Frugal Craft: Bullet Angels

I've had these shotgun shell casings for quite some time. I gathered them so I could make my shotgun shell Angel ornaments. I think they turned out cute.

For anyone that would like to make your own here is how I did it....

The materials that I used:

Spent shotgun shell casings (spent meaning shot)

Wooden balls (I used 1")

Plastic sheeting or plastic shopping bags

Wire (any color, I used white)

Curly hair (I had white and tinted it with coffee)

Craft paints: pink, rose, blue, black, white, yellow

Hot glue gun and sticks

Scissors

Bowl of ice water (for dipping your fingers in when you get hot glue on them)

1. Make sure the curly hair you are going to use is ready to use, ie, dyed and dry.  If it is you're ready to make your Angels.

2. Cut a 2-3 inch piece of wire, then wrap around one of the wooden balls to form the halo.  Twist ends and do not bend yet.  Make as many as the number of Angel's you are going to be making. Maybe make a few extras just in case.

3. Paint Wooden Balls. To make it easier I stacked the balls by threading them onto paintbrushes. This made it much easier to hold them while painting.   Paint wooden balls flesh color (which I came up with mixing pink, yellow and white)  Let dry.

4. While the wooden balls dry I cut the plastic sheeting into rectangles approximately 3-4 inches wide and 2 inches tall, then fold accordion style, hold in the center and hot glue to the shell casing.  I did all of mine at once.

5. Next paint the rosy cheeks and eye color onto the wooden balls for the Angel's faces.  Let dry

6. Next paint the black pupil and mouth (I used a toothpick instead of a paintbrush)  After the pupil is dry, again using a toothpick, add the white glint onto each eye.

7. Hot glue a head to each shotgun shell (make sure they are facing the correct way)

8. Put a drop of hot glue into the hole on top of the head and insert the wire halo

9. Cut the curly hair you plan to use and attach to the head using hot glue (careful you WILL burn your fingers, use your bowl of water!)

10. Once the hair is attached the way you want, bend the halo foward.

Viola!  You're Shotgun Shell Angel is complete and ready to hang.

You can add a hanger if you like.  I left mine for people to attach a wire hanger to the halo, or around her neck. It's up to the person receiving her! :)   

I have some left if you'd rather purchase one instead of making your own.  They are available here on my Etsy Shop.