Christmas Every Monday - Part 2

 

It's Monday again and time for Christmas Every Monday - Part 2!

 

Today, we are going to make Christmas ornaments out of vintage sheet music.  You can go to about any thrift store and find sheet music (or at least here you can).  You can also find old hymnals.  I prefer the sheet music because the pages are so much larger.

 

When you buy vintage paper for this type of item, don't get it so old that it is "crunchy".  I mean that it tears if you fold it.  It's too hard to manage if you handle it too much.

 

OK, lets go!

 

 

First, a Christmas Tussie Mussie.

 

You will need:

 

Paper Mache Cone from Michaels

Silver Pipe Cleaner

Silver Tinsel from the Dollar Tree

Mod Podge

Vintage Music Sheet

Nail (to punch hole in sides for hanger)

Hot Glue Gun & Glue

 

I have made these out of cardstock but they are so much sturdier if you use the paper mache ones.  You can find them at Michaels.  This size is $1.49. 

 

Cover your cone in Mod Podge and roll it on a sheet of music until it is completely covered.  You will need to trim some of the paper off at the bottom to avoid bulk down there.

 

When you get it completely covered, cut off excess paper and set aside to dry.

 

 

After it is dry, poke a hole in each side and insert a silver pipe cleaner and twist the edges together.

 

 

 

Then, you are going to hot glue silver tinsel around the top.  I found the tinsel at the Dollar Tree.

 

You can fill these with greenery and/or candy or whatever your heart desires!

 

Second, a Christmas Snowflake

 

You will need:

 

Plastic Glittered Snowflakes (pkg 8/$1.00 at Dollar Tree)

Sheet music

Hot Glue and Glue Sticks

Layered Accents (Holly)

 

 

This is one of my favorite ornaments to make because they are very inexpensive and quick to make and everyone likes snowflakes.

 

 

 

 

Cut two strips of sheet music about 1 1/4" x the length of the sheet music (from top to bottom).  Hot glue the two strips together and accordion fold them.  Then hot glue the two ends together.

 

 

This will make a pinwheel.  Dab a big blob of hot glue in the center of the snowflake and push the pinwheel down forming a circle.

 

 

Add on top in the center a cutout of anything Christmas.  I love to buy the package of K&Company Layered Accents.  This package had 34 pieces of holly and poinsettas.  You could really make a lot of Christmas decorations with one package.  I got these at Michaels.

 

 

A Burlap and Paper Star

 

You will need:

 

Burlap

Sheet Music

Embroidery Thread

Needle

Mod Podge

Small Jute Twine

Three Red Buttons

 

 

Using any star the size you want, cut out two layers of burlap in the star shape.  I used the yellow felt star as a pattern.  Then cut out one layer of the sheet music and trim about 1/2" off all the way around of this piece.  You want the sheet music smaller so you can see the burlap.

 

 

Next, use your embroidery thread and go around the edge of the sheet music in a running stitch and sew to the burlap.  Now, if you don't sew at all, glue the star down and after it's good and dry, take a red fine line pen and draw in the stitches.

 

Using a lightweight Jute twine insert hanger between two pieces of burlap and glue down.  Then completely cover the piece in Mod Podge adhering the two pieces of burlap together.  Let that dry and do the reverse side.  Doing the two layers of burlap and Mod Podge makes them very durable.

 

When it is completely dry on both sides, you will probably notice the edges are frayed.  At this point, take your scissors and trim the edges nice and sharp.

 

 

 

A Paper Snowman

 

You will need:

 

Sheet Music

Thin Jute Twine for hanger

Twig for arms

Acrylic paint - black and orange

Small Snowflake

Distress Ink

Small piece of foam rubber

 

 

This one is super simple.  Cut two snowman shapes out of your sheet music.  Find a twig in your yard and lay across one and Mod Podge the second snowman on top adding in a twine hanger at the top.

 

When Mr. Frosty is good and dry, paint black eyes and a carrot orange nose.  Then you are going to take the small piece of foam and rub it in the Distressing Ink and ink around the edges to make the paper look even older. Then add jute rope around neck (that sounds kinda cruel, doesn't it?) and add small snowflake.  You could add a jingle bell or any little item you have.  That's just what I had on hand.

 

And last, but not least, a Birdhouse.

 

 

You will need:

 

This is a $1.00 wooden birdhouse from Michaels

Sheet Music

Layered Accents

Mod Podge

Olive Green Acrylic Paint

Xacto Knife

 

 

This was definitely the easiest to do.  Cover your birdhouse b with Mod Podge and adhere sheet music leaving the roof plain. 

 

NOTE:  If I was to do this one again, I definitely would not get the birdhouse with the scalloped trim on top.  It was too hard to cut around.  So remember that when you get yours!

 

I punched a hole for the small dowel with the scissors and pushed it thru the paper.  I left the big hole covered until it was completely dry.  Then I took an Xacto knife and cut it out.  It was easy to do because when dry it was very brittle.

 

Paint the roof a coordinating color and add the little holly cut outs above the hole and you're done.

 

You will notice on a lot of these I have antiqued them down to make them look older.  This was done with the Distressing Ink on a sponge.  This is totally optional.

 

Hope you enjoyed these.  If you sit down one evening, you could turn out quite a few.  The important thing is to have everything you need right there when you start out on a project.

 

Enjoy!

 

Till next time, Judy