Owl Ornament Tutorial

The holiday season is beginning! I would start decorating in July if my husband would let me. In fact, I would keep a tree up all year! I love the season and all the decorating that goes along with it. 
So....until the new year, I'll be posting ideas for gifts, ornaments, decorating, holiday foods, or whatever I can dream up for the season. Today, I made a little group of owl ornaments. I used fabric scraps from my scrap box. You could hang them on a tree or use them on a gift (maybe along with a card that reads "Owl Have a Blue Christmas Without You" or "Owl Be Home for Christmas!". I group of them might make a nice little arrangement on a table or hanging from a sparkly branch as a centerpiece. 
They're quick and easy to make. For even more fun, let your children or grandchildren decorate them! 

Your owl can be absolutely any size you want. I made mine fairly small, but if you want them large, then use larger scraps. Place your scraps right sides together and draw a shape similar to that above. I gave mine the little "horns" that characterize owls and made the base a little wider than the top. 

Sew on the lines, leaving the bottom open.

Turn right sides out.

Cut ovals of cardboard and of felt to fit inside the bottom opening. You can stand your little figure up and get a pretty good idea of how big to make the oval. It doesn't have to fit perfectly, only close.

Stuff each owl with either polyester stuffing or cotton stuffing.

Sew a running stitch around the bottom of the owl.

Insert the cardboard and pull the running stitch to close the bottom over it.

Sew the felt over the bottom.

Coat the figure with gel medium. Let dry well. (If you don't have gel medium, white glue such as Elmer's can be used as a substitute.) This will give the figure a "harder" surface.

Use gesso to paint face and tummy areas.

Use colored permanent marker to add details.

Sew a little loop of floss at the top of each if you want to hang them. Don't try for perfection on these. Let them have character. I would really love to see these detailed by children. So have fun!

 
                                   Happy Holidays!