Here's another great project for you and your kids (or grandkids). You can be crafty and decorate for the holidays at the same time.
These sowflakes are basic wooden snowflakes found both at AC Moore and Michael's. I know because I bought some at both places.
The flakes are solid so I used my crop-a-dile to punch a hole in each of them. These are thin wood so the tool punches through like you were punching paper. I did notice some at AC Moore that already had holes but I didn't like the shapes and they cost significantly more than the simple wooden shape.
I then used regular acrylic paint to paint the snowflake. I ended up painting the flakes the same color as the glitter I planned on using so this one was obviously painted light blue.
**As a note, if you want to do this project with younger children and the idea of handing them paint is enough to make you thrown in the towel.....these wooden shapes take marker really well. For Meg's Halloween party, I didn't want to have to deal with all those girls and paint so we used regular old kids (washable) markers and they work fine.
After the paint thoroughly dried I pulled out my glue pad (I know there are a couple of types of these pads -mine is the Tsuneiko one). I basically "stamped" my snowflake with the glue pad and then dumped glitter all over.
I have seen not so great reviews regarding the glue pads. I will have to say that I have never tried to use it with paper. For this project, the pad worked fabulously. The pad comes with a reinker and every time I use the pad, I do add more glue as it seems to dry after a few days. The directions also suggest storing it upside down I believe so I do that also.
I used Martha Stewart fine glitter which I picked up from Michael's. This is great glitter and stuck nicely to the glue.
This snowflake was obviously painted with green paint and decorated with green glitter.
And finally, here's a nice red snowflake, painted red with red glitter.
Omce glittered up, I just used a piece of either gold, silver or red cord to make a hanger and just hang these right off the branches of the tree.
You may ask how is the glitter holding up. So far, so good. These flakes have been transported to a fair and hung up. Then stored after the fair and transported back home. I then put the tree back up for our Christmas card picture and rehung them. I then realized the tree was crooked and just took them back off today and they'll be hung again once I fix the tree. In all that back and forth time, I've just piled the flakes on top of one another and none of the glitter has really come off. If you rub your finger against it, a bit of the glitter comes onto your finger but that happens to me whenever I touch anything glittery.
**Another note: I store glitter in little square glad containers. It makes it so much easier to just have the glitter flat in the container and I place my glued object on top of the glitter and adhere that way. It makes much less mess than pouring over and then returning to the bottle.
And now I have glittery snowflakes for my tree. If you are looking for a fun project, I suggest you give these a try!
Great job! Love the sparkle.
Posted by: Lauren | November 24, 2008 at 11:18 AM
You always come up with such great idea's and this one is no exception. I was looking for an ornament project to do with the kids this year and I may have just found it, thanks. Love your's by the way. :)Thanks for sharing the idea.
Posted by: Julie | November 23, 2008 at 06:05 PM
I love the sparkle on these. I'm definitely going to remember these.
Posted by: LittleSeaOtter~KH | November 23, 2008 at 12:49 AM