Snow Covered Church

Snow Covered Church
"Did Hell Freeze Over?"
Showing posts with label photo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photo. Show all posts

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Ornament Craft Holiday Gift 2013

So last year I post my Holiday Craft. Making personalized ornaments. "Baby's first Christmas... Memory ornaments for Christmas.. ETC"
You can find it HERE (Ornament Holiday Craft Gift).
Now this year we gave it a little twist.
I couldn't find the pre-painted ornaments like last year. Have no idea why, but I was going to be dismayed over a simple thing like that.

Ornament Craft Holiday Gift 2013
I found clear glass Ornaments for $4.99 for a box of four at Micheals (3.97$ at walmart).
Fake Snow Flakes for $3.79. (The bag looks small but I haven't even made a dent in it. A little goes a long way)
FolkArt Multi Surface Paint
I bought permanent Paints $1.50-$2 a bottle. (I haven't even made a dent in these wither and I've made 8 ornaments so far). After it cures for 21 days it can no longer be removed (or they say you can bake it to make it permanent).
You DO NOT need to stick to this brand. Just make sure what ever paint you buy, will paint on glass effectively. I just found it appealing that it becomes permanent and then can  be ran through a dishwasher.... In other words, I can use it for other personalized gifts like plate or mugs...

I also found 3-D stickers $1.49 (Get the smallest ones to use on ornaments. and in retrospect I would take off the double sided sticky tape and attach with a glue gun if you have one. I didn't so used what was on them.  - I now have a glue gun coming. I may re- attach them with it if it gets here early enough).
I have paint brushes I use for my Cakes, but you DON'T want to mix food paint brushed with regular paint brushes. Once you use them for paint, they are no longer viable for food! So I bought more paint brushes.

Things you will need other than listed above.
Scissors
thread (string, fishing line, or some decorative threads -Your choice)
Glue - I was using elmers (tape if no glue available)
Paper - For your template and to make a throw away funnel to get you snow flakes in).
Pen or Pencil
Wallet Sized Photos (or photos you can cut out) .


 The first thing you want to do is make your template. So this time, I found a lid about the same size as  the circumference of my ornament and traces it out for a smooth circle.  Now I was smart. I rolled it up and dropped it in the ornament to make sure it fit. It was  a hair to big and I trimmed it down, but you see the point. Better to re-cut your template then to waist a photo.

 Next you'll want to place your 2 photos back to back.I put a little bit of glue on the back of the two photos I was using, smeared it around and put them together. Now you want to let them dry if you do it this way, so they wont move when you cut them out with the template. Make sure you don't do the entire surface. You're going to want to leave room to glue in your string at the top after you gut them out. So the bottom section of the back is enough. (If you're in a hurry, use tape.)

When your glue is dry;
center you template over the face on the picture (you could just use a picture that is beautiful and scenic too. Don't get stuck on specifics ) . You can use a larger photo and make it the size of the entire circumference, but I found I like the look of the straight edge on the sides when it's in the ornament. But you make prefer the full circle, use a larger photo.

 Next glue the thread/string at the top, between the two photos. So basically pry the top part (that I instructed you not to glue) open, put a small dab a glue in there, put the string on the glue, and press the photos back together. Catch and clean up any glue that might come out from in-between the two photos.

Now in order to get the photo in the ornament, you need to roll it to the size of the hole. Don't fold it. You'll ruin the photo and never get it to flatten out in the ornament. (Yes my other half  asked last year " and you folded it to get it in there"). I used the handle of my paint brush to reach in and flatten out the photos. It's not always as easy as it looks. You have to press the  pictures against the inside of the ornament to flatten out the rounded edges from rolling it up to get it in there.  Be patient and take your time, or you may end up folding the picture anyway and ruining it.



Right now you're wondering what the string is for. It's to keep the photo from twisting all around the ornament. I learned on the first one I made. They move!



