Ornaments Part 1: Button Snowflakes

Even more than decorating the Christmas tree, I love Christmas ornaments. I have hundreds--close to 700 in my personal collection. I have a log that I maintain of where each individual ornament came from. Vacation purchase? Gift from a friend? Purchased at a Christmas bazaar? Handmade by me or others? I also list the date and who gave it me, if it was a gift.

I never put all the ornaments on the tree at one time. Some of them are quite ugly, but because of sentimental value I keep them. Also, I have purchased ugly ornaments at bazaars so I could use them as a general pattern--improving upon the original design.

It's a big Christmas tradition of mine to make ornaments. I'm excited that my grandchildren are old enough to embrace this tradition with enthusiasm. We've been making ornaments together for a couple of years now, but this year for the first time they are all old enough to full engage in the activity.

My first ornament project of the season with them was button snowflakes. I saw one online. Glue three popsicle sticks together in a snowflake shape and then glue on buttons.

I showed this idea to Bentley and Viva. They helped me make the first ornament. I had never used glue dots before and they were wonderful. Jake, Viva and Bentley could easily use them! I could easily use them! They hold well on most surfaces.


Viva made a button snowflake ornament on her own.


Bentley made an airplane. Airplane?! It was his idea. He made four or more popsicle stick airplanes. He painted them. He added a couple of rhinestones to one of them. He made a popsicle stick fish. It was quite large and beautiful. He did not make any snowflakes for me.




After the snowflake Viva made a couple of triangle shaped ornaments for me. Then she started doing free form designs like her big brother. She made a mouse and then a helicopter and finally a pteranodon (Seriously, that's what she called it!) Her art was a little harder to interpret than Bentley's, but she told me what it was, so I'm taking her word for it. (They are shown in the order listed above in case you are baffled. I like the pteranodon most!)




Jake was a great fan of my snowflakes and triangles and he made four or more in short order. He was not interested in free form popsicle stick artwork. Maybe another day.


This project was a big hit and the grandchildren asked to do it again the next day. In two days we burned through an entire package of 432 glue dots. I have to find a local, cheap, steady source for these.