Clothespin Reindeer Christmas Ornament Tutorial

Some things just bear repeating.  One of the fun things about having blog stats is to see what pages are popular among readers.   If no one looked at recipes, I'd probably not share them often.  {thankfully, you like those too!}  Consistently for the past several years, my little tutorial on making Clothespin Reindeer ornaments has been one of the most popular pages on my entire blog.  People search it out during the year, not just at Christmas time.

As much as I'd love for you to read my entire blog, I am realistic.  You've gotta life, things to do and Facebook to cruise!   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 : 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?)  After the sequins & eyes are attached, let them dry completely before handling.

So, head to the craft store, pick up some supplies, make some hot chocolate and gather the family for an afternoon of memories.  These are really fun and inexpensive for little ones to make and give to friends at school.

Merry Christmas!