Felt Gingerbread Ornaments (ok, an Egg Carton Snowman Ornament too!)

So, I'm not overly crafty. I've stated this many times before in my blog. Like here, and here.

But, with the holidays upon us, I felt the need to attempt to make ornaments. I'm trying to do this every year for/with the kids. Last year, we made a snowman ornament, out of pipe cleaners, felt, ribbon and an egg carton.

See, painting the egg carton.

Finished product. Snowman, via felt, pipe cleaners, ribbon.

Just take the egg carton and cut out the three piece for the snowman.

Paint the snowman.

Glue on arms, and nose.

Glue on scarf.

Write date and name of child on the inside, and hang with ribbon.

Viola! You, are a master crafter now!

This year, I thought I'd try to carry on this tradition, but with something a little more, stable. You see, I have two small children. Last year, I had two small children too, but one couldn't get to the tree and the other one didn't seem as fascinated with it, as he has been this year.

This snowman ornament has come off the tree several times this year already, and I'm afraid for it's life. Poor guy. It's like he's a real snowman, and every time one of the kids touches him, it's the equivalent of someone holding a blow dryer to the real Frosty.

The idea I had this year, actually came from a decoration I pulled out-gingerbread men.

They seem easy enough to make right? I thought of making it out of felt, to ensure its longevity. I found a gingerbread template on Kaleidoscope of Color's Blog that looked really simple.

I printed it out on card stock. I cut out my little gingerbread man template, and then traced him onto felt.

They are holding hands. 

Pretty easy huh? I know, I know. We are amazing crafters, huh? People will be amazed at our awesomeness.

After I did four gingerbread men cut outs (I doubled them up, to re-enforce the ornament. Remember, thinking kids and longevity.), I took more felt and started to cut out the facial features.

I used the bottom of the gingerbread man foot to make the smile. And the eye brows.

How can you not want to make one of these?

Wasn't sure about black eyes, or googly eyes.

I am going googly eyes! The kids go crazy over these eyes.

Have some Christmas Twine to hang on the tree! 

After cutting out some pink cheeks and red cheeks (pink for my daughter, and red for my son), I also cut out little circles for the buttons down the front. I let the kids pick out which felt colors they liked. 

I couldn't decide on the eyes. I had some black eyes, which you can see in the photos up above, and then I pulled out my container of googly eyes. 

(If your kids are like mine, you might consider just giving them googly eyes to play with. They ran wild and played non stop with them for about an hour and a half. My son's room looked like a graveyard of googly eyes, because they were ALL OVER THE FLOOR! Apparently, they're fun to hold, shake, stack, throw, put in a bulldozer, garbage truck, hauler, loader, Buzz Light Year's Helmet, and Oh! So much more!)

After careful consideration, I went with googly eyes. I did debate about sewing these, but, I thought since I was going to have to glue the eyes and the twine on, I could just go ahead and do the whole thing. You might be able to see it, but I did have some issues with my hot glue gun. (I have not gotten my master glue gun crafter certification yet, so pardon the big glue goop spots.)

The kids LOVE these. They have made their way off the tree already and have taken rides on the school bus and in the tractor. Who knew gingerbread men were so social?

Enjoy making these! They're pretty cute. How can you not smile back at these awesome little guys?!

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"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

Luke 2:10-11