Make a Salt Shaker Angel Ornament

My Christmas crafts, like so many of my crafts, are made using items that had a previous life. As I was contemplating my next project, I came across a box of salt and pepper shakers. These shakers were not the novelty-kind that many people covet for collections, but rather the standard, clear-glass shakers with metal shaker lids on the top. I immediately saw angels emerging from these plain household items. They turned out to be an excellent craft show winner.

Note: Any plain shaker will work for this project, but the shaker top needs to be removable.

Materials You Will Need:

Standard clear-glass shaker

Craft glue

1-inch white Christmas ball ornament

1 1/2-inch-wide white gathered lace

Measuring tape

Scissors

Hand sewing needle and thread

Hot glue gun

Curly craft hair

Gold or silver tinsel garland

Utility scissors or wire cutters

1/8-inch-wide ribbon

Step 1

Remove the lid from your shaker and set aside. Apply a line of craft glue around the top of the "jar's" rim. Place a 1-inch white Christmas ball ornament in the glue on top of the jar. This is the angel's head. For most standard-size shakers, a 1-inch ball ornament and the remaining supply measurements will be sufficient. They could easily be modified if needed. Allow the glue to dry.

Step 2

Cut a 9-inch length of 1 1/2-inch-wide white gathered lace. Hand sew a running stitch along the long hemmed edge of the lace. Do not knot or cut the thread. Wrap the lace around the neck of the shaker. This is also the neck of the angel. Pull the thread to gather the edge until the cut ends meet. Stitch the ends together to secure. Knot and cut the thread.

Step 3

Apply hot glue to the top, sides and back of the head. Place curly craft hair in the glue.

Step 4

Apply hot glue to the inside rim of the shaker lid. Place the lid on the top of the angel's head, slightly tilted toward the back. This is the angel's halo.

Step 5

Cut a 9-inch length of gold or silver tinsel garland using utility scissors or wire cutters. Lay the center of the tinsel length on the front of the angel, below the head. Bring the ends to the back of the angel and twist at the neck. Separate the wire ends. Form into a ring and overlap the ends 1 inch. Twist to secure the ring. Fold the ring upward. This is the hanger for your shaker angel ornament.

Step 6

Cut a 12-inch length from the gold or silver tinsel garland. Form the tinsel into a ring. Overlap the ends approximately 1 inch. Twist to secure the ring.

Step 7

Twist the tinsel ring into a figure 8 shape, twisting the center twice to hold the shape. This is the angel's wings. Apply hot glue to the twist, on one side of the figure 8. Place the wings on the back, at the neck of the angel.

Step 8

Cut a 9 inch length of 1/8-inch wide ribbon. Tie the ribbon into a bow. Lay the shaker angel on its back. Apply a dot of glue to the front, center of the angel's lace collar. Place the bow over the glue. Allow the glue to dry.