Thursday, December 20, 2012

Because you asked ....

I got a couple of emails asking me how i made the vintage style  paper ornaments from my post here.

So I thought I would put a little tutorial together for you!  Now, I do not by any means lay claim to be the originator of this style of ornament ... I saw something very similar on the blog House Revivals. If you have time, stop over and visit Amanda at her fab blog!

Back to this ornament .... it is easy peasy...

Cut 24 - 32  circles all the same size, for one ornament ... on this example I used 3" circles.    You can use a punch, diecut or just traced cut out circles.


Once the circles are cut, fold each one in half, having the text running side to side and the fold running up and down.  Fold in any direction if you are using patterned or plain paper.  I used Stampin Up paper designer paper.  You can use book pages or sheet music pages as long as they are not too fragile.


Using a gluestick or quick drying liquid glue, coat the entire side of a folded circle.


Stack another folded circle on top of the glued folded circle.  Keep gluing and stacking until you have a little stack of about a third of the papers.  Make two more stacks with the remaining folded circles (this is easier than creating one giant stack.


Then glue the stacks together to form one giant stack.
Now the tricky part ... glue the "spine" the folded edges of the stack ... just run the glue stick up and down to get all of the edges coated.

Decide what you want to use as a "hanger" ... in the example below I have used a fine string with a crystal button and jewel.  A pretty alternative (and an easier one to use) is a narrow ribbon.

Lay the ribbon down the spine of the ornament.  at the bottom end of the ornament, tie a know in the ribbon so it will stay in place, Form a loop at the top of the ornament and tie another knot.





In the example below I threaded one hole in the button and left it on the top of the ornament.  I then ran the thread down the spine and looped it through the crystal.  ran the thread back up the spine and through the other button hole and then tied a knot.
This sounds difficult but it is really very easy.  Once it is done, glue the top folded circle, and attach it to the bottom have circle so that you have a 3D circle.

At this point you will want to make sure that 1/2 circles are not stuck in clumps ... as in this little example, make sure you separate the clumps and spread out all of the half circles

 Still declumping this ornament, but you can tell that more of the 1/2 circles are free.

 Next you do the honeycombing ... on one half circle stick glue dots or double sided tape in the
area of the red dots ... which is roughly 1/3 of the down the sides of the ball.  flip to the next half circle and stick a glue dot on the edge of the paper in the centre. Just keep repeating the pattern of 2 glue dots on one circle, and one glue dot on the next until all of the circles are stuck together in intervals.  Your ornament should look like this!
 Option finishing touch is to lay some fast drying liquid glue down on all edges and then dip in glitter.  This just adds a bit of glimmer and shine!

Here you go, a finish ornament.
Another option is to just do the layers, and do not do the honeycombing ... this looks good on smaller circles or punched shapes.  I used the Stampin Up ornament punch to create this little ornament.  You could also try a heart punch or a tree punch or anything else you can dream of!
 I hope  you enjoyed this tutorial and I hope you can make yourself some fab little vintage ornaments!  A box of these makes a fabulous little hostess gift!

Thanks so much for stopping bye!

8 comments:

Claudia N. said...

Gorgeous, Jo!

And thanks for the great tutorial! Have to try this!!

Hugs,
Claudia x

BECKY said...

Thanks so much, Jo! I know that was very time consuming! You're a sweetie! Merry Christmas!

Pondside said...

So pretty!
I hope you survived the nasty weather that arrived on your side of the Strait. Stay warm and have a Merry Christmas.

Izzy said...

Great tutorial Jo! TFS

Judie said...

I was telling Rod today about my early Christmas life, and how, for several years, all the ornaments on my tree were hand-made because I had no money. I wish I had had this idea, because it is anexcellent one!

Merry Christmas, my sweet friend!

xoxo

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

FABULOUS!!! Great tut as well! These ornaments were wonderful!

Gio said...

Ciao Jo, thanks for dropping by my blog :-)
This decoration is so lovely, thanks for the tuto!

Lynn Stevens said...

So pretty Jo, great tutorial. Now is that a silver Christmas tree? We had one when I was little. All us kids hated it back then. What I wouldn't do to have it now. LOL
Hugs Lynn