Tell Me A Story: HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS

Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

It's time to create new Christmas ornaments for friends and family.

But first - let's unpack some of the ornaments and decorations I've made over the years.

Would you like to see them?

I cut branches from the snowball bush in our yard to use as twig arms for the Snowman/Snowgirl Tree in our kitchen. Red and white birds perch on the twig arms and on other evergreen branches.

Her name is Crystal (in honor of Frosty the Snowman's wife, Crystal), and she is bedazzled in pearls, jingle bells, candles and little snowman ornaments.

I found the snowman head tree topper at Big Lots. You can find similar tree toppers online.

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:

http://shopping.search.yahoo.com/search?p=snowman+head+tree+toppers

Crystal,
the Snowman/Snowgirl Tree rests on a TV tray covered with a beautiful appliqued tree skirt.

Crystal stands guard near the kitchen doors. She looks so cute and sparkles from the inside and outside.

I borrowed a pair of black boots from my daughter's closet for Crystal, and stuffed them so they would stand up straight.

Primitive Angel

I created this Primitive Angel from a wooden dowel rod. I cut the dowel rod with my scroll saw, and sanded it with my belt sander.

Her wings are watercolor paper. I used acrylic paints to add color and facial features. Her arms are popsicle sticks that I attached with tiny (nail) brads. Her hair is dried moss. Her necklace is a tiny wood heart with a cord of string. I attached a tiny eye screw at the top of her head and strung a string through it to hang on the tree.

My Primitive Angel looks beautiful amid the other handmade and treasured Christmas ornaments.

See the olive wood Nativity bell? I purchased it on a trip to Israel in 1997.

I use a scroll saw to cut the ornaments from 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch pine wood. After sanding the wood, they are painted with acrylic paints. I carve details with a Dremel tool on some ornaments (like the snowman).

The Santa (below) is made from a dowel rod (like my Primitive Angel). I sewed a tiny burlap bag to his back and filled it with tiny toys.

It's easy to make a Christmas Tree Ornament (below) using a large popsicle stick as the base, a wooden star at the top, and torn fabric scraps tied in knots for the branches. Acrylic paints (about 99 cents for a small jar at Hobby Lobby) are fast drying. Use hot glue to add fabric branches and then add buttons to the center of each branch. (Glue string for hanging to popsicle stick and then glue star on top.)

Daughters Sarah and Faith and Granddaughter Megan created J O Y from paper mache letters.

They decorated the letters with scrapbook paper, ribbons, bows, and miniature ornaments.

J O Y looks pretty on the mantle when combined with vintage Chinese paintings, the blue and white porcelain vase with tulips, and the wooden reindeer that my cousins Tandra and Larry made for me many years ago.

Homemade Ornaments

I cut the Santa "spoon" with a scroll saw. It's made from 1/4 inch best-grade plywood, sanded, and painted with acrylic paints. The beard and mustache are painted with Deco-Art Snow-Tex for added texture.

I cut the wood cow-stocking from 1/2 inch pine, painted with acrylic paints, and added a wire hanger.

The shelf-sitter Bandana Santa (below) was fun to make. I cut the head and body from 3/4 inch pine, and painted it with acrylic paints. One bandana made Santa's hat and robe.

His beard is made from muslin fabric: a long rectangle that I folded in half length-wise and then cut in strips up to the fold. Then I threw the fabric beard in the washing machine and dryer to help it curl and "fringe."

I used a pattern to make this Santa from cotton and felt fabrics. The pack on Santa's back is filled with dried flowers.

Santa on our kitchen table...

Primitive Quilted Angel Ornament
I quilted fabric between a layer of batting on the sewing machine to make several primitive angels. Then I cut the quilted fabric in heart shapes.

I gathered twigs from the yard to use as angel wings. The bows are made from torn fabric. I used buttons collected over the years as decorations. Her face is muslin fabric (stuffed) and I added facial features with embroidery and permanent pens. Sometimes the pens run - so I prefer embroidery. Her hair is made from dried moss.

I sewed this stocking from pillow-ticking fabric, added lace to the top; painted the Santa with acrylic paints; and added buttons for decoration. It is filled with batting, pine cones, feathers, moss, dried twigs, artificial evergreen boughs and cinnamon sticks. I add fresh essential oil each year for fragrance.

My daddy, Jewell Bush, was a carpenter. I loved to follow him around and play in his workshop. Dad taught me how to use power tools, and never flinched when I cut through electrical cords and cut into his workbench. Although, I thought my first name was "Dammit" for a long time.

Here are more ornaments and decorations I've cut from wood and painted. I create at least one new ornament each year for our family, and to give away as gifts. I make a mess throughout the entire house, but it's worth it.

I used a pattern and sewed this angel tree topper from cotton fabric. Her hair is dried moss.

You can use a paint stir stick to make a cute snowman!

Cookie Jar Lid

Marcia's Handmade Santa Cookie Jar Lid

Three friends (Joy, Louise and Norma) and I took turns hosting all-day painting parties at each other's houses. I would cut out the things we painted from wood, or Louise's husband would cut out the wood for us.

Here is a Santa that I painted at one of our parties. As I've already mentioned, I use acrylic paints that can be cleaned up with soap and water. I use a spray acrylic sealer over the paints for protection.

Wishing you J O Y.

I hope this inspires you to create your own family heirlooms.

Here is our beloved Rascal (Silky/Yorkie Terrier) in 2008, his last Christmas on earth.

Thanks for stopping by!

Come back often, and bring a friend!

Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

"Hallelujah!"

Daisy Duke (Chinese Crested/Chihuahua)

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Tuesday, November 5, 2013

HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS

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