I am a girl who loves her holidays. I used to decorate my whole house for every holiday, especially Easter, Halloween, and Christmas. I have a few odds and ends for Valentine's and St. Patrick's Day as well. I've paired back over the years, really only decorating with specifics pieces, but McKinley's room has an ongoing theme. His Holiday Tree.
It all started in 2013. I started a Christmas tree in McKinley's room the previous Christmas and he didn't want to take it down. And I obliged. I turned it into his Holiday Tree and we made ornaments for all the various holidays throughout the year. It started with Valentine's Day and continued through Christmas. And Michael's was my to-go craft store for assistance. I purchased all of their foam kits until a cousin mentioned that I would more than capable of making my own. And she was right. I gave up my craft kits and purchased my first pack of colorful foam.
It started with Fourth of July and was followed by Halloween and then Christmas. It was glitter town at this house and I vacuumed it up for weeks. I was hooked. In 2014, McKinley started Pre-School and I wanted to document this momentous occasion with a Back to School tree. I created ABC and 123 foam ornaments in primary colors. And we've used them over the past two years, but this year we added something a little different. With him heading off to Kindergarten next Tuesday, queue the waterworks again, I made him school mascot ornaments. They are the Thunderbirds and over the weekend, T-Birds was born.
Here's how I made them. Their colors are black and yellow so I stuck with yellow. You need a sheet of foam, block letters (I use Wilton cookie cutters for all my ornaments), scissors, glitter glue, and glitter. We will get to the other pieces later.
I use the cookie cutters as my template. I simply place the cutter on the foam, press down, and remove. It leaves a nice imprint in the foam and allows for an easy guide.
When cutting out the tiny holes in the middle of letters, bend the letter in half and make a tiny slit with your scissors. Then cut.
I couldn't find my B cookie cutter anywhere so I used the B from the ornament set. I need to be a more organized crafter. However, it's real life, right?
After all the letters have been cut out, use your hole punch to make a hole at the top of each letter. Don't put it too close to the edge like I did with letter D....
Now, let's glitter!!! I know you think "Why do I need glitter glue?" You could use regular glue, but this glue is a little thicker to help the glue stick and dries clear. Apply the glue all over the ornament and sprinkle glitter all over the ornament. Let it dry before you shack off the access.
You will have extra glitter that will gather on the surface you're using and don't let it go to waste! Use a spoon to scoop it up and apply to the rest of the ornaments.
And here is the "finished" product!
Now it's time to make your ornaments go from this to this.
I love this school ribbon from Michael's. It's perfect for this project. Measure each piece to your desired length and cut the number needed. I normally tie the ribbon in a knot at the top, but this time around I decided to staple it. It makes it a little cleaner and you can turn the staple to the back so you don't see it on the tree.
And now it's time to decorate the tree!! We took down the Fourth of July ornaments, which were also super cute for the Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympics, to prep the tree for Back to School. I let McKinley decorate the whole thing, cringing at the same time as I see tons of blank spaces. I gently "direct" him on placement, for the most part he does it all himself.
And I love how the colorful lights play up the colors in the ornaments!
And here are the T BIRD ornaments!
He even "tied" the bow on the top of the tree. How cute is this chalkboard ribbon!! I! Die!
I take a photo at the end of every tree completion. He looks so proud of his accomplishment and he should be! He did such a good job!
And let's take a trip down memory lane. Here is last year's tree photo....
What do you think of the Holiday Tree idea? Is it something you would add to your child's room? Want to start making your own ornaments? Let's discuss!!
XO,
Andrea
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