First I created a pair of filigree ornaments with brass pieces from Paloma Antigua. There are all sorts of great painted filigree pieces in this shop!
I added a glass bead, rhinestone rondelle, one of my disk beads, a bead cap and a fire polished glass bead to an eye pin. I attached the hanger and filigree with 13mm jump rings.
The filigree is super lightweight so it won't weigh down your branches. The filigree comes in sets of 2 so you can make for your tree and one for a friend or give them as a set. I could see them done in several different colors and given as a special gift.
The second, is missing any art beads, but I have these round beads I need to use up. The ceramic rounds were on a bargain table at a local bead show and I ended up getting two strands of these huge beads that I will never use for jewelry. Sometimes that the danger of shopping at a show! After I made the nest, I attached a wire hanger and tied on a bit of silk ribbon. LOVE these! I want to make a dozen or so of these for my tree.
The nest is created with steel wire and the curly wire work on stop is done with a softer craft wire in a bright silver finish, both are 20 gauge. If you don't know how to make a nest here are two tutorials - 1 & 2. I do kind of a hybrid of these two styles. The nest is about 2" wide.
The back side of the nest. I have a set of tiny teal birds that my daughter and I made a few years ago, they will look so cute on the tree with the nests. I could see these on top of packages too instead of bows.
So how are you doing with your holiday decorating? Is it a major affair or do you keep things simple? My only requirement is a real tree - I need that fresh pine smell to feel like it's the holidays!
12 comments:
Heather, I genuinely love all of your holiday ornaments that you've shown us this year. And personally, I think the nest is an art bead, a large scale art bead. We haven't done any holiday decorating this year because there is just to much happening and too many uncertain things. But we will be baking and decorating just before Christmas at my daughter in law's. That will be fun because we get to do it all with our 3 yo granddauaghter.
I used to get very elaborate with presents and especially the wrapping. But now we only buy for the kids and they just don't appreciate a well wrapped gift! But I still only use real ribbon. We used to have a real tree. We abandoned that two years ago. Now our fake tree looks pretty real and I have a Wallflower from Bath & Body Works with the fresh balsam scent.
I love all these ornament ideas and would like to resurrect the ornaments I used to make every year. I just wish that there were a few hours where I could sit and do that! Thank you for sharing these inventive ideas! They are really special (and I hope you take a picture of your birdie tree!)
Enjoy the day!
Erin
Stunning ornaments. I think any tree would be proud to wear them.
Cenya
They are like potato chips, can't have just one...can't make just one. Good thing I have a big tree to put them on. I'm getting more excited everyday closer to Christmas!
They are like potato chips, can't have just one...can't make just one. Good thing I have a big tree to put them on. I'm getting more excited everyday closer to Christmas!
Beautiful, Heather!
Beautiful ornaments! Absolutely love your work, Heather!
Heather, I love those ornaments!
Love these! Where is the link to the 2 nest tutorials you mention?
Opps, in my holiday rush I forgot to add the two links to the bird nests. They are now up there!
Thanks so much!
Thanks for a great blog
Christmas bead decorations
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