Altrusa Ornaments Prototypes

The fifth week until the first tree is due has come.  No time to think of new ornaments.  This week will be finishing the prototypes and getting them approved.  In fact we are so tight for time that I started making paper ornaments which takes a lot less time to construct.  Or at least faster to make then embroidered ornaments.  The first paper ornament is a Marie Antoinette cut in two layers so the hat and dress pop out.  This first ornament is backed with gold cardstock and has a tassel hanging from the bottom.

 

Marie paper ornament.

 

The second ornament is Marie again but this time I left her on a gray background and it has a description of the gown.  I really like the simple background.  This ornament also has two layers so the hat and trim on the dress pop out.

 

 

For the Asian style tree I used an iris folding pattern of a kimono.  The background is gold cardstock and I bought handmade red and black papers for the folding inside.  This came out nice but the gold cardstock inside the kimono takes away from the design.  I plan on making another but with a printed gold paper instead.  This also has a tassel on the bottom.

 

 

Iris folded kimono ornament.

 

Yesterday I worked on a prototype of a topiary ornament.  First I took some white cloth and worked pink silk ribbon roses inside a 3 inch circle.  Then I worked detached chain stitch to fill in around the roses.  To finish it I ran a running stitch around the edge of the circle and pulled it tight while stuffing it with fiber fill.  Next I put a dowel into the topiary and secured it with hot glue.  Finally I secured the dowel into an empty half/half container using hot glue and put moss on top of the container.  This didn't come out very well because the fabric circle needed to be larger and the roses smaller.  So on to prototype number five on the topiary tree.  Next time I will try a 4 inch circle and turkey stitch for the greenery.

 

 

Fourth try at a topiary ornament.

 

I will say this, these ornaments will be different from the ornaments at the stores!  Back to the thick of it!