this idea came from crystal in an email to me.
thanks so much!
super easy but SUPER DUPER cute!
we started with these ornaments from target.
they are big.
i loved the colors so i picked these…..but any glass ball ornaments would work.
i did this one child at a time….you'll see why.
first i painted their hand with regular craft paint.
set the ornament in the middle of their flat palm….fingers out.
slowly have them close their hand so an entire handprint is made.
make sure they don't move their fingers….just close their hand.
then they slowly take their fingers off the ornament.
set it somewhere to dry.
then you can choose if you want to yell at your child ……
"DON"T TOUCH ANYTHING! GO WASH YOUR HAND AND DON"T USE MY GOOD TOWEL TO DRY IT!"
or not.
let the white paint dry….we waited overnight….just to be safe.
then use a Sharpie to add faces.
we used a glue gun and cut out tiny little scarves.
we didn't have black felt or we would've made hats too.
and they add snow falling also.
i think they are about the cutest ornaments i have ever seen.
then write their name and date on the palm and you created a keepsake!
have fun.
Catherine Vitolo - That is the cool idea for home make
marcia culler - Great idea! And your instructions are so good I think I can do this! Thanks!
Laura - Maybe try a clear spray/sealer. Found at most hardware sections in spraypaint aisle, and sometimes in the craft Dept. I am absolutely doing this this coming year.
Staci - What kind of paint do you use? I got tempera paint and it just peels/flakes 🙁
myriam - queste idee sono bellissime
grazie per il consiglio
Jackie - We made these in Kindergarten and we used the small tip puff paint to make the faces, hats, scarves, etc.
Karen @ Sugartown Sweets - Love!! I make a Christmas craft every year with my grandbabies! My daughter always says they are her favorite Christmas gift. Thank you. 🙂
Kim - Kandi, I have bought or made my children an ornament every year as well, and for the same reason. My son who is now 25 years old has refused to take his with him. He wants his ornaments on his momma’s tree. lol But….. he still comes over every year to decorate the tree with his younger sister (21) and they still have a blast hanging their ornaments. They still try to hide the other’s ornaments with their own. It’s really great to see them still being “kids” at Christmas.
Nancy - what a PERFECT to give to g’ma that has everything!
Kandi - I used to make ornaments with my kids, or they would make them at school. Every year, I make each of them one too, as a gift. That way when they move out and have a tree of their own, they will take the ones I made them, and have meaningful (hopefully) ornaments on it already. And, I am left with all of the ornaments that they have made for me over the years.
Tiffany - Oh thank you so much! I think we will be doing these this year! I ADORE it!!
Debra - i so just love this going to do this with my grand kids when they come over (:
Belize - Beth Mayhew – Oh Krista these are amazing! The tea party with Kaitlyn and Bryan just mleted my heart. Who would have ever thought our husbands hearts would be stolen by another woman and we’d ok with it our daughters have captured them both? I love you all so much and thanks for sharing.
Mel - This just popped up on my facebook news feed…Meg you are everywhere!! So cute , will have to try it 🙂
Air Jordan Shoes - after all disadvantage. Game in third quarter end phase, the lakers leading superiority already exceeded 20 points, that makes the game early into the garbage time.
Cheap Jordan Shoes - after all disadvantage. Game in third quarter end phase, the lakers leading superiority already exceeded 20 points, that makes the game early into the garbage time.
Kelli - Oh my gosh! These are so cute! Perfect grandma gift too. So, I have to ask how you keep (have room on the tree for) all of your kids Christmas ornaments? Do you occasionally get rid of any? (I really hope you aren’t “gasp”ing at that last sentence just now). I know people who don’t throw any of their children’s pictures/drawings away. I could easily become one of those people but I don’t have the storage space and I only have 2 small children. I’d love to know your “system”. Thanks!
Holly Rhodes - I feel like a bad mom! I never do crafts with my kids (3 and 1) I just do not have the patience!! Maybe I should work on that! Your kids look so happy doing crafts =(
Did you do crafts when they were 3 and 1 too???
liz from LIzzies RAggs Primitives - LOve the idea of the ornaments! I printed out the directions for a next Christmas project with the grandkids. Thanks!
Lisa - Hi Meg,
I am Cassie Burback’s sister in law. I loved this project. My oldest daughter did this with a friend yesterday and they turned out adorable. Thanks for the idea. We also did hand prints on cardstock for Christmas cards!
Love your blog!
Lisa Borglum
Tami - Hey Megan, totally enjoy your blog. Wish i could do all the crafts you guys do. I put the ideas in the back of my head and then they get lost back there. However, we actually did this one! Thank you for the great idea! We had a neighborhood party and had all the kids make one. You have inspired me! Thank you!
cathy - Love this!
