Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Ornament #5

And with that, I believe I've reached the end of the 2012 "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Ornament" Series! Previous installments in the series live here, here, here, and here. I really really enjoy the brainstorming and the mad crafting marathons that never fail to ensue my decisions to do these series. Making ornaments is probably one of my favourite activities in the whole wide world wide web. I hope you've shared in my fun. I'm so touched by your kind attention and all your lovely comments. They certainly do warm this girl's cockles (which, by the way, is a very good thing)!

♥M

P.S. Almost forgot... You can download free printable hexagon grid paper right HERE. Terribly handy! I used a hexagon size of 0.3 inches, just so you know.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Ornament #1

Hi.

Can't believe it. But here we are almost HALF-way through November. Which can only mean one thing: Christmas ORNAMENTS!!!

As evidenced by the last two years' ornament series (found HERE on the Series page), it appears I can't be happy making one style of ornament per year. No no. Once I get going, it's a pretty much an out-and-out rampage. But it's a tradition, see? So, let this be the beginning of the 2012 ornament series, okay? I'm starting with one of my favourite holiday motifs. The snowflake!

Tutorial ❆ Dusty Miller Snowflake Ornament

You will need:  dusty miller leaves, iron, plate, microwave oven (optional), paper, compass, pair of scissors, glue, pretty string

Are you familiar with Dusty Miller? It's a very popular bedding plant here in Canada. It has these lovely, sculptural, fuzzy, silvery-grey leaves. I don't have any in my garden but, seventeen of my neighbours do, so that's where I got my leaves. The plants are fairly hardy and some in my neighbourhood are still alive despite the cooler weather. But as soon as we have a few nights of frost in a row, these little guys'll be toast. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a few recently dead ones from the neighbour's garden... Thank you neighbour!

Prepare The Leaves:

To get the leaves ready for this craft, they need to be pressed and dried. Don't worry it's quick! Here's what you do.

Pick a few Dusty Miller plants. Alive, or recently dead, it doesn't matter. Snip off several pretty leaves. You'll need 6 similar-sized leaves per snowflake. Iron the leaves without stream. That's right, grab your dry iron and press the leaves flat. You may want to put something between your iron and the leaves. But I didn't. I just went for it! Now to dry them out, you could let the leaves air-dry for several days. Or you could do what I did. I put my pressed leaves on a plate and nuked them in the microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds. And if they were not quite dry after the first 30 seconds, I put them in for an additional 30 seconds. And if you find that the tips of the leaves have curled a bit during microwaving, just give them another quick press with the iron. And now you are ready to make snowflakes!

Make Snowflakes:

Find 6 similar-sized leaves. Trim them all to about the same height. Get your compass and open it to a width slightly taller than your leaves. Set aside.

Take out a piece of white printer paper. Smoosh it up real good. Like, real good.

Flatten your paper again and press it with a dry iron. Draw a circle on the paper using your prepared compass. Cut out the circle.

Now to fold the circle in preparation for snowflake-making. Start by folding the circle in half. And fold it in half again but only to crease the center.

Open it up again and from that creased center point, fold the right side two-thirds up to the left across the circle as below. Now, fold the left-hand third up to the right.

Fold the whole in half again. Now, along the upper part of that final fold and along the outer edge, cut out some small shapes from the paper. Do not cut into the apex or bottom half of the circle. Little triangles and rectangles are easiest to cut out.

Unfurl your snowflake and press it flat with a dry iron. Notice the center of the snowflake is not cut up. Okay now get out your six Dusty Miller leaves.

Glue the leaves flat side down onto your snowflake shape. Make a bunch of different-sized snowflakes. Attach pretty string hangers.

And hang 'em up!

Oh, the easy elegance of Dusty Miller snowflake ornaments...

So very pretty.

♥M

Junkmail Snowflakes - Possibility #3 (Finale)

Welcome to the final junkmail snowflake post of 2011. Let us cheer. Rah rah rah!

Okay. Alright. You already know how to make the basic snowflakes, right? I went over that back HERE. So what are these little guys, you may well wonder? Well, they are gift toppers. Use them on a gift in lieu of a bow or ribbon. How did I make them? It is a veritable breeze.

Let us do it.

Tutorial ❈ Junkmail Snowflake Gift Toppers

For this project, you will need: colourful junkmail, a foam meat tray, pair of scissors, hole punch, glue.

Step 1: Start by making two small junkmail snowflakes of similar sizes. My snowflakes measure about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter. Use junkmail in contrasting colours for each snowflake. Note: DO NOT cut away the snowflake apices (the centers of the snowflakes). Press one of the snowflakes with a dry iron. Leave the other snowflake unpressed.

