Friday, December 19, 2008

Clothespin Reindeer Ornament Tutorial

Some things just bear repeating. Last year I shared pictures of some of my favorite Christmas ornaments in my Ornament of the Day series. During the past year, this page has been one of the most viewed and most searched posts on my entire blog. People apparently are interested in making clothespin reindeer ornaments. As much as I'd love for you to read my entire blog, I want to making finding this little pearl easier for you.
In the spirit of the season, I give you . . . . . .the ever-popular
Clothespin Reindeer!
You will need:

  • Old Fashioned Clothespins : I found them at The Dollar Tree
  • Brown Pipe Cleaners : I think these are called Chenille Stems now. When I was a kid, they were pipe cleaners! ;-)
  • Red Sequins
  • Googly Eyes
  • Craft Glue : We used Aleene's Clear Gel Tacky Glue
No directions needed; just follow the picture! ;-)
I will share some tips that worked for us. We cut the pipe cleaners to make the antlers. You can devise your own method or try what worked for us. Cut a pipe cleaner in half to make the main part of the antlers. Then cut some of the pipe cleaners into thirds; wrapping one of those short pieces around each main antler.
Another tip . . . don't use too much glue or the eyes will slide off the side. You don't really want a weird looking reindeer. (Anyone remember Marty Feldman? LOL)
So, head to the craft store, pick up some supplies, make some hot chocolate and gather the family for an afternoon of memories.
Merry Christmas! :-)