This is awesome! So adorable I need to make one of these!

AHH! I LOVE it! I have to make one. Have to!

Awesome idea! We always did the molds of their hands, but I think I like the ornament just as much if not more!

How ADORABLE! It will be great to hang that up every year and be amazed at how small his hand used to be :)

So cute! :) What a neat keepsake!

um yes please! i was just about to go out and buy that clay hand kit but not anymore! love this!!!

Adorable! How on earth did you get such a great hand print? Every time I try to do the hand print thing with James he grabs everything and I get a bunch of smooched fingers!

such a cute idea. too bad this is my little monster's second xmas. i could still probably make one for this year though.

I love this!

Aw, how sweet!

Aww what an awesome idea!! And great photo!

You're welcome :) So glad they turned out! I got 1o total haha.

A hair dryer can work but I guess it might be too powerful and blow the glitter off. I also read about holding it over the toaster! The embossing gun was only $24 so it was worth a purchase.

OH MY GOSH! LOVE this idea!! sooooo sweet! wish i would have done something like that for noah's first ornament. thanks for the idea!!

beautiful picture as always!

Great idea, although since my little guy still has his hands in tight fists I may have to just do his foot instead.

this is the cutest thing ever. love it!

That is so cute - and bokeh on top of it?! I'm not sure I can get Kitty Paw to cooperate for that.

That is a GREAT idea...i wonder if Austin would let me make a print of his hand..he's so busy! he hardly sits still anymore!

That is the cutest thing ever!!! I must make one!!

It never ceases to amaze me at what cute items folks come up with to craft. That is just adorable!

Um....that is pretty much the cutest thing I've ever seen!! Love it!! So wishing I was crafty like that!

love love love looooooooveveeee loove it! totally gonna do it!

Shut up this is the cutest thing ever!!

His little hand print is the cutest.

Very cute! You might want to write childs name and the year on the other side. also, I don't think that a hair dryer would work, not hot enough heat and too much air movement, BUT before I had a heat gun I got the idea from a friend to melt embossing powder by holdiong it over a stove burner, electric of course. So that might work.

What a cute adorable idea!

Wonder if I could get my dog's paw print on one... :)

This is a GREAT idea..thanks so much for sharing! I'm totally doing that this year for my girl's 1st Christmas (even though we don't even have a tree this year!). I didn't realize they had clear paint..I'll have to keep my eyes open for that.

What a great idea! It looks beautiful! :)

Mandy... thanks so much for sharing this idea! I was about to give up and just go buy a random ornament because I just wasn't having any luck, and I really wanted something sentimental. I made a handprint and footprint ornament today with Reese, and they were so easy I couldn't believe it! Thanks so much!

That is so precious!! I love it. How sweet and personal!!

Love the bokeh! Thanks for linking up!

Found your blog through Pinterest - love all your photos! I'm planning to try this ornament project with my 16 mo. son this year :) I just read your about pages & birth story, enjoyed them! I had a posterior labor too, 102 hours :-P Hoping for baby to NOT be "sunny-side up" next time :-)

Found this through pinterest-adorable! I've never heard of clear ink? Is it like paint? Where would I find it?

I would love to try this with my 10-month-old, but what is clear ink?  Where would I go to find it?

Found this on Pinterest and I love it. I've been attempting it as gifts for the two sets of grandfolks this Christmas however I'm having a bit of trouble. Particularly with getting my little's hand neatly onto the ornament without squirming around. How did you get yours to look so good? I'm using clear acrylic paint, perhaps that's the problem. Any help?!

I'm assuming she's talking about clear, embossing ink.  You can find it at any craft store :)  What I'd like to know is how to get said infant to cooperate with the hand print! ;)

Hey, Just a question for you (and not sure if you'll get this because I know you posted this entry last year...but I just found it on pinterest!!)
I want to do this, but am not sure what you mean about sealing it when I'm done.  I don't have a heat sealer thing (like what you said your friend used).  Any suggestions for how to do it?  How hot / how long / how can you tell when it's done, etc...??
Any suggestions would be helpful!!
You can post it as a comment, or email me at kamhill@hotmail.com.
Thanks!!

Where do I get clear ink? I looked at my local Michael's and they had no idea what I was talking about. (I'm a newbie crafter...)  Thanks!

this is just so adorable!! I went to the craft store last night to get the supplies and I couldn't find any clear ink. Any suggestions or could you post a pic of the one you used?

I just made a few of these lastnight! I used red and green paint, and had to wait untill my baby fell asleep ( she is 6 months old) I am in love!! Thank you so much!!

Just got the supplies for this- I'm going to do it with my little clients as parents gifts this year! For those who are wondering- she's talking about embossing ink- it comes in a stamp pad. Martha Stewart Crafts has one. 

Thanks for a great Christmas decoration post



Best Christmas Decorations

For those wondering....embossing ink comes with instructions on how to use it (heat, glitter and all that).  Just any ole' clear ink won't look the same as this.

