Color Your Own Christmas Ornament

This project was more difficult than I expected so you’ll see pictures of the ornament I made but the directions will modify the project to make it simpler.

Supplied Needed:

White Tissue Paper
Crayons
White Glue
Water
Container with a pour-spout
Paintbrush
Glass Ornament
Glitter
Scissors
Tweezers

Draw a pattern onto the tissue paper using your crayons. I drew music notes but you would be better off drawing one larger picture like a Christmas tree or a bell. Cut out the picture. You should cut away as much of the excess tissue paper as possible. Remove the metal cap from your glass ornament and set it aside. Paint a thin coat of white glue onto the inside of the ornament where you would like the image to appear.

Push the picture into the ornament with your tweezers. Stick it to the glue so the drawing shows through the glass. Use the back of your paintbrush the secure the picture to the ornament. Make the image as smooth as possible.

In your container, mix 1/3 white glue with 2/3 water. Pour the mixture into the ornament and shake it so the glue coats the inside. Dump out the extra glue mixture.

Pour some glitter into the ornament and shake. The glitter will stick to the inside of the ornament. Dump out the extra glitter.

Replace the metal cap and tie some ribbon or attach a hanger to your ornament.

Click here for more Christmas crafts.

Return to main page.

Frank Lloyd Wright

Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, probably the most famous American architect, born in 1867. Wright wanted his buildings to rise naturally from the land that surrounded them, as you’ll see. His buildings are often low to the ground and comprised of straight lines forming geometrical patterns. They are not symmetrical. Remember the ideas of the de stijl movement in the Netherlands? Wright greatly influenced those artists and architects.

He began his architectural career in Oak Park, Illinois where he designed the Unity Temple and many homes. Since I have been to Oak Park and seen these buildings, they will be the main focus of this post.

The image above is Unity Temple. I visited during a hot summer day and was the only person in the building so I was allowed to wander as I pleased. It’s impossible to describe the feeling in that building but I’ll try. There is a spirituality but it is not like that found in most churches. It is not as dark inside because the walls are wood and the stained-glass windows are mostly clear with colored geometrical patterns. Steps can be found in each corner of the chapel and the building exists on three levels, though it feels like only one floor from which you can somehow float upward. Wright designed the pews and light fixtures, as well as the building itself and the stained-glass windows. Below is a picture of the interior.
The next few images come from the neighborhoods surrounding Unity Temple and are all Wright-designed homes. The first was Wright’s own home and studio when he lived in Illinois. When I visited, some work was being done to restore the front of the home but you should notice the sculptures above the door. Yep: designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. They’re called “The Bolders.”

One of the most recognized homes that Wright designed is Falling Water, shown below. Notice how the building seems to fit into the land perfectly. The river actually runs underneath part of the house. Much of the building, as you can see, is made from stones that match those found in the river and the beams are brown like trees that surround the house.
Finally, the last picture I’ll show you today is of the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. It spirals out of the ground on the corner of a city block. There is no nature to be found here... or is there. When you step inside it is like entering a seashell. The green glass is the ceiling of the building and the spiraling ramps direct you through the building, beginning at the top and traveling downward.
I had originally planned to create a Wright-inspired ginger bread house as a project to tie-in to this article but last night on the Food Network someone built Falling Water and that convinced me of how difficult that project would really be. Still, you should check it out if you get a chance. The show will be replayed on Dec. 22 at 6:00pm and Dec. 23 at 3:00pm (Eastern Standard Time). It’s quite impressive.

As an interesting side note, Frank Lloyd Wright’s son, John Lloyd Wright, invented Lincoln Logs in 1918.

EDITED TO ADD: Create Your Own Edible Painting, includes a cookie inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's stained-glass designs

EDITED TO ADD: The Wright 3 by Blue Balliett, book review

Return to main page.

Create Your Own Palm Frond Rudolph

Today I’d like to recognize the insane snow storm that hit the north eastern US this weekend with this tropical Christmas craft. I do not live in the south (though I was not affected by the storm, either) so these photos are courtesy of my mother. Not to worry, though; I’ve made my share of palm frond Rudolphs. I won’t steer you wrong.

