Homemade Christmas Ornaments

"Caroling Crushed Can Claus"

Submitted by Angela B. of Wilkesboro, NC

I love this ornament project because it uses items I had leftover from other craft projects (recycled). It was a way for me to spend quality time with my daughter while we created this unique ornament. We even took it a step further to create a crushed can Mrs. Claus, Rudolph, and the other eight reindeer. These ornaments, along with a few red Christmas balls and some bows, was enough to decorate a small tree for very little money!

Materials and instructions for making ornament:

(All of the supplies can be purchased at a local craft store and/or hardware store.)

12-oz empty aluminum beverage can, rinsed and dry

Spray or brush-on primer

10-inch red felt square to cover can

8-inch red felt square for hat

Small white pom pom for hat end

6-inch x 1/2-inch piece of fur or white felt for hat trim

5-inch square of black felt for mittens

1-inch by 5-inch strip of white paper for Santa’s list

Acrylic paints: white, red, black, flesh (or peach)

Small paintbrush

5/16-inch diameter wooden peg for nose

6 ½ inch piece of gold wire for glasses

White curly doll hair for hair and beard

Wire cutters

Black permanent felt tip pen

Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Directions:

Remove pop top from can. To bend the can, hold can with both hands with thumbs just below top rim and opening toward you. Press the top rim down using your thumbs to press on can. Turn can upside down and repeat for bottom rim, pressing the bottom to  opposite side of can. Use your foot to flatten the can.  (Adult supervision required; be careful not to cut yourself if the can breaks open on the side. If this does happen, use another can for the craft.)

Apply primer to top of can (the face) and allow to dry. Paint inside of can opening red for the mouth. Paint face and wooden peg with flesh (or peach) acrylic paint.

Use white acrylic paint to add two oval eyes, and use black acrylic paint for the ovals inside the eyes (pupils). If desired, apply some cosmetic blush to his cheeks using a cotton swab.

For the nose, center and glue wooden peg just above the can opening.

To cover the can, fold down one edge of the 10-inch felt square about one inch. Glue folded edge of felt along outer edge of face, overlapping ends of folded edge at top. Wrap remaining felt to back of can and glue to secure in place.

For hair and beard, glue some white curly doll hair on forehead and around face, placing more at the bottom for the beard.

For hat, cut a triangle from the 8-inch felt square that measures approximately 7 1/4 inches along each side. Overlap the two side edges of the triangle about ¼ inch and glue to secure. Glue pom pom to point of hat and glue trim to hat edge. Place hat on Santa with seam at back.

For mittens, draw two mitten shapes that are two inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide onto black felt and cut out. Glue mittens to each side of Santa.

For Santa’s list, use a black felt tip pen to write names on paper strip. Wrap each end of list around a pencil to curl slightly. Glue list to one of the mittens.

To make his glasses, loop wire into a circle about 1 1/2 inches from each end of wire. Bend ends of glasses to fit face. Use wire cutters to trim off any excess, if necessary. Place glasses on face and glue to secure.

To hang Santa, push the end of a regular ornament hook into felt on back of Santa.

2010 Homemade Christmas Ornaments Index