Have you seen all the ornaments you can make over at the Better Homes and Gardens Christmas site? Whoo-hoo! I don't know about you; but, I am always on the search for patterns and how-to's on making handcrafted ornaments. What a heart-felt sentiment to be gifted with a box of these little wonders! Admittedly, some people do not appreciate handcrafted items but prefer commercially-made pieces. Each to her own. They are all wonderful. Me, personally, I see memories being made, a new history of stories being passed down through the family (whether biological or self-made) and soon-to-be-heirlooms to be treasured. Imagine opening this box of magic! All of the love and time poured into creating them, just for you! That's what I see.
My favorite are the miniature Pearl Wreaths. Why, you may ask? Well, I just acquired a boat-load of loose vintage pearls that I planned to use for another project. However, since I'm lover of Christmas ornaments and decorations, I couldn't help but to use them for this instead. The nostalgia is so appealing.
The Ribbon Candy Twists and Sweet Treats are so much fun to behold! Personally, I enjoy enlarging the patterns because I find the over-sized look to be very whimsical and fun. You can even make the Sweet Treats and Candy Canes from felt, like little pillows...or giant ones! Just imagine these large sized candies hanging from the tree or really large candy canes sticking out from an old wooden basket or silvery tin pail. If you make them with muslin instead and coat it with a strong tea or coffee stain when you're done, they will get a nice, aged, vintage look. It depends upon the look you're after: bright and cheery or country primitive. I love 'em both.
Haven't tried this one yet; but, it looks like it produces a very nice heirloom ornament. It has that country, primitive look to it, which is always homey. They refer to it as a 19th Century Ornament.
If you know of any other really good sites that offer patterns or instructions on how to make handcrafted ornaments or decorations, please share them with us.