You have the wire that's bent to make it springy, so when it's put in it won't fall out. The wire is put through two holes. You too are going to use these two holes. You have two ends of string. You'll put one through each hole so you can tie the photo to the top after it's put back on. This will keep it from rolling around and turning upside down. Cut the end short, but not so short it could slip the knot
(You can also put the top back on and weave it through the metal leaves rather than poking it through the hole, but unless you use thin thread it will be visible). See last yearsCLICK  HERE Ornament Holiday Craft Gift. Photos of these steps.

So your next step (and it can be done prior to putting your pictures in there, but let it dry completely before putting you photos in) is painting on your Chrismasy  decorations. I went the easy route. I painted the bottom white and wavy for snow (use two coats). I painted 3 round white circles  of three different sizes to make the snowman ( 2 coats). When that dried I painted the eyes, nose, mouth and arms in black on it. Then painted on a scarf. A few have painted little hats on them.
Hand Painted Snowman

I also chose to paint on snow covered trees. I looked at an ornament from last year and figured I could do it. let dry completely.
Hand Painted Trees



















I also painted tiny white snowflakes on the outside  like this *.  If you click on the pictures and make them larger you can see them. I just put them randomly around it.



The 3-D stickers were for a different POP effect. See my snowflake above. These were put on after I painted them.

For my out new Babies this  year I put on these stickers.
3-D Stickers

3-D Stickers

I painted on their names and the year on them.

With a cute little picture  of them inside.

With this one of my Friends whole family I got crafty. See the Merry Christmas 2013  on the photo. I put that on there before I had it printed. I love Photoshop!.

 So there you have it. This Years Hand Crafted Personalized Gift Ornaments. Cute or what!




Friday, February 1, 2013

John Steiner ~ Author

Yup! It's that time again.

Promotion of my brother.

More books being published in the Vampire Genres.
Interview available to read here! CLICK ME!
Books like Squad V : Cornflake Girl





      See Vampirism from the victims point of view. Did they ask to be a vampire? How does that affect the person inflicted with Vampirism?










John Steiner Hails from Salt Lake City, Utah.

Life Skills

Lead Tutor · Taylorsville, Utah · Sep 2001 to present
Algebra, trigonometry, calculus, chemistry, biology and physics.
Education
Personal Life Skills

Survival of personal trials growing up.
- Ex-Naval Mother (Age 74) who has struggled with 2 Schizophrenias, Capgras Syndrome ( since before his birth), and suspected Alzheimer  now and now has Diabetic & Sleep Apnea complications in her last few years.
-Deceased Air Force Father (Age 73) who in his long journey in life struggled with his estranged wife and coping with raising 5 children on his own until September 13 2012 at his passing.
-Eldest Brother (Age 43) putting his entire family through his various stages of Drug & Alcoholism addiction since he was in his early teens.
-One of his 3 older sister (Age 41) is Mentally Handicapped.

He, with the aid of one of his older sister and Veteran Affairs, struggle to take care of his estranged mother in her remaining years.

All his life experiences add up to many things, but the one you're going to get a chance to see is his writers imagination come to life in his books.

Book Available NOW! 

"Tampered Tales"

Squad V Series
Book 1: "Squad V"
Book 2: "Snowflake Girl"

Books Coming Soon

Barer of the Ghost Nation, Fire Alive!, The Locust Effect, Bridging the Lotus, Flipspace short story series.

Find Me Here

 Website: http://www.walkingotherworlds.com/index.html

Photo Alteration by~ Tashee Photography

 

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Ornament Holiday Craft Gift

I was in the store looking for an ornament for a picture.
You know the ones, you slip your picture in a slot in the back. For the life of me, I couldn't find one.
And if you found one, well frankly the ornament sucked!
So I was wondering through the store and I saw these cute clear ornaments and I thought to myself "Now why can't they make picture ornaments out of cute little things like that...?"
Well, you could have smacked me with a Christmas Tree.
The top comes off and  could back on again....
I was going to make my own.

