by Fran Casselman
Materials:
#9436 MiniScene Ornament Kit
#48028 Toy Truck and Car Set
#9729 5-Pc. 3/4" Squeeze Me Tree Set
#10253 Scenic Snowflakes
3" Circle template
Scrap of foam core
Silver permanent marker
Long, ball-headed pin or corsage pin
Holiday message confetti
Decorative ribbon, 3/16" to 1/4" wide
Basic craft tools
Glue
Paint
With a craft knife, gently cut the hanging loop off of the half ornament.
Use the circle template on the foam core to make the base for the scene. (If you will want to hang your scene, pencil-mark the four quadrant points and use them to mark the center of the circle.)
Cut the foam core circle with a craft knife; place it flat on your work surface and fit the dome over the base. It will be a snug fit but don’t panic. Find the notch in the recessed edge and put the long pin into the foam core to create a handle.
(For hanging capability, look directly down through the dome to the marked center; mark that dot on the dome with a fine-point permanent marker. To test that the mark is in the right place, stick a tiny corner of tape on the spot and check that the dome hangs properly. Adjust the mark as necessary and use rubbing alcohol or lighter fluid to clean any erroneous marks from the surface. Carefully drill a tiny hole through the plastic for a thread hanging loop, or glue on a jewelry-finding bell cap.)
Remove the dome and set it aside. Plan for the pin location to be on the backside of the scene. Draw a “road” about 1” wide across the base; make it slightly off-center and give it a curve for interest. Erase any pencil marks that might show and paint it the color of asphalt or use a gray marker. Paint a yellow centerline and white shoulder lines.
The truck comes painted green, which does not show well with a green tree. I soaked the truck in acetone and used cotton swabs and toothpicks to remove the green paint. It is silvery pewter under the paint, which I left for the bumpers and hubcaps. I repainted with red craft paint, added a coat of clear sealer, and touched up details with a fine-point silver marker. The car only needed the addition of silver-marker details for the hubcaps, headlights, windows, and bumpers.
The tree in the truck is cut from a bumpy chenille stem. Before cutting the length, I colored a white stem with a green marker, then added a tiny trunk cut from a toothpick. Use just a drop of glue to hold it in the truck bed.
Use white dimensional (puffy) paint to make snowdrifts and an irregular surface on the base. Work quickly and, while the paint is still wet, sprinkle with Scenic Snowflakes. Shake off excess and allow to dry.
Check position for the tiny Squeeze Me trees, they can be cut shorter to change the height. Glue in place. Add more trees and/or a piece of holiday message confetti if desired; glue in place and touch the top edges with glue to catch more Scenic Snowflakes. Lightly brush the trees with glue and add snowflakes.
Use a soft, dry paintbrush to sweep the road clear of any loose snowflakes. Glue the vehicles on the road.
When everything is completely dry and secure, turn upside down and gently blow away any loose snowflakes. Sweep the road again; make sure the inside of the dome is clean and put it in place. Glue if needed.
Glue ribbon around the base of the dome; secure it with the pin until dry.