Woodland Winter Ornaments

Hello friends - it's a quiet Friday night at my house. We have been working our tails off this week getting all your orders out. Just a few left to send out tomorrow and then the rush is done. It's time to relax, to make gifts, to finish decorating, to enjoy a few treats and most importantly to spend time together.

I always feel like my Christmas celebration starts Christmas Eve and goes through the week after Christmas. That's when life slows down enough for me to catch my breath. When I let wonder wash over my weary soul. It's the time when I stop and listen instead of rushing. It's my time to reflect and dream of the year ahead. I let the weight of winter settle in and enjoy the call of ancient times that the winter solstice brings.

The busy, crazy days before Christmas fly by in a buzz and I enjoy the anticipation but the stress of preparing can be draining. So I eagerly look forward to the quiet and rest after the celebration is over.

But for now, I'm a whiz of an elf. Making things from morning until night with lots of fun side projects sneaking into my daily to-do list. One such project were these fun ornaments that I created for our tree.

The painted wooden pendants are from Summer Wind Arts, a little gift to myself last month. I paired them up with my tiny snowflake beads, which have been a favorite of mine this season. 

I brought in a little more color with waxed linen in green, English cut glass and brass electroplated hematite. They remind me of cozy, knitted sweaters for some reason. 

This little guy, in an action shot.

My beloved snowflake beads.

Being a Michigan girl, I've always loved snow and snowflake patterns. This year we are enjoying a green Christmas. After two very rough winters, I'm cool with this. I'm sure it will snow soon enough. A white Christmas does holds it's own kind of magic, but a late snow in the season is just as beautiful and inspiring. 

I'm off to create for the rest of the night, I have some special gifts to make for the girls on my list. How are your gift-making adventures going? Are you done yet? 

Have a great weekend!  

Ornament Blog Hop: Metal Sketch Snowflakes

I love making handmade ornaments. In fact, I have a tiny tree in my house filled with ones I've made over the years with special art beads. I also have handmade ornaments filling my tree and love giving them as gifts too. Art beads create instant heirloom status for a handcrafted ornament!

This year I made ornaments to celebrate the release of my new book, Beautiful Elements. The book features many projects using metal, hammers, tools and wire to create images or metal sketches as I've coined them in the book.

I added one of my snowflake coin beads to each ornament along with an icy looking stone. The hangers are waxed linen with copper seed beads. 

The evergreen one is featured on the Art Bead Scene. You can also enter to win a set of my snowflake coins over on there too!

Another ornament that has been getting created quite a bit in the studio is this snowy owl. Taken from a drawing in my sketchbook. I made one for my tree and have been sending them out to their new homes too!

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Head on over the Art Bead Scene to see everyone's creations and enter to win those snowflake beads.

Limited Edition Pet Ornaments

Deck the halls...

So after I was playing around with woodland ornaments the other day, I was struck by the genius idea of pet ornaments.  Because uh, hey that's a whole lot of cute and I'm on an all-cute-all-the-time kind of holiday diet at the moment!

Westie, Scotty and Schnauzers Dog Ornaments

I started out with a few pets that were part of our family and then I shared them on Instagram and Facebook and you all know how we love our pets!  So I had lots of ideas requests and ideas rolling around and photos being shared that inspired some of my collection.

 Pug, English Bulldog and Boston Terrier

 Pit Bull and Lab

 Yorkie, Beagle and Doxie (Dachshund)

 Kitties!

 There was a request for a lop eared bunny, how could I pass that up!

And then I thought, oh well why not have a few ways these can be customized, like a name or year or holiday saying.

 Or even one painted in the same colors as your furry friends.  This is my little Oliver. 

It's been interesting to learn about the different breeds. I have a German Shepherd and a few other cats coming soon.

This shows the size difference from the little woodland ornaments.  The pet ornaments are just ornaments where the other ones can also be pendants.

You can find all these sweet holiday goodies in my Etsy shop. They are made to order and you'll need to order before December 15th to get these before Christmas.  I can't accept any more requests for breeds or any customizing other than a name or coloring. 

