A while ago I mentioned here that I wanted to make most of the ornaments for my Christmas tree this year. There are a couple reasons for this, but the most important reason is..toddlers! Yes, the Sparkletots destroyed an ornament or three last year. Cheap, expensive, new or old, the kids did not care and no ornament was safe. It doesn’t help that our floor is concrete, any thing glass that gets dropped/falls breaks. Sooo, the goal for this year’s tree is Toddler Resistant Ornaments. They don’t have to be made of rubber bouncy material, but maybe just be a little less likely to break when dropped, or if they do break they don’t shatter into a million sharp pieces.
That’s where this stuff comes in:
Crayola Model Magic. This stuff is like clay, but when it dries it has an almost foam-like consistency, but still has the look of clay. It truly is magic. I have searched high and low for a recipe to make my own Model Magic, but haven’t found anything that can replace the original. Each bag makes about 13 to 14 ornaments.
Supplies:
- Crayola Model Magic
- Candy/chocolate mold {I used snowflake ones by Wilton}
- flour
- drinking straw
- craft glue
- glitter
- ribbon
Start by dusting a very light coat of flour on your candy mold. If you put too much on it, the flour will get into to grooves and then the clay can’t get the cool texture. Grab some Model Magic and roll it into a ball, a little smaller than the size of a golf ball. Slightly flatten it in your hand, then spread some flour across the surface of the Model Magic. Press the clay into the mold, making sure to cover the whole area of the mold. Smooth out the back with your fingertip. Then ever so carefully lift up the edge of the snowflake. Go slow and try to get your fingers between the clay and the mold, to support the clay.
Lay the snowflake on a flat surface and use the straw to punch a hole in the top. I usually put the hole at the spot where I first lifted the snowflake from the mold, since it would often get a little misshapen there.
They take a day or so to dry. I flip them over the next day to dry the backs. Once dry use a paint brush to brush off the residual flour. I love the way they look at this point, and intentionally left some like this. But for the others I added sparkle!
For the light silver ones, I sprayed them with a coat of silver glitter spray (Krylon). For the others, I diluted craft glue with some water, then painted on a light coat of the glue with a brush. Then I doused the snowflake in glitter. Then let it dry, tie on a ribbon and hang it on the tree!
Linked to: Tatertots and Jello, At Home With K, Today’s Creative Blog, My Girlish Whims
These are so cute! I would love to do these with my 5 year old! She’d be so proud to hang her ornaments on the tree. I’d be so happy if you’d link it up to my party too (and any other awesome ideas like your hanging chalkboard–love!).
http://daysofchalkandchocolate.blogspot.com/2011/12/garage-sale-table-redo-link-party.html
Those are very cute! Stopping by from the TT&J link party
I would love for you to stop by and link up your ornaments to my 25 Days of Christmas Ornaments linky party.
http://singingthreelittlebirds.blogspot.com/2011/11/25-days-of-christmas-ornaments-linky.html
Thanks,
Julie
Have you done any decorating with your white felt garland ? (like the Halloween garland) I’ve made a green one for my faux mantel and am working on another for a double doorway 😉
Hi Shelley!
I haven’t put it up yet. I can’t decide if I want it on the tree or draped in front of windows with lights. I still have a bunch of decorating to do. I’d love to see the garland that you made!
Jessa
So easy, and they’re very cute! I’d like to make some realistic-looking candy canes for our tree so the kids can’t ‘accidentally’ break and eat them…
Wow! These are the best clay ornaments I have see yet. Can’t wait to try making some. Thanks for sharing!
I LOVED playing with model magic when I was a kid! Such a smart and grown up way to use it!
I’d love for you to link this up to my link party, Your Whims Wednesday! http://mygirlishwhims.blogspot.com/2011/12/your-whims-wednesday-36-and-features.html