Something Old, Something New, and a Little Mapmaker Magic

Creating a First Married Christmas ornament with tiny roses, polymer clay, and a few lessons learned along the way.

No groundbreaking techniques this time- just a happy excuse to play with clay and to try my hand making tiny roses. Two dear friends recently got married, and I finally solved the age-old puzzle of what to give the couple who already has everything: a handmade, personalized ‘First Married Christmas’ ornament in their wedding colors.

As with most of my projects, the first attempt wasn’t the attempt. I ended up making four ornaments before deciding that two were worthy of gift status. The other two graciously accepted their fate as learning experiences.

The names were impressed using genuine lead “hot type” printing stamps—the same kind we used decades ago to print maps on a press at the map company. It seemed fitting to add a little piece of my own history (something old, haha) to commemorate the beginning of theirs.
–MJB

Materials: Premo! and Cernit polymer clays, mica powder, chameleon flakes, glass sphere, and wire.