Crafting In The Kitchen ~ Part 1

Parting is such sweet sorrow, isn't it? This is the final tutorial for our month long crafting event here at Joli Paquet. It's been a wonderful ride and we've had so much fun sharing our holiday recipes and crafting ideas with everyone, as well as making new friends along the way. I hope you all have enjoyed visiting our little blog as much as we have in putting it together for you.

Have you ever looked at the things in your kitchen with different eyes? What I mean is, you would be surprised as to what you can find in the kitchen to make ornaments or holiday decorations for your home. I have made ornaments out of wooden spoons, birdcages from wire whisks, candle holders out of egg cups and apples, etc. etc. Well, today we are going to make sweet little photo ornaments out of tiny tart pans. Here's what you'll need to get started:

~ Supplies ~

* Mini tart pans - These come in all shapes and sizes. I used round ones that are 2.25" in diameter from Sur la Table.

* Vintage or family photos that are sized to approximately 3" wide. Print these out on photo paper. I like to use Enhanced Matte Paper by Epson.

* 3-D Foam Dots

* Silver or Red Metallic Pipe Cleaners

* Small Beads or Pearls

* Buttons

* Artificial Evergreen Boughs or Leaves

* Gingham Ribbon

* Snow Glitter or Mica Flakes

* White Craft Glue

*Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks

* 2" Circle Paper Punch - straight or scalloped edged.

(Size of punch will vary depending on size and shape of tart pan.)

Center punch on photograph and punch out circle.

Stack 2 foam dots and adhere to the inside bottom center of tart pan.

Insert circle-punched photograph into tart pan.
Press down gently to adhere the back of photo to the foam dot.

Form pipe cleaner into a circular shape.
TIP: Wrap pipe cleaner around a jar or bottle that is approximately 2" in diameter.
Shaping the pipe cleaner like this before placing in tart pan will make it easier to glue in place.
Trim pipe cleaner to size.

Apply white craft glue to the edges of photograph.

Sprinkle snow glitter or mica flakes while craft glue is still wet.

Shake off excess glitter.

Your ornament should look like the photos above and below at this point.

Pipe cleaners come in a variety of colors ~ Use the color that suits your project the best.

Bend and twist a pipe cleaner, forming a loop on the top.

Then bend the two tails in towards the center to form smaller loops.

Add a dab of hot glue to the top center of back of tart pan.

Press the pipe cleaner into hot glue to adhere to tart pan.

Add a small piece of artificial evergreen bough on top of tart pan, adhering with hot glue.

Glue 5-6 small red beads to evergreen bough.

Add button and gingham ribbon bow to embellish ornament.

Hang your ornament and enjoy!

Here are a couple other variations for the same ornament using different embellishments.

This photo of my mother is adorned with a rhinestone button and vintage tinsel garland.

This snowman ornie is embellished with a pink button and pink gingham ribbon bow. I also added extra snow glitter to the botton front of this ornament to make it look like a snow drift...

... and tiny white pearls instead of red beads.

I printed this photo out in sepia tones and embellished the ornament with a brown gingham ribbon and button along with a bit of vintage tinsel garland.

You can hang the ornaments on the tree or an evergreen swag.

Scroll down to "Crafting in the Kitchen ~ Part 2" for a bonus project!

xoxo

jeanne