Christmas Ornaments DIY - IOD Winter’s Calling Transfer

Hi, it's Beth from Aunt Bea's Attic. I picked up these natural wood slices from Amazon, I think over a year ago, and I knew they'd make the perfect base for some Christmas ornaments with the birds from the Winter's Calling Transfer Pack. I didn't want them to look like just fresh cut rounds. I wanted to look a little aged, so I mixed together DIY crystal clear liquid patina with darkened decrepit liquid patina. I didn't want the wood to get too dark, so mixing the two gave me the perfect weathered look while still letting all that beautiful wood grain show. Some of them I put actually just some clear in the middle or in spots. Some of them I put a little heavier with darkened decrepit at the edges because I just didn't want one uniform straight color across them either. The hardest part was choosing which of the images I wanted to use. I knew I was going to use the birds, but did have a second thought looking through some of the florals and ribbons and bells, even the script, and there's just a lot of different elements in this transfer set. I love cardinals, so he was an easy first choice. Even though he was a little larger than the ornament with the wreath around him, I knew trimming around the edge would still frame it perfectly. For the second ornament, I loved how the little bird paired so naturally with the noel label, and unfortunately, this is where I accidentally filmed my sealing instead of the project, so you missed me decorating the other two ornaments, but these are the transfer pieces I used. Thankfully, they turned out beautifully. Next, I sealed each ornament with Paint Couture Satin Top Coat. One thing I really appreciate about Paint Couture's top coats is that they're slightly tinted while wet, so it's easy to see exactly where you've applied them. As they dry, they become completely clear. After that dried, I lightly sanded around the edges so the transfers blended into the natural contours of the branches on the cardinal ornament. It's a subtle step, but it really helps the artwork look like it's always belonged there. Then to add even more depth, I worked in a little Black Chiffon Glaze for shadows and Whitewash Glaze for highlights, giving them a more 3D appearance instead of looking flat. Then on this ornament, I added Verde Green to the leaves in like all the darker spots and touched some of the berries with Copperhead Glaze to bring in a little warmth and richness. Because Christmas ornaments should always have just a little sparkle, I finished everything with a light coat of Sheer Bliss. It catches the light beautifully without overpowering the natural vintage look. And here they are, four woodland-inspired ornaments with an old-world Christmas feel. They're simple to make, but each one has its own unique personality. I'd love to know which ornament is your favorite. Let me know down in the comments. And if you enjoyed this tutorial, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe for more DIY home decor and Christmas inspiration. Thanks so much for watching and I'll see you in the next project.