Day 2 - 12 Days of Ornaments

Today's ornament tutorial was an unusual one. I have these vintage silver plated ashtrays. I bought them to see if I could sell them on Ebay but I found they don't sell for much. So they've been sitting around in my art room with the idea that I would use them to separate beads or something. Yeah, uh no. They've been sitting there for two years. So when I was working on ornaments, the stack of them were in the way of my feathers box and all of the sudden I had an idea for an ornament! I hope you like it!

NOTE: Please share your ornaments made this year in the linky thingie below. I'm giving away a whole pile of artsy things at the end of the 12 days, INCLUDING one of these vintage ashtrays so you can make your own!

Supplies (for blue ornament):

clear ashtrays or finger bowls would work

embossing pad & powder in silver, red and shimmery clear

heat gun

glue

paper scraps

glitter

brown ink pad

Merry Christmas (or other saying) stamp

various little things, broken ornaments, deers, whatever you like

collage images (mine are by RedLeadPaperworks.com)

sparkly tinsel trim

vintage pearls strand (mine are a light pink)

1 - Take the ashtray and pat with the embossing pad on the lip of the ashtray. Pour bright silver embossing powder all over it and then emboss with heat gun (I know, shouldn't mess up a vintage piece this way but...) For the other two trays, one I used red and shimmery clear and the pearl ashtray I didn't mess with the lip at all.

2 - Trace around the bottom of the ashtray onto a scrap patterned paper.You might need to trim the circle of paper down until it fits. For the blue one I used a painted/stamped piece of scrap paper. Glue into the bottom of the ashtray.

3 - With the shimmery tinsely trim, fit it into the inside edge of the ashtray. Mine had wire in it so I just measured, added an inch and twisted it together. Slip it inside the edge. Mine was tight enough I didn't need to glue it in but you could. The pearl ashtray, I glue dotted the pearls in, so they'd stay in place.

4 - Choose a person image and glue onto the background, not completely centered. I just love the children's sheet from RedLeadPaperworks.com.

5 - Take a deer or other animal. Add glue dots to the backside and bottom of  its feet and slip into the ashtray.

6 - Take glue and add dots of glue around the edge of the ashtray. Sprinkle with glitter and let dry.

7 - While that's drying, we'll do the sentiment. Stamp a holiday saying/word on scrap paper. Ink the edges of the piece of paper and cut a triangle at each end to create a banner. Bend it into a bannery wiggley shape.

8 - Pat the whole banner with the embossing pad while trying not to take the shape out of it too much. Cover liberally with clear embossing powder. Emboss. Do it all again.

9 - Glue dot the banner to the ashtray.

10 - Add any extras you want. On the drummer boy red one I went back and glittered the deer in the background after I took the pic. Add personal touches. Could add a person's name.

One thing I will say about using an ashtray... most will have a real silver edge you will be able to dremel drill a hole through to put a string for hanging. AFTER I made these, I realized the glass went all the way up to the edge under the silver lip. I don't have a glass drill bit yet so I couldn't finish these with ribbon. Not until I get to the store to buy it. Make sure to  use a strong ribbon to hang them with since they will be a bit heavy.

P.S. I was going to head out to the thrift store and see what other 'ashtrays' or interesting things they have to create with and take pretty pics for you to get ideas, but no. Here I sit still in my PJs in front of a roaring fire. Too lazy.  But you get the idea. You can think of other applications for this type of project. Shallow wooden bowl, juice can lids, silver cupcake papers (yes, I have some of those somewhere, fess up, you probably do too.)

Add a link to your ornaments here!