When I’m inspired by something, especially when I want to re-pin it or talk about it here, I make a huge effort to find the original source of the project.  It’s often not as obvious as it seems.  Greta Gluegun makes a project and happens to take a better picture than the original, and suddenly that idea is attributed to Greta.  There’s nothing wrong with sharing that great photo, but I like to make sure the person who first had the light bulb go on over their head gets credit.

The cleverness and simplicity of this ornament is what caught my eye.  After some research, I believe the originator of this idea is a blog called Living Life in PA.  This is her adorable ornament.

As most popular crafts go, many people have created their own take on this little guy, including using salt for the snow and peppercorns for the eyes, nose and buttons.  I haven’t seen one yet I didn’t like.  Of course, I had to try it myself, with my own tweaks to the materials.

I used regular shimmery white glitter for the snow. I liked the peppercorns so I stuck with that for most of them, although I also used some tiny black buttons for some. I went with yarn for the scarf and a little different shape than the usual round bulb to hold it all. The copper wire is for the carrot nose, which I’ll show you in a minute. I also used a little bit of green felt. I guess the jingle bells are there to look pretty, because I didn’t use those at all.

I started by making the scarf.  I pictured a cute little crocheted version in my head, but given my lack of skills in that area, I braided it instead.  I used six strands, each 10 inches long, and knotted each end, leaving a little for fringe.

My carrot nose is a little unconventional, but I like it.  To make it, I cut 6 inches of copper wire and cut a tiny green leaf shape from felt.  Bend the wire around the center of the leaf, then twist it tight.

Start twisting the wire around a pencil or pointy stick.

Keep twisting to the tip.

Pull out the stick and bend the leaves up.

Now it’s just a matter of filling the ornament.  Start with the glitter or salt.  Don’t curse at the glitter like I did…it’s not very festive.

I found after putting in the first one, the scarf worked better if I twisted it up before I pushed it into the ornament.  I just dropped everything else in.  I also busted up a little stick someone had tracked into the house and threw it in there for arms.

I left these hanging in my office, and at least three people looked at them and declared how cute they were.  When I asked them what they were, they had no idea.

When I told my son it was a melted snowman, he said “You mean you made ornaments out of dead snowmen?!?!  Wow mom.”  Ah, nothing like teenage boy humor.

I’d try not to shake these up too much, because everything sinks.  The good news is, with some tapping, it floats back to the top.

My thanks again to Living Life in PA for the great idea!