Soldier Boy

Here is a project I did a while ago that was suppose to be in the Scrapbook Trends "Celebrate the Holidays" magazine. Unfortunately they decided not to use it at the last minute, of course I was completely bummed about it , but the scrapbook supplies and magazines they sent more than made up for it.

I've added the "How To" on this one since I've had a couple of people request I start doing so.
Next time, I do a I'll try to take pictures and walk you through the project step by step. Have fun!

Soldier Boy Tree Ornament

Supplies used:

One Heart One Mind

Patterned paper: (Christmas Argyle, Cut-a-part CardMarker and Bits-n-pieces sheet

from Merry Merry line and Royal Opera from the Formality collection)

Cardstock (Brighton)

Brads

K & Company

Pearls

Paper Ribbon

DCWV

Glittered matstock

Other

Nutcracker ornament from Hobby Lobby, beads, paint, Mod Podge glue, pom poms and glitter.

1. Remove all the fur from the nutcrackers head and chin, then sand off any glue reside left behind, Carefully remove the arms and the bayonet to make altering easier.

2. Next paint the face, shoulders, cuffs, hands, boots, bayonet and base of the nutcracker.

3. Begin covering the nutcracker with patterned paper. I found working from top to bottom to be the easiest way, also working with small sections of paper, instead of trying to cover a whole section at a time. For example, I covered the top of the hat first, then the front section of the hat and then the back. The jacket was pieced together in four sections, the sides, the front top section and then the front bottom section. The legs, arms and base were simply covered with small strips of paper.

4. Cut a strip of Glitter Matstock (approx. 3/4" x 3") then cut small slits along one of the 3" edges. (These slits are about half way up the strip.) Cut the strip into three sections and the glue each section to the nutcracker's head. Separate the slits and the curl the end of the hair with a piercing tool or something similar.

5. Use a two black beads for the eyes and a peach bead for the mouth of the nutcracker, glue them onto the face with some Diamond Glaze glue.

6. Next put paper ribbon on the shoulders of the nutcracker, then brush a thin layer of Mod Podge over the sleeves of the jacket and sprikle them with glitter. A layer of Mod Podge and glitter is also applied to the body of the jacket. When the sleeves and jacket are dry, glue them back together again with some wood glue.

7. Apply small pearls to the jacket as buttons and mini pom poms to the hat.

8. Next cut thin strips of patterned paper to make the belt, sash bayonet trim and the strap of the hat. (I used the border from the Royal Opera pattered paper.) The strip used for the belt was mounted to some cardstock first and then a buckle was made from cardstock rectangles.

9. Use two brads to embellish the strap on the hat. To do this I cut the prongs off the back of the brads and used Diamond glaze to glue them in place.

10. Lastly glue the bayonet back in place.