Thursday 1 December 2011

Holy Macaroni Batman! It's almost Christmas! [Decorations Part 1]



When the good folks at 'The Pasta People' got in touch with me and asked if I'd like to get hot glue burns and gold paint all over the kitchen floor whilst crafting, then eat a hearty dinner afterwards, I could hardly wait to get to get started! Oh no, hang on, that's how tedious sponsored posts open. I was confused there for a minute. *ahem*

I did however promise a craft post involving macaroni, which I feel is justified as the festive countdown has officially started, and nothing says 'Christmas' like carbs and swearing. Given my six years of servitude as 'craft lady' at a playgroup, and possession of two small boys, you might think I'd have had enough of offerings made from uncooked Italian food. But you'd be wrong! It's so versatile! All of us with kids have at some time worn something like this, right?




And who wouldn't want to keep their pencils in one of these?

That's right Grandma, start practising your happy face


But pasta angels are another thing entirely. I obviously had a sheltered childhood, as the first time I came across this idea was a couple of years ago in Croatia, where I met a guy selling them to tourists. Being a sucker for a Christmas decoration, I bought one, and then thought - I could make those! Since making mine I've discovered them touted on the internet as a craft for kids - but frankly I'm not letting my offspring near the glue gun. Cub scouts are obviously hardier in the States, what with all that hiking in bear infested woods that they do. But I genuinely think they look quite cute on the tree, belying their pre-school materials. [Pasta angels that is, not cub scouts]

You can do 'classy' versions, painted white with a suitably angelic face drawn on afterwards, but I think we can all agree that pasta and gold go together like Donatella Versace and, er, gold. See?

Look, you can hardly tell the difference


Ok, so to make my version you need:
- wooden beads, 3/4 inch diameter
- pasta tubes for the bodies - I used Millerighe   
- Farfalle pasta aka 'bowties' for the wings
- macaroni, for the arms
- Christmas shaped novelty pasta (optional)
- cous-cous
- gold elastic thread, or similar
- hot glue gun (or other strong glue)
- gold paint and brush


1. Thread a loop of elastic through your bead and secure with a knot


2. Put glue around the base of the bead and attach to the millerighe pasta tube


3. Choose some slightly curved macaroni for the arms, and attach a farfalle to the back. I think it looks best if you set the arms at an angle, so the hole at the top is hidden by the wings. My photos in progress have the arms at the wrong angle.


4. Choose a novelty shape for the angel to be holding - I like trees and presents. The candlestick looked a little indecent. If you can't find Christmas pasta then you can always make a little 'hymn book' or similar out of card.



5. Cover the back and sides of the head in glue, and roll in cous-cous to make hair. Again, I've seen these online using tiny individual rolls of pasta, which gives a hairstyle somewhere between Marilyn Monroe and Hilda Ogden. Also this is extremely time consuming and if you're anything like me will result in you burning yourself with hot glue. [I have a blistered thumb]


6. Let the glue dry. Then paint. I only had gold and silver paint designed for railings and garage doors and the like - it would probably be easier and less drippy to use spray paint, which I will try if I make any more.


Ta-dah!

A decoration to treasure! 

Never let it be said there's no room on my tree for a bit of kitsch. How about yours? 

Lakota x

Linking up to Handmade Thursday

47 comments:

  1. Have to say I've never heard of pasta angels before, but they're pretty cute!

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  2. Holy Cannelloni! Love this, although I would like to be able to use ravioli for the head, edible glue and dispense with the gold paint, give them a baptism in some boiling holy water and serve them in a tomato sauce. Great make lady. x

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  3. Fabulous! And I love the couscous hair idea.
    You are right about hot glue and fingers though - I am currently nursing a blistered finger too...

    advent blessings x

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  4. Oh marvelous!

    DD was sitting on my knee while I read this. Now all I'm getting is "MUMMY! I want to make pasta angels" Thanks chick!

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  5. Oh macaroni angel is so adorable.
    my niece would love this crafty project, bet your kids love making pasta angelitos.
    besos

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  6. How cute is that! Love the cous cous hair. Shame, but I have no time to make pasta angels - I have 'Pinterest' to attend to...
    x

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  7. Hehehe - these are so clever, although i think i'll wait to try to make these until the little man is over the whole eating everything he touches stage. Scarlett x

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  8. You had me a little worried when you said macaroni craft, but these are really cute! So easy and such a good idea! I'm going to put this on my "Crafts I'd Love to Try, But Will Probably Never Do Because I'm Lazy" list.

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  9. You had me at nothing says Christmas like carbs and swearing, your funny! That angel is actually really cute! I just went my my BFF's and she has two lil girls she made cookie like ornaments and painted them so cute and what a fun thing to do with the kids. I might give this a try next week with my nephews.

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  10. Ah, you're hard core with the hot glue burns! I've gotta say, I am dead impressed and I will be nicking this for my Christmas Workshop....marvelous!xxxx

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  11. There was me thinking you's super-glued some macaroni to an old screw-top jar and spray painted it gold, like I did at infant school in 1971!
    I should have had more faith in your creative talents.
    They are ace, are you going to wear them as earrings? x

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  12. I have got to say your Pasta Angels are absolutely heavenly!

    *hehehe* But really they ARE rather cute. I hope you recover quickly from your burns.

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  13. Good grief, who'd 'ave thought it? That amAAzing! I'm speechless...
    I didn't even know you could buy Christmas pasta!
    Hope the blisters heal soon, glue guns are fab, but dangerous!
    Penny x

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  14. I am very impressed with that angel - worth all the glue burns.

