Project

Spun-Glass Ornaments

Photography: Anna Williams

Source: Martha Stewart Living, December 2014/January 2015

Introduction

Sources

Spun-glass wings, 3 1/2", in Yellow, $3.50 for 2; and bird-leg clips (#CL201G), $2 each, blumchen.com
Gelly Roll pens, by Sakura, $15 for 10 assorted colors; plastic circle template, $6; and ovenbake clay, by Sculpey, $9 for 8 oz., michaels.com
14k-gold ball-head pins, 1.5 mm, 24 gauge, $6.50 for 10, beadaholique.com

Notes: Wear protective gloves when working with spun glass.

materials

Protective gloves

Spun-glass wings

Craft scissors

Superglue

Waxed paper and heavy book

Gel pens

Plastic circle template

Craft paints and paintbrushes

Oven-bake clay

Gold ballhead pins

Ornament clip

Templates

steps

Position pairs of wings together, as shown. If edges are not perfectly straight, trim with small craft scissors to straighten. Use templates to trace shapes onto pairs of wings, as shown.
Cut along lines, including trimming pointed ends of wings. Use superglue to attach pairs together along straight edges. Place between layers of waxed paper inside book to dry.
Using gel pens, freehand-embellish wing edges and outline circles on wings with template.
Fill in designs with craft paint, mixing colors to fill in where circles overlap; let dry.
For butterfly body, form 5 shapes as shown (dimensions are printed on wing templates) from oven-bake clay. Join pieces by using a blunt knife or clay tool to work together. Make holes with pins for antennae and a hole for clip with clip. Bake.
Paint body white. Paint eyes on head. Use superglue to join wings to body. Insert pins as antennae. Insert clip, gluing to secure, to attach ornament to tree.