Holiday Hands {{DIY Kids Craft}}

As much as I love all of our travel ornaments and ornaments that have been gifted to us, my favorites are already the ones that have Marcus' little hands all over them (literally).

Along with Christmas cutouts, I started a tradition of making an ornament out of Marcus' hand each year. It's something I hope to continue for as long as he will let me.

This is *such* an easy craft. I'm hoping once Marcus is a little older he will want to help more in  the crafting aspect. Shoot, I'll be happy if he sits still long enough for me to get a good tracing of his hand.

Truth: This year I had to dip Marcus' hand into finger paint and then place his hand on paper to trace his  handprint. Little man wanted nothing to do with me tracing his hand. You're totally shocked, aren't you?

The steps to make the ornament are pretty easy. But, I'll try to break it down a bit.

1. Trace your littles hand (or do like I did and use finger paint to get a handprint to trace).

2. To make things pretty fool proof I create the Santa face on paper before I start cutting. Labeling each part ensures I cut exactly what I need from the appropriate color felt.

3. Trace the whole hand on white felt and cut out.

4. Cut the "Santa hat" portion off of the paper hand to create a stencil.

5. Using the paper stencil, cut the hat out of red felt.

6. Glue the red felt hat on the to white felt hand.
7. With white felt scraps, cut out trim for the hat.

8. Glue white trim onto hat.
9. Using white felt scraps, free hand a mustache.
10. Glue mustache in appropriate place.
11. With glue, attach wiggle eyes in appropriate place.
12. Using a small dab of red puff paint create Santa's nose.
13. With glue, attach jingle bell at tip of hat.
14. (Optional) Trace outline of entire face with gold puff paint.
15. (Optional) After puff paint is dry, apply glue to beard and mustache areas to attach white fluffy stuff for a three dimensional look.
16. (Optional) On the back of each ornament I have Marcus' name and age written.

In just one year it is amazing how much Marcus has grown. It was so fun to pull out the ornament from last year and compare it to the one we (I) made this year.

No ornament is complete until it's hung on the tree. Here are both ornaments proudly on display on our tree.