Christmas Insanity | SNOW STORM & DIY STAR ORNAMENTS

This year we had what I would call a late White Christmas.

Christmas day itself was incredibly wet. I wouldn’t say it was raining cats and dogs, but it was quite gross, really.

But then, on December 27, it was so white out you needed sunglasses just to find your way to the outdoor waste containers to get rid of the skeletal remains of Madame Roast Goose!

Sure, I asked for snow. But I’m quite fond of my eyesight, so I think I’d like to hang on to it a little while longer, thank you!

Also, a snow flurry lightly covering the balcony in a pretty, thin layer of flakes is one thing. It’s another to be snowed in!

(Wow, I didn’t realize I could be so picky about a snowfall’s intensity.)

(I guess you learn new things every day. It’s how we grow.)

(Also, I might be exaggerating slightly. Once again, this doesn’t really count as a blizzard. And I actually love that it snowed at all!)

(Better late than never I suppose. At least, that’s what they say. So I guess that makes it okay.)

Soon we’ll be walking in a winter wonderland...

(That is, if we ever dare to set foot into…that is, if we ever dare to set foot out!)

With the beginning of this winter’s snow days, Christmas I suppose has ended. At least officially (but never in our hearts)...

And since we’ve already learned that late is always better than never, I am happy to post one last Christmas décor DIY: Clay star ornaments.

My sister and I made some as a surprise for our mom who had always wanted more white ornaments to complete the red and white theme of her Christmas tree. (Big thanks to my sis for remembering!)

They look unsurprisingly good dangling from my mom’s tree. The glitter (who doesn’t love a little bling bling??) reflecting the twinkling lights makes the tree light up even more so.

It was, however,
surprising to learn that the ornaments are fairly sturdy and can even survive a plane flight when tucked away safely in between your undies.

I have also learned that it is incredibly difficult to photograph a Christmas tree. Let’s face it, the lack of proper lighting, the branches that are just always (!) in your face and get caught in your hair, and create ridiculous amounts of shadows are just not in a photographer’s favor!

So here’s what I could make of these less than peachy photographic conditions…

DIY CLAY STAR ORNAMENTS:

Start by rolling out a good amount of (white) air drying modelling compound evenly to about 4mm thickness. Using your cookie cutters, cut out star shapes in various sizes.

With a wooden skewer, punch a hole into the top of each star (a straw would probably work even better!).

Let dry on a clean, non-stick surface (such as parchment paper) overnight. Refer to the instructions on the clay’s packaging if unsure about the drying time. Mine needed about 24 hours. Also, the thicker the clay, the longer it will take to dry.

Once dry, use sand paper to gently remove any rough edges.

(One word of caution: These stars seriously look like cookies covered in powdered sugar, so yumm! My mouth was watering more than once throughout the process... I do not recommend giving them a try though!)

Brush half of the stars with Mod Podge and sprinkle with glitter.

For the other half, draw on some snowflake shapes using acrylic paint and/or markers.

Thread ribbon through the punched hole for hanging. I had some red-and-white ribbon left over, but soon ran out and couldn’t find any matching one, so opted for a red one with golden highlights instead. Red-and-white baker’s twine would look great also.