Handcrafted Ornaments

By The Mother Earth News Editors
Published on November 1, 1984
article image
Photo by MOTHER EARTH NEWS Staff
An assortment of handcrafted ornaments from Virginia Morris.

Nowadays, it seems that advertisements begin proclaiming holiday bargains on gifts and decorations before we have a chance to savor the last bite of Thanksgiving turkey. However, many folks are finding that simply spending more money doesn’t assure a merrier Christmas. In an effort to regain the simplicity that once characterized this special holiday, more and more people are fashioning their own gifts and decorations.

If you’re seeking ideas for handcrafted ornaments to adorn your tree or to give as gifts, you’re sure to find inspiration in the work of Virginia Morris, an artist who’s lived in Black Mountain, North Carolina, for more than 20 years. Her distinctly original, delicate creations offer welcome alternatives to the profusion of commercial look-alike tree trinkets. And though her work is quite intricate, Virginia’s basic techniques are so straightforward that even amateur craftspeople should be able to follow her tips and create attractive ornaments.

Nutty Creations

Using such ordinary natural objects as walnuts, acorns, seedpods, and dried flowers, Virginia creates intricate ornaments that fairly shout with ingenuity (have you ever seen a walnut-shell hot rod or baby buggy before?). Grapevines, dried flowers, grasses, and nuts serve as ideal trimmings, and the addition of a scrap of felt or flannel, some rope, a bit of yarn, and a touch of all-purpose glue, transforms these natural finds into delicate pieces of artwork. Virginia does advise purchasing the walnuts, though, to ensure that you’ll have unblemished shells. Jumbo size nuts work best.

Ms. Morris suggests the same basic technique to make each ornament. To split walnut shells while keeping the halves intact, find the widest opening along the “seam” of the nut and gently insert a knife in the crack. Then pry the walnut apart and scoop out the innards.

Once the walnut is pried apart and cleaned, you can fashion the halves into practically any design. To make the hot rod, cut one walnut section in half to form the seat and hood of the car. Then cover the seat with glue, line it with felt, and glue the whole shebang into a half-shell auto. The hood is attached next, then the red trim is added. A simple hemlock cone with an acorn head (on which Virginia painted a face) and cap becomes the driver. Twig arms guide the acorn-cap steering wheel, and the head- and taillights of the vehicle are fashioned from immature acorns. Virginia made the car’s wheels by drilling a 1/8″ hole in each of four acorn caps, then inserting matchstick axles into the openings. The resulting apparatus was then glued to the base of the chassis. A plastic windshield and a crocheted scarf top off the ornament. For custom work, Virginia often adds a personalized license tag.

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368