    PS When that candle shaped pasta is cooked I bet they look just like willies don't they?

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  15. Brilliant! I love it! Had to laugh at the idea of an indecent candlestick held by an angel!

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  16. I love 'em. They are ripe for a bit of glitter! Thanks for your lovely kind words on my blog last week, they really meant a lot. xx

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  17. Ha ha ha you did make me laugh with your humour ;-)) I have to say blinking heck those angels are fantastic i want one please ;-)) I might just have to have a go...but uummm i don't own a glue gun...pants. Oh well enjoy yours there smashing ;-)) dee x

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  18. Amazing!! I love them! Who knew you could make something so good outta a bit of humble pasta! :)

    I second the above though - lashings of glitter needed!! :) xoxo

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  19. Wowee this is brilliant, never thought you could make something so angelic out of good old pasta. I had to laugh out loud at your description of the angel holding the candle being somewhat indecent.Tickled me pink it did! Thanks for sharing xox

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  20. They look surprisingly good, just need a dab of glitter to up the tack quotient a bit for my taste!

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  21. You are always so funny. "Look, you can hardly tell the difference" I'm still trying to figure out what angel is yours. I'll guess and say the angle with an exclamation point for a halo? :-)

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  22. Very cute idea! I'd go with Vix's suggestion that would make fab earrings.

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  23. I'm making xmas cards that say 'nothing says 'Christmas' like carbs and swearing'. Best sentence ever.

    Do you make a gluten free version of these angels, for we coeliacs?

    You rock.

    Sarah xxx

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  24. Pasta angels look like a great excuse to get messy with the glue and paint!
    xxx

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  25. AWESSSOMMEEEE!!!! I totally love it!! now all i have to do is to buy a glue gun and more pasta! Thank you soo much for sharing the tutorial with pics too!! love the pasta angels!

    xx susan

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  26. These look WAY better than they sounded beforehand!! You're good at this shit!!

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  27. My Mom had made some of these for our Christmas tree, when I was a child. I had totally forgotten about them, till I read/saw this post..don't worry, it is a good memory you brought back..haha :) I must admit yours has the extra bling of having a christmas tree in a pasta..I don't think we had those then.
    Thanks for sharing :)
    Magie

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  28. Ahh - the hot glue mystery is solved!! I think they're pretty brilliant truth be told, and since I'm possibly the world's biggest pasta fancier (could literally eat it for every meal - takes much control not to!) I'm definitely going to have a crack at these if I can borrow a glue gun :-)

    Jem xXx

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  29. Clever (and funny too) but I’m so glad that I don’t have to make things from pasta anymore. At school, the children’s creations were made using PVA glue, which is fine when left to set clear and hard. Sadly most of the setting was done on the floor as children are notorioulsy impatient.

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  30. Such a great post, I enjoyed it so much! That's so cute!

    Last day to enter the Fox House giveaway on my blog!
    Take a look and maybe follow?: Cosa mi metto???

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  31. I was worried for a bit there... but those are good - mainly because the finished product isn't to obviously made of pasta! But way beyond the level of fiddling that I think I can tolerate. Certainly I think my husband would call the men in white coats. He is already bemoaning the felt/glitter/beads/potato print projects littering the house.

    I still haven't quite recovered from your bargain baubles though. I am sick with envy. And not just for the items themselves - I'd just like to have a local charity shop that didn't think it everything it sold was worth pounds rather than pence. I know, I know, it's for charity...but bah humbug I want some bargains!

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  32. to. too. two. I do know the difference. Can't bear to have left such a grammatically hideous post and there's no edit option! aargh! sorry!

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  33. They're good, Lakota - I am impressed! Bet it's a fiddly job though... Not to mention risky.
    No wonder you are The Craft Lady - you're inspired!!!
    Have a great weekend. xxxxxxx

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  34. Ohhh I love these. Christmas always makes me feel creative and I dream of a tree covered in homemade decorations and handmade pressies for all my friends and family. Unfortunately I usually never have the time and ending up just buying it all.

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  35. Wow, what great idea! Love it.

    X x

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  36. You're far too clever, and show us mere mortals up something rotten.

    (I actually have a leaning towards tiny alphabet pasta, chopsticks & metallic paints. A friend from Singapore sent me a housewarming gift made with these a few years ago, and it was beautiful - sadly it didn't survive a later house move, which is why I want to make another)

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  37. Love them! Where did you get the Christmas shaped novelty pasta from??

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  38. wow! Love the pasta angels are amazig!
    great post, kisses! :)

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  39. This is really cute, great idea. The kitcher the better for Christmas decorations, as far as I'm concerned!

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  40. ha ha ha ... aren't they brilliant? Love them.

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  41. I love those angels, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
    I am going to try inmediately, yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh
    Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  42. amazing blog!!i'm following you!!if you like mine, do the same!!

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  43. Omg Lakota, they are quite ermmmm amazing. I don't think my clumsy fingers could cope with such an intricate project. I have just spent a good 15 mins embellishing my plastic bag wreath with some glittery penguins and a feathery set of wings (all shop bought). It looks quite hideous.

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  44. My God you are so funny. Pasta seems so easy to work with. I remember being tortured with beans and vinegar and dye. I think I was making "jewelry." Gonna go google what I can do with my baby teeth collection. Im inspired.

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  45. These are amazing! I wish I had some spray paint now. Although I can imagine having a gold blob on the wall with a pasta-angel-shaped hole in it because I don't think things through...

    x

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  46. How cute is that ickle angle?! I want one!

    Madison xxx

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