12 Days of Christmas Ornaments <$5

I have a group of girlfriends and we meet the third Wednesday of every month to craft. We have been doing this for several years. It's like the Friday Night Knitting Club except it's on Wednesdays and we don't knit (although we've discussed learning how). We used to make cards, and then we made mini cards, and then we decided to do a big year-long project. All I know is that I need that one night a month. I think I can safely say craft nights enhance friendships and save marriages.

Anyways, our big year-long project was to create a set of ornaments illustrating the 12 Days of Christmas. I had seen a set in Ballard Designs but wasn't about to pay what they were asking. Chipboard was all the rage, but we're cheap, so I went to the Olive Garden and kindly asked the manager for 750 coasters. He eventually gave them to me (and asked me to never come back to his restaurant) and we used them for the structure of each ornament.

 

We pooled our resources to make each ornament. The backgrounds were scrapbook paper, sheet music, French etchings of cows from Mary's grandma's old books, scans of postage stamps, etc. We just found stuff we could use. Jonna used her Cricut to cut out the flutes and the lords-a-leapin'. We had punches for the turtledoves. We had birdcage stamps and partridge stamps (okay, it's a quail) and Spanish moss and glitter. Turns out that Michelle was a whiz at hot melting bird nests. Jaime worked her digital magic on the numbered side of the ornaments. My mother-in-law even cleaned out her basement and gave me a bag of miniature eggs, which worked perfectly for the six geese-a-layin'.

All we had to buy was the strand of pearls (Walmart), the cheap golden rings (party store), and Mary bought real guinea hen feathers for the three French hens. Mary's mom is French, so she's serious about representing France. I'm a huge European poser, so I appreciate representing France as well.

 

We glued everything right onto the coaster (some did the Xyron, I used Scotch glue sticks because they are my favorite), rolled the edges in Elmer's glue, and then rolled the gluey edges in glitter. Punched a tiny hole up top and tied baker's twine in it. It took the whole year and it was really fun to do.

Twelve coasters stack perfectly in this 4" wide circular tin that was $1 at the craft store. There's even room for 12 hooks on top. I hang mine from our dining room chandelier. They twirl and spin and sparkle and I can't help but smile when I remember all the Wednesday nights that we spent making them.

Texas Roadhouse was not at all stingy with their coasters, which were square. I would have done squares but we already had the circular tins.