The girls and I decided to make ornaments this year. I love little finger print and hand print crafts from little people and I wanted something that we can keep year after year and actually enjoy (not something that would get tucked away who knows where.)
So I spotted these white ornaments at Michael’s for $1.99 each. They are super heavy (like a pool ball!) so hopefully they will withstand a little abuse.
Next my 4 year old just dotted two little thumbprints with brown paint onto the ornament. I took a fine point Sharpie and drew in the antlers, eyes, legs and a little tail. Then I grabbed a little red paint and dabbed on a nose.
I took a tiny bit of green to add a collar for Rudolph.
I used my Silhouette to cut her name and the year in vinyl and adhered it to the front of the ornament. You certainly don’t need a Silhouette though- a Sharpie or paint would work or the craft stores sell small sticker embellishments that could look great.
And that is it! I think it looks cute! Homemade and it will be a great memory to keep from year to year. Our Christmas tree is always a mix of normal ornaments and tons of ornaments we collect from vacations, or the girls make or photo ornaments we do year after year and I love how the tree tells a story. My girls have one ornament that they are drawn to every year and it was from my very first Christmas tree way back when I was 18 and in college on my own. It is so fun to pull the boxes out and have all those memories back- I can totally remember using my sister’s employee discount at Cost Plus to buy a few ornaments to decorate my little tiny tree many, many years ago.
Oh and for my big girl we went fancy style and added Santa in a sleigh. She did thumbprints for the sleigh base and Santa’s face and then I painted on and Sharpie’d on Santa. That one I think we overshot my artistic abilities but still sweet little memory of my girls.
Here is the backside:
And if you want to see some fun recipes, crafts and decor ideas for the holidays, check out my Pinterest Board here.
Very cute – thanks for sharing. I’m expecting twins in March and hopefully I can start traditions like these with my kids. I still love to see the homemade decorations my mom made when I was a kid – she still has them 30+ years later!
Hi Charlene,
I love this idea, and I’m sure we are going to do something like this.
Do you think these ornaments will need some kind of protective coating?
Tatyana, yes I do. I was going to research that. Initially I am thinking Mod Podge.
Kim,
I saw a darling idea for newborns- to take a handprint or footprint and dip it in paint and put on an ornament. Much easier said then done though since they clamp those fists pretty tight 🙂