Monday, February 27, 2017

How to make an adorable leprechaun wine cork bear



Basic bear instructions:


You will need:

3 wine corks

1 champagne cork

1/8” thick cork sheet available at craft stores

Small awl or pointed nail

Xacto or craft knife

Shamrock felt shape

Scrap of white felt

Tiny brown or black pom pom

Black dimensional fabric paint or small black beads

20-gauge wire

Wire cutters

Ruler 

Fine line marker

220 fine sandpaper

Piece of heavy corrugated cardboard to cut on

Glue gun and glue sticks

Scrap of 22-gauge green wire

Small cork stopper

Black acrylic paint

Black card stock

Gold acrylic paint

Tiny paintbrush

1.     Protect your work surface with one or two pieces of heavy corrugated cardboard. Using two matching wine corks and the Xacto knife, slice thinly down each cork.  Rub on the fine sandpaper to smooth.  This will allow the corks to be stable. Run a bead of hot glue down the side of one cork and attach them together.  These are the legs and base of your bear. 













2.     Add a generous amount of hot glue on the bottom of the champagne cork (Body) focusing on the areas where it attaches to the legs. Center the body on the legs and attach. (See photo)



3.     Measure and mark a line halfway across the third wine cork.  Use the Xacto knife to cut the cork in half.  Rub the cut end of one half on the sandpaper to smooth.  Turn the half cork on its end and mark in half diagonally and cut.  You will have two arm pieces.  (Save the other half for another bear or discard)
  







4.     Cut a ½” piece of 20-gauge wire.  Use the awl to make a pilot hole in an arm piece and insert the wire piece.  Make another hole in the body with the awl or nail, add some glue on the arm end with wire and insert into the body hole.  Repeat for other arm on opposite side.










5.     Trace and cut two ears (half moon shapes) on the flat 1/8” thick cork and use the Xacto to cut out.  Cork cuts easily but at that thickness it is simpler to cut them out using short strokes with the pointed end of the Xacto.  If there are any rough areas lightly rub against the sandpaper.  Trim to fit the head if necessary. Add some glue to the edges of the ears and attach to each side of the head. (The first steps are for the basic bear.  If you are making the leprechaun, don't attach the ears until you have added the hat)





Finishing your Leprechaun wine cork bear


Paint the cork stopper black and let dry.  Cut a ¾” circle from black cardstock and attach to the     painted cork stopper with some glue.  Add to the top of the bear’s head.





Using the tiny paintbrush and gold paint, add a gold line around the base of the hat.  (See photo) Add some glue to the top of the bear’s head and attach the hat in between the ears.






Now make the pot of gold.  Cut a tiny bit off the leftover cork from making his arms.  Using the craft knife carefully carve out the center.  You don’t have to go that deep and leave a ample rim.  Cut about 6 inches of wire and insert for a handle. 





Paint, the center of the pot with gold paint.  You can also use a paper hold punch to punch out some gold cardstock and glue to the top of the pot. 







To finish your bear, glue a shamrock on the belly.  Cut a circle of white felt for the face and add with some glue.  Add the pompom in the center with some more glue.  Use the dimensional fabric paint toe make two eyes, or alternately glue on some seed beads.













7 comments:

  1. He is so cute ! Recycling at it's best.

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  2. very cute, just in time for St Patrick's Day!

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  3. He is sooooo cute! Thanks for sharing on #HomeMAttersParty

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  4. What a fun idea! I'd love to have you share it at the Pleasures of the NW's DIY Party!
    http://www.pleasuresofthenw.com/do-it-yourself-crafty-party-47/

    Thanks!

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  5. super cute and super different. i would never have thought to do something like this. love his little hat!
    b

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your lovely comments!