DIY Steampunk Medals

Make your own steampunk medal! A perfect, easy addition to any Halloween costume! Materials & Tools Needed:

• Medal Ribbon (any length you desire)
• Bicycle Gear (from a cassette)
• Pocketwatch part (preferably one of the cover pieces which are more ornamental)
• Pin
• Safety pin
• EE3000 or 5000 glue
• Needle & Thread (if you prefer to hand sew) or Sewing Machine (which I'd suggest)
• Scissors

Steps:

1. Cut ribbon for the medal.
2. Place your bike gear in the middle of your ribbon.
3. Grab your pocketwatch part (the piece I used is the cover which you can detach by removing the hinge pin which attaches the cover to the rest of the watch).
4. Glue a pin to the back of your pocketwatch part with EE3000 or 5000 (or another kind of glue that fuses to metal).
5. Fold your ribbon (lining up the 2 ends evenly).
6. Fold over the top of your ribbon (toward the back side of your medal ribbon). Place your safety pin inside the fold.
7. Sew (by either hand stitching or machine sewing) along your fold. Be sure to stitch and back stitch if you are using a sewing machine.
8. Cut off the excess thread.
9. Pin your pocketwatch part to the front of your ribbon.

You're finished! Wear with pride!

Santa's Pocket Watch Christmas Tree Ornament

This is a great way to dress up a plain red Christmas ball. It's simple, easy, and costs next-to-nothing to make. Here's what you'll need: Materials:

• Red Christmas Ball
• Length of Chain (It's best to use something that you'd ordinarily throw away--like broken chain from a necklace or bracelet). The amount of chain you'll need depends on the size of your ornament. Mine was small so I used approximately 1/2 inch of chain.
• Flat faced button
• Jump Rings (2 small and 1 large--the large jump ring must fit through one of your button holes)
• Christmas Tree Hook

I choose this ornament in particular because the gold glittery pattern in the middle looks like a flashy belt. Maybe you want to give your plain red ornament a fancy belt--use some paint & glitter to accomplish this!

Total Cost: Personally, Zero dollars! Check around your house for these materials. Odds are you have a plain red Christmas ball packed away, a loose button, and a bit of broken chain. If are purchasing all of these items, I'd estimate it would cost approximately $6-10 depending on the price of your Christmas ball.

Tools:

• Fine Sharpie Pen
• Flat nosed pliers
• Wire cutters/toenail clippers (in case you need to shorten your chain)

Steps:

1. With your Sharpie pen write the hours of the clock onto your flat faced button. Once you're done, draw 2 clock hands. Let dry.
2. Adjust the length of your chain (if necessary) with your wire cutters/toenail clippers. Keep in mind that you want the chain to drape along one side of your Christmas ball and also remember to leave room for your button to dangle.
3. Next, attach the button to your chain with your large jump ring. Use your flat nosed pliers to open & close your jump ring securely.
4. Attach your chain to the wire portion (the top) of your Christmas ball) with 1 of your small jump rings.
5. Drape the remaining chain along one side of your Christmas ball (in the direction of the opposite side that your chain is attached to the ball).
6. Grab your small jump ring, and thread your chain onto it. Next, attach your chain to the wire portion (the top) of Christmas ball--remember to leave enough chain for your button to dangle nicely.
7. Close your jump ring.
8. Attach your Christmas Tree Hook and hang on the tree with pride!

As always, Merry Making!