Nest Ornament Project

I made this nest ornament for my tree.  We do a woodland theme and I'm going heavy on the birds and nests this year.  I thought I'd share the directions. 

I've been having fun making a few art bead ornaments, getting ready for the Art Bead Scene ornament blog hop - you can still sign up to play along!

Supplies:

Snow dove - Humblebeads

Disk bead - Earthenwood Studios (or Jangles.)

Filigree brass leaf

Brass blank leaf

3 red 4mm crystals

1 brass 3" headpin

1 brass 7mm jump ring

3" green wire lace

34" brass color 18 gauge wire

3" brass color 24 gauge wire

(Wire, wire lace, crystals and leaves from Bello Modo)

Directions:

1. Cut 4" of the 18 gauge wire, create a large spiral on both ends and hammer with a ball peen hammer.

2. Form a 2" circle with the remaining wire, wrap the wire around into a circle two more times to form the wreath/nest.  Continue wrapping the wire around the nest to form the texture on the nest. Leave a 4" tail of wire.  Form a loop at the top of the nest and wrap the remaining wire around the loop.

3. String the 3 crystals on the 24 gauge wire, center and twist the wire to hold the crystals in place.  Wrap the wire under the top loop.

4. String the wire through the two leaves and wrap around the top loop and through the wire of the nest to attach securely. 

5. On the headpin string the disk and the dove, wire-wrap a loop and attach to the nest with the jump ring.  Attach the wire hanging to the nest.  Tie on the lace ribbon.  Pinch the ends of the lace and pull the middle of both sections to create the leaf.

This would make a cute teacher's gift, hostess gift, office gift-exchange or Secret Santa present.  You could use different color birds and disks to personalize each one.