Express your love of old-school video games by making a Super Mario Bros. Chain Chomp to menace the other ornaments on your Christmas tree! This unbreakable ornament is an ideal project for you and the kids to make together on a chilly afternoon.
What You Need
- Round papier-mâché ornament (found at Michael’s and other craft stores)
- Dark blue, white, black, and silver acrylic paint
- Black permanent marker
- Toilet paper roll
- Elmer’s glue (optional)
- Clothespins (optional)
- Hot glue gun
- Paint brush
Get Started
1. Begin by painting the round ornament dark blue. Two or more coats may be needed for full coverage. Allow the paint to dry completely.
2. While the ornament is drying, paint the clean toilet paper roll silver on both the outside and inside. Let the paint dry.
3. On the front of the ornament, paint a white football shape for the mouth. (Use this screenshot for reference if needed.) Paint two small white circles above the corners of the mouth for the eyes.
4. Allow the paint to dry completely. (The dry toilet paper roll can be used to hold the ornament in place so that the ornament doesn’t roll around before the white paint dries.)
5. Use the black marker to draw the lines for the Chain Chomp’s teeth inside the mouth.
6. Use the black acrylic paint to make two small circles in the white circles to finish the eyes.
7. With the silver paint, paint a small circle on the bottom of the ornament. Allow all paint to dry completely.
8. Cut the silver toilet paper roll into 5 strips about half an inch wide. Cut each strip once vertically so that the strip can be reformed into a smaller circle.
9. Form the strips into chain links by shaping the cardboard into a circle about half an inch in diameter. Pull the next strip through the first circle, gluing the ends together to form a chain of five strips. Hot glue can be used for this step (but not recommended for kids). If you or your kids are using Elmer’s glue to avoid possible burns, hold the ends of each chain link together with clothespins as they dry.
10. Use the hot glue to attach the silver chain to the silver circle you painted on the bottom of the ornament.
Your Chain Chomp ornament is complete!
What is your favorite geeky ornament that you hang on the tree every year? Let us know in the comment section below.
Photo Credit: Kelly Knox