How to Make a Wine Cork Snowman Christmas Tree Ornament

Items needed:

white, black and orange acrylic paint 

paint brush, one thick to paint cork and one thin for other painting

chenille stems - red, green or blue

mini pom poms - red, green or blue

craft glue

eye screws, size #216 - 1/2 inch

small black buttons or thumb tacks (see note below)

scissors

scrap string or ribbon for hanger

1. Paint the wine corks with white paint.  Allow to completely dry.  I used matte and needed two coats.

2. Twist an eye screw into the top center of each wine cork.  This is optional, but it's a much more sturdy hanger than trying to add one to the pipe cleaner.

3. Cut a piece of chenille stem, approximately 2 inches using scissors.  Bend and glue as you see in the above photo.  Allow to dry.

4. Glue a mini pom pom to each side. Allow to dry.

5. Using thin paint brush and orange and black paint, paint eyes, carrot nose and dots for mouth of the snowman.  Allow to dry.  Or add this step after you have other parts assembled as I have below.  I found it easier to paint the face of the snowman last.

6. Cut a piece of scrap ribbon and wrap around center of wine cork and glue on using craft glue.

7. Glue a small black button underneath ribbon.  Allow to dry.  I used painted thumb tacks, but you can also buy black thumb tacks to make this step easier.

8. Using orange paint and a fine tip paint brush, paint on a carrot in the center between the ribbon and top of cork.  Using black glossy paint paint dots for eyes and mouth.  Allow to dry.

Note:  I found using paint, while making these, a bit tricky and needs a very steady hand.  It may be easier to dot on the black with a permanent black marker, and for the mouth as well (or cut carrot shapes from orange duct tape or electrical tape and attach).

9. Tie a hanger onto eye screw using scrap twine, string, or ribbon.

Note:  If you do not have small black buttons to re-purpose you can slightly push thumb tacks into scrap cardboard, and paint them black.  New buttons are typically expensive to buy.

If you cannot find black thumb tacks, simply paint them black.  You may be able to find thumb tacks for $1.00 at the local Dollar General or Dollar Tree.

How to Make a Small Beaded Sun Catcher ~ Doubles as a Small Christmas Ornament

 

Items Needed:

Misc. beads - for the best sun catcher beads, use faceted and iridescent beads (crystal ones work the best)

2 inch jewelry head pins, these come in different colors and styles (some with fancy heads on the pins)

jewelry pliers, and round nose pliers

1. Using a large re-purposed jar lid, place beads of your choice inside the upside down lid (or other bead holder of your choice).

2. Slide the beads onto the pin, using pliers if needed for the smaller beads. Leave enough pin space at the top to be able to bend into a loop.

3. Using the round tip pliers, bend the top of the pin to form a loop.  You can also hold this up to the sun to check what beads are catching the sun, before you bend your loop on top.  Rearrange beads if needed.

I apologize for my door frame. It is needing a good paint job this spring, but you can see the beads catching the sunshine.

That's it!  These are cute and work up very quickly and easily.  They make wonderful sun catchers and are perfect to gift for a Christmas ornament or tag onto a gift. 

Note:  Purchase inexpensive metal Christmas ornament hangers when they go on clearance.  Attach one to the top of the sun catcher / Christmas ornament.

You can of course, purchase beads as well.  You could also use longer wire, bending both ends, using larger beads for a larger sun catcher as well.

How to Make a Photo Clothespin Hanging Photo Board (doubles as a teabag gift)

Items needed:

Scrap wood, approximately 3 x 5 inches

Thin Twine (often found at the dollar store)

Scissors

E6000 craft glue

Scrap fabric, wall paper or cardstock (optional)

Mini wooden spring clothespins, approx. 2 inches

Scrap raffia

Printer paper, printer

One tea bag (still in the sealed package) See Notes Below.

1. Using scissors cut a piece of twine about 7 1/2 inches long.

2. Turn scrap wood backside up, and glue ends of twine to each top side as shown. 

3. Cut a piece of cardstock, scrap wall paper or fabric to fit your piece of scrap wood and glue to the back.  Allow to dry.

4.  Using your 2 inch spring clothespin and glue, glue the clothespin in the top center of the scrap wood.  Using a piece of raffia, make a bow, trim ends and glue it to the the clothespin.  Allow to dry.

 

5. Using your printer, print a tea quote (or other quote) and cut paper to a slightly smaller size than your scrap wood.  The quote should be at the bottom of your paper as shown.

6. Assemble your items by placing your printed paper under a teabag and clip to the board.  

Gift doubles as a teabag gift, and the person receiving it can reuse it for a photo hanger, a to-do list or favorite quote.

Note:  You can decorate the clothespin with any scrap materials, paint it or leave it as is.

Note:  If you are using scrap plywood, you can cover the front of it by painting, gluing scrap fabric or use decoupage to cover it with scrap wall paper or decorative paper.

Note:  You could also attach an individual serving packet for coffee and a coffee quote (or anything the same size).

