little cher ami

Have you heard of Cher Ami?

Cher Ami (French for "Dear Friend") was a solider in World War 1.  He became one of the most celebrated heros of the war.

In 1918, shortly before the holidays, he saved the lives of 200 fellow soliders.  He was blinded in one eye, lost a leg and was shot in the breast.  But he didn't give up until his mission was complete.

Cher Ami was a courier pigeon.  He delivered the message that saved 200 trapped soliders proving that a simple little note can mean the world to someone.

I made three little Cher Ami ornaments for my tree this year. One for each of my kids.

Here's how I made them:

Supplies needed:

polymer clay
wire
clay tools (small ball head pointer and shape cutters)
basic jewelry tool set (clippers, needle nose, round nose)
X-acto knife

All these supplies are available at your local craft store.

Start by forming your clay into a basic bird shape. Select the other colors you would like to use to decorate with. You really don't need to be fancy. You could leave the bird as just a basic shape. If you are working with children let them decorate their own way.

I used a tear shaped cutter to make the wings. If you don't have cutters just shape your own. 

Once you have your bird looking the way you like, get your wire and use your jewelry tools to make these shapes.  I wrapped the wire around a pen to form the "feet".  The other little piece will be the hanger.  It needs to have a crook at the end because clay does not adhere to metal.

Using the X-acto knife, cut a slit into the bottom of your bird. Push your feet into the slot you made and then squish the clay back together around the wire.  Work your hook down into the top of your bird making the smallest hole possible.

Polymer clay is baked in the oven 30 minutes for each 1/4 inch of clay. I baked mine for an hour.

Then I wrote my little Christmas love notes to my babies, rolled them up and put them in the birds feet. I tied some twine on the top.

I think this will become a tradition in our family. Each year I will write my Christmas wish for each child.  

What ornaments are you making this year? I want to see!