Supplies Needed:

Palm Frond
Googley Eyes
Red Pom
Glue Gun and Glue Stick
I’m not sure why there is white glue and a glue gun in this picture. You could use either so take your pick. Begin by collecting your supplies, including taking a palm frond from a palm tree. If the trees have recently been pruned, you may find the perfect frond on the ground just waiting for you to turn it into a masterpiece. If not, you’ll want an adult to help you retrieve one. Make sure the frond comes from the right kind of palm tree. See the picture below for help. (Yes, that’s my parent’s back yard... lucky, huh?)
Attach the goggley eyes and the pom to the palm frond. If you use hot glue you won’t have to wait more than a moment for it to dry but if you use white glue be sure everything is firmly attached before you handle your Rudolph.
If you wish to hang it, hot glue a loop of ribbon to the back. Hang and enjoy!

Thanks, Mom, for the lovely photos!

Click here for more Christmas crafts.

Return to main page.

Paint Your Own Christmas Ornament

Today’s Christmas craft is a simple one, guaranteed to produce beautiful and unique ornaments every time. And it can be enjoyed by crafters of all ages.

Supplies Needed:

Glass ball ornament
Glass paint
Yes, that’s it. Gather your supplies and cover your workspace with newspaper. I chose to use red, green, and white paints and I think my ornament came out well. You can use any colors and glass paint comes in more colors that you can imagine. Silver and gold would be good additions to any ornament. Go crazy!

Remove the top of the ornament, the part that allows you to hang it on the tree, and set it aside.

Hold the ornament so the opening is angled, though still with an upright tilt. Squeeze some paint into the ornament so it runs down the inside. Glass paint is rather thick and will take a while to make it to the bottom of the ornament. There’s no need to wait for it to finish its journey before adding the next color. Squeeze as many colors into the ball as you’d like, rotating the ornament each time for a paint-free space.

Now cover the opening with your thumb and gently tap the ornament against your other palm to speed the paint along. Turn the ornament so the paint runs across the entire inside and there is no clear space left. Add more paint if you need to.

Place the top back on and enjoy your one-of-a-kind ornament. Add a piece of ribbon as a hanger if you choose, or just use a metal one.
A side note: You can use regular craft paint for this project since you won’t be washing the ornament or eat off of it, however, eventually the paint will begin to separate. The ornament pictured below was painted about ten years ago, by my estimation, and you can see that pigment (that is the color) is separating from the binder (the liquid that the color is mixed with to create paint). I still like it though, and hang it on my tree every year.
Click the following links for a paper ornament project, and a candy cane ornament project.

Return to main page.

Create Your Own Mondrian Masterpiece

Piet Mondrian wanted to find the heart of the things around him so that he could paint it onto his canvas. As he grew older, he art became simpler. The result, for you, is an easy-to-copy style. Today, learn to make your own Mondrian-inspired painting.

Supplies Needed:

Heavy sketch paper (white)
Paints in red, yellow, blue, and black
Paintbrush
Water (for rinsing the brush)
Ruler
Construction paper
Scissors
Pencils

Begin by drawing lines on your paper with your pencil. Use your ruler to make sure the lines are straight horizontal or vertical by measuring from the sides and marking several points along the line before drawing it. Use your imagination to decide where to draw the lines.

Next, fill in some of the squares formed by your intersecting lines with red, yellow, or blue paint. Make sure to leave some of the squares white. If your colors aren’t perfectly within the lines, that’s okay; you’ll paint your black lines next and they’ll cover the edges.

You will now paint over the pencil lines with black paint. The other colors need to dry first and in the meantime, you can make a stencil for painting the black lines. This will make them look crisp.

Cut a sheet of construction paper in half. Place the outer edges together. The edges that you just cut will be to the outside now. Cut a strip from another sheet of construction paper and then cut the strip in half. You’ll use this strip to connect the two halves of your construction paper.

You want to leave an opening about half an inch thick so measure a half an inch somewhere in the middle of the strip and mark it off. Do the same to the second strip. Now tape one strip to each end of the half-sheets of construction paper with the straight edges faces into the gap.

Mark the center of the gap by drawing a line on each strip. Now line up the pencil lines on your painting with these lines and use your stencil to paint black lines where the pencil lines used to be. You may need to fill in your lines a few at a time and let them dry before filling in a few more. You don’t want to set your stencil in wet paint.

Alternatively, you could use a thick black marker to draw the lines but paint will look better.

After you have painted all the lines, your masterpiece is complete! Let it dry, hang, and enjoy.

Return to main page.