Crafted Christmas Ornaments - Holiday Ornaments

I know what you're thinking, it's about a month too late for this thread. I decided I need a tiki themed tree for next Christmas and it's time to start working on it now. For one thing, leftover Christmas stuff it CHEAP right now.

I tried an experiment for a fishing float ornament - I took a 2.5 inch Christmas ball and made a net around it using this method

found at http://www.olypen.com/elgato/ballnets.htm

It was a good attempt, but I wanted to make some changes: I wanted transparent colored balls instead of reflective, I need some jute twine instead of the cheesy poly stuff, and I want to make more knots/smaller net holes.

I picked up some clear glass decorate-it-yourself ornaments on clearance 6 for a buck. I also got some glass stain in bottle (get the darker colors). I poured the stain in and sloshed it around to coat the inside well, poured the excess back into the bottle, and set the ball (hole down) in a paper cup to drain. If the color as not dark enough for your liking, repeat after the first coat has dried (some of these will get another coat)

So why am I posting now instead of waiting to show you a finished product? If you want to get on the fun you need to get your butt down to Michael's NOW or you'll have to wait until next November for the clear balls!

Will post finished products soon. In the meantime you can post your crafted ornaments here (Aloha Station, Big Toe, Buzzy, Cammo, Crazy Al, Meiko, Tiki Kate, Tiki Racer - I know you have ornaments to post)

EDITED - At Cammo's suggestion, changed the title to include other holidays so you can post your Easter ornaments (Easter Island???), 4th of July, Yom Kippur, etc. :)

Blurring the fine line between art and crap.

[ Edited by: MadDogMike 2009-01-06 16:06 ]

You can also scour the thrifts for clear ornaments. That's where I got mine. Guess I'm headed to Michael's next for the glass stain. For those with Beverly's Crafts-skip it. They didn't have much at all. If you have a choice, hit Michael's.

:drink:
Tacky

I like this better than my first one. 6 pieces of twine doubled and tied to a keyring to make 12 strings.

That looks really good! Have you tried lighting those yet? I've got my stuff ready to go-just gotta get off this board and get it going! I bought the assortment of transparent glass color-it says to use the glass primer first (gee, I guess that's why it's called PRIMEr!)Did you do that? I assume they are expecting peeps to use this stuff for wine glasses and such that will be handled and washed. I've got the rings for the bottom-did you paint yours or are they pretty much covered with the twine?

I'm going to make mine and try them on a minilight strand I have in my Faux Beaux-nana. OOH-got and idea-keep your eyes peeled for some 10-light mini lights with something horrible on them, pull off the ugly things and replace with cool 'fishing floats'-then weave them into your decor!

If I can figure out how to post pictures, I'll do it and get back to you!

I love the way you tied your float-I may need some tips on that!

:drink:
Tacky

Go TackyTiki!!!

I have not tried to light mine but that's a good idea, the mini lights would work great. I used Kelly's brand glass stain from Michael's and it didn't call for a primer but maybe it should have. I poured the stain in and swirled it around to coat evenly then turned the ball upsidedown to drain. Seems like most of the stain just ran back out. Even after several coats, they were only tinted, the blue one pictured was the darkest and the rest were much lighter. In all fairness, I had started with Light Blue and Lime Green which are light colors but I would have thought the red would have stained darker. The yellow hardly has any color at all. I am going to get a dark blue and dark green and try again.

I didn't paint the metal ring at the bottom, I looped the 6 strings on then wrapped the gaps in-between with another piece of string and tied it off.

Posting pictures is much easier on this forum than on many others (thank you Hanford) When you post a reply, hit the link that says "Add Images To Your Post", it will open a new window, hit the "Browse" button, select your image, hit the "Submit" button, copy the string starting with [img... and ending with .../img] and paste it to you post. You can hit the "Preview" button to see how it looks. PM me if you have trouble

Made this for the "online artshow". Started with a standard christmas bauble, taped on the spines [cocktail sticks] and the face and tail. Then covered it in paper marche to add texture and smooth all the elements together.

The outrigger and sails were then added. Next up I undercoated and then used acrylics to make it feel like a tikiracer.

Awesome, thanks TikiRacer! Tomorrow, I'm going to try a puffer out a styrofoam ball and a hundred toothpicks. (But it won't look anything like a TikiRacer)

That tikiracer is really good looking! I'd forgotten about paper mache! What a cool way to create more tiki stuff! Pufferfish and moais to hang on the Xmas tree-or in the bar! I'll have to experiment! Thanks for the idea, Tikiracer!