Jen Brandt - Guess what the grandparents will be getting for Christmas next year? Great idea! Thank you and Merry Christmas!
katie w - this is adorable! and love the poem that amy shared too 😉
elz - LOVE this craft. I have been hemming and hawing about what ornaments to make for my parents this year-then Boom! I found your post. Perfect. Thanks.
BecZhang - This is so awesome. I am definitely going to try this with my six year old. I’m not very crafty so it should be interesting.
Courtney - OMG!!! This is the CUTEST PROJECT IN AMERICA!!!!!
Ellen J - I love this one too! I’ll have lots to choose from next year for Christmas crafts! Thanks 🙂
Janelle - My girls are 2 & 4 – this is going to be messy! But what a cute keepsake!
tania willis - we’re SO making these for the grandparents! AWESOME!
Kristin S - adorable!!!
Sugar Mama - Crazy! I just got back from Wal-Mart and bought the stuff to make those with my daycare kids. Get online to check my fave blogs and see that you just made them too. We won’t be doing the scarves, it will be enough just to get them to gently grasp the ornament… and it will be very interesting to see how it will work for the 9 month old kids!
Kathleen - My son just gave us one with the poem attached….his class made them in preschool. I love them and hopefully I will remember to have him make one next year! The ornaments your kids made turned out great and I love the idea of adding scarves to the snowmen!
Eva - I Love love love these – I’m tempted to try on my almost one year old – I may be pushing my luck hahah
Dawn - So super cute!!
visart-dali.com - This so very cute!!!!! Thank you for the idea!!!!
Gemma - Wow this is SO NICE!!! LOVE IT!!
Gemma x
Joye - I LOVE these! Just adorable 🙂 You are so creative!
Tanya H - This is FABULOUS!!! We must do this! TFS! 🙂
Maria - Made these with the kids! So cute. Thanks for sharing the idea! Way easy. Even Mom and Dad made one with the kids =0)
Jenny Logan - Those are the cutest ornaments ever!! Thanks for the great idea!!
Kait - I’ve been looking for a hand print ornament I can make with my girls. This is adorable! I might have to squeeze in a little craft time before Christmas.
Shannon Davis - I make these every year with my kindergarteners! I add the poem as mentioned above — they only difference is that we use paint pens for all the details and shatterproof ornaments. We do add black hats with a black paint pen. I also buy teeny little buttons and they glue on two buttons per snowman — adorable — colorful — and each one is unique 🙂
Sharla - These are adorable – I got big ornaments on my way home last night – also snagged some dollar aisle ornaments so I can start making my wreath 🙂 Thanks for great ideas!
Lindsey@ Piecefully Home - so cute!! i have to do this one with my kids!
Jill - Oh my gosh!!!! I am a teacher and have been trying to come up with a quick and cute gift idea for my kids to make for their parents…. I love this!!!! thank you!!!!
Jill - ooomygosh! That is Super Cute!
Tracy - Meg, the fact that you think to take the time to take photos while explaining is simply awesome. These are adorable and the memory of making them adds to the fun! Thanks for sharing.
Julianne Brimner - my daughter just made one at school and brought it home for a Christmas present for me. I think they just did three fingers….with a classroom of first graders, I think she has the bravest teacher in the world. I love it.
Lindsay - LOVE this idea & plan on buying stuff to make them today!!! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Erin - So cute! I will be saving this craft for when I have children 🙂 Very fun.
Candi @ Sweet Designs Boutique - Love these. Just shared on Facebook at facebook.com/sweetdesignsboutique
Jenny B. - My oldest son did one of those at preschool a couple of years ago, and I love it! 🙂
Bobbie Henry - What a cute idea! This is something that my daughter-in-law could do with our two little grandsons and send to us (hint)! Love them!!!
maribeth - my kids have made these at preschool for years, but i love the fun variation of doing it with older children who can contribute more than the handprint itself. love the felt scarves and the falling snow!! i think those will be special keepsakes on their own trees one day, too! (though i am sure you are hoping that one day is far, far away!)
Grace - Those are so cute! Would make a cute teacher gift too…
Jess Mead - So cute and MESSY! My boys would love it!
Kimberlee J. - Talia brought one of these home from daycare last year and I loved it! It’s hanging on my tree high so she can’t get a hold of it. 🙂
sara's art house - LOVE THESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Giuseppina - this might be one of the cutest things i’ve ever seen!!
thanks for sharing 🙂
Lisa @ Shine Your Light - I’m in love with this craft – thank you for sharing! As my kids get older we do less and less crafting together – but I think I can get even my boys to do this one! So cute.
