Homemade Christmas Ornaments

"Walnut Shell Ornaments"

Submitted by Kay Powers of VA

I made this delightful reindeer from a walnut shell. 

While cracking walnuts to make cookies, I found that if I did not put too much pressure on the shell with the nut crackers that the shell would often split in two pieces along the seam line, giving me two unbroken halves. 

I placed the hanging cord and the antlers between the two halves of the shell and glued them back together. I used glue on eyes and a tiny little pompom for his red nose.

I decided to play with some of them and here is another creation I came up with. I painted the shells inside and out with white nail polish that I bought for $1.00 at Walgreens. I find that for small crafts nail polish gives a better finish – more shiny – than regular craft paint.

I then fastened a hanging cord by gluing it under the little “lip” at the top of the shell.

The red flowers in these are actually plastic buttons that I bought on sale at my local fabric store. I just glued one inside each painted shell. I then finished the ornament by running the tip of a silver glitter glue pen around the outside edge of each shell.

2011 Homemade Christmas Ornaments Index