Dollar Store Challenge Part 4 Making Ornaments with Kids

I thought I needed a few more crafting ideas for my daughter’s upcoming party. Above is $10 worth of items that I decided to use for making holiday ornaments. They are as follows.

1. A package of 3 red feathered birds
2. A gold foil garland
3. A branch and evergreen swag
4. A set of 3 glitter bottles
5. A package of ceramic thimbles ( 6 to a package)
6. A package of 3 white feathered birds
7. A package of mini ornaments (16 ornaments including 3 doves)
8. A package of small cranberry stems
9. A package of large cranberry stems
10. A gold candle wreath 

Using the items above plus some glue, beads, fine glitter, a little wire and string I have leftover from last year, I can easily make 15 simple ornaments and have pieces left over to make more later.

 

My first ornament is made using the swag, gold garland, and a mini dove ornament.  I cut a small branch from the swag.  I used a small piece of my gold garland and wound it up into a nest shape.  I glued and wire the nest to the branch.  I glued 3 eggs, small faux pearl beads, to the nest.  I glued my mini bird ornament to the top and threaded a string through the hook on the dove.  I can make 3 bird nest ornaments with the material I bought.

 

My second ornament is made with the gold  candle wreath and one of the white feathered birds.  I took apart the candle wreath.  I ended up with 7 branches (floral picks).  I twisted two of the branches together.  The bird had wires through his feet.  I had to glue the feet back on because they easily slipped out of his body.  I wired the bird to the branch and he was ready to hang.  I can make 3 white bird ornaments with my material.

 

I made my 3rd ornament similar to my second.  The red birds had glue showing through their feathers.  I decided to add some “snow” to the birds to hide the glue.  I lightly brushed the feathers with glue (Mod Podge) and sprinkled fine glitter on the bird.  I took a couple of evergreen and berry picks from the swag, brushed a little glue on the tips of the needles and tops of berries, then sprinkled more fine glitter on the branches.  The red bird is attached with his feet wires to the branch.  I can make 3 red bird ornaments with my materials.

 

My last ornament is made with the ceramic thimbles and some glitter.  I had to get out a diamond bit and my drill for this one.  I drilled a hole in the top of each of the thimbles.  I put a line of glue around the bottom edge of the thimble and rolled the edge in glitter.   I took the smaller cranberry stems and put a knot in the middle of the stem.  Then I threaded the stem through my thimble bell.  I wire-wrapped a loop at the top of my bell and threaded a string through the loop.  I can make 6 ornaments with the materials above.

After making all the ornaments, I still have 3 containers with glitter that I can use to make the candle holder and snowmen in my Dollar Store Challenge Part 3.  I can also use my leftover mini ornaments for my snowmen.  I have bulbs that I can either place in a lamp like my Dollar Store Challenge Part 1 , use as decoration in a bowl, or embellish to hand on our tree.  I have more branches and garland for the first ornament in this post.  I have more cranberry stems for more thimble bells. 

I think I’m all set for the holidays now.  If I kept this up I would have to buy another Christmas tree! 

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