DIY: Tasseled Star Ornaments

Man, I am so crazy about the holidays. Just ask my husband, poor guy. We've been listening to Christmas music since like early November. For the most part, Etsy is to blame. I have to get my Christmas items started early or they never get listed! I've finally finished with the stuff to sell and now I get to simply focus on making pretty things for my own tree and for gifts.

This week, I had the idea to make ornaments for my friends. I have way too much Sculpey and embroidery floss left over from other projects, and a lifetime supply of glitter. These supplies all combined perfectly into these fresh and festive little star ornaments!

Here's what you'll need:

Sculpey or Femo Polymer Clay

A small cookie cutter

Embroidery Floss

Fine metallic thread

Small Jumprings

Jewelry Pliers

Jingle Bells

Glue & Glitter or Gold Enamel

Another type of thread for stringing

Step 1: Cut & Bake

Set your oven to 275° (or whatever degree the polymer clay packaging says). While it's heating up, roll out your clay. I rolled mine slightly less than a 1/4" thick. Cut out your shapes with the cookie cutter. Use a toothpick or other pointy tool to make a hole for hanging. Carefully peel them off your work surface and place on a baking sheet. When your oven is ready, follow the directions on the clay package. I baked mine for 15 minutes, which seemed to be perfect.

Step 2: Tie your tassels!

While your shapes are baking, you can make some tassels. They're pretty quick and easy. I got my method from the DIY blog, Maggie Holmes Design. I made my tassels a little smaller than hers by wrapping them 5 or 6 times around a piece of 4bar cardstock.

Step 3: Add some sparkle 

The glitter in the photo above was $1 at Target.

My favorite, though, is Diamond Dust. It's basically crushed glass. Mine is in a vintage paper canister and weighs a pound, but if you want a smaller amount, you can still buy it at JoAnn Fabrics.

I also used gold enamel (mine is called Liquid Leaf) to add dots to a few of the stars. Gold acrylic paint should work just as well and isn't has toxic.

Step 4: Assemble

When everything is dry, string a bit of thread or embroidery floss through the hole you made and tie. Use the jewelry pliers to open your jumpring just enough to add the bell and then close it around the string you just tied onto the star. You're all done!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

♠

Joyeux Noel: Fleur d'Elise at Home

My husband and I have lived in our apartment for nearly five years now, and you know what? We've never had a tree! Every year I say I'm going to get one, but we never host our families for the holiday, so in the end I usually go without. Also, I just can't bring myself to buy a little tree I'm just going to throw in the garbage come January 1st. It seems like a waste of money and a waste of tree. So this year I set out to buy a fake tree and found the perfect one! 

As much as I wanted a silver or white one, this tree was the best choice, because it will still be sensible when I'm over my kooky Christmas colors phase (it's a phase, right?). It looks so lovely atop our new mid-century credenza (Say it outloud. It makes you feel fancy). This is honestly the prettiest, tidiest corner in our apartment.

I'm having a lot of fun with the colors and concept for my gift wrap this year. I wasn't sure it would all work together, but so far I really like it. Silver looks so good with neons and greens!

 LEFT: The little bear ornament is just hanging out till he's ready to go to a new home. If you'd like to own him, he's still available on my Etsy! RIGHT: I'm happy I'm finally getting my insect collection displayed where I can enjoy it! The butterflies were a gift from my dad. I believe he bought them in Covent Garden. They're pretty old. The beetle below them is a Pine Sawyer. It's the biggest beetle on the west coast and the only one I've ever seen. I found her outside Petco in Gig Harbor (I grew up there). I tried to keep her as a pet, but she died :(

 LEFT: One of my gem stone art prints and the most expensive beetle I've ever purchased. He's a jewel scarab. RIGHT: I'm so happy I finally get to use my ornaments! 

Do you decorate for the holidays? What's your favorite tradition?

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The Tiniest Party Animals

I've been busy, busy, busy! I feel like the blog has taken a back seat, but Etsy is going so well I can barely keep up! Last month, I made all of these little ornaments and have finally gotten around to listing them all on Etsy.

They're painted by hand, then they're decked out with tissue paper tassels I cut and roll by hand. Baker's twine makes them perfect for hanging in the tree to topping a gift.

This little giraffe was the first ornament I sold on Etsy. It went to someone very fancy (I can't say who).

 This long-necked dino is still looking for a home.

The silver bear is one of my favorites, and the dino to the right comes as part of a 4 piece set!

You can also order an animal menagerie! If you're dying for a giraffe or elephant, just message me and I'll make it happen!

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