Wacky Reindeer

So I am pretty sure that I have had this little gem in my back pocket since the summer! I just couldn't get over how fun sticks would be for antlers, all tangled up in lights.

Materials Needed:

~wood plaque

~foam board

~hot glue/school glue

~sticks

~felt

~wire

~3 foot mini lights (battery operated)

~washi tape

~beads

~salad spinner

~paint

~pom poms

~glitter

~wood circles/google eyes

~saw tooth picture hanger

Hammer in that picture hanger to the upper back portion of the plaque (it is not a good idea to do this after the sticks are in place). Allow the children to mix up their own paint. It just adds a richness to the experience because they now own that shade of paint! With long neat strokes paint the entire front and sides of the plaque. Then set aside to dry.

Using a box cutter cut 2x2 inch pieces of foam board and stack them with hot glue. (I stacked three pieces together.) This will act as the layer between each face section to create the 3-D quality. You may also use a cut portion of toilet paper roll (shown in picture) but it is tricky for kids to hot glue the circular edge. I went ahead and cut an oval for the main face of the reindeer, adhered a stack of that 2x2 foam. Then cut a medium circle and adhered the 2x2 stack. And finally cut a smaller circle for the nose portion, again gluing a 2x2 foam stack on the back.

This next part is one of my favorite processes! Place a bit of water in various colors of paint. Mix it with a pipette and make sure the paint is thin enough to be sucked up in the pipette. Place the smallest circle in the salad spinner. Add a few drip drops of paint onto the circle. Secure the lid and give it a whirl! If there is too much white space just add more drip drops of paint and whirl it again.

Next use the medium circle to add glue and glitter! Art stores carry such unique glitter and sequin pieces that this can get crazy fun! Set aside to dry.

Using washi tape (scotch brand is the best), make a fun pattern on the large oval. Then hot glue the antlers and felt ears to the back. If the sticks have a bend to them then make sure that arch is facing towards the front of the reindeer. Otherwise they will push too much into the wall and break once hung. Assemble the reindeer: hot glue the small circle to the medium, medium to the large and the entire face to the plaque.

Add a pom pom nose and eyes! Use a 14 inch piece of wire to wrap onto the antler adding beads on as you go. Then attach the mini lights by wrapping them around the antlers. You may tuck the battery portion behind the face as it sits nicely hidden. Then hang and admire!