Wood You Be An Angel?

I found a wooden shape called a "pine signboard"by Walnut Hollow. It was supposed to be used like an exclamation mark. I turned it upside down and saw an angel. If you can't find this, use a rectangle (cut the long sides in a slant, if you wish) and add a circle (available at a craft store) on top to form the same general shape.

Materials

pine signboard

2 wooden shelf brackets

two 8" lengths of 1/2" dowel

two 6" lengths of 3/4" dowel

two 1" wooden beads

two small blocks of wood

9 large square nails

two buttons

carpenter's glue

Goop glue

wire brads

4 small eye hooks

stain blocker spray paint (Bin)

acrylic paint

black shoe polish

sawtooth hanger

Tools

utility knife

drill

small drill bits

pliers

tack hammer

Slice an angle off of the top of each one of the 1/2" dowels with a utility knife. This forms the shoulders. Keep one of the slices to use for the nose.

Glue the beads onto the other ends of the dowels to form hands. At the same time glue the small blocks onto the ends of the 3/4" dowels to form shoes. Allow to dry.

Drill small pilot holes in the shoulder ends of the 1/2" dowels, glue and nail them to the top of the dress. Drill pilot holes in the tops of the 3/4" dowels and the corresponding areas at the bottom of the dress. Screw an eye hook in the top of each 3/4" dowel. With 2 pliers, twist the eyes open on the other two hooks. Screw them into the dress bottom, then slip the leg eye hooks into the opened hooks and twist them closed.

Turn the angel over and glue and nail the shelf brackets to form the wings. You may wish to drill pilot holes for this too.

Glue the angled slice on the face for a nose. (oops - I forgot)

Paint the angel with stain blocker paint. Allow to dry.

Paint the angel with acrylic paints. When dry, cover with black shoe polish. Allow to set up a few minutes then rub off with a clean cloth.

Drill holes around the top of the head (mine are about an inch apart) then glue the nails in with Goop. These are square masonry nails but you can use whatever large nails you have on hand. (Come to think of it, my hair looks something like this)

Glue the button eyes in place with Goop also.

Attach a sawtooth hanger to the middle of the wings on the back.

Angel blessings to one and all.

Tear-off Advent Calendar

Oh my gosh, it's almost December and you don't have an advent calendar! What to do? CSMT to the rescue.

Download the free pdf advent calendar file. Print on copy paper (borderless page set-up). Cut on lines between sets of numbers. Hang up. Tear off.

advent calendar pdf file

What could be easier?

Little Packages

Is is true that the best gifts come in small packages? If so, this is the smallest package ever. The gift is up to you. If you can't find an appropriate trinket, perhaps you can place a Thanksgiving fortune (is there such a thing?) or wish on a strip of paper and place inside.

Materials

cardstock

acorn cap (large as possible)

Scotch tape

double stick tape

1 1/2" wide ribbon

leaf colored paper

Tools

scissors

hot glue gun

Cut a strip of cardstock 3/4" wide and a bit longer than the perimeter of the inside of the acorn cap. Curl it by drawing it across the blade of a pair of scissors like you would curl ribbon.

Roll the paper strip and fit it inside the acorn cap. Tape it together with scotch tape.

Cut a piece of wide ribbon a bit longer than the circumference of the paper strip. Place the raw edges of the ribbon against a hot electric burner on the stove or a curling iron. The heat seals the edges to prevent fraying.

Wrap double stick tape around the outside of the paper tube, then wrap the ribbon around the tape.
Place a tiny drop of hot glue on the outside edge of the bottom of the ribbon tube. Fold the opposite side over as pictured above. Place another tiny drop of glue in the center of the fold and attach each ear, one side at a time. It's best to place your index finger inside the tube to stabilize it while you glue.

Place your goodie in the box and then jam the open end up into the cap.

Cut oak leaves out of paper, add the recipient's name, glue to top. Lovely place cards for the Thanksgiving table.

Personalized Gift Tags

You can buy any number of gift tags but here is a way to make a customized set that no one else will have.

Materials:

A photo of the cutest kid(s) you can find (hopefully related to you) holding a piece of paper

cardstock or photo paper

Tools:

computer

printer

Photoshop

Photograph the child in front of a blank wall holding a blank piece of paper. If that doesn't work, use Photoshop to select the child using the polygonal lasso tool. Go to SELECT>INVERSE to select everything but the child. Select a color from the color picker, go to EDIT>FILL and fill with foreground color. Paint the piece of paper in the child's hands white with the paint brush tool to erase the images on it(if necessary). I also put a black line around the paper to define it again using the polygonal lasso then EDIT>STROKE. Erase the outline from the fingers. Using the crop tool, crop to the entire picture to an 8 x 10" size. (You can input the size in the options bar) When you are happy with the picture, go to FILE>SAVE.

Go to FILE>PICTURE PACKAGE (in Photoshop) and under "layout" select sizes and amounts of the same picture. The following picture and the one after it show 9 and 16 copies of the photo respectively. Print.

Cut pictures apart, glue on tag or punch a hole, tie on package and write "to" and "from". Amaze your friends and family.

If you print a set of 4, you can use them as thank you notes, allowing the child to write "Thank You" on the blank piece of paper on the front and perhaps elaborate (or draw a picture) on the back.

Yes he does have to thank his aunt for the socks and underwear.

Wire Bead Necklace

Twist and shout - or twist and wear it on your neck.

I've been trying to think of an easy tutorial for jewelry; one that doesn't involve soldering or using a jewelry saw. Wire fills the bill. I like the texture of these beads and find them fun to make.

Materials:

spool of 20 gauge beading wire (available at Michael's)

neck wire

bead

Tools:

The Coiling Gizmo (available here and probably most bead stores)

small needle nose pliers

wire cutters (or strong scissors)

ruler

file (optional)

Attach the base of the Coiling Gizmo to heavy piece of wood with screw (included in kit). You can also clamp it to your workbench. The Gizmo comes with two winders; one larger than the other. Loop the end of the beading wire around the bent arm of the smallest diameter winder, insert into base and begin to wind along the long straight part of the coiler. Make a 3" spring.

Remove it from the Gizmo. Cut the ends flush to the spring. You may have to tuck the ends into the spring slightly or file them. No sharp ends allowed.
Thread the wire through the spring and attach the end to bigger winder as before. Begin winding. Remove the bead from Gizmo, cut off ends, leaving 1/4" on each end. Tuck them into the bead with the small needle nose pliers. Test for sharp edges and file if necessary.

Make another identical wire bead and thread them, along with a focal bead on a neck wire. You should have a gorgeous and original necklace.

Tips:

Try different sizes and types of wire. I made some fun beads with 18 gauge aluminum wire from Home Depot.

You might enjoy using sterling or nickel silver wire. If your bead store doesn't carry silver wire there are numerous online sources.

It takes approximately 2 yards of 20 gauge wire to make one bead this size.