Multi-Media Materials: Holiday Shimmer & Shine

December 11, 2010

Filed under DO IT YOURSELF, Resources
Tags: crafts, handmade, holiday, homemade, metal, ornaments

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I felt inspired this holiday season to create some new ornaments for our tree. We decided to go with a funky skinny tree — my husband and I have been searching for the right one for a couple of years until a few weeks ago when we stumbled into Thistle in Frenchtown while waiting for a table at the Frenchtown Cafe (which, as a side note, has some of the best breakfast in the Hunterdon Co, NJ/Bucks Co, PA River Valley)…but I am digressing….

The store was in the process of packing up and moving to a new location, so you can imagine they had some sweet sales. Lucky for us! This tree was marked WAY down – so we took her home that day! (after an awesome breakfast, that is!)

This tree, it’s pinecones and antique feel, inspired the ornaments.

I purchased some sheet aluminum from Dick Blick, and an embossing tool.

In the process of making the ornaments, I found pencils (color and graphite) & crochet hooks work just as well – if not better – than the embossing tool. Although, I used the embossing tool for the small dots you see on the ornaments.

To create ornaments:

1. Put your favorite christmas carols on the stereo OR even better yet, Elf on the TV set muted with the carols on the stereo. 

2. Place the Aluminum (or copper or brass) sheet on a magazine or other soft surface

3. Use the graphite pencil to lightly sketch out your idea (or just wing it!)

4. Use the graphite or color pencil to press on the aluminum to indent it. This technique is alot like Reposse – or chasing….since you are embossing the metal from one side to have texture on the other. Both sides are reflective and shimmery on the tree.

Use the embossing tool & pencil to create textures in the metal.

5. After completing your design, you can easily cut them out of the metal sheet – be careful, although the metal is not really thick, it can be a little pointy!

6. Straighten out the pieces – I used the side of the crochet hook to smooth them out

7. Now you can use Glitter Glue or just white glue and loose glitter to add some shimmer to your ornaments.

8. To finish, use a needle and thread to punch a hole and string up your ornaments. There are many possibilities for this – including creating a garland of shiny ornaments, single ornaments, window decorations and more!!

Have fun – post your creations!!!

and Happy Holidays from Handmade Philly.

MaryJo Rosania-Harvie is an artist, art teacher and lover of all art materials! Like to see something specific in the Multi-Media Materials Column? Send in your requests, she’ll gladly try them out! http://www.maryjorosania.com

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