
stuffing tool to help you fill out the boughs and get stuffing all
the way down to the trunk. A stuffing tool is also useful for
filling out the arms of the Star Ornament.
