Every year I make a Christmas ornament for my husband, my son, and now this year for the baby soon to join us. I try to commemorate a specific event or interest from that year. My goal is that eventually we will have a tree full of ornaments, each one carrying a special memory, instead of just pretty but generic store-bought ornaments.
This Fall we took a trip together to Washington State and spent a couple of days on Whidbey Island. It was gorgeous. I loved the pebbly beaches at the edge of the evergreen forest. Eli threw rock after rock into the waves.
We brought home a few of those rocks which Eli enjoys playing with on an almost daily basis. I stole a couple from his collection for the purpose of making ornaments that will remain with us for years after Eli’s play rocks have been scattered and lost.
I was inspired to use this technique by seeing this blue agate wire wrapped necklace and earring set from A Little Bit of Craft.
Here are the materials I used.
Materials: thin wire, beach stone, glass seed beads, and needle-nose pliers
I began by sliding a bead onto the wire and twisting the wire around it to hold it in place. The length of the wire you will use depends on the size of your stone and how many times you want it wrapped.
I then repeated this at intervals all along the length of the wire. (The first ornament I made I wrapped the wire around the stone adding the beads as I worked. I found this new method much easier.)
Then I picked up my stone and stared wrapping. It can be a bit challenging to keep the wire tight so it doesn’t slip out of position along the edge of the stone. A flat shaped stone works much better for this project than a stone that curves on every side.
When it looks like you have as much wire and beads on your stone as you want, or you are coming to the end of your wire work both ends up to the place you want to be the top of the ornament. Give them a couple of twists to hold them in place.
Now form one of the wires into a little loop and wrap the other wire around it where it meets the rock. Then wrap the end on the loop around a few times too so it won’t just slip out later. Trim off the excess of the loop wire and then continue wrapping the second wire to fully cover the pointy end.
At the end tuck in the end point of the wrapping wire.
Add a whatever kind of hanger you’d like and your ornament is complete!
Next time you are on vacation, or want a memento from a special location, send forth your little one to collect some rocks! (As long as it is legal to do so, of course.)
Here’s where I’m linking up:
Christmas Craft Linky Party, Tea Rose Home,
Sunday:
I {heart} Naptime, Flamingo Toes, My 1929 Charmer Blog,
jembellish clothes upcycling page, Blissful and Domestic,
Monday:
Get Outta My Head Please, Skip to My Lou, The Gunny Sack, Sew Can Do,
Singing Three Little Birds, C.R.A.F.T., diy home sweet home,
Craft-O Maniac, Sew Chatty, Sarahndipities , The Cure for the Common Monday
Tuesday:
Not Just a Housewife, Hope Studios, Funky Polkadot Giraffe,
Kammy’s Korner, Home Stories A to Z, Tell Me Tuesday, Crafty Confessions,
Homemade Tuesday, Tuesday To Do, Today’s Assignment,
Antiprocrastination Tuesday, Take-a-Look Tuesday, Nifty Thrifty Tuesday,
The Creative Itch Boutique, Schwin and Schwin, Heart and Soul Blog Hop
Wednesday:
Sew Much Ado, Frugally Sustainable, Lil’ Luna, Someday Crafts, Whimsy
Wednesday, Whatcha Work Up Wednesday
Thursday:
Mom On Timeout, Thrifty Decorating, Bear Rabbit Bear, Thriving on Thursdays
The Crafty Blogstalker, The Shabby Creek Cottage, House of Hepworths,
Sorta Crunchy, Delightful Order, Anything Goes Linky Party,
Friday:
Simply Designing, Whipperberry, Happy Hour Projects,
Joyful Stamper, Making Lemonade Blog, Thirty Handmade Days,
Naptime Crafters, Romantic Home, Finding Fabulous,
Shabby Nest, French Country Cottage, The Charm of Home, The Grant Life,
At the Picket Fence, Fingerprints on the Fridge, One Artsy Mama,
Saturday:
The Gingerbread Blog, Too Much Time On My Hands,
Six Sisters Stuff, Serenity You, Be Different Act Normal