How to Make a Kitchen Knob/Handle Recipe Holder

(Use a hook magnet for easy storing while no tin use)

Items Needed:

Wooden spring clothespin

Wooden (flat) non-spring clothespin (see photos)

#216 - 1/2 in. eye screws

Pliers may help with eye screws

Scrap wall paper

Decoupage

Paint brush

Pencil

Scissors

Shower curtain hook (see photo)

Buttons

Baking twine (may need a needle to thread into button)

Craft glue (I used E6000)

1 1/4 in cup hooks for version 2

Hand held non-electric drill (found at most craft stores and online as well.

1. Using a pencil, trace the flat side of the spring clothespin onto the back of the scrap wall paper and cut out using scissors.

2. Using paint brush, brush on a layer of decoupage to one flat side of spring clothespin and allow to dry.

3. Using hand drill start a hole at the top of the non-spring clothespin.  Using pliers to hold small eye screw, screw it into the top of the clothespin.

4. Open shower curtain hook and attach thru eye screw hole.

5. Place craft glue on backside of spring clothespin and glue to flat clothespin as shown, leaving some space at the top.

                         

6. Thread baking twine into button and tie and knot.  Glue to top of flat clothespin

Optional:  Glue a magnet to the back for storing on the refrigerator or stove hook when not in use.

Version #2

Start a hole at top of flat clothespin using hand drill and screw in a 1 1/4 inch cup hook.  These work on cupboards with handles vs. knobs. Use same instructions from above.  You will want to pre-drill for this cup hook.

Version #3

Simply follow instructions in the previous post for fridge magnets and add thread baking twine through the spring and knot.  Hang on your door knob.

Version #4

Using hardware sheers, but the plastic hook from a store hanger and glue to the back of the spring clothespin.  It's not pretty, but an idea no less.

Note:  The small eye screws are typically not sold in big box stores like Wal-mart.  You'll find them at the hardware stores.  The shower curtain hooks, clothespins, buttons and possibly buttons are typically available at local dollar stores.  Thrift stores often have some of these items as well.

 

How to Make Clothespin Refrigerator Magnet

Items needed:

Scrap wall paper (or other crafting paper)

Scissors

Pencil

Decoupage

Paint brush

Buttons 

Thin twine (often called baking twine)

Wooden spring clothespins

Craft glue

Magnets for crafting

1. Trace the wooden clothespin on the backside of the scrap wall paper you are using, and cut and trim to fit one flat side of the clothespin.

2. Using paint brush, place a layer of decoupage onto one side of clothespin and place cut paper over and allow to dry.

3. Cut a small piece of twine, thread through the button holes and tie and knot.  Trim off ends.  I was able to feed the twine thru all of my buttons, as they were on the larger size.  You could also use a needle that fits the hole to feed it through, or use thread or quilting thread as well.

4. Using crafting glue, glue a matching button the top of the clothespin.

5. Using crafting glue, glue a magnet to the opposite side of the clothespin and allow to dry.

That's it!  You are done!  These area great to sell at craft shows, gift someone with a new home, random act of kindness or a tuck in for another gift.

Note:  The twine, clothespins, craft glue and paint brushes can often be found at local dollar stores.

Clothespin Chicken Christmas Tree Ornaments

Items needed:
Wooden Clothespins (as shown in the photos)
Pliers
Eye screws, size #216-1/2 in.
White acrylic paint
Paint brush
Small wiggly eyes
Scrap felt - red, yellow, white or off white
Scrap fabric
scissors

I recommend micro-scissors to cut the felt.

glue - I used Clear Gel Tacky Glue, but Quick Tacky glue works good too.

Toothpicks and craft tweezers may help in the process

optional:  for the eyes I used 4mm googly eyes, but you could simply use a black seed bead or even dot them on with a black permanent marker


The pattern for the pieces is found in this book.  Check your local library for it.   I decided to use this project for using scrap fabric and felt, and the fun search for the book through a local library and help encourage to help keep them open.

50 clothespin ornament crafts / Jeffrey David Montanye.

1.  Hold the eye screw with the pliers and turn the wood clothespin to screw it into the top of the clothespin (the wood is pretty easy to hand screw this into it).  You could also wait until they are completely made and glue a hanger to the top, or using a needle and thread, thread a hanger on through the comb of the chicken.

2.  Paint the clothespins white and allow to dry.  See note*  After these dried I painted on a clear top coat to seal the paint, and allowed them to dry.

(as you can see, some pieces are very small)

3.  Trace pattern from the book, and cut pieces out.  Glue them to the clothespin as shown.  I had to get a bit creative when holding things together to dry.   The apron is from scrap fabric, and the rest from scrap felt.

4. Allow to dry.  See note*

5.  Tie on a hanger and you are done!  Optional.  You can also use metal Christmas hooks.

*NOTE:  Use Christmas ornament hooks to hang the clothespins to dry.  I used a thin rod, but you can get creative too.  I stacked some berry baskets and ran a thin wire through it to hang dry mine.  You could also use cheap shower curtain hooks to hang them to dry.

Craft Awl Cover

 

I was recently given oxygen tubing (new in the package) for crafting or upcycling projects.

I cut the larger end off and it works great as a cover for a crafting awl.