Some of the instructions I've read on line advocate randomly cutting circles from cards after drawing them on the back side. This is OK if you are trying to get as many circles as possible from your cards. However, there can be unfortunate consequences, such as having the south end of Mary's donkey perfectly centered in your circle.
I've been lucky enough to have a large stock of cards to start off with, so I will spend the time to sort the cards into different and flexible categories. Anything will do...Santas, snowmen, Christmas trees, nativities, angels or birds. Sometimes I sort them according to colour, or shiny surfaces.
With a lot of cards to play with, I can pick and choose where to put my circles. I will center them on something. In the above example, the deer was a perfect image. The idea is to have a picture in each circle. Further, half your triangles will have the base at the top and the point at the bottom, and this, too, is something to consider in the placement of your circles.
I am currently saving every card I can find that has a gingerbread man on it, because Ramona decorates for Christmas with a gingerbread man theme. I would love to make her an ormanent with nothing but gingerbread men.
So, even if you begin by randomly whacking circles, given enough cards, you can refine the technique.
I use clothespins to hold the last section for a minute or so while the glue dries, and I coat half the seams with glitter paint, and wait for that to dry before doing the other half.
Glue sticks are your friends. You would not believe how much easier it is to do these with glue sticks and glitter paint, than it was with white glue and loose glitter.
I made these ornaments last year for my sons, nephews, and cousins little ones. It's been a family tradition to give ornaments each Christmas until they are 18. I used scrapbook card stock. Everyone was very impressed with them, but I opted not to do glitter because it just seemed impossible. Thanks for the tips. I will probably attempt them again next year with the help of my boys.
ReplyDeleteI have made them from card stock and put stickers on them.
ReplyDeleteWhen you have young helpers, I would suggest that you do the cutting.
I have one of those fancy circle cutters, so I let Aiden help by turning it while I held it. I never would have attempted it without that cutter. Luckily, it was a hand me down so didn't cost me anything.
ReplyDeleteI have one of those, somewhere...I also have a homemade punch that Brendan's dad made for me, years ago. It works well, but it's quite large. The scissors that look like hedge clippers work for me...
ReplyDeleteMy children used to bring home ornaments like that. I feel for the teachers who do the prep-work!
ReplyDeleteI think thay all have die-cutters these daisies. The kidz job was to use a hole punch around the edges and sew 'em together with yarn.
That makes me giggle.moi