Foam Stocking Garland

Here's an adorable way to dress up your home for the holiday season. Instead of using the traditional garland, why not create the Foam Stocking Garland? The kids will love it and you'll have a unique decorative craft that will add a whimsical Christmas touch to your decor.  Hang this garland from the mantel or on a wall to help bring Christmas spirit into your home.

Materials:

• 2 oz. Apple Barrel® Paint in Bright Red
• 2 oz. Apple Barrel® Paint in White
• 2 oz. Apple Barrel® Paint in Black
• 2 oz. Apple Barrel® Paint in Christmas Green
• 2 oz. Apple Barrel® Paint in Pumpkin Orange
• 2 oz. Apple Barrel® Paint in Caterpillar
• Fashion® Dimensional Fabric Paint in Shiny Black
• 4 oz. FolkArt® Texture Paint in White
• 4 oz. FolkArt® Texture Paint in Sparkle
• 6 1-inch wood diamond barrel beads
• 6 3/4-inch wood round beads
• 3 yards 5/8-inch wide ribbon (your choice in color)
• 1 yard 1/8” wide double-faced satin ribbon (your choice in color)
• 1/2 yard 1/8” wide double-faced satin ribbon (your choice in color)
• 24” cording with wire (your choice in color)
• Stylus
• No. 8 flat shader brush
• No. 8 fabric round scrubber brush
• No. 4 round brush
• No. 10/0 liner brush
• 3 toothpicks
• Sprig of miniature holly
• 3 miniature pinecones
• 3 pins with white glass bead heads
• 1-3/16 x 6-5/8 x 11-7/8 Styrofoam sheet
• 2 1-1/2-inch Styrofoam balls
• Foam cutter
• Foam glue
• Scissors
• Permanent black marker
• Palette knife or wood craft stick
• Palette paper or foam plate
• Paper towels
• Water basin
• Pattern

Instuctions:
Use fabric round scrubber brush to apply paint to Styrofoam in large areas. Use flat shader brush for base coating beads or painting small areas.

1. Print out patterns of both size stockings. (You’ll need 3 small and 3 large.)
    
2. Cut out patterns and lay on Styrofoam sheet. Using marker, trace around patterns. Using Styro Cutter, cut out all stockings.

Small Stockings

1. Paint cuff area White. Let dry. Paint lower 2/3’s Caterpillar. Let dry.
    
2. Paint toe and heel area Bright Red. Let dry.
    
3. Using liner brush, add Bright Red vertical and horizontal lines for plaid design.
    
4. Using palette knife or craft stick, apply Snow White Texture Paint to cuff on all sides. Let dry.
    
5. Using No. 4 round brush, dip into Christmas Green. Touch and lightly press onto surface to make a leaf on the right side of cuff. Repeat for a total of 3 holly leaves.
    
6. Dip stylus into Bright Red and dot in 3 berries along with holly leaves.
    
7. Using Styro Cutter, burn a hole completely through cuff for inserting ribbon during assembly.

Large Stockings

1. Paint cuff area White.
    
2. Paint lower 2/3’s Bright Red.
    
3. Using palette knife or craft stick, apply Snow White Texture Paint to cuff on all sides. Let dry.
    
4. Using Styro Cutter, burn a hole completely through cuff for inserting ribbon during assembly.

Snowman on Large Stocking

1. Using Styro Cutter, cut round Styrofoam balls in half. You will only be using 3 of the halves. (Idea: Do 4th half and use as a pin or as an ornament.)
    
2. Push a toothpick through center of smooth side of 1/2 ball until 1/2-inch is showing through on curved side. This will allow you to have something to hold on to during the next step plus this will be the snowman’s nose.
    
3. Cover half balls with Sparkle Texture Paint. Let dry.
    
4. Paint nose Pumpkin Orange.
    
5. Mix together a small amount of Bright Red with White for a pink color. Apply for snowman’s cheeks.
    
6. Using dimensional paint, apply for eyes and dots for mouth (Practice on palette before applying to achieve small dots).
    
7. Cut the toothpick on the backside of the snowman head to 3/4-inch in length.
    
8. Add glue to flat side of each snowman and press a snowman onto center of each large stocking.
    
9. From sprig of holly or evergreen, cut small sections for “hat” and add to top of snowman. Glue a miniature pinecone to top of each snowman’s head incorporating it into the greenery.
    
10. From the 1/8” satin ribbon, tie 3 bows and secure under each snowman head with glass beaded pin.

Wood Beads

1. Paint beads in Caterpillar, White, and Bright Red.
    
2. Using stylus, add dots in Caterpillar, White, and Bright Red. Be creative!

Assembly

1. Make an 8-loop ribbon from the 5/8-inch wide ribbon and tie onto center of wired cording with 1/8-inch ribbon.
    
2. Cut 6-inch pieces from remaining 5/8-inch wide ribbon.
    
3. Put on a bead and then tie on a 6-inch piece of ribbon. Stagger with stockings that have a piece of 1/8-inch ribbon attached through hole on stocking.
    
4. Create a loop at each end of garland by wrapping ends around garland approximately 3-inches from end.