Quick & Easy Christmas Ornaments (Guest Blog)

Please welcome our first guest blogger Barb!

I have worked with Barb for several years and I can honestly say that she is one of the most creative people I have met. Each year she makes ornaments for her postman so he can hand them out to his favorite customers. She sent me pictures of this year's ornaments and I just had to ask her to write a blog about them. They are just so cute! They would make great gifts for teacher presents or a fun Christmas craft for your little elves. ~Beth

Santa Can Ornaments

About the Santa cans - I just found a picture of a similar decorated can on the internet and basically made up my own instructions.

Materials Needed
I purchased most everything from Hobby Lobby that I didn't already have at home except red enamel paint (much cheaper at hardware store)

Rinsed and dried pop cans (any flavor, but red ones might take a little less paint) for as many ornaments as desired
Red enamel spray paint ( I made 48 Santas, it took 2 cans)
Hot Glue Gun and lots of gluesticks
White acrylic paint - large tube
Small paint brushes
Small tube of flesh color paint or mix a little red and yellow into white
Glitter or other "snow" type product to mix with white paint for texture
Small Pompoms in red for noses and white for hats
Glue on Eyes - disk type found in doll crafting section
Felt for Gloves (I used black with glitter already on it) 2 sheets for 48
1/2" wide ribbon for belt ( any color or pattern you desire - I used houndstooth)
Any kind of red material for hat if you have a sewing machine otherwise purchase premade small santa hats
Any kind of white trim such as rick rack or piping for hats
Polyfiber stuffing - about a ping pong ball amount for each hat
White doll hair on a metal wire to use for beard cut into 3 inch length then bent into a "U" shape
Stick on or glue on gems for belt

Step 1
Remove tabs from cans, insert a stick or other device about the size of the opening of the can to hold can, spray sides of cans and let dry. I used a large cardboard box to help contain the overspray. - and set cans on newspaper to dry...This was the worst part of the project - my garage smelled like paint for days.
You will need to do 2 coats to cover the graphics on the cans but it's not necessary to make completely opaque.

Step 2
Mix some white paint and glitter for texture, then using a dry brush technique, dab paint mixture onto cans around the "neck" , down the front and bottom of Santa's suit. Let dry. Optional: I also took a white opaque pen and wrote "Merry Christmas 2010" on the back of the suit.

Step 3
Paint flesh tone onto entire top of can. Let Dry.

Step 4
Very carefully fold over the can slightly above the middle to create the shape of Santa. You will have some paint flake at the corners of the fold but it will be covered by the next step.

Step 5
Mix a heavier combination of glitter and white paint to dab onto the folded portion of the can to create Santa's cuffs - this should cover any cracking of the red paint. Let dry.

Step 6
Cut out felt into shape of gloves about 1" size and 2 - 2.5" strips of ribbon for belt. Hot glue the ribbon onto the can, then the gloves and finish with gems.

Step 7
Hot glue the eyes, nose and beard to create the face. Make sure to have a little of the opening show through for his "HO HO HO" mouth!

Step 8
Cut out about a 4" triangle of red material for hats, sew on white trim on one edge, then fold and stitch seam, turn inside out and hand sew white pompom to end,
stuff polyfiber inside base of hat - then hot glue the front and back to top of can. I used gold safety pins to create a hook to hang, but you could use any type of hanger.

Step 9
Enjoy giving to friends and thanks for recycling!!