Right now I'm waiting for my glass primer to dry. I'm starting out with only one ornament just in case I mess up somehow. I bought the Delta brand of transparent glass color. I got one of those little combo/trial kits. Hopefully it will be a good way of making floats of different colors without spending as much for a big bottle of glass color. We'll see. The primer has Isopropyl alcohol in it, but there seems to be something oily in it too. The glass is not getting an etched look (thank the tiki gods!) I'm hoping I'll get a color on it within the hour to get an idea if it's going to look good.

:drink:
Tacky

O.k.-the Delta brand stuff was too thick and would not swirl around in the glass. I know there is one other brand at Michaels-but it isn't Kellys. MadDogMike what state are you in? Maybe we don't have that brand because it doesn't meet the CA requirements.

I'll see if I can pick up something else tomorrow. I couldn't get the stain to move, so I washed it back out. I didn't see any reason to let it dry in the ornament since it was just sitting there in blobs.

:drink:
Tacky

Here's my version of a pufferfish, it doesn't have near the mojo of a TikiRacer but it is vaguely reminiscent of a fish

Styrofoam ball, 50 toothpicks, tissue paper and white glue (fins), a couple black brads (raided my wife's scrapbooking stash) and some paint

It's cute! Well, in a pufferfish kinda way! I'll have to try some!

I got in the wrong lane for Michaels today, so I'll try again tomorrow. Got my scooter meeting, so won't get to working on the Fishing floats until Friday, but I'll check into pufferfish supplies tomorrow, too!

Can acrylic paints be used on styrofoam? Maybe I could make one the color of the tikiracer!

:drink:
Tacky

I finally got the transparent glass paint figured out. Tried 2 different paints on the inside of the ornament but the paint drained out before it could dry. I finally tried some "Gallery Glass" Window Color by Plaid from Michael's Crafts. I brushed a coat on the outside, let it dry then brushed on a second coat. Now to tie some nets around them.

Lookin' good, MadDog! Thanks for sharing!!
I used that same stuff on some port/starbird lights I found at a thrift store - I found them clear & used the same product to make one red & the other green.

I found the Kelly's stuff, had the same (or worse) problems than you had. Went back to the Delta stuff, painted on the outside. So far, so good. Trying to save some of the ones that dried unevenly with the Kelly's. I can always tuck those back in the foliage if they are too uneven!

I did get the Gallery Glass in one color. I got some more ornaments at Beverly's. I'll try the Gallery Glass once I get some of these others finished. They seem to need several coats. I did have some questions on the Gallery Glass:

What colors did you buy? Their color names are strange. Like Plum and Morning Glory. Which one is just plain purple!?! What is a good green? Kelly? Lime? I wish they had swatches!

Did you use the clear protective coat on top? I bought it. Thought it might help. Lemme know if you used it and liked it or hated it.

One of these days I'll have something done to show everyone! I think maybe this is not a good craft for winter in Sacramento. Even though the weather is in the mid 60's during the day lately, it just isn't really warm enough to cure this stuff very fast.

:drink:
Tacky

Tacky, the color that the bottle shows is not the color of the dried paint. I bought Sunny Yellow, Royal Blue, Kelly Green, and Ruby Red. Gave everything 2 coats and it seemed to cover pretty well. I figure a little uneven-ness is OK because the netting covers and breaks it up, plus the coloring on the real ones is a little swirled and uneven. The teal color is one coat blue then one coat green, the orange was mixed about 3 parts yellow and 1 part red then painted on.

I didn't get the clear coat to put over the top; I figure the netting will help protect them and it's not like tree ornaments get that much wear and tear. I've got 3 netted and 4 more to go.

Mike

Yeah, I guess that was my third question-can you custom mix your own colors! I do want a teal one-that's my favorite color (well, outside of light pink, which is not tiki!) I'll have some of these older ones done soon and will start the new paint-I think Gallery Glass and Delta will be pretty close, but can't say for sure until I've tried it!

I'm going to put my better ones on a 10-light string-instead of using clear bulbs I'll try ones that closely match the glass float color. Don't know where I'll put the lights when I'm done-may hang them thru the fishing net on the ceiling to hide the cord.

Too many tiki projects-too little time!

