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Easy to make freestanding reindeer to accent any scenery around the Holiday. Stand on table tops, sit amongst garland or use as centerpieces.
Items you will need:
Nine Clothespins
Wood Crafts Glue
Brown Stain
White Cotton Balls
Small, thin red ribbon
Small bell
Pair of small eyes
Red pom pom
Black marker
White paint (optional)
Black Paint (optional)
Red paint (optional)
Green paint (optional)
Directions:
The first thing that you will need to do is to take your nine clothespins a stain them with a brown stain for a realistic look. However, you can paint clothespins, in sets of three different colors for a more psychedelic look.
After you stain or paint the clothespins, you will need to let them dry thoroughly. I recommend a drying period of one to three days, depending on the type of stain or paint or spray paint that was used. You might want to read the drying directions on the back of the labels before buying to make sure that it is beneficial to the project you are working on. Some types of paint will not work well with wood.
Once the paint or stain has dried, you are now ready to assemble the reindeer.
You will need to separate the clothespins into sets of three.
Take the first set, pick up two of the clothespins with the pinchers, the two wooden parts that you pinch together to open the fastener before attaching to clothesline, pointing down towards the ground. Place these clothespins back to back. Using your wood glue, glue the two clothespins into place. Congratulations, you now have the legs to your reindeer.
Now take the remaining clothespin, and with the pinchers pointing towards the ceiling, take your wood glue and attach reindeer “head” at the top of the clothespins “legs” to make head and ears. You may choose either end of the legs to attach head, but be sure to place “head” as close to the top of the legs as possible. The two pinchers that are sticking up form the ears for the reindeer.
Now you are ready to decorate and there are several methods that you can use.
First: Take a small piece of fluff from cotton ball and attach to back legs of reindeer towards the top to form the tail.
Second: Take google eyes and peel off backing to attach to head below the ears.
(Optional): Take thin black paint or marker and draw or paint eyes on.
Third: Take fluff from red pom pom and glue to face, centering below the eyes.
(Optional): Take thin red paint or marker and draw a red nose.
Fourth: Use thin black marker to draw mouth.
(Optional): Take thin red ribbon, attach small bell, and tie around reindeer neck.
You may also use some gold or silver metallic paint to highlight areas on your reindeer for a more dramatic look. Points of accent are usually highlighting the antlers, hooves of deer, etc.
You might also try using green paint or marker and drawing holly leaves and berries around neck of deer rather than tying a ribbon.
Repeat the same above procedures until all reindeer have been assembled and decorated.
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