Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Wine cork horse ornament



This little horse can stand up on his own.  And he’s not just for Christmas.  Use him to decorate your tree and then keep him out all year long.  He makes a great gift for any horse lover attached to a package or wine bottle gift.  Make one or a whole herd.  Alternate the tail and mane colors for different horses.

You will need:

Wine corks

16-gauge wire

Awl or nail

Wire cutters

Needle nosed pliers

220 fine sandpaper

Scrap of felt or suede

X-acto or craft knife

Hot glue gun and glue sticks or thick tacky glue

Wiggle eyes

Heavy cardboard piece 3” x 2 ¼”

Worsted weight yarn in desired color

Gold cord

Marker or pencil

Ruler

1.     Turn a wine cork on its side and make a triangle shape with marker or pencil.  Use the marks as a cutting guide and cut out the triangle wedge.  Make a straight line down the side at the point of the triangle and cut.  You will have two leg pieces.  Repeat with a second cork for a total of four legs. (See photo)  Use a piece of fine sandpaper to smooth the cut edges.







2.     Make four dots with the marker on another wine cork (body) for leg placement.  Use the awl or nail to make holes in the marked areas. 



3.     Prepare the legs for insertion.  At an angle make a hole in the wedged area of the leg.  Cut a 1” piece of wire and insert into the leg adding a dab of glue on the wire.  Use the needle nosed pliers for easy insertion.  Repeat with other three legs.





4.     Cut another wine cork in half for the neck.  Make a hole in both of the wine cork half ends. Using a 1” piece of wire, add a dab of glue and insert the wire into the cork.  Make a hole in the body with the awl.  Add a dab of glue on the wire of the neck and insert into the body.






5.     Make the head by making a hole in the side of another wine cork and insert a 1” piece of wire.

6.     To make the ears, use the X-Acto or craft knife to cut a round side slice from a cork. From this cork circle cut out two triangle shapes.  Add some glue and attach each triangle ear shape to the top back of the head. Add some glue on the wire of the head and apply to the neck.





7.     For the tail, using the cardboard piece, cut a 3” piece of yarn and lay it across the top.  Wrap around the cardboard about10 times.  Use the top yarn to tie it in a knot and cut the bottom edges.  Cut a piece of felt or suede 1 ½” x ½”.  Place the knotted tail on the body and glue the felt or suede on top of the knot area.  Trim it up if necessary.





8.     Use the same cardboard to make the mane. Wrapping only 6 or seven times.  Take it off and braid the top inch and glue the braid to the horse’s head down the neck.  Brush the longer pieces to the side and trim if necessary.  Glue on two wiggle eyes and add a piece of gold cord for reins, which also doubles as a hanger.






Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Autumn Mason jar candleholder



I often think outside the box when it comes to supplies.  So let me explain.  It’s fall and leaves are falling everywhere.  Outside they are blowing around, and inside some of the fall leaf garlands sometimes drop a few.  As I picked up an errant leaf a light bulb went off and I thought what a beautiful bow this leaf could become.  The next thing I came across was the new fall colored napkins and I thought…hmmm and a project was born.  Just in time for the Thanksgiving holidays too!

You will need:

Fall colored napkins with floral or leaf motifs

Large silk leaf

Small amounts of fall colored grosgrain ribbons

Scissors

Ruler

Bowdabra mini bowmaker

Bowdabra bow wire

Modpodge or other decoupage glue

Small paintbrush

Mason jar

Tea light candle

1.     Separate the ply of the napkin so that you are only working with the top layer.  Use the scissors to cut out separate motifs from the napkin and set aside.



2.     Using a small paintbrush add small sections of decoupage glue on the glass of the mason jar.  Pick up one motif at a time and add some more glue on top of the motif. Continue adding motifs in this manner leaving small areas uncovered.  Let dry. 




3.     Make the bow.  Cut a piece of bow wire to 18 inches, fold in half and insert in the bowmaker.  There will be a loop on one side and two ends at the other.


4.     Remove the plastic veins from the back of the leaf.  Cut four pieces of gross grain ribbon, one 2 ¼”, 3 ¼”, 4 ¼”, 5 ¼”.





5.     Insert the leaf in the bowmaker.  Next, add the largest piece of ribbon.  Continuing adding the ribbon pieces from largest to the smallest.









6.     Scrunch down with the Bowmaker wand.


7.     Insert the two loose ends through the loop end and pull tight.  Remove from the bow maker.


8.     Straighten the bow if necessary.  Use the extra bowwire to tie the bow to the mason jar.  Add a tea light candle.  The light from the candle will case a beautiful glow.




Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Breast Cancer awareness wreath pin



October is Breast Cancer awareness month.  Show your support with this easy to make wreath awareness pin.  You can make this pin in minutes for hardly any money and it's easy enough for kids with a  little help with the glue gun!  This is a great group project too!

You will need:

Chenille stems dark pink, light pink

Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Pin back

Needle nosed pliers are helpful but optional

Scissors

1.     Cut three dark pink chenille stems to 7 inches.  Form into a ring and twist together.  Use the needle nosed pliers to squeeze it together tightly. 




2.     Attach a dark pink 12-inch chenille stem to the ring and weave in and out all around. Repeat with a second dark pink stem.



3.     Attach a light pink chenille stem to the ring and weave around in between the dark pink ones all around.  Repeat with another light pink stem, making sure you weave it in between the dark stems.  Adjust the shape of the wreath ring if necessary.




4.     Cut a four-inch piece of a dark pink chenille stem and twist together into an awareness looped ring. (See photo)



5.     Use the hot glue gun to attach the awareness loop to the front of the wreath and a pin back to the back.