:drink:
Tacky

My Christmas collection so far. Got to where I can net a ball in about 10 minutes.

The gem of my collection is the Cammo original gold-leaf Zormok. Found some grass shack mini lights at a BigLots! out of town but didn't buy them 'cuz I figured I'd buy them at home. Of course now my local BigLots! doesn't have them in :(

Just finished my first one! I put the opening at the top and tried to diguise it with the twine knot. This one is not going on the light strand...it was a test and will hang up somewhere! If I can figure out how to post pictures, I'LL get one on here and you can give me some tips> I think I should make a smaller "mesh" next time, but this isn't bad!

I also tried the Gallery Glass and didn't like it as much as the Delta, so I went back to it. The test one is of Gallery Glass.

:drink:
Tacky

And your collection looks totally fab! The puffer really does have a tikiracer vibe now-looks like
he got a coat of metallic paint (looks like metal flake in the pic!) I love them all!

:drink:
Tacky

Did you figure out the picture posting Tacky Tiki? At the bottom of the white posting screen there is a box that says "Add Images To Your Post" Click on it and follow the directions. Let's see 'em!

I love these! what a great idea!

Thank you, your Majesty :)

MadDogMike, you totally ROCK! I love those mini fishing floats! And Tacki Tiki, great idea to light them up...and the best part is you don't even have to wait for Christmas to use them (or Easter or Hannuka, or Martin Luther King day...) I just found this thread today and love the ideas. I may even have a string of plain old clear globe lights that I can "transform"..hmm so much tiki, so little time!

PS, MDM, thanks for the PM's. I haven't started carving yet (my class was cancelled this week) but I have been sketching up a storm..who knows, some day I may even start my own thread! Thanks for the inspiration!

Thanks TikiMommy :blush: TC is such a cool place because of all the inspiration floating around! And yes, you'd better post your stuff - maybe it will inspire someone else.

Fun - I can't wait to see your deco'd tree. The spines on the puffer are a blast.

Wow MDM! Already working on Xmas.
You're on fire!

http://www.fluffshop.com

[ Edited by: Iokona Ki'i 2009-02-23 13:47 ]

I tried monday for four hours to figure out how to get my pictures off the camera and on the computer. The dang computer didn't 'find' the camera in the USB port! Dunno what's going on with that. I'll see if I can find someone who can figure it out for me. The worst thing was that the flipping computer erased one of my pictures of The Alibi in Portland. It just wiped it right off the camera and I can't find it on the computer. I am not a happy tiki camper about that.

Meanwhile, I'm painting these clear ornaments as often as possible. I've tied several and they look really good-I'm really surprised at myself! I bought more Delta glass stain today and painted some more-gonna stockpile these things as gifts for tiki peeps, besides hanging them all over the Lava Lounge. I'm considering taking pictures and having a disc made at Walmart or something then trying to post from there. Gotta figure it out before the mug trade is on!! So stay tuned!

Headed to the Bay tomorrow to hit TV's Emeryville for stuff for the mug trade...then I'll attempt more fishnet on sunday!! Pictures will happen, sooner than later!!

:drink:

Tacky

Found these "Bamboo String Lights" at Big!Lots (no I didn't buy any tikis there) for $10. They'll look good on my tiki tree, I wish the electrical cord was green instead of white.

Time to bump this thread.

I picked up a string of flicker flame Christmas lights at Lowe's, I see miniature tiki torches :) I'll have to make some tiki torch bases, maybe bamboo or grass mat wrapped around a cardboard tube. Hmmm...

On 2009-01-29 20:50, MadDogMike wrote:
My Christmas collection so far. Got to where I can net a ball in about 10 minutes.

The gem of my collection is the Cammo original gold-leaf Zormok. Found some grass shack mini lights at a BigLots! out of town but didn't buy them 'cuz I figured I'd buy them at home. Of course now my local BigLots! doesn't have them in :(

These glass float ornaments are off the hook.... get it?

Thanks '61 :)

Started working on my mini tiki torch Christmas lights. Started with a string of 10 flickering flame lights from Lowe's. Cut a 2 1/2 inch piece of 3/4 inch PVC pipe Cut the top off a bottle of Mondo Primo Punch (30 cents a 6 pack at Dollar Tree) and spray painted it with Fusion paint for plastic. Wrapped a piece of grass placemat around it and glued it all together with a hot glue gun. One down, nine to go :)

PS - Dump the punch and save the bottles, it's NASTY!!!

