December 8, 2009

Three Hand Made Angel Ornaments

 

When I live in Mississippi,  a group of girlfriends would gather every year for a  Christmas brunch and ornament exchange.  They had to be handmade and you had to make one for everyone in attendance.  Most years, that meant 10-13 ornaments…handmade!!

My ornaments were always angels.  I really enjoyed the diy part.  However, a few of the girls struggled with it!  But, we always had a blast and we all took home lots of sweet, new ornaments for our tree that would remind us of each other.  *That means a lot to me now that I have moved away and only see them every two years or so.

These are the three angels that I can find.  Well, there is one more.  But, she asked not to be photographed…she was my first!!!

 

Sea shell and homemade paper angel

 

 

I don’t think directions are needed for these.  It’s pretty self explanatory.  The shells are common ones that everybody probably has on hand. 

I would like to make new ones and cover them with different German glass in pastel colors!!!  The head is two clear beads with the flat sides glued together.  

Jan, aka “fourth sister” on my blog, has made some lovely ones this year.  She leaves them natural, rubbing them with cooking oil to bring out the colors.  I did not know that little trick!  She uses shells that she picks up when visiting her gorgeous daughter and grand daughter and SIL in St Petersburg, FL.  (((((Hi Em, Miss Sophie, and Ilya!))))) Unfortunately, the only photo I have of her angel is one without it’s wings yet!!

 

 

I made my own paper for this angel.  I saved a lot of junk mail for these and used a dedicated blender for paper making. You can use purchase paper mache material if you don’t want to make your own paper.   The mold was a large terra cotta cookie mold.  After she dried, I painted her with silver metallic, acrylic paint and glittered her hair and upper wings.  I added a little clear stone at her neckline.  A thin wire hanger, curled around a pencil, serves as the hanger.

 

 

Admittedly, this one is a little weird.  I was in a Verdi-Gris/patina phase that year!!

1.  Black card stock, stamped with gold ink 

2. Cut out “Shrinky Dink” angel and bake per S. D. instructions

3.  Cover angel with blue embossing powder and a tiny amount of metallic gold powder

4.  Add baubles ( I used a tiny key and some tiny beads) 

5. Use a  heat gun to melt   the embossing powder (same for  little gold heart)    

6. Punch holes with a small punch and tie with coordinating ribbon

 

 

ornament-party

 

Join the fun at Centsational Girl’s DIY Ornament Party!

 

 

              diy @ soft place to land

And Kimba’s DIY Day party at A Soft Place To Land.

Rhonda

9 comments:

  1. I remember you making these each year! Oh, sweeet memories...

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  2. Those are very cool. It's nice you picked an angel theme. I can't decide which I like the best (even the patina one).

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  3. I love those angels, great ornaments!

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  4. What a wonderful way for friends to exchange gifts and to have something to always remember. Your shell angel is stunning and the paper ones are so pretty. I love them all. Thanks for the inspiration. Hugs, Marty

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  5. Christmas is so wonderful. Isn't it great to get all this pretty stuff out, and add to your collection? Enjoy!
    Wylie

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  6. Your ornaments are all beautiful, Rhonda. I love the story of friends getting together to exchange ornaments... what wonderful memories!

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  7. Those are so pretty! :)
    How fun that would be, to get together with friends and exchange handmade ornaments...

    ~Happy Holidays~

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  8. Bonjour Rhonda!
    What a wonderful reason to get together with friends. The handmade paper angels is lovely, it looks like something you'd find here in France at the Christmas markets.
    Enjoy the rest of your week!

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  9. Magnolia leaves at Christmas...only in THE SOUTH! And the evergreens! Spruce,cedar and pine have that pungent scent that, even with your eyes closed, invoke the old lyric, "Christmas time's a-comin' and I know I'm goin' home!" All is lovely and points to the Everlasting Light--the message told by Angels! The Fourth Sister

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So happy you are here - I love your comments!