{Deer Silhouette Ornament from a Recycled Gift Box}

Hey, y'all!  As a crafter who likes to repurpose items whenever I can, I have a stockpile of empty boxes and containers in my craft room that take up way more space than I'd like to admit.  Around Christmastime, I like to try to recycle those items into unique ornaments. (Remember by Recycled Juice Carton Ornament and my Gift Box Ornaments?)  This year I decided to make another version of my gift box ornaments.

I began by selecting a gift box top that was the perfect size for an ornament.

I painted the inside with red paint.

After that dried, I covered the outside with a festive washi tape.

I then covered the washi tape with a layer of sparkle Mod Podge to keep the tape from peeling up and, well, just because everything is better with glitter.

Then I started working on the deer Silhouette.

I printed a deer silhouette that I found using a Google image search.  (It's the same silhouette I used for my Reindeer Silhouette Embroidery Hoop Art.)  I printed the silhouette out in a size that would fit well in the box top.  I used double stick tape to stick the printed deer on a piece of recycled cardboard, and then I cut out the deer with a craft knife.

I painted the deer with a coat of primer (gesso) followed by two coats of green paint.  Then I covered it with a layer of green glitter mixed with Mod Podge.

I used hot glue to glue the glittered deer to the box.  I also glued some pom-pom trim to the inside edges of the box.

I tied some embroidery floss in a loop, threaded that through a wooden bead, and glued that to the top of the box to create a hanger for the ornament.

I love the Christmas colors and the sparkly deer, but what I love most is that I was able to recycle something that would have otherwise been put in the trash.   If you want more handmade ornament inspiration, be sure to check out Stephanie Lynn's handmade ornament series over at Under the Table and Dreaming. 

I had the pleasure of posting an ornament earlier in the week as part of the series, and there have been so many other awesome ornaments other creative bloggers have shared.  Inspiration is coming out of the wazoo over there, and you don't want to miss it!  Happy crafting!