Merry Little Owl Holiday Ornament Tutorial

This may seriously be the cutest thing I've ever made.  I hear Jack Nicholson in my head yelling, "You can't handle the cuteness." And he's right, I can't! I need to make more right now.  Okay, well maybe I can wait until this afternoon when I host my annual ornament making party with the fam. 

With just a few crafty materials you can whip these up.  You can get fancy with handmade hooks or keep it simple with waxed linen or cord.  I have several variations that I'll dish about down below.  If you make some of these you MUST show me! It's required.  By law.  Okay, it's not, but I would love to see what cutie pies you create.  You can share them on my Facebook page with me.

Supplies:
White polymer clay*
Acrylic paint - I use Folk brand craft paint (several colors plus raw umber)
Paint brushes
Plastic mechanical pencil
2" brass headpins
Pewter bead caps in different sizes
Waxed linen
Paper towels
Alphabet stamps (rubber stamps or metal stamps)
Wire cutters
Round and chain nose pliers

Optional - Clay sculpting tool with a fine point for carving details, you can find them in the polymer clay section at craft stores.  The ends kind of look like a dental tool.

*I like Sculpey for these kinds of projects.  It's easy on the hands and has a great matte finish that takes the paint nicely.

Safety:

• Work surface - cardstock, glass, tile - don't work directly on a table, polymer clay can eat the finish.
• Don't use kitchen items with clay, you must have a dedicated polymer clay pan. (Hello Dollar Store.)
• Wash hands thoroughly after handling clay
• Keep on eye on baking clay and use an oven thermometer to make sure you have the correct temperate.  

Make the Owls
1. Roll a 1" ball of clay in your hands.  Don't worry about measuring, just guesstimate.  Pinch the clay on one side to form a point for the ear, repeat on the other side.

2. Use the end of paint brush to make the eyes.  

3. Create a triangle with a tiny piece of clay. Press it onto the face of the owl, smooth out the edges with your finger.

4. Press the tip of the pencil (with the no lead) to create dots around the eyes.

5. Use the sculpting tool or headpin to create an oval shape for the wings. Trace out little feather shapes in the wing area with the sculpting tool.

6. Stamp words onto the belly with letter stamps.

7. Poke a hole through the length of the owl with the headpin. Bake according the manufacturers suggestions.

The last 3 photos show a few variations.

1. Use the tip of the pencil to create a feathered belly instead of stamping a word. 

2. Make a pointed nose and then press it down.

3. A simply nose option is to form a flat triangle instead of a pointed one. 

Painting:

1. Paint the owl the main color all over.

2. Antique the owl with brown paint, whip off immediately.

3. Paint the words a different color, whip off excess paint.

3. Touch up the color around the face and body of the owl. 

3. Paint around the eyes with just a little bit of paint, almost a dry brush.

4. Paint the feathers on the wings several different colors.

Wash your brush when switching colors and dry it completely each time.

 Finishing:

1. After the owl is dry, add it to a headpin.

2. String on two bead caps, upside down.

3. Trim the wire to 1/4" with wire cutters and form a simple loop.

4. Tie on waxed cord.

Each one will have his own personality! Create them in the colors that match your holiday decor.  I could see some in metallic colors too.

Remember if you make some, I'd love to see what you create!

This post has been added to the Art Bead Scene's Ornament Blog Hop, check out the great line up of creative ornaments here. 

5 Beaded Ornament Tutorials and Holiday Sale News

This is it, the start of all the holiday hustle and bustle.  I'm a fan of the merry making, the decorating, the gift-giving and the magic of this time of year.  What I'm not a fan of is that every where I go I feel like my holiday is overrun with commercials and in your face advertising. Hello jingle bells, if you know what I mean!  I do love a good sale, but I want it mixed in with nostalgia or warm fuzzy feelings, not the pressure to perform by giving the perfect gift.  I'm also more likely to buy handmade or support my local businesses.  We live in a very small tourist town and they need all the support they can get this time of year! 

If you haven't read How to Unplug the Christmas Machine, I highly recommend it for finding ways to add more meaning back into your holidays, no matter how you celebrate them.  It's all about honing in on what makes this time of year meaningful and special to you and your family and how to unplug from commercialism, other people's expectations and your own unrealistic expectations to create that mythical 'perfect' holiday. It's a good how-to on bringing more peace and joy into your celebrations this year and I'm all about that!

