Deck the halls with handcrafted holiday ornaments
It’s the holiday traditions and sentiments that make Christmas memories sparkle, and it’s often the handmade presents that are truly cherished. Handcrafted ornaments, for example, are treasured for years, and with today’s easy-to-use products, custom ornaments can be made quickly and inexpensively. With the following crafting tips from Krylon, a manufacturer of aerosol paints, this season you’ll be singing “fa, la, la, la, la” instead of “bah humbug” as you create a charming holiday gift.
You can decorate ornaments for everyone on your list in an afternoon with just a little planning and the right materials. To start, make a list of the special people in your life you’d like to remember this season — friends, coworkers, teachers, sitters, grandparents, aunts and uncles are just a few to consider. Then, with list in hand, visit your local craft store.
Clear glass ornaments are widely available and an excellent choice for decorating. Most craft stores and discount chains carry the traditional spheres, as well as bells, hearts, stars and other shapes. With spray-on glass paint, you can paint and decorate a dozen or more glass ornaments in just a few hours. If you want to paint a lot of ornaments quickly, choose one paint and color for assembly-line production. If you have a little more time, select colors and finishes that match the recipients’ individual tastes.
For the traditionalist, Krylon Stained Glass Color offers the regal look of stained glass in rich, holiday hues like purple, red and green. Sophisticated Frosted Glass Finish is a semi-transparent paint available in six soft and frosty shades. For maximum sparkle, try Looking Glass® Mirror-Like Paint for a mirror-like finish. New Make It Pearl!® is a sheer, pearlescent topcoat. Glass spheres painted with Make It Pearl!® will make your tree look like it’s bursting with bubbles.
Before painting, clean the ornaments thoroughly and let dry. (Protect your work area with newspapers for fast cleanup.) To keep a grip on the ornaments, insert a long thin dowel, hatpin or chopstick into the open end and insert the other end in a block of Styrofoam®. Carefully read the instructions on the can and you’re ready to go.
Once the ornaments are painted and dry, let your schedule dictate the next step. For a fast finish, personalize each one with a Krylon Leafing Pen, tie a pretty ribbon at the top, and you’re done. Or consider adding a few flourishes with sequins, acrylic gemstones and beads. If you have a little more time, create patterns on the ornaments by masking them with shapes cut from Contact paper, painting the ornaments a second color, and carefully removing the Contact paper after the paint dries.
Still too pressed for time? Then personalize purchased ornaments by adding the recipient’s name and the date with a Krylon Leafing Pen in gold, silver or copper. Spray lightly with Krylon Glitter Spray for shimmering gold, silver, green, red or multi-color highlights. And that’s it — a personalized ornament created in less than five minutes.
Turn on the Christmas carols, heat up the cocoa and indulge your creative side this holiday season. Visit www.krylon.com for more information and more step-by-step instructions.