How to Make a Painted Christmas Photo Ornament

Plaster Christmas photo ornaments are available at craft stores at very low prices. If you know how to paint them, you can create beautiful and individualized ornaments for almost nothing. Friends and family members love to receive these ornaments as gifts. They make a wonderful frame for pictures of loved ones, especially of children. Don't forget to make a few of these ornaments for your own Christmas tree.

Things You'll Need

• Plaster ornaments
• Newspaper
• Craft paint
• Brushes
• Cups
• Glue

Instructions

1. Purchase several plaster Christmas photo ornaments at your local craft store. Be sure to buy enough to make presents for everyone on your list. Also, vary the type of ornaments you buy. For example, get a variety of Santas, sleighs, snowmen and Christmas trees. While you're there, purchase some non-toxic craft paint in white, flesh, red, green, blue, orange, yellow, purple, black and brown.

2. Lay some newspaper down on a clean workspace. Fill one disposable cup with water and gather several other cups for craft paint.

3. Go over the ornament with base colors. Use the most appropriate colors for the different parts of the ornament, but use your creativity whenever possible. Paint very carefully and with a steady hand. Take care to keep the boundaries between regions separate. Don't let the white of Santa's beard spill over onto the red of his suit. If it does overlap, wait for the paint to dry and then repaint the color that was overlapped.

4. Mix some flesh-colored paint with a tiny amount of red when creating ornaments such as Santas and elves. Take a very small amount of paint on a very slender, soft brush. Paint over the flesh color on the nose, cheeks and lips. Try to create a fine gradation of color as you move outward. Add other features, such as eyeballs and pupils. Allow the ornament to dry completely before continuing.

5. Paint over the entire front of the ornament with polyurethane varnish. Set it out to dry for several hours. Varnish the back side and repeat the drying process.

6. Cut a family photo so that it's slightly larger than the frame inside the plaster ornament. Carefully spread a little glue around the area around the opening. Set the photo down on your workspace and lower the ornament down onto it. Reach underneath the ornament and press the photo firmly onto the back. Allow the glue to dry before adding a tie to the ornament.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't mix colors if you can avoid it. Since most craft paints contain two or more colors, the mixed color will look strange, mucky or washed out.

• Wash the brush and pour out the water every time you change colors.

• Do not allow children near the polyurethane varnish while it's wet.

• This craft project is harder than it looks. Start well in advance of Christmas and take your time to complete it.