Ladybug Reindeer

What do you get when you

cross a ladybug with two cacti?

A reindeer, of course!
Well, a reindeer made from
pre-cut wooden shapes, anyway.
;)

For this reindeer ornament,

you'll need (1) 2" ladybug shape,

(2) 1.25" cacti shapes,

(1) 4" length of ribbon,

acrylic paints in Honey Brown,

Chocolate, Tuscan Red, Black, White,

One Step Crackle,

Gel Stain, a Multi-Purpose Sealer,

and Extreme Glitter Hologram.

(or Extreme Glitter Red, but I was out).

Paint the following:

Cacti - Honey Brown

Ladybug Body - Chocolate

Ladybug Head - Tuscan Red

Brush a generous coat of

One Step Crackle onto the cacti

and allow to dry thoroughly.

Apply Gel Stain and wipe off with

a clean, dry rag.

The gel stain works its way into

the tiny little cracks made

by the One Step Crackle ...

See the tiny crackles??

I Love it!!

Apply Extreme Glitter Hologram

generously over the Reindeer nose.

(Previously referred to as the "Ladybug Head")

Next, cross ribbon ends to form

a loop for hanging.

Attach the ribbon to the back

of the reindeer head with

a hot glue gun:

Attach the two cacti to the

back of the reindeer head;

it's fine if the cacti overlap the

ribbon, that will help keep it in place.

I dipped a paintbrush handle into

white paint to dot the eyes.

Once it was completely dry, I

added black dots to the eyes.

I brushed Multi-Purpose Sealer

over the entire piece.

NOTE: I almost always paint the backs

of my ornaments, but since I was

going to use hot glue to attach the antlers,

I wanted a good adhesion so I

left the back of this ornament unpainted.

Just keepin it real.

Sometimes those boogers fall off,

and we don't want any of that going on,

am I right??

Up next: I have eighty ornaments

to make for classrooms this year.

(that's an 8 and a 0

it's also 10 times 8, or

8 times 10, or 20 times 4, or

4 kids times 20 students per

classroom.  And, I should probably do

a recount before I get started.

Cuz I'm pretty sure I heard about

new students somewhere).

What kind of ornament do I want to

make in bulk?  I want the ornament to

be special for the kids, something to bring back

(hopefully!) fond memories of elementary school.

So I'll use the school name and/or

their mascot somehow ... but, hmm ...

 Here's my 2010 design:

 Here's my design from last year:

Oh, wait! Do you hear that?

Yeah, that's Hobby Lobby calling my

name.  I'm going to have to make a trip.

No, wait.  That's my studio calling

reminding me that I have enough supplies

to make ornaments for the entire town

and I shouldn't be buying more "stuff".

Christmas Inspiration, HERE I COME!!

And I think I might just challenge myself

to make all these ornaments

with supplies I already own.

What d'ya think of that??

  

~ Peace and Lots of Christmas Ornaments ~

 

FOUR - Reindeer Rule!!!

Fourth in a series of FIVE

Bazaar-Worthy Craft Tutorials

Reindeer Rule

I love to recycle things by painting them

and giving them new purpose.

These rulers can be almost anything!

I've made scarecrows, pumpkins,

Uncle Sam, Santa, elves, snowmen, toy soldiers,

reindeer, gingerbread men, angels, wise men ...

Then once you've got some painted

rulers on hand, they give a gift bucket some

height, or make an adorable plant poke

for a mum or a poinsettia -

I've even given them wire hangers

and stuck them into my Christmas tree

as over-sized ornaments.

You can do almost anything, I tell you!!

Well.  I wouldn't use them as a back scrubber in

the shower ... but I might use them to

scratch that itchy part I can't reach right between

my shoulder blades ...

So, you see?  They're multi-purpose.

My sister found these rulers online

when she was shopping for decorations for

a school fundraiser.

I expressed excitement when I saw

them in a shipping envelope on the floor of

her study.  She gave them to me.

I love her.

They needed a little work ...

the metal edges were loosened and bent,

so I had to remove them with pliers.

And, the backs were varnished and slick,

so I used my sanding block to rough them up and

give them a little "tooth" so the paint

would have something to adhere to.

The Basics:

wooden ruler(s), 1/2" wood button plug,
two cacti wood cutouts,
sanding block, acrylic paint:
chocolate brown, white, black, red
spray paint: textured brown
Plaid Extreme Glitter: red
stylus for dotting eyes,
appropriate sized paintbrushes
(1" wash or sponge roller for rulers,
1/2" wash for noses, liner brush for mouths)
glue gun and glue sticks,
8" length of ribbon for scarf

Getting Started:

 


Base coat the rulers with two coats
of chocolate brown acrylic paint.

 
I like to use a sponge roller to apply the
base coat when I'm painting multiples.
It makes the job go much smoother and quicker.

I thought it would be fun to give the
antlers a little texture - so
I sprayed them with Rust-oleum
textured spray paint.

Paint the button plugs red,
and add a thick coat of Extreme Glitter.

Since the brown base coat is so dark,
I needed the eyes to "pop" -
so I used a paintbrush handle to dot
the eyes with white.

Once the larger white dots have dried completely,
use a stylus to dot the centers of the
eyes with black.

Use the glue gun to attach the nose
and the cacti for the antlers;
then use the liner brush and apply the mouth
with thinned white paint.




To finish, tie the ribbon around the
reindeer's neck.


Reindeer Rule!!!


* Peace and Old Rulers *