We are so excited about August’s first Christmas! How will he regard the feast, the presents, the stockings, the caroling?!

This important milestone is one that we’ll probably remember more than him, but that doesn’t mean we still can’t pull out all the stops for our little merry jelly belly. For this first baby-centric-Christmas we’ll be continuing some long-standing family traditions, while throwing in some new ones just for August. The first – an annual handmade Christmas ornament.

To help inspire this sentimental tree trimming  I sifted through pin after pin on Pinterest but quickly found the tutorials lacking. Many of the handmade ornaments were too crafty looking (I know – there is such a thing I swear!). I wanted August’s first ornament to capture this important milestone while still retaining a modern classy feel. I really liked the idea of capturing a hand or foot print but instead of the traditional pressing method I opted for a different technique: embossing. This way I could capture his tiny digits without creating something too cliche.

So if you’re looking for an easy way to capture your baby’s first Christmas, or if you’re looking for a great gift for the grandparents or extended family, give my little tutorial below a try.

Materials:

• Salt dough ornament
• Twine or string
• Non-toxic ink pad
• Dry paint brush
• Embossing powder
• Embossing heat gun

Step 1) Grab an adult helper and together dip your bambino’s foot or hand onto the ink pad.

Step 2) Roll your babe’s foot or palm onto the ornament, being careful not to let those fingers or toes wiggle too much. Gently press onto the ornament. After the press, lift up quickly.

Step 3) Have your helper whisk baby away for washing while you sprinkle the print with embossing powder. Gently blow on the ornament to remove loose powder.

Step 4) Using your dry paint brush, carefully brush off any powder that goes beyond the print.

Step 5) Turn on the heat gun and hover it over the powdery print. Take your time to allow for an even melting of the powder. Give the ornament a couple of minutes to cool down and dry. Once safe to touch, string through with twine and hand up on your favorite tree or branch!

Wallah! There you have it – a classy, yet easy to make, ornament for you and your little bambino!