Step 2: Go to your recycling bin and retrieve a foam tray. You know, the kind usually reserved for meat. From the foam, cut out a small doughnut shape. Mine measures about 1/2 inch (~12mm) in diameter. Use your hole punch to punch out the doughnut hole. Save the middle piece of confetti. Now, using your hole punch, widen the hole in the doughnut all the way around. The hole needs to be slightly bigger than the piece of confetti.

Step 3: Glue the doughnut shape to the very center of the pressed snowflake. Glue the confetti piece to the very center of the unpressed snowflake.

Step 4: Apply some glue to the center back of the unpressed snowflake. The glue should cover an area the same size as the doughnut on the other snowflake.

Step 5: Now, place the unpressed snowflake on top of the pressed snowflake so that the confetti is aligned with the doughnut hole. Very gently, press down on the confetti so that it sinks into the doughnut hole slightly. This will cause the snowflake edges to lift up lightheartedly.

Step 6: And there you have it: one completed gift topper. Stick it on a gift and you're golden!

I might have made one or two more...

They're really quite sculptural and interesting, eh?



Goodbye my snowflakes. See you again next year!

Okay, I'm off to clean... um... everything. You have a lovely weekend. ♥M

Previously in this series:
Junkmail Snowflakes: The How-To
Junkmail Snowflakes Possibility #1: Wall Blizzard
Junkmail Snowflakes Possibility #2: Lanterns

Junkmail Snowflakes - Possibility #2

Hiya.

It's Tuesday.

You knew that?

Oh.

Did you also know about my little junkmail-snowflake-making rampage? Well... I regret to inform you that it goes on. I know... Call me obsessed. I can take it.

Here's my junkmail snowflake experiment du jour. Jars. I stuck the snowflakes to jars. See?

Junkmail Snowflake Lanterns

All I did was cut out teeny snowflakes using THIS method. And then I took some watered-down Mod Podge (roughly 1:1 water to Mod Podge) and brushed the Podge onto the back of each snowflake (or half-snowflake). Then I stuck the snowy flakes onto jars, and bam: junkmail snowflake lanterns.

I suggest brushing the snowflakes with Mod Podge while holding them in hand. Otherwise they will become forever stuck to whatever surface you have them on. They'll stick to your hands too, but if you use the Podge judiciously and brush it on with a tiny paint brush, you'll avoid the flakes becoming permanently affixed to you.

Here's one with a candle glowing inside. Aaaah, the warmth... Makes me want to bellow to the heavens... Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your... What? No bellowing, you say? 

Oh. Okay. Perhaps I could serenade you on Thursday then? Wouldn't that be great? Don't let me forget, okay?

Well you have a lovely day now. Bye bye until Thursday. ♥M


Junkmail Snowflake Possibility #1 is back HERE, btw.

Junkmail Snowflakes - Possibility #1

I showed you how to make them HERE. So now what? Well, here we go...

Junkmail Snowflakes - Possibility #1: The Wall Blizzard

Pros of the junkmail wall blizzard:

• Free. 
• Nice activity that permits one to watch a lovely movie, sing sweet Christmas carols, or do leg exercises whilst accomplishing.
• Warm.
• Reminds one of old-time cozy flannel pajamas.
• Still safe to go outside. 
• There's nothing to shovel.
• Stunningly pretty.
• And of course...

 RAINBOW-y.

Cons of the junkmail wall blizzard:

• Time and perseverance are required to fold, cut, press, and tape up a whole beautiful blizzard. 
• Forced to pick one favourite snowflake by family. 
• Sudden urges to hug the walls.
• Once up, likely to stay up there for good.
• And, oddly, quite...

MESMERIZING.

 

Prepare to be distracted.


Have yourself a fantastic weekend. I'll be back on Tuesday.  ♥M

Reader Question: How Do You Cut Your Snowflakes?

A pile of junkmail snowflakes.

You sometimes have questions. I know I do. When this happens and you think I might be of some service, do as Bridgitt did and shoot me an email. You never know, I just might be able to help. Bridgitt writes:

I was reading through the junkmail snowflake garland post and was amazed at the snowflakes you cut out. Any chance you could post pics of how you cut those? I need a little help getting in the holiday spirit, paper snowflakes just might do it.

Thanks,

Bridgitt



I blush... Thank you for your sweet message Bridgitt. And while I'm no doctor, I can attest to the therapeutic effects of making paper snowflakes. Let's see if I can put my process into photos for you. Let me just say though, that every snowflake is unique - as proven by science - and it's no different in this case. Once the folding is done, I just kinda go at it haphazard-like, without any real plan or goals (sounds a little like my life...) so every snowflake is a surprise. Yessirree. I am a surprise-lover.

