Holiday ornaments can be so unoriginal, just how many presents or colorful spheres can you have on your tree, bush, etc.?

It's time to try something different!
I decided to put a spin on the family member photo ornaments we used to have on the tree....

Face Photocopies + Old Hoops = Ornament?

My sister had photocopied her face a bunch of times and I really wanted to use the images I found lying around the house... Plus, I had a bunch of rusting old hoop earrings lying around. So I decided to give the ol' tree a funky makeover.

Step 1: Materials

1) Photocopies of a family member's face, I have a couple photocopies of my sister's face squished. I made them smaller by shrinking with the zoom button on the photocopy machine.
2) Large old hoop earrings that you don't need, preferably the kind where it clips into a tiny fish eye to close, not the kind that snaps into place. (I used 2" hoops)
3) Markers (I'm using Prismacolors: crimson red, chartreuse deco pink, black, mulberry, apple green, and spring green)
4) Two colors of thread, needle
5) Thicker thread (for hanging the ornament, I have some red crochet thread not shown)
6) Craft glue, small brush (optional)
7) Scissors
8) Inky black pen (I'm using Pilot V5 Pen, not shown)
9) Contact paper (not shown)

Step 2: Prepping the Image

1) Get the photocopy of the face you want.
2) Use the hoop earring as a guide to determine what you want in the ornament. Trace in pencil the circular outline.
3) Using your markers, color in the parts of the face you want to highlight. (I used crimson red for the lips, chartreuse and greens for the eyelids, and deco pink for the rosy cheeks)
4) Take the black pen and outline the shadows and trace the features you wish to emphasize.
5) Fill in the darkest parts of the photocopy entirely with black pen.
6) When you are satisfied with how the image looks, layer a sheet of contact on top of the image and on the back.
7) Cut out the image.

Step 3: Starting the Ornament

8) Break off the needle of the earring.
9) Using a brush and small amount of craft glue, brush the glue onto the surface of the earring
10) Apply the image

Step 4: Sew, Sew, Sew

11) Thread a needle with the first color you'd like to use
12) Sew the image onto the earring, by looping the thread around the earring (whip stitch: http://www.fiber-images.com/Free_Things/Reference_Charts/Handsewing_Stitches_Images/free_reference_charts_handsewing_stitches_whip_stitch.jpg)
13) Sew around the entire hoop earring

Step 5: Back of the Ornament

14) Repeat steps 1-13 for the back of the ornament. The only difference is that you will be sewing through two layers of paper this time around (instead of one) with the whip stitch.

Step 6: Ornament or Necklace?

15) Cut a small amount of thicker thread and thread it through the remaining fish eye that is still in tact from the original earring to complete the ornament.

OR

*16) Cut a longer thread to make a necklace and use the ornament as a pendant.

*not shown

Step 7: Voila!

17) Check it out!

Step 8: Adorn Your Tree or Whatnot

18) Hang it up, check it out, admire, laugh, etc. etc. enjoy!

**I made a smaller ornament out of just details I selected from the larger photocopies.