My self make Picture Ornament
So the tools you'll need...

1 pair of sciccors
1 spool of appropriate colored thread/fishing line
Tape
2 Wallet pictures or 1 wallet picture and something decorative for the back side (wrapping paper, fancy        written happy holidays etc etc)
1 (or more if making gifts) mostly clear ornament with removable and replaceable top
1 piece of paper to make a size template out of. )any paper will do)
1 pen/pencil
Hole  punch (or anything the cuts a little hole for the thread)

The first thing you want to do is make your template. I looped some thread around a pencil, held it at the center of the ornament and pulled the length out till the tip of the pencil hit the out most edge. The  I held it on a piece of paper, held it taunt as I drew a circle around my finger. Now I was smart. I rolled it up and dropped it in the ornament to make sure it fit. It was  a hair to big and I trimmed it down, but you see the point. Better to re-cut your template then to waist a photo.
Next you'll want to place your 2 photos back to back. I stick a little piece of rolled up tape in between them so they wont move when I cut them out with the template.

Next center you template over the and give a little clearance over the head so you can put a little hole in the top when your done. You can use a larger photo and make it the size of the entire circumference, but I found I like the look of the straight edge on the sides when it's in the ornament. But you make prefer the full circle.


Now I found these cute little ornaments at Walmart. Mostly clear with fake snow in the bottom. Really cute and the trees on the outside give it a little 3-D effect. It was 1.99$

You can get pictures made for a dollar at the 1 hour at walmart.  Or use those left over wallet size pictures from the school photos. Don't be stuck on exact instructions. It can be a photo you took yourself and really like. I take my own photos and have a little photography site
Tashee Photography .
Don't let that keep you from thinking that you can't take  a great photo. You have to be creative. If you look a little piece of the world and think how lovely that would be if they made it all over. Take your picture there and and close enough you can't see all the stuff around that you don't like.
Ok back to the subject...


Next make a hole for the thread/string.
At the top of the photo.

(You can also tape the string between the two photos if you don't want that hole, but it does have a habit of coming out while you're working with it)






Tie the string in a knot through the hole. Leave plenty of length.
You can make a smaller hole. (I just happened to miss with the hole punch I was using.) Use and exacto knife or a sharp steak knife. I used a hole punch cause it was easy.
 Note: I've also taped the string in between the photos and a little dab of Elmers glue if you don't want the hole.







Now in order to get the photo in the ornament, you need to roll it to the size of the hole. Don't fold it. You'll ruin the photo and never get it to flatten out in the ornament. (Yes my other half  said and you folded it to get it in there).













Put it in the ornament and push it in.
















Right now you're wondering what the string is for. It's to keep the photo from twisting all around the ornament. I learned on the first one I made. They move!














This is what the top looks like. You have the wire that's bent to make it springy, so when it's put in it won't fall out. The wire is put through two holes. You too are going to use these two holes. You have two ends of string. You'll put one through each hole so you can tie the photo to the top after it's put back on. This will keep it from rolling around and turning upside down. Cut the end short, but not so short it could slip the knot
(You can also put the top back on and weave it through the metal leaves rather than poking it through the hole, but unless you use thin thread it will be visible)

The finished product.

So you can basically make inexpensive ornaments with photo in them (that personal touch).
I gave one to a woman yesterday and she just went nuts to have her daughters photo in an ornament like that.

I made one for our tree because my son begged me to do so after seeing the one I made for someone else.
I have just made one for my mother-in-law with my son and another one of her grandchildren in it. She should love it!

This is the ornament that now sits on my tree. With my hansome little boy to go on it year after year.
You could do a baby's first Christmas  on one with a paint pen and some good handwriting.

I think the whole thing with buying wallet photos cost from 3$-4$ and my time.
Forever Keepsakes are priceless to most of us with kids.

See this YEARS (2013) changes Click Here!