Wine cork Christmas reindeer

It’s never too early to work on Christmas ornaments and decorations.  You can create this cute little reindeer in a snap.  If you start now, you can have all eight reindeer in time for Santa.  And don’t forget Rudolph.  Add some cord and hang on the tree or just set them around. 

You will need:

Two wine corks for each reindeer

Wooden picks

Small pointed awl

Wiggle eyes

Tacky craft glue

Geometric shaped colored paper clips

Ruler

Heavy-duty scissors

Marker

Small red pom pom

10 inches of 7/8” wired Christmas ribbon (Or substitute a solid color)

Bowdabra bow wire

Mini Bowdabra with ruler

1.     Mark four dots on the underside of one wine cork for the legs.

2.     Turn over and make another mark about ½” from the edge centered between the opposite side leg marks.  (Neck mark)

3.     Use the awl with a twisting motion to drill holes about ¼” deep in the four leg mark areas.  Turn over and do the same with the neck hole mark.

4.     Measure 1 ½” from a wooden pick and cut with heavy scissors.  Repeat for three more picks.  You will have a total of four 1 ½” legs.

5.     Use the leftover pick from one of the legs to cut a 1” piece for the neck.

6.     Dab a bit of tacky glue on the ends of each prepared leg pick and insert into the holes you made.  Make sure you insert them at the same lengths.  You can measure by standing it upright.

7.     Insert the 1” pick piece in the neck hole.

8.     Measure ¾” from the end of the second wine cork, mark and make a hole.  Add some glue to the end of the wood pick in the body hole and insert the second cork.

9.     Pry apart a geometric shaped paper clip.  Use the awl to make two holes on the top of the head and insert an opened paper clip on each side. (Antlers made)

10. Add two dots of tacky glue on the top of the reindeer and attach two wiggle eyes.  Glue on a small red pom pom on the front for a nose.

11. Make a perfect mini bow tie.  Using the Mini bowdabra with ruler attached, insert a 6-inch piece of bow wire lengthways.

12. Cut a piece of 7/8” wide wired ribbon.  Place the ribbon into the Mini Bowdabra to create a 1” tail.  Next, fold the ribbon to form a loop at the 1” mark.

13. Fold a matching loop on the other side and trim the ribbon at the 1-inch mark.  Use the wand to scrunch down the ribbon.

14. Pull the wire tightly.

15. Remove the bow and tie a knot on the back. Trim the wires short.

16. Fluff and arrange the bow.  Add some tacky glue onto the back of the bow and attach to the front of the reindeer.