T Galle - Doing this at our Christmas gathering at my Dad’s this Sunday!
Jeannette - Those are the cutest things!!!!! I LOVE snowmen, one my favorites :o) thanks for sharing this
Holly - very cute!
Heather G. - What a cute idea!!
a-m - Absolutely brilliant! Thanks!!!
Leah - Awesome idea. Love it!
erlfisher - THE BEST!! Will most certainly try this!
Lucylu ~ - Oh my goodness i *LOVE* the purple one!
JustMommer - Can’t wait to try this
creativechaos - LOVE this!
kristine - i love this idea!!
Tracy - The toddlers at my daycare center make these every year as a Christmas present to their parents….love it!!!
Monica Huete - Awww, it is so cute !!! What a great idea !!! Thanks so much for sharing … ^___^
Amy Petz - I cannot wait to do this with my boys. Thanks Meg!
Alison Richardson - Those are so adorable! I’m definitely doing this!
Maria - This is one of our favorite crafts to do…we have a small collection of them now (the ones that have survived over the years at least!)
Georgia - IS that another Bauble dining room picture?! ohhhh the suspense.
:o)
Micky - This is so clever! I have never seen this done before. When I saw the hands being painted to be placed on the ornament, I thought, “how’s this going to turn out?”, but it is so cute. I am DEFINITLY doing this one with the kids. Thanks for sharing.
Micky
Beth - Oh, and gotta tell you, at my other school my art room is in a seperate building from the regular school and there is NO WATER in the building. I did one of those big Christmas Cards that is on display outside the library? With all my students? And we did hand prints to make the picture????? Imagine me with a room full of 18-22 kids, with paint on their hands! Wow. I was kind of a basket case at the end of that week!
Beth - ADORABLE! Well worth the wait (sorry about the sick kiddo)! I think I might try this with my girls too!
Tanya @ Life in 3D - I’m in love 🙂 So adorable!
My kids would NEVER just leave their fingers there though…too little still. We did hand prints in salt dough for daddy for Christmas today and even for that…I found myself yelling…”DON’T spread your fingers!”
Proud moments…
Jodi - SO CUTE!! My daughter is 16, but I think I’m gonna get her to do one anyway. Thanks for sharing!
Amy - My pre-K daughter came home with one yesterday with this poem attached –
“These aren’t just 5 snowmen
as anyone can see.
I made them with my hand
which is a part of me.
Now each year when you trim the tree,
you’ll look back and recall
Christmas of 2010
when my hand was this small!”
They also attached a nice polka dot bow at the top. Very cute!
megan k - totally the project for our weekend!!
Hollie - How fast can I get to Target?
Sonia - i love it! i’m going to go get supplies to make them tonight!
Selina - Love this. So clever!
Marisa - SO cute! I’d be afraid to use glass, though, in case my little one squeezed too hard. Good thing there are so many cute plastic ornaments these days.
jennibell - LOVE this — thanks for the idea!!!
the leonard 4 - oh my gawh…thhis is the cutest thing i’ve ever seen, and we will definitely be doing this little craft over winter break! happy holidays! 🙂
shelley - love it ! gonna get all the supplies to do this while the little one is napping…that way we can do it straight away when he wakes!
amanda - love this – will definitely try it this weekend!
Christy - My son just came home with one of these yesterday from school! How funny. His was not as perfect as yours though, probably b/c one Teacher & 25 kids. 🙂 Love these, might have to try it again at home, plus would be great for the grandparents.
mandy madison - Totally stealing this idea!!! SO CUTE!
Lisa - Very very cool!
Cherish Stockdale - umm those are ADORABLE! I love them!
amy cloud - I am going to have a craft week next week with the kids. THis is a great idea and we are going to target tonight. Thanks
mel - LOVE this!!! Totally making these with my girls. SO excited!!! 🙂
Hoosier at Heart - Just darling!
twolittletots - i just saw this the other day and was going to do it with the girls next week. i think it would be great grandparent gifts too!
Donje - That is such a cute craft idea! I LOVE it! Thanks for sharing.
jennifer - I’m totally not a crafty girl, but I just might need to try those. They are super duper cute!
april - these are awesome!!!! I must make these!!!!!
virginia - so cute! crystal always has such great ideas!
Heather @ Cookie Mondays - very cute!
Amanda-ThriceBlessed - Cute! My middle DD did this last year at preschool, if you flip the hand over the ornament the opposite way it creates Santa’s beard, you just add the hat and face! Its just as cute as the snowmen!