The start of our holiday is always an ornament making party, sometimes it's just Jess and me and other times it's a full blown fete with the whole gang.  This weekend we will enjoy a big to-do with aunts, my mom,  sisters, daughters, cousins and nieces.  I will be scouring Pinterest today for a project that we can all create.  Last year we felted ornaments.  I'm thinking maybe owls will take over this year, but we will decide tomorrow during our Thanksgiving dinner - because hey, they family that crafts together, stays together! 

Here is a round up of past Humblebeads Ornament Tutorials:

Winter Forest Ornament

Woodland Ornaments

Holly and Ivy Ornament

Beaded Ornaments

Nest Ornament Project

If you are starting your holiday shopping or gift making this week I am offering 20% off all my shops until Monday. This weekend I'm sharing a few new projects and inspirations so stop by on Saturday before you head off to enjoy your day or subscribe to my blog through BlogLovin or like my Facebook page. 

Humblebeads Etsy Shop - Here you will find holiday beads and best sellers here.  I will also have a few new beads on Monday.

Humblebeads.com - Shop my entire line, most beads are made-to-order.  

HumblebeadsJewelry.com - See my latest collection of jewelry and one-of-a-kind designs.  We put together a few handy gift-guides on the site.

Humblebeads Jewelry on Etsy - Here you'll find some of my best sellers along with sale items.  I will be adding sale items on Monday for a huge sample sale!

The details: Use discount code MERRY20 at any of the above shops.  If you order from more than one shop, the excess shipping will be refunded. Sale orders will ship out on Monday and Tuesday.

Sale goes through Monday and cannot be used for custom orders or past orders. 

In case you are wondering I have returned here to blog again, it's too complicated keeping things separate.  You'll find beads, crafts, jewelry, trends and a little bit more about my life - because gosh darn it, I actually got away from the bead table this year and starting enjoying more of the world around me.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

ABS Ornament Blog Hop

Deck the halls with lots of clay, fa, la, la, la, la, la....

Welcome to the ABS Ornament Blog Hop.  I'm so excited that you've joined us for the 3rd annual event.  It's no secret that I'm a Christmas nut.  Jess and I have had a tradition since our early newlywed days (almost 20 years ago) that we make ornaments for our tree each year.  Jess was busy crafting paper ornaments this year and I have been having fun with felt, beads and clay.  Everything has a handcrafted, woodland motif which goes nicely with the birds, nests, pine cones and snowflakes that we've been collecting and making over the years.

Grab a cookie and let's get this ornament party started!

Supplies:
Original white Sculpey polymer clay
Holly cookie cutter
Roller or pasta machine
Large rubber stamps
Black Stayz On ink
White glue
White fine glitter6" steel wire 21 gauge
12mm polymer clay disk
14mm beaded bead
10" sari silk ribbon

Directions:
1. Roll out the clay on the thickest setting of the pasta machine or to an 1/8" thick with a roller.
2. Cut out the leaf shape with a cookie cutters.
3. Stamp the image unto the clay, use gentle and even pressure but don't stamp the clay too deeply or it will stick to your clay.  (At this point poke a hole with a thin straw or use a small hand drill to create a hole after the clay is baked.)
4. Bake the clay according to the manufacture's directions.
5. Apply a think layer of glue in the white/negative spaces of the stamp, sprinkle on the glitter and let dry.
6. Pull the wire through the hole and create a wrapped loop around the top of the ornament.
7. String on the polymer clay bead and beaded bead.  Create a large wrapped loop at the top.
8. Tie on the ribbon.

Why original Sculpey clay?  I don't recommend this clay for many projects, but this one has a very porous nature that reminds me dough ornaments and a nice off-white color. You'll find it in a large box where they sell Sculpey III.  This will keep the ornaments matte, non-plastic looking and more like a natural piece of clay. 

Resources:
Clay, beaded beads, glitter, ink and stamps: Michael's.  Polymer clay bead: Humblebeads.

