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Aleta - The Silly Bear The Silly Bear
Portland, Oregon
Posts: 3,119
Website

ProjectTT.jpgYou repurpose 'em and make them into ornaments!!  Are they not the almost perfect canvas?  If it weren't for the whole in the center they would be!  And hey, if you just wanted to paint them a snowy white and sprinkle them with crystal glitter and string a ribbon through, they'd kinda look like snowballs.....in a flat sort of way.  Ha!   I'm getting ahead of myself here.
bear_laugh  bear_laugh   

I wanted to share this idea with you for using up some of those fiberboard discs you may have that you won't ever use.  These are sooooo easy.  Let your imagination go and have fun!!

Use any size fiberboard (the hard pressed paper) discs.  I used the mambo 4 inchers because I was an idiot when I ordered them thinking I would be making jumbo size bears.  NOT!  I have 100 of those darned things!!  Paint them front, back and edges in the color of your choice.  (Tip:  Do one side and the edge and let dry before painting the other side.)  Two coats of paint give a nice even cover.  Next, spread a good quality transparent glue with a wide paintbrush on one side and sprinkle with glitter.  Let dry and then glitter the other side.  I used crystal clear glitter for this ornament.  Lots of sparkle, no color!  When the glue/glitter is good and dry, lay a bead of hot glue around the edge in small sections (so you don't burn yourself!) and adhere the trim of your choice.  I used antique tinsel for this example.  Attach a ribbon at the top of your ornament for hanging and then begin decorating your glittery canvas.  In this example I used old German dresdan pieces and paper rosettes made from vintage music sheets.  Don't forget to do a little something on the back as well.  You don't want the hole on the other side of your canvas to show!!

See how simple this is?  It's best to do a whole batch of, say a dozen, so by the time you're ready to move on to each step, each piece is already dry and ready. 

You could also use a decorative paper to cover the disc and then glitter it.  Or, you could paint and rubberstamp and then glitter.  The neatest thing?  This is a really inexpensive project if you already have most of the goodies in your art room.  And remember, you can use any size fiberboard disc as your canvas!!

Another use for teddy bear supplies......who knew?

Hugs and hugs,  :hug:
Aleta

bearbottombears Bear Bottom Heirloom Bears
Nova Scotia Canada
Posts: 189

Brilliant! :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:
Gail G

Lynn Wisconsin
Posts: 834

Great idea Aleta!!! :clap:   :dance:

SueAnn Past Time Bears
Double Oak, Texas
Posts: 21,720

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner Sponsor

:clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  Give this woman a standing ovation . . . what a great idea!!!

cjsmum Happy Little Souls
Sydney
Posts: 230

:clap:  :clap:  :clap:
I love this idea Aleta, and just when I was trying to come up with an idea for my kids playgroup xmas craft, the kids love putting stickers on things, so I might just nab this idea and kiddify it - I've got hundreds of discs that they can decorate!

Thanks you so much for sharing
Cheers
Mel

TamiL Dolls N Dreams
Aurora, Colorado
Posts: 6,454

You are just so creative! Great idea!!!

Marlys Waggle Bears
So Cal Desert
Posts: 4,089

You are sooo smart. I would never have thought of that. Like you, I bought a bunch of every size disc when I started. I have a bunch of those huge discs and some of the tiniest. You are such a clever girl!

Aleta - The Silly Bear The Silly Bear
Portland, Oregon
Posts: 3,119
Website

You girlies are too sweet.  What is it they say?.....Necessity is the mother of invention...or something like that.  I have an art and antique show coming up in December and I need to have lots of affordable ornaments and giftie things on hand.  I also had to come up with something that my Thanksgiving guests can easily make.  That's the deal....free food, free room....must follow a pattern and use glitter!  Ha!
bear_grin  bear_grin  bear_grin

Warmest hugs,  :hug:
Aleta

P.S.  If anyone out there uses this idea, please post a picture of what you come up with.  I'd love to see what you create.  I'm especially interested in what your class comes up with Mel!  Kids art is so off the cuff cool!