So funny

I am hosting a playdate/crafting day tomorrow to make these with some moms! :) Suggestion though - I found regular glitter does not work and that you need actual embossing powder in order for it to seal :) 

Micheals in Kelowna had it - it's clear embossing ink, usually in the area where other embossing ink is. YOu could try a different color embossing ink too, depending what color embossing powder you got :) The clear that I found (after much searching and the staff didn't even know they had it! lol) was in a little dauber bottle, like a bingo dauber! 

This is so adorable! I just did this with my son, however, I do not have a heat gun. I tried holding it over a burner but this was hard to do because of the heat. Even after holding it there for a long time it did not completely seal so I used clear spray paint and it turned out great!

Did you use a plastic or glass ball?  I can't get enough heat on it to get it to seal without the plastic ball warping (melting) a bit.

Did you use embossing powder or glitter?

Hi Shanon, did you have success with this? Did you use a glass or plastic ball?  I tried with a plastic but can't get the handprint to seal without the plastic ball melting a bit.

Megan, how did you use the spray paint?

Just saw your finished product on Twitter.  AWESOME!!!  Love it with the green!!!  Did you use the embossing powder?  I couldn't find the stamp pad version of the ink hoping the dauber version will go onto the kids hands!

Thanks for the tips Shanon; dying to try this with my 8wk old twins for their first Christmas. Dayna (Calgary, AB Canada)

Do I need to use embossing powder with the glitter to make it seal? When I use super fine glitter with the embossing ink, the glitter still comes off the ornament. Even after I use the heat gun. 

After embossing ink, glitter, and then heat I still had problems with the glitter coming off so I'll try the clear spray paint. Thanks for the tip! :)

If you use embossing glitter, the glitter won't come off.  Or you can use clear embossing powder after the ink, heat it up, and while it's still wet, apply regular glitter and add hear again.  :)

could I do this with finger paint?

I'm so uncreative...I have no idea how to get my 18 month old to put his handprint on the ball...lol...any ideas??

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Yes you need to use embossing powder - I tried the glitter and it did not work either. You could get a neutral embossing powder (white or silver) and mix it with glitter though. That worked for me :) 

 I find that it really helps to have a second set of hands. My daughter is only 6 months so it was easy. Or try to entice him to grab the ball and then just hold his hand on when he lays it on there. Or wait until he naps ;) hehe

I think Finger Paint would just wash off :/ 

 I had GREAT success! I  had to use glass balls, though - plastic melts under the heat of the gun :( I paid the money to get all the proper supplies (heat gun, embossing ink and powder) and it was SO worth it! :)

 Embossing powder! Glitter did not work!

This will be perfect for my grandsons first Christmas!

Love this!!! Can I use regular paint? Anyone have tips for getting a good handprint of a newborn?

here is another idea. We are doing this with my class this year.. It may not work with such tiny hands.. but it's good to have ideas for when they get older. 

sorry it didn't attach like I thought it would.

I just did one. I had never heard of embossing ink and a heat gun. I bought all the stuff. Right by the embossing ink there were 3 kinds of powder: opaque, glitter, and metallic. I bought the glitter embossing powder. My glitter does not come off. You might need the embossing powder that is glittery.

I used glass, it did fine.

Does anyone know about how much this would cost? We are on a tight budget, but, I was thinking those ornaments come in sets of 6 so I could technically make 6 of them. One for baby and one for the 3 sets of grandparents. Then there would be 2 bulbs left over for my daughter (who is 14) to make 2 ornaments of her choosing.

I just bought a pack of 4 clear balls last night at Michaels for $2.50 - they were half off.  I bought some paint so I didn't have to deal with glitter.  I haven't done it yet but if it works with the paint, itll cost $4.50 for 4

do it while he's sleeping

I just tried this with my 10 month old with paint and I had no luck..too slippery.  Haven't tried it per the instructions yet.  Good news is I was able to get the paint off the ornaments.  So I can start over.

Would like to suggest using plastic balls. Attempted this project with my 8 month old today, she squeezed the ornament when I put her hand on it and it broke. Glass went everywhere and she and I both got cut!! :(

HOw do you make it so the hand print does not scratch off?

What type of Embossing ink did you buy?  I tried to find it at Joann's and had no luck.  I found he embossing glitter and a blue non toxic stamp pad. 

Ummm.....You should have put a warning, do not try this at home! Mine were terrible! How did you get the handprint so clear and nice?

Here's my blog post about my trial and error process with crafting your ornament. Mostly error...

http://www.letterstomo.com/2011/12/this-mama-is-not-artsy-fartsy.html

It was a trial and error, but you have to be super patient, a don't seal it until it's how you want it. Also, I used an oven at 275 -300 degrees for 15 minutes to seal it. Wipe and tap off excess before putting in the oven. I also brought the oven to temp with the ball in the oven in case the temp difference would shatter it. Use foil to create a crate so it doesn't wobble around.

Ok - that's the cutest thing ever!!
♡ Jill

Hi! I have featured your beautiful ornament craft in my blog for my post "Christmas tree ornaments made by children". You can see it here! I would love your feedback! Happy holidays!