To make snowflakes, here's what I do:

1. I start with a square of colourful junkmail. Christmas-flavoured junkmail is easy to come by at this time of year.
2. I fold my square in half. It's now a rectangle. Now put a crease in the bottom center of that rectangle. See that?
3. From the center crease, I fold the bottom right edge of the rectangle 2/3 to the left across the rectangle. I do it by eye, and just go with it. You see how the shape is now divided into 2 even thirds?
4. Now fold up the left hand side, so it meets the outer right edge.

5. Next I fold the whole thing onto itself again...
6. And chop off the top.
7. Now the serious cutting begins. I start by taking out large chunks. Chunks can be any shape imaginable: triangles, half-circles, long curvy lines, rectangles, you name it. Just make sure you don't completely remove the side edges.
8. Then I go ahead and cut out some medium-size chunks. Any shape you like. Go krayzee.

9. Finish up the cutting phase by carving out tiny pieces.

10. Now for the best part: unfolding. It's magical, isn't it? Oh look at that... So nice!... And the final touch? I finish it off by pressing out the creases with a steamless iron. Rainbow snowflakes baby!

So... I hope I've shed a little light on my snowflake method, Bridgitt.  Making these guys is one of my favourite activities this time of year. Thanks for the email, and have fun making it snow!





Alrighty then. I'm off. You have a fine day and I will be back soon. ♥M

Edited to Add on 10 Dec 2011: What To Do With Junkmail Snowflakes - Wall Blizzard

Edited to Add on 13 Dec 2011: What To Do With Junkmail Snowflakes - Jar Lanterns

Edited to Add on 17 Dec 2011:  What To Do With Junkmail Snowflakes - Gift Toppers

Series 7 - Ornament-ED: Egg Carton Snowflakes

Quiet Tutorial  ❅ Egg Carton Snowflakes

Now...

Trim.

Shape.

Glue together.

Paint.

Embellish with dimensional paint.

Add hanger.

Step back.

Pat self on back.

Relax with huge glass of lemonade.

♥M

Other posts from this series: here, here, here.

Tutorial - Winter Wonderlantern

The snow has fallen. Christmas is just around the corner. Craftblogland is alight with the spirit of the season. Today I thought I'd add to the glow by sharing a very simple but pretty lantern...

Tutorial: Winter Wonderlantern

For this project, you will need:

• A small lampshade
• White tissue paper
• White wrapping paper
• Mod Podge
• Plastic wrap/cling film
• Paintbrush
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Exacto knife

1. Wrap your small lampshade with plastic wrap. Be sure it is well covered, but NOT too tightly. Tuck the plastic wrap ends inside the lampshade.

2. Water down some Mod Podge in a bowl you care nothing about. The Mod Podge should have the consistency of maple syrup (yummm, maple...). Slather the Mod Podge all over your plastic covered lampshade using a paintbrush.

3. Take a piece of white tissue paper and cover the lampshade.

4. Make sure there aren't any gaps or holes. If there are, cover those too. Using your paintbrush, smooth the tissue paper down onto the lampshade. There will be creasing and crinkling of the tissue paper, but that adds to the charm of the lantern.

5. Using the white wrapping paper, cut out a ton of snowflakes. You will be covering the shade with the snowflakes, so you'll have to estimate how many your particular lampshade will require. I cut out approximately 20 - 3 inch (7.5 cm) snowflakes for my lampshade.

6. Apply the runny Mod Podge on the tissue layer. Apply the snowflakes on the shade, going over the snowflakes with your Mod Podgy paintbrush.

7. Cover the entire shade with snowflakes. Give the shade a few minutes to dry out a little.

8. Apply another coat of Mod Podge over the entire snowflake layer. Take a second layer of tissue paper and place it over the snowflake layer. Once again, using your paintbrush, smooth the tissue paper down onto the lampshade. Allow the whole thing to dry well.

9. Once it is dry, remove the paper lantern from the lampshade. To do this, make a slit down one side of your lantern with an exacto knife. Don't cut through the lampshade. Untuck the plastic wrap ends. Gently remove the paper lantern. Carefully peal away the plastic wrap from the paper lantern. The plastic wrap should come off fairly easily. No struggle required. Trim the top and bottom edges of your lantern as in #9.

10. For a calla lily look, cut away the top corners of the lantern along a curve.

11. Your lantern should look as mine does in #11.

12. Gently curl the sides in by rolling them inward with your hands.

You are done! And you have your very own Winter Wonderlantern!!!

Now, enjoy enjoy!

Please be SAFE! Always put your candles in glass votives or jars before placing them in the lanterns.

Now if you like this snowflake craft, you will be awestruck when you see this Wonderland by Aunt Peaches, one of my favourite bloggy voices and crafters!

And if you haven't seen it yet, get a load of Lupin's Snowflake Curtain. Isn't it spectacular? If I had the time, I'd put one in every window! So so pretty!

And with that, I wish you a fantastic day and some happy crafting! ♥