Milkweed Ornaments (Santa Pods)

This one is easy enough for kids. It's cheap and quick so kids in Scouts or groups can make several for gifts. I wrapped mine, using red and white tulle which comes on a roll. I closed the ends with tinsel pipe cleaners and added beads on the end. You could use curling ribbon, too, but the pipe cleaners are faster. Makes a nice presentation and the person can see your project if they don't feel like opening it this minute.

Approximate Time: 10 minutes

Supplies:

• Dried, Empty Milkweed Pods
• Acrylic paints, white, black, flesh, red
• "Snow-Tex" Craft Medium*
• Thread or Ribbon
• Diamond dust or twinkly paint, optional**
• Small white pom pom for hat, optional.

*If you don't have time to dry the projects before completing, use cotton or fiberfill for the hat and mustache.

**They now have paint with the diamond dust right in there - a lot less messy than sprinkling on glitter, but less fun!

Instructions:

• Make sure pods are split and emptied of seeds outside!

• Base coat entire pod in white. Dry.

• Paint top of pod red to resemble hat.

• Referring to photo, paint flesh color on face area. Dry

• With end of paint brush, add black eyes and red nose.

• With "Snow-Tex" and paint brush or craft popsicle sticks, add mustache and trim on hat.

• Snow-Tex will have to dry over night.

• Add pom pom with glue if desired.

• Paint back of project and all but the face with twinkly paint. (Or use glue and diamond dust).

• Attach ribbon or thread for hanging, using needle or hot glue.

By Cindy from Waynesburg, PA