Loose Ends Project

Making Christmas Ornaments with Handmade Paper

This is really a most gratifying project -its easy, you can do it alone, or in a group

& the Results Are Wonderful

INGREDIENTS:

Clear Glass Ornaments

acrylic medium (matte or glass, depending on your proclivities

Selection of  Handmade Papers

Acrylic paints

RECIPE:

1.  Gather everything together - including a damp towel or rag for wiping sticky finger son.

2.  Decide on what paper(s) you are going to use on a specific ornament and tear a pile of small (1" or smaller) into random bits & pieces 

(TIP:  you will need about 40% more than you think it would take to cover the ornament - & it is really irritating to need more paper torn up, but you are all sticky!!! )

3.  Using a small brush, paint on medium over approx. 1/4 of the ornament.

4.  Position your pieces of paper (easiest to start at the top) on the ornament, overlapping in places.

5.  Continue Step #3 & 4 until the entire ornament is covered - then allow to dry.

6.  Add diluted acrylic washes to the papers, or add metallic paints (a sponge works great for this) for hints of glam.  Allow to dry. 

6.  Add more paints if desired, then when all is dry apply a sealing coat of medium.  

7.  Add whatever other embellishments (mica powder, glitter, tiny shells, colorful beads, etc.) that you want.

8.  Hang your creations!

***Clear glass ornaments can be found at most craft stores. I really like just the plain round ones in a variety of sizes, but there are all kinds of shapes now available.

***Another variation is to buy colored ornaments, then when applying your papers leave "holidays" where the copper, gold, silver, red or whatever color can peek out.

Any relatively soft handmade paper works beautifully for the above application

But I do have some favorites:

"Thread & Lace" Handmade Papers

"French Lace" Handmade Papers 

"Swiss" Handmade Papers

"East Indies" Handmade Papers

"Raindrops" Handmade Papers

***The other really cool papers to work with are any of the "Marble "Skinny Paper" which come in Paper Paks, giving you 6 different "flavors" to play with.  These already have their own delightful variations in "marbled" patterns and they are soft & absorbent - I love them for this application.

One last note - once you have the paper on the ornaments and have sealed them with the medium they are really quite sturdy little fellows.  After one of the classes I taught this season on making these, I actually dropped one on the street and it rolled under a car.  Expecting the worse I was amazed to discover that outside of a bit of dirt that easily brushed off, it was none the worse for wear!

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS

&  "Deck the Halls" with your own

HAPPY CREATING!