Chinoiserie Nutcracker Supplies Needed
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- 6-inch Blank nutcrackers
- Acrylic craft paint
- Paintbrushes
- Brown paper bag or fine Sandpaper
- Chinoiserie napkins
- Mod Podge
- Clear gloss sealant
Step-by-Step Chinoiserie Nutcracker
Plan your design
Paint
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First, paint a base coat of white paint over the entire nutcracker. I used white chalk paint. The other colors will contrast nicely with the white base coat, and the colors layered over it will be brighter.
Apply paint colors over the white base coat. I began by applying a coat of flesh-colored paint on the face and hands.
Details
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Paint eyes, eyebrows, mustache, teeth, and rosy cheeks. You will need a detail paintbrush. You can use a gold leaf pen for details like buttons, stripes, boot details, and a border on the base. Remember the mandala dotting tools set I’ve used for several mandala dotting projects? The paintbrushes and dotting tools work perfectly for detailing these mini nutcrackers.
Mod Podge Chinoiserie Napkin
After finishing the paint layers and details, separate the layers of the chinoiserie napkin. Use the top layer to cut pieces for covering the sleeves and pants. Apply Mod Podge to one of the sleeves and then position the napkin piece over the glue.
Finishing
Allow the paint and Mod Podge to dry. Apply a clear gloss sealant to achieve a protective finish that resembles porcelain.
Embellishments
Get creative here. Use Tacky Glue to attach faux fur for the hair and beard. Use sewing trims, jewelry chains, beads, and other embellishments to decorate your nutcracker.
Initially, I had planned to paint and decorate a 15-inch nutcracker for this post. In my mind, it seemed I could finish one of the 6-inch nutcrackers more quickly. Wrong. Although these little fellows are smaller, it is a little more tedious and time-consuming because they are so small. But isn’t this little guy adorable?
I’ll be making more using the chinoiserie napkin… If you make some of your own and share on social media, please tag me! I’d love to see your creations.
Be Social!
