creating with jules: owl ornament

Hey Friends! I am super excited to introduce Jules Madden to you! Jules is an artist, illustrator and maker living in Victoria, Australia with her husband and two crafty girls. She loves color, creativity and connecting with other like minded people. She will be sharing some DIY projects and inspiration in the coming months!

Craft this pretty peaceful owl as a gift or to hang on your own Christmas tree. My two girls have seen me making these and they really want to make some themselves! They really are quite fun to make.

Gather Your Materials:

Air Dry Clay

Acrylic Paints

Fabric Scraps

Beads

Mod Podge

Silver Thread

Glitter (optional)

Tools:

Greylead Pencil

Scalpel 

Scissors

Paintbrushes

Rolling Tool

Wooden Skewer

Clay Tool (for smoothing)

Click HERE to download owl template at 100%

Print your template PDF image out at 100% and cut it out

Take a piece of your air dry clay and roll it to approximately .5cm (3/16”).

Place your template over the clay and cut around the body shape.

Cut the wings from the paper template and cut them out from a piece of rolled clay around 3mm (1/8”) thickness. 

Reserve your paper template pieces for later

Mark where the hole will go in the top of the ornament and poke with a wooden skewer or similar.

Score the back of the wings and the wings area on the body.

Moisten slightly with water and press together, smoothing out the joins.

Press beads into the soft clay body.

Leave your clay shape overnight, or until dry.

When dry, cut two fabric wings using your paper templates.

Paint Mod Podge onto the clay wings and press the fabric shapes on.

Paint over the top of the fabric with Mod Podge.

Also cover your beads with a layer of Mod Podge, this will help glue them into place when you paint your ornament.

Next, paint your ornament all over with grey paint.

Paint the sides of the ornament as well, not forgetting the inner sides of the wings.

Rub any paint off that got onto the beads with a damp tissue. 

Paint extra little cute spots on your owl with light grey paint.Paint your owl eyes and beak in black and orange. Paint the reverse side of your ornament in a nice color for a professional finish.

Once the paint is all dry, apply a final coat of Mod Podge to the whole ornament. I sprinkled some glitter onto my owls body, as I love a bit of glitter!

Then add a doubled up and tied length of silver thread through the hole, loop it into itself and hang up to enjoy, or gift away! I think these would make great stocking fillers or gifts to teachers :) If my kids can part with them!

I really hope you enjoyed that tutorial. To see some of my other work or to get in touch, visit me at http://julesmadden.blogspot.com.au