BootButtonBears BootButtonBears
Adelaide
Posts: 2,837
Website

What a super idea Aleta.  My twelve year old daughter is always after craft projects to do - this will be perfect.  Thank you so much for sharing the idea and showing some examples.  :hug:  :hug:

patsylakebears Patsy Lake Bears
Sydney
Posts: 3,442

:clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap: Great idea Aleta :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

Ginie-Lee Hug A Bye Bears
Posts: 121

I love this idea and can't wait to try it out! Thanks for sharing!
Ginie

kezjoy KezjoyKritterz
Gippsland Victoria
Posts: 185

thanks for sharing!!! I also have hundreds of large disks my 3 inch bears will never use...though when i saw the heading of this thread i had a thought to somehow use them as platforms for little scenes..so theres 2 ideas!!! I will definately be making some!!
Kerrilyn

Kingfisher Farm Teddies Kingfisher Farm Teddies and Folk Art
Illinois
Posts: 135

Aleta you are so clever! How do you attach the ribbon? Will it come of if you glue it right on the glitter? Pam

puca bears puca bears
Posts: 1,934

Brilliant idea, Aleta - they look SO pretty and festive!
huggies
Maria

thumperantiques Newcastle, Ontario
Posts: 5,643

Aleta,
     What a clever girl you are!!!!  They are really fabulous and "thank you" for giving me an idea that will work wth Corson.  Every year we make his mummy a Christmas ornament from him.  I don't have large discs, but I do have lots of heavy cardboard.  It will be fun to let him decorate a disc for his mummy.  It will be closer to Christmas, but I'll post it once he's done. 
     Yesterday, he carved two pumkins faces by himself.  We drew the faces for him and he cut them out entirely = would not let anyone help him!

                                           hugs,

                                           Brenda

Aleta - The Silly Bear The Silly Bear
Portland, Oregon
Posts: 3,119
Website

Hi Pam,  bear_flower
I just hot glue the ribbon to one side and smoosh it in really well so it gets a good grip.  I'll try to get a close up picture later this afternoon.  I'm working on some new ornaments with a paper overlay rather than a painted surface right now so the ribbon will hide beneath the paper rather than laying on top.  Make sense? 

Be back later, hopefully with a couple of pictures!

Hugs and hugs,  :hug:
Aleta

Aleta - The Silly Bear The Silly Bear
Portland, Oregon
Posts: 3,119
Website

Hi ya Brenda!! bear_flower
Oh, yes, you simple MUST post a picture of what Corson comes up with!! 

Speaking of the wee ones....I had an idea that would be fun with those little pictures kids have taken at school.  Paint or paper the surface of the disc and then rather than adhering the picture with glue, use one of those pop up squares or circles to elevate the picture away from the disc.  With a glittered background I think it would look very artsy fartsy.  Perfect for Gram's or Nana's and Papa's!

Okay.  Now I really have to go back to work!

Hugs and hugs,  :hug:
Aleta

thumperantiques Newcastle, Ontario
Posts: 5,643

Aleta,
     That's another good idea!  When my kids were in Junior kindergarden they made me paper angels out of paper doilies with their school photos as the head and foil wings.  Last year, I helped Corson make one for his mummy and she loved it.  You just cut the paper doily in half, roll into a cone and staple the school photo on the point and add foil wings.  They sit well on the end of a tree branch.   I still have the ones my kids made me and they are two of my favourite ornatments. It's fun every year to see them, as our kids are now 32 and 35!

                                                        hugs,

                                                        Brenda

Mutz Mutz's Tootsz Bears & Buds
New Berlin, Wisconsin
Posts: 397

How Cool!!!!
Amy

Carolyn Green Draffin Bears
Auckland New Zealand
Posts: 5,354
Website

Hi Aleta,  bear_flower

Thank you for sharing your really neat idea, for decorations.
They are fabulous and would be so much fun to make. It is  neat when people, can make
their own, they always look so much better than the ones you buy.

Warmest bear hugs
Carolyn
:hug:  bear_flower  :hug:

fredbear Fred-i-Bear
Johannesburg
Posts: 2,243
Website

Thanks for sharing this.

Lynette

Kingfisher Farm Teddies Kingfisher Farm Teddies and Folk Art
Illinois
Posts: 135

Okie dokie Aleta!! I have lots of big ones too, what was I thinking? Pam

bearsbybeesley bears by beesley TM
Tofield Alberta Canada
Posts: 6,818

You are so clever Sweetie!

Hugs Louise

shantell Apple Dumpling Designs
Willamette Valley Oregon
Posts: 3,128

Smarty pants!!!   You make this girl look not so clever.  I sold my discs at a discount a long time ago.  I could have been making cutesy ornaments instead.  Hmpf!!!    :crackup:   Who am I kidding.   bear_flower

Beautiful!  Does your brain ever sleep?

doodlebears Doodlebears
UK
Posts: 7,414

doodlebears Celebration Ambassador

Aleta thats so clever, what a pretty design you've come up with. Now if I had time I would have a go...anyone got any 48 hour days they don't need?

Hugs, Jane.  bear_thumb  bear_thumb  bear_thumb  bear_thumb  bear_thumb  bear_thumb  bear_thumb  bear_thumb

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