Creating a GLITTERY Nutcracker From a Thrift Store Find!

Have you ever been out shopping when you’ve seen something that makes you proclaim, “I can make that!”?  I do that all of the time, as a few of my friends can attest.  Sometimes the things I think I can make turn out to be beyond my overly confident capabilities.  Other times I give a project a try and I’m rewarded with the taste of success!  This is one of those times.

I began thinking about creating my own glittery nutcracker after we attended last year’s performance of The Nutcracker Ballet in Seattle.  The nutcrackers in the gift store were so magnificent that I couldn’t resist buying one of my own.  Looking back, I’m so glad that I did because at the time we had no idea that that would be our last Christmas living in the Seattle area.  After bringing my nutcracker home I began thinking about all of the sad, old nutcrackers sitting in our local Goodwill Christmas Store. That’s when I decided I’d try my hand at creating my own Glittery Nutcracker.  After wading through an awful lot of nutcrackers I came across this little guy, whose face intrigued me . . .

Today I’ll show you the transformation of a thrift store nutcracker into a colorful and glittery nutcracker!

This is the way our nutcracker looked when we found him, in all of his traditional nutcracker colors.

This is the kit full of magic that I used to transform him into what he is today!

 Though there are a lot of  less expensive glitter sets than Martha Stewart’s, this set has the most beautiful colors of them all!  Plus, the glitter really goes a long way as you simply pour what shakes off back into the containers for future use.

My daughter Bethany actually came up with the design and color choices for this nutcracker while she was home  on vacation last Christmas.

She started the project by painting over the traditional red and black nutcracker uniform with pearlized and metallic paints (Martha Stewart Pearl Aquarium, Martha Stewart Metallic Sterling and Yellow Gold, and Decor Art Metallic Crystal Green)

She left the chippy face and hands alone as they have so much character just as they are.

Bethany used a paint brush to apply a thin layer of Martha Stewart glue creating a design of stripes on the jacket and hat . . .

. . . and a triangular “skirt” on the lower portion of the jacket.

After the glue was applied she simply shook the glitter onto the nutcracker, gently knocked off the excess and allowed the nutcracker to dry before going on to the next color.

As you can see, portions of the nutcracker were left glitter free.

I love her choice of jewel tones don’t you?

Since Bethany didn’t have quite enough time to finish the project while she was home I added the final details, white glitter on the mustache and eyebrows, and the painting of the staff and base.  Hmmm . . . I guess you could say that this wasn’t really my success at all since she did most of the work!  I did  come up with the bright idea though!

You can see from the picture above how the glitter has” traveled” from the mostasche onto the face. That is a quick fix by gently brushing away the excess with a dry paint brush once the glue is completely dry.

To set the glitter in place so it won’t rub off with handling, I used extra strength hairspray and lightly misted over the entire piece.  Krylon also creates a non-yellowing protective sealer called Make It Last!, but since the colors are dark I think the hairspray will be just fine.

Here are a few more pictures of our glittery nutcracker with the rest of his soldier friends.

Yes, that is the nutcracker from the ballet.  I still think he’s gorgeous!

I haven’t put  away my glitters just yet as I’m working on a special project for the fireplace mantle in our new home.  I’m SO excited to finish so I can share it with you!  I do hope you’ll come back to see the surprise!

What have you come across in your shopping that you’ve determined you would make yourself rather than buy?  How did it turn out?  Do the things you make ever include thrift store finds?  I find great joy in making Old Things New and I hope you do too!

Blessings,