Thursday, November 15, 2012

The Little Blue House 12 Days of Ornaments: Day #5

Good Morning,
It's day #5 in our 12 Days of Ornaments feature!
Rhonda Merry here today to share my ornament with you.


 This is my Iris Fold Inspired Ornament. I used elements commonly used in Iris Folding and adapted the technique to adorn a round paper mache ornament. 

Here are the supplies I used:
4' round paper mache' ornament
5 coordinating paper, small prints work best
coordinating paint
Iris folding circle template:
(www.gomakesomething.com)
Tape runner
painters tape or scotch tape
1- 6x6 or larger acrylic sheet
paper trimmer
scissors
brown ink pad
hot glue gun
Tim Holtz small snowflake die
old button
twine
Stardust Stickles
 First, paint your ornament in a color that coordinates with your chosen papers.  I used red as my background color.  
Set aside to dry.
Paper Strips:
Cut two 1/2"x12" strips of each paper.
Then cut strips into segments:
Two 2-1/2" lengths
and the rest into 2" lengths for each paper.
Decide which print and color will compliment its neighbor. (ex: if using more than one of the same color, you may want to place a lighter or contrasting color between the two to allow papers to reveal their own personality)
NOTE: To help me keep papers in the right order I sorted each print into piles marked A-E which coordinates with the labeling on the template.(See below)

 Keep the side you want to display on your ornament facing up in the sort piles. When you start your layering they will get turned over to face the acrylic.  More on that when we actually start layering. As tricky as this all sounds it will get easier to understand as you go, I promise.

Now the Iris folding technique is usually one that is
done on the back side of a card stock cutout allowing us to adhere layers securely, later to be flipped over revealing the design of the card. For our ornament we will not have the cutout to adhere our layers to, so we will be using an acrylic sheet to aid us with this.
Place image side of template, face up, on the underside of your
acrylic sheet and secure with either the scotch tape or painters tape.
You will be working on the top side of the acrylic
with your printed papers.
Notice the template is numbered 1-40 with a letter following. 
The number will keep you from skipping a spot, and the letter will indicate which paper lay down.  The numbering is very helpful in keeping your pattern from looking like you skipped a spot. (And it is noticeable if a spot gets skipped)
Let's Layer:
Using the 2-1/2" piece from pile A, lay across template section
marked 1A with your desired print facing down, lining up
 the paper segment with the straight line of the 1A section.
Repeat for segments 2-5. Securing each
piece to the acrylic with tape.  

Run a length if permanent adhesive, using your tape runner, across
 the backs of all 5 sections. Try not to get any adhesive on the acrylic. Repeat for each segment.

Once you have the pattern rolling the smaller 2" lengths will be long
enough for the middle area.  Continue layering until all 40 layers
are on leaving the middle open.
HINT: The nice thing about working on the acrylic is
that you can turn the acrylic up to make sure that your pattern is running the proper course. All segments get a line of adhesive so everything is secure. Once the last segment is down, you can run more adhesive across the back of layers for attaching to your painted ornament.
Carefully remove the completed pattern from acrylic sheet.
Trim off tape then center and secure to ornament.


Turn over ornament and trim away paper to the edge of the ornament.  
Swipe a little brown ink to catch on the edges of the
papers and ornament corners.
To make the center decoration, I used the
NEW Tim Holtz snowflake die.
Cut, fold and adhere according to die instructions.
 I added an old button with a twine bow to secured to
the center of the snowflake and then to the center of the
ornament using my hot glue gun.
A little Stardust Stickles on the sides, the back of the ornament
on and the edges of the snowflake for a little SpArkLe.
And now your Iris Fold Inspired Ornament
is ready for the tree.

I love handmade ornaments. My daughter and I try
make one every year. It's a little tradition for us to do a crafty
something for the tree. What traditions do you enjoy with your Kids or Grandkids? Comment on today's post and your name will be entered into a drawing to win one of my Iris Fold Inspired ornaments. Be sure to follow the blog ...they are still 7 more hand-made Ornament tutorials headed your way!

Merry Crafting,
Rhonda

The WINNER of Day#4's Rusty Pinecone Ornament is...
JERI AARON
Jeri said...Beauti8ful Ornament!!

Congratulations Jeri! Please stop by or contact the LBH to claim your ornament.

11 comments:

  1. I love it! The the best part of this ornament is that I know how to do the folds, etc Scrapstashers teaches me so much!!

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  2. I really love this Tracy thanks for posting the directions!!!

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  3. One of the main reasons that I love this ornament is that it has a country quilt look to it. I love to quilt so of course this one is perfect for me!!!!!! Rhonda, you are amazing.

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  4. Wow Rhonda, I love that technique and have only used it on cards before. Excited to see it in ornament form :)

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  5. I love this! Will be great to have on my tree.

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  6. For my daughter I bought hallmark ornaments every year.. for my grandies I make them special ones every year.. this one is so pretty and I to have everything to make me one..thanks to scrapstashers I know how to... Awesomeness!! rchquot thanks Rhonda..

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  7. Wow! How did it get to be day #5 already!

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  8. I may just have to give this a try. You have taken away some of the mystery of this technique. Thanks, Rhonda!

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  9. Such a pretty ornament, Rhonda, as well as great directions!! Never thought about making an iris folded ornament--will have to try one!
    We always take one night during the holidays to drive around and look at all the Christmas lights and then have hot chocolate and cookies at home!

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  10. Wow, that's a lot of work! You made such a beautiful ornament. Thanks for providing the daily inspiration.

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  11. Absolutely love this one! Thanks for the tutorial on the iris fold with the acrylic sheet. That made it so nice to then apply to something else!

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