12 Days of Ornaments: Day 10

 Welcome to day 10

Rhonda Merry back to show you another ornament for our awesome

12 Days or Ornaments Extravaganza.

Materials:

4x5 mini, back stapled, traditional canvas

2 paint colors

Crackle medium

2 colors of Cardstock

black wire

black upholstery nails

 red buttons

 On a 4x5 mini canvas we start with our first coat of paint. This will be the color you would like to have peeking through your crackle.  I chose Champagne for my "Under-Color".  Let that dry completely.  To speed up dry time you can use your heat gun, NOT TOO close, we don't want to burn anything.

Next, I used a product called Crackle by Behr. This give you that chipped wood look.   You can get it at most of your local hardware, paint or craft stores.  Have no fear, it's easy!! We paint on the Crackle medium using long strokes of Crackle,

no drips and not too thin of a coat. Cover your whole surface and the sides getting all the areas you would like to see that Crackle effect.

 That too will need to dry completely.  I don't recommend adding the heat to it though.  You might need a little patience here.  It takes about an hour to dry enough for your top coat of paint.  There should not be any areas tacky to the touch when adding your top coat otherwise the paint will not adhere or crackle.

(If you are not a patient person and would like to have your

 base done ASAP, then skip the Crackle and lose a paint color. 

 Choose the color your would like to have your canvas and

skip past the next 2 steps below. I won't mind at all.)

 Now for the top coat. I used Barn Red for the Top paint color. 
We again are going to use long straight strokes of paint. 

Even and steady down your little canvas. Try not to go

over the areas more than once.  This will help to get the Crackle effect we want.

COOL RIGHT!!?!

Here is what you should see once the paint starts to dry. 

 Now for the Holly leaves. 
This part is fun.
I used my Jubilee Celebration Cricut cartridge for the holly.  It has 2 leaves and berries.  The Holly is set at
1-1/2" size.  For my canvas I cut 12 of the double leaf sets.

NO CARTRIDGES??? No Problem! 
Draw a holly leaf and make a template. Then cut out.


CAN"T DRAW???
Well, then go to the computer and Google some
Holly images and print them up. There are a lot of them to choose from.


NO! on the Computer???

Then get your leaf punches and find one that
you would enjoy.

OR
Do you have a holly or leaf stamp.  Stamp and cut out the leaves. It is totally up to you.  It will turn out great no matter what leaf you use.

 We're ready to make our wreath. Draw a circle in the middle
of your canvas as a guide for placing your leaves.
I found a 1-1/4" circle to use as a template.   

 This leaf set has two different sizes on it.  I used the larger leaves

first as the base of the wreath. I glued those down using Helmar 450 Quick Dry.

 The next layer I inked the edges with some Tim Holtz Distress Inks

using the blending foam applicator. 

Then I curled up the leaves, dolloped some more 450
on the tip of one end of each leaf, and placed.

  I placed the leaves at a different angle to fill out the wreath. 

Allow the curled end to curve away from the canvas.

 Do the same with the smaller leaves.  If your leaves are the same size, just keep layering until you have 3 rows, staggering the placement for a fuller look, not stacked.

 Add some buttonsfor the holly berries.
 The smaller the better for our purpose.

Situate your berries before gluing. That way you can
move them around to your liking.

Once they are in a spot you like then glue them down.

 Would you like to add a word??? I liked JOY for my wreath. 
I cut mine from the Limeade Cricut cartridge. 
Other options would be to use sticker letters, or you
can use Chipboard words like the ones from Maya Road.

 Next I placed a Bulldog Upholstery nail at the top corner of my ornament. Use your thumb to push it in part of the way, the wood should be soft enough. No hammering necessary.

 For our hanger, I used Back Wire by Bulldog Hardware. Cut about a 12-14" length.   Wind the wire twice around the first nail leaving about a 3" tail. Then do the same for the second nail. Now push your nails in the rest of the way to secure the wire hanger.

 Using a wire curler (or paint brush, pencil, or nail)

 curl the wire tails to form a little spring off the end.

 Give the top a twist and hang on the tree.

Oh happy, happy, joy, joy!

I want to thank you for joining me for another ornament.

  I hope you will find some inspiration from this.  I am excited to have my family all home for Thanksgiving.  It will be a relaxing weekend for the most part.  NO black Friday shopping for this girl.  Instead I will be at the Little Blue House with all the girls who will be cropping there. 

 

I plan on Christmas to be the same, family home and lounging for those few days.What is the craziest Christmas you've had.  Mine was moving from Little Rock, Arkansas to Lubbock, Texas, 8 months pregnant with my 3rd child... EEK! and trying to get the movers to put Christmas boxes in the living room so I can set up the tree.  Goodness, I did the move at Christmas again when we bought our home here in Fort Worth.  NO more moving at Christmas for me!  Lounging, that sounds better.

Almost forgot to post the winner....The winner of yesterday's Ornament is....

Andra V.

Congrats Andra! Please contact the LBH to claim your Ornament!

"Merry" Crafting!

Rhonda