Silver Bell Ornament

Make a silver bell ornament for next to nothing using the top off of a plastic soda bottle, paint, glue and ribbon.  The above is made out of the top of a 20 oz bottle of Coke.

Items used:

• Plastic soda bottle
• Scissors and/or Xacto Knife
• Silver Acrylic Paint
• Paintbrush
  
• Hot Glue Gun 
• Ribbon 
• Pop Can Tabs
• Candle
  
• Ornament wire hook
  
• Acrylic jewels (optional)

Use scissors or Xacto knife to cut the top off a plastic soda bottle just above the label.

To cut the bottle with scissors, pinch the side flat and make a small cut, then insert bottom blade into the cut and continue cutting until the top is cut off.

Hold the cut edge of the top over the flame of the candle just above, but not touching, the flame.  The plastic on the edges will curl under.  Continue around the circumference of the bottle top.

 This is what it should look like when you are done.

 

Paint the top of the bottle with silver acrylic paint.   I used 3-4 coats.  The first coat will look sort of spotty - allow it to dry completely then paint another layer and allow to dry.  Repeat until you have the desired look.

Use approx 10-12 inches of ribbon and around the pop tabs at both ends and knot.

 

Fold ribbon in half and thread through the bottom of the bell.

 

 Pull the ribbon through the top of the bell.

 

  Put a dab of hot glue in the center or the underside of the lid.

Push ribbon into the dab of glue (I used the end of the paintbrush to do so). 

Tie ribbon (I used approx.18 inches of ribbon) around the neck of the bottle top into a bow.  Use a dab of hot glue in the center of the back of the bow to keep the bow straight an secure.

Thread wire ornament hook through the ribbon on the back of the bell.

 

 You can hang on the tree as is, or embellish with plastic acrylic jewels (on the one above I used one I got for $1 in a bag of 100 from the Dollar Tree), fabric paint, glue on small buttons or apply stickers.

The above ornament is made out the top of a 16.9 oz bottle of A & W Root Beer.  It is hard to see in the picture but it does have a bumpy texture that makes it look more like hammered metal.

Hand Wreath

This was inspired by an hand wreath my son made when he was in grade school, except I used fun foam sheets instead of construction paper to make it more durable as it is going to his Dad's house and will probably still be up come July.   Total cost was under $2.

Items used:

• Fun foam craft, construction paper, cardboard or paper
• Scissors
• Pen
  
• 9-12 inch cardboard circle (cardboard bottom of a frozen pizza)
• 1 yd. ribbon
• Decorative pick or picture
• Tab off the top of a pop can
  
• Craft glue and/or hot glue gun 
• Acrylic paint
• Paint brush
• Tape
  

Place hand flat on surface used and draw around it with a pen.  The hand used of this wreath is that of my 16 year old son whose hands at least a fingertip length longer than mine and we only needed to draw a few.  I used 1 large and 1 small sheet of craft foam.

If smaller hands are used, you may just want to draw one on cardboard and use the cardboard as a template to draw the rest of the hands.   Number of handprints needed depend on the size of the hand and how full you want the wreath to be. Cut around pen line with scissors.

After the hand prints have been cut out position them around the cardboard circle to ensure you have enough and get an idea of how you want them placed.  I wanted to see the handprints plainly, but for a fuller wreath, you can overlap the hand prints.

Paint the cardboard circle with acrylic paint (I chose gold) and allow to dry.

Put glue around the outer edges of the cardboard circle, then position the hands the way you want them on the cardboard.  If you choose to layer the hand prints, start at the top and glue each at the edge separately.

In the past have used a hand print in the center and fav picture in center of that handprint, which is cute for younger children.  On this wreath I used a decorative pick I got for .35 cents last year on clearance for a slightly more grown up look.   I stuck the bottom of the pick hear the edge of the bottom handprint and pushed in slightly, then taped in down in the back.

Tie the ribbon around the pick to make a bow.

 Add glue to the back of the pick.

Glue pop tab to top back edge of the cardboard so the wreath can be hung.  I also taped applied tape over the glue after it dried.

Eggnog Fudge

This has a wonderful flavor and very rich, but tricky - first attempt came out very sticky.

This is based on a recipe at Recipegirl:

http://www.recipegirl.com/2007/11/30/eggnog-fudge/#ixzz0Yo50VNEx

2 cups granulated sugar
1 stick (or 1/2 cup) butter or margarine
3/4 cup dairy eggnog
1 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 tsp
1 7 ounce jar marshmallow creme
1/2 tsp nutmeg and a few dashes for garnishment
1 tsp rum extract (or 1/4 tsp. for highly concentrated extract for candy)
Cake pan
Non-Stick Coating Spray
Candy Thermometer
Wooden spoon

The original recipe called for and 8x8 or 9x9 inch pan and lining the pan the aluminum foil in the pan, overlapping the edges, then coating the sides  with non-stick coating spray.  I tried this using an 8x8 in. pan and non-stick coating spray and I would recommend using a 9x12 cake pan and not lining it with aluminum as the pieces were too thick in the small pan and the aluminum foil stuck horribly to the fudge and it was a pain picking off the small pieces.

In 3-qt or larger pan add sugar, butter (or margarine) and eggnog.   Boil on medium heat until it comes to a roilling boil then continue boiling, stirring constantly for  8 to 10 minutes.  Is best to use a candy thermometer and bring to 234 degrees.  The original recipe advised to use a wooden spoon, so I did.

Stir in white chocolate chips and nutmeg until all the pieces are melted.

Add in the marshmallow creme and rum extract and mix together. 

Mix until well blended and remove from heat.  If you have ever seen the movie "Ghostbusters" it will sort of look like the thick gooey marshmallow slime that covered everything after the StaPuft Marshmallow man was destroyed.

Pour into pan and prinkle lightly with nutmeg for garnishment.  (Pic is of the first batch - it came right up to the rim and the 8x8 pan is about 3-4 inches deep)

 












I placed mine in the refrigerator until cool.  Once cool, cut into squares and store in covered container.

Demon Eyed Turkey Cookies

Were fun to make and messy to eat.  The front one is a baby turkey and the back one is the mama.

A former co-worker used to make turkey cookies out of Oreos, Vanilla Creme Drops and Candy Corn.  My son doesn't care for most of those ingredients so I switched it up a bit and came up with above.  We had a good laugh at how the cinnamon candies made the turkeys looks possessed, thus they have been nicknamed the Demon Eyed Turkey Cookies.

Makes 12 turkeys

Items used:

• 1 pkg of 24 slice or break and bake cookies (I used Snickerdoodles) or pre-packaged cookies or 12 Oreos
• 12 to 24  bite sized candies (I used Snickerz)
  
• 1 can of frosting (I used Vanilla)
• 24 Red Hots Candies 
  
• Candy Corn

Bake the cookies according to the package and allow to cool.

Frost the cookies

For the Mama (or Daddy) Unwrap the bite sized candy and push a candy corn on each side.

Apply frosting to the top of the candy allowing it to go over the front a bit.  Press two candies in the frosting to make they eyes.  Then press on candy corn in the center to make the beak.  This will make the head.

Apply frosting to the bottom of the head or to the top of the body and press them together.

Place body on the top a frosted cookie.  Take another frosted cookie and press it to the back of the body.  Put candy corn all around the back of  the cookie to make the tail feathers.

To make the baby turkey, use only 1 candy and press the candy corn on each side and the center of the bite candy and frost the top and add the eyes.   Do the cookies as indicated in the above step.