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.