Sports Angels

These started out (in my mind)

as little Love Bugs for Valentine's Day ...

but I quickly realized

(as I gazed at the many shades

of pink and red paint in my hands)

that my boys were definitely NOT

going to be crazy about my Love Bug idea.

For Valentine's Day.

So ...

They became angels instead of bugs,

and I used their favorite color

(instead of many shades of pink and red):

Start with a wooden ladybug shape,

a large mustache or wing shape cutout,

and make a halo from craft wire:

For the halo:

snip a 6" length of craft wire and wrap it

around a bale handle (or a large glue stick -

or a chubby round paintbrush handle)

Use needle nose pliers to wrap the short end

of the wire around the long end to

secure the loop.

You'll end up with something like this

pic above ^

Trim the long end to size (about 1").

I painted the body orange,

the wings a darker orange, and the faces

with a flesh tone acrylic paint.

The cheeks are blushed with pink powder

blush, and the eyes are black dip dots.

Also, I put some black dip dots

around the neckline ~ it was too boring.

Use hot glue to attach the wings

to the back of the angel's body, and use

hot glue to attach the halo behind the head ~

pressing a button magnet into the glue

while it is still hot and smooshable.

I got out the old calculator to determine what

years my kids would be graduating from

high school ~ and used that number for the

front of each angel (instead of their names).

Coat bodies and wings with Extreme Glitter Orange

and Multi-Purpose Sealer.

These will hold up artwork, sporting event notes,

and permission slips from school.

Nice and neat on the fridge!

Who needs Love Bugs when you have

Sports Angels??  LOL!!!

Peace and Sports Angels

FIVE - Gingerbread NOEL Sign

Here it is ... the FIFTH in a series

of five Quick and Easy Bazaar-Worthy

craft tutorials!

Gingerbread NOEL Sign 

This fun sign is the perfect size
for many different uses!
While is isn't to big to be an ornament,
(uh, unless you have a mini-tree)
it looks great hanging around the neck
of a bottle of wine,
(good hostess gift idea!)
tied to a package, or hanging over the rim
of a potted plant.

The Basics:

3.5" x 4.5" wood rectangle sign,
1" wood button plug, sanding block
acrylic paints: black, white, red, golden brown,
chocolate brown, Sparkle Glaze
scruffy toothbrush and craft stick
for spattering,
appropriate sized paintbrushes,
(1" wash or sponge roller for sign, 1/2" wash
for gingerbread face, liner brush for squiggle icing
and mouths)
stylus for dotting eyes,
glue gun and glue sticks,
Crop-o-Dile, hand drill, or drill press for
drilling holes, 12" length of craft wire for hanging,
wire snips and pliers for working with wire,
holiday accents such as the holly
shown here (available in the Christmas craft
section of your local craft and hobby store)


Getting Started:

Base coat your rectangle sign -
don't forget to paint the back and the sides.

Once the paint has dried, use sanding block to sand
front and back lightly to smooth the wood grain.

 Sand the sides heavily, to remove some of the paint.

Transferring the pattern:
I used graph paper to make the pattern.
I placed the 1" button plug onto the paper,
and wrote the word "n el" around it.
The graph paper helped me to keep the
letters the right size.

Place a piece of tracing paper over
your word, and outline with a marker.
This is your pattern.

Now center your pattern onto the sign. 
The transfer paper has a slick side -
this is the business side.  Place it face down
under your pattern.

 
 Use the stylus to trace over the pattern lines.

Thin white paint with water to an inky consistency.

Use the liner brush to paint over your

pattern lines.

Brush Sparkle Glaze over entire sign.

 Paint the wooden button plug with golden brown,

and shade around the outside with chocolate brown.

Wet the scruffy toothbrush, dip it into

the brown paint, and blot on a paper towel.

Run the craft stick over the bristles -

away from your body - and spatter the plugs.

Blush the cheeks with pink powder blush

and the sponge dauber.

Dot the eyes with the stylus and black paint.

Thin the black paint with water

to paint the mouths.

Thin the white paint with water to an

inky consistency, and paint the squiggly

icing around the edges of gingerbread face. 

Drill holes in the top two corners of the sign,

and another hole approx. 1" in from the left side.

Use pliers to make a loopy knot in one end of

the craft wire.  Insert into sign with

loopy knot pressed against front of the sign.

Curl wire around a paintbrush handle.

Thread second end of the craft wire through

from the back, and make another loopy knot

to secure the hanger.

I happen to have about 200 of these holly

embellishments left over from last

year's school ornament projects.

But they're still available at Hobby Lobby,

I just saw them this week.

Thread the end of the holly embellishment

through from the front,

and bend the ends from behind to secure

in the back.

Hang and enjoy!!!

Peace and Sparkly Gingerbread Men!!!

S'more Snowman Ornament

The snack of the season!

Here's one you can't eat ... so quick and easy!

Here are the wood pieces you'll need to make one:

(1) 1 1/2" Square, (4) 1" Squares, (1) 1"x1 1/2" Rectangle
(1) 4 1/2" Wooden Mitten Cutout

Acrylic Paints: Light Blue, Black, White, Orange,
Dark Brown, Brown, Red, and
Plaid® Extreme Glitter™ Hologram and Black
Multi-Purpose Sealer

Easy Cutter Ultimate, Crop-A-Dile, Stylus, Wire Snips
Permanent Black Marker, Pink Powder Blush,
Sanding Block, Wire for Hanging

Using the Easy Cutter,
cut the rectangle in half lengthwise - this will
be the hat brim.  For the hat, cut one
of the 1" squares in half. 
 Paint these black and coat with Extreme Glitter. 

Paint mitten cutout light blue.  Sand edges.

Paint two 1" squares white and coat with Hologram glitter.
Paint the 1 1/2" square light brown for the
graham cracker.  Paint one 1" square
dark brown for the chocolate.

Lightly sand the 1 1/2" square and remove some
of the paint from the edges. 
 

Dip an old toothbrush into dark brown paint.
 

Spatter over the rectangles to create texture.
Add spatters of white, as well.
 

Swirl pink powder blush onto the cheeks with a
cotton swab.  Eyes are black dip dots.
Paint the nose orange. 
Paint red dip dots down the center
of the second white square (buttons).

Seal pieces and outline details with permanent marker.
 

Attach pieces with Tacky Glue.  Thread wire through
holes for hanging.
 

Paint a red hat band above the hat brim.
 

ENJOY!!!