what to do when the beastly boys shatter your grandmothers china teapot while bashing around in the garage . . .

i mentioned that my sister and i made ornaments out of my grandmas china teapot the boys broke over the summer . . .

this is how we did it.

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you will need:

wire - 2 kinds; 16ish gauge and 30ish gauge

wire cutters and needle nose pliers

whatever you want to put in the middle

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first, cut a length of the ticker wire. this will vary depending on how large you want your ornament to be. i used about a foot and a half. you can always trim the excess.

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second, make a loop approximately 1-2 inches from the end, and then begin bending the wire into the shape you've chosen. i suggest you use something as a pattern. i used a wooden star i had handy. go slowly! after you bend the wire, there is a kink that is almost impossible to get out.

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once you get your entire shape done, clip any excess wire. you can either make the ends meet exactly, or overlap.

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now take the smaller wire and wrap the entire shape. i like to start where the two ends come together.

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next, pick the pieces you are going to use inside your ornament.

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start at one point, place the glass/china/whatever and begin wrapping with the smaller wire to secure the shards. as one piece becomes secure, move to the next point, working your way to the center.

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once you get everything into place, clip your wire and make sure it's tucked in so nothing unravels. take a piece of the larger wire and make a little hook for the top.

this is my finished ornament:

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we had enough broken china that we made ornaments for my mom, my aunt becky, myself, my sister, and my cousins tara and mindy. so instead of it being a complete loss, now we all have a little memento to remember her by.