 
Grab another cookie and head on over to see what the other creative designers whipped up for the ornament hop!  

Art Bead Scene

Humblebeads - you are here!

Treasures Found
Song Beads
Viki O'Dell
Sue Beads
Modern Nature Studio
Diane Hawkey
Suburban Girl Studio
Jen Judd Rocks
Ellie's Bijoux
Island Girl's Insights
Life By The Seat Of My Pants
Too Aquarius 
Shelley Graham Turner
Artfully Ornamental
Charis Designs Jewelry
Harrison Hollow Designs
Silver Nik Nats
Bead Soup Mix
Toodles and Binks
Bead Recipes
Play Sculpt Live
BeeTree by M.E.
Billi RS Rothe
A Half-Baked Notion

Ornament Blog Hop

I'm hosting an Ornament Blog Hop today on the Art Bead Scene.

We take decorating our Christmas tree very serious in the Humble Home.  For the last 17 years Jess and I have been making themed ornaments for our tree each year.  We come up with a theme together and get to work like little elves.  Over the last few years the ornament collection has been a reoccurring woodland theme with birds, nests, acorns, pine cones and snowflakes.  As you can imagine our tree is filled with beaded ornaments that I have created over the years.  It's one of my favorite crafty projects of the season!

This year's ornament features a Vintaj brass leaf embellished with embossing powders in a faux enamel finish. I layered on an Arte Metal leaf pendant and a trio of brass beads wrapped to look like berries. I paired them up with one of my disk beads, a rhinestone rondelle, a ceramic bead from Earthenwood and a fun beaded bead that I picked up at Michael's.

Jess sat down and made his own version of the design.

Be sure to stop by the Art Bead Scene today after 12pm (EST) for a chance to win a fabu prize from little ol' me.

Fix yourself a cup of hot cocoa and put on your favorite holiday radio station as you enjoy visiting the rest of the blog hop participants for a little ornament inspiration!

Humblebeads - You are here!

Suburban Girl Studio

Spirited Earth

Garden Path Beads

Life in the Lyon's Den

Blog by Salla

It's Been a While

Sue Beads

Artist At Work

Modern Nature Studio

WireWorked

Too Aquarius

Artfully Ornamental

Gem Rose Designs

Jewels by Ine

BeeTree by M.E.

Islandgirl's Insights

Angela Lund-Logan

Gem's PC Corner

Summers Studio

Sandy Volpe

The Next Bend

Skye Jewels

Janina Grigore

Elysian Studios

Jeannie's Blog

Art Bead Scene

Hope you are having a fun and relaxing start to the holiday season!

More Bead Ornaments

I just couldn't stop at two!  I have two more ornaments to share with you today.

First I created a pair of filigree ornaments with brass pieces from Paloma Antigua.  There are all sorts of great painted filigree pieces in this shop!

I added a glass bead, rhinestone rondelle, one of my disk beads, a bead cap and a fire polished glass bead to an eye pin. I attached the hanger and filigree with 13mm jump rings.

The filigree is super lightweight so it won't weigh down your branches.  The filigree comes in sets of 2 so you can make for your tree and one for a friend or give them as a set.  I could see them done in several different colors and given as a special gift.

The second, is missing any art beads, but I have these round beads I need to use up.  The ceramic rounds were on a bargain table at a local bead show and I ended up getting two strands of these huge beads that I will never use for jewelry.  Sometimes that the danger of shopping at a show!  After I made the nest, I attached a wire hanger and tied on a bit of silk ribbon.  LOVE these! I want to make a dozen or so of these for my tree. 

The nest is created with steel wire and the curly wire work on stop is done with a softer craft wire in a bright silver finish, both are 20 gauge.  If you don't know how to make a nest here are two tutorials - 1 & 2.  I do kind of a hybrid of these two styles.  The nest is about 2" wide.

The back side of the nest.  I have a set of tiny teal birds that my daughter and I made a few years ago, they will look so cute on the tree with the nests.  I could see these on top of packages too instead of bows.

So how are you doing with your holiday decorating?  Is it a major affair or do you keep things simple?  My only requirement is a real tree - I need that fresh pine smell to feel like it's the holidays!