Milkweed Ornaments (Tiny Holy Village)

It's not too late to scan your woods for dried materials to use in crafting. In western PA, I discovered a treasure trove of milkweed pods this year and have found the teardrop shape lends itself to many things. My college daughter points out that I am also being very "green" with this project. You may be able to find other types of pods that would work in your area. You can do this assembly line style and complete many in a short time. Use a hair dryer to speed up the paint drying time.

Approximate Time: 30-45 minutes

Supplies:

• dried milkweed pods
• acrylic paints, black, dark blue, tan, brown, dark green, white, gold
• glitter or glitter paint, optional
• gold thread or ribbon

Instructions:

• Make sure the pods are dried and have been split open and emptied of their many seeds outside!

• For each project, basecoat one pod-half with white, inside and out. Or leave the outside natural. Dry and add second coat if needed. Dry again.

• Paint inside of pod dark blue.

• Decide where you want the star. Begin by painting an asterisk with thinned white paint. If too harsh, add a couple of dark blue lines. Dry.

• Paint a diamond shape with gold paint. Add four gold lines around diamond as shown. Dry.

• Using tan paint, mixed with a little brown, paint the desert platform for your village and dry.
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• Referring to the picture or a design of your own, paint in the buildings with tan mixed with a little white. Make squares and rectangles with "stairstep" tops. Dry.

• With tiny brush and black paint, add windows, doors and domed tops as desired. Dry.

• Add white dots to domes and black shading on left sides of buildings if desired. You may also add a faint black line under the buildings to define them a little.

• Paint rim of pod with gold paint or glitter. You may also paint the back side of the pod with twinkly glitter paint or use diamond dust and thinned glue.

• With embroidery needle or hot glue, attach gold thread.

• You may add varnish to the village if desired.

• Use Christmas cards or children's coloring books for inspiration for other scene ideas.

By Cindy from Waynesburg, PA