MDM: Those new lights are SOOOO fun and I REALLY like your glass floats! You are VERY creative. I have so much crap in my house that could be converted to great stuff - I just don't have the imagination to do it - or if I CAN envision it - I can't make it look like I imagine! Grrrr!

About those floats - I haven't tried yet, but did you have to make any modifications to the knotting you did on those floats? A while ago I had an idea for making float earrings but couldn't figure out the knotting (see my comment above about vision/follow-thru LOL!). You inspire me to new levels!

Great idea on those tiki torches. Can't wait to see how your tree turns out. What are you thinking of for a topper?

Genius!!!!!!!!Genius!!!!

BeadTiki, you just have to GO FOR IT!!! You can do it! :) I pretty much used the knotting technique from the first post of this thread. It looks complicated but it's really not once you start. As far as earrings, here's a small float I did a few days ago.

Thank you KoiTiki. I haven't thought about a topper yet. Organization is not one of my talents so I don't plan things very well. I get carried away with inspiration and end up with too much of one thing and not enough of another :D

MP, good to hear from you again! You were a busy guy last night - 15 posts. I think that may be a new world record! :lol:

Thanks for the info. Did you use a marble or a bead for that little guy? I know - how about you do the netting and I'll attach the earwires!? LOL Okay - I JUST found some twine today in my closet (don't ask!) and I'm gonna try my hand at the ornament floats. Thanks for the confidence too!

I couldn't find a bead or marble I liked so I made a latex mold and cast one out of epoxy.

Duuuuude! I think I'm more like that lush on the Food Channel - Semi-home made (or as I call it semi-home drunk) - I prefer to use things already at hand!

Duuuuude! I think I'm more like that lush on the Food Channel - Semi-home made (or as I call it semi-home drunk) - I prefer to use things already at hand!

That gal does enjoy her cocktails, doesn't she? :wink:

Great idea Mike! Not just for Xmas too.
Those would look great also in any tiki bar
year round. Looking forward to seeing the
completed MDM masterpiece!

Mike, this is what we've come to expect from you: a traditional idea given a fresh spin that makes a person think, "Why the hell didn't I think of that?"

A fresh spin ingeniously designed and perfectly carried out. Frikkin' nice.

I'm in full-tilt ornament mode right now, Dec 1st is only a week away :o I'm working on ceramic "bone" fishhooks and "rock" petroglyphs. Trying to make molds for some thin cast tikis to hang on the tree.

Then I had an epiphany! Silk leis would make a zazz garland; just snip 'em and tie 'em together :)

You used to be able to get 6 feet of garland from Oriental Trading company. Same thing as the cheap silk leis.

:music: Plop, plop, fizz, fizz. Oh, what a relief it is :music:

It's the day after Thanksgiving, I'm so full I may never eat again! It's also time to put up the Tiki Christmas Tree! We always have several decorated trees in the house, so there is a heirarchy for tree assignment; you don't just come up with a new tree idea and get the 7 footer in the living room! You start out with the 3 footer in the dining room and if the Christmas Tree Committee (my wife) is pleased with your work, you may get a 5 footer next year :lol:

I made up some "bone" fishhooks, a "jade" heitiki, and some "stone" petroglyphs out of ceramic.

I tried a couple of Maori "bone" twists but I made them from the picture in my head instead of looking at a picture of a real one - they are too skinny to use! :lol: The 2 on the right are mine, I'll have to try again.

So I took my 3 foot tree, my torch lights, bamboo hut lights, netted glass balls, ceramic ornaments, cheap fugly silk flower garland from (shhhh - Party City) and some bone pendants I had and made my Tiki Christmas Tree.

And the crowning glory for my tree is Cammo's Gold Leaf Zormok

[ Edited by: MadDogMike 2009-11-27 08:08 ]

Nice stuff!!!
Here are some fish float lights I made. (Mid page)
They are clear Christmas bulbs.
That I put paint in then tied
With two ply jute twine.
The paint I used you bake on.
They do have lights in them.
And last is some earings I did.
I did these years ago but I remember
that tyeing the small balls like these is harder.
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=18485&forum=18&start=30

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2009-11-27 08:30 ]

Plus this guy.
Mini Me.

Can't find pictures of our tiki tree.

Right on Mike! Dig the petroglyphs. Hope the Xmas tree committee approves.