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!

Shiny Brite Vintage Ornaments

Remember these? I do. {I did have a birthday earlier this week, ya know}. These are vintage Shiny Brite ornaments that originally belonged to my parents. If my Daddy were still alive, they would celebrate their 52nd anniversary this week. My mother said these were the first ornaments they purchased so I'm guessing they are over 50 years old. You can see the ornaments AND the boxes are in excellent condition. You would have had to know my Daddy to really appreciate this. :-) Some of the ornaments even have the original ornament hooks still attached. Let's just say, they don't make 'em like they use to.

I have lots of other vintage Shiny Brites from them. I guess as time passed, they were able to afford some of the fancier styles. I had great intentions of snapping shots of those as well, but I've been sewing just a little bit lately. ;-)

I hope you have something special, passed down through your family, that will bring special memories this Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

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! :-)

Ornament of the Day #5 : The Nativity

The true meaning of Christmas...the birth of our Savior.

It was hard to choose just one favorite Nativity ornament. All 3 of these are some of my favorites so I decided to share each one. :-)

This ornament is from Merck's Olde World Christmas.
The colors are so rich and the message is clear.

This beautiful orament was a gift from my Mother.
I believe it is a Polonaise ornament, but I can't be sure.
The colors are a bit more soft than those on the Radko or OWC Ornaments...subtle & calm

One more from Merck.
I like this one because the Baby Jesus & the Star of Bethlehem are featured.

Ornament of the Day #4 : Blue Santa

The Blue-faced Santa

Quite unique, isn't he? This handsome fellow is enjoying his first year on our tree. He was a gift from my mother. :-)

This is a Radko ornament, but I could not find him on the Christopher Radko website. I don't know if this from a previous Radko collection or if I didn't search the correct term. She purchased it at a local shop which may have retired collections or those from years past. At any rate, I have never seen an ornament like this and he is a wonderful addition to our collection.

I enjoy collecting unusual Santa faces and this distinguished gentleman certainly stands out on our tree. Santa Claus doesn't have to be traditional red & green...this festive gent is quiet and wise and gentle.....a nice way to enjoy Christmas. :-)

Ornament of the Day #2 : Clothespin Reindeer

Today's Ornament of the Day : Clothespin Reindeer!

This little guy was a family project for us last Christmas. We wanted to make something cute for classmates and this was the result. It was a great way for us to spend some family time on a Saturday afternoon during the busy holiday season. More memories made....

If you'd like to make your own handmade 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 of your choice, pick up some supplies, make some hot chocolate and gather the family for an afternoon of memories.

Merry Christmas! :-)

Ornament of the Day #1

I love Christmas and I love Christmas Ornaments! Yes, my tree is up & decorated! WOO HOO! ;-) I look forward to putting our tree up every year so that I can see all the ornaments that we've collected over the years. They remind me of so many great times & places of years gone by. We have everything from Hallmark Keepsake ornaments to handmade ornaments to my parents' vintage Shiny Brite ornaments to modern Mercks Olde World ornaments. I have to say, I don't use many of the Hallmarks anymore. I prefer more of a retro look & feel. The vintage Shiny Brites and the Olde World ornaments are some of my most favorites. I also have some new Shiny Brites (with the great retro look) by Christopher Radko. Another genre that I seem to be drawn too are funky, retro-looking Santas.

I decided to start a blog series for Christmas. I'm calling it Ornament of the Day. From time to time for the next month, I will share an ornament from my tree, tell you a little about it and share the story behind it.

Are you ready? Here's the first Ornament of the Day : OOTD ~

This is the very first ornament my husband and I bought together. It was on our first Christmas tree 12 years ago and has been included every year since. It's a handmade crescent Santa that we found at a little gift shop, called Pig Faire, that was way off the beaten path. I'm not sure what this little guy is made from...some kind of clay I suspect. He is still pliable, not solid like ceramic or salt dough...even after all these years.

What a great Christmas memory..... :-)