Get Crafty: Clothespin Reindeer Ornaments

Like everyone else in MA, we got our tree this past weekend, so making Christmas ornaments seemed like the perfect activity for H and I to do last night. H has a serious reindeer thing this year, which I totally get. I loved reindeer as a kid too. They're kind of like horses (which H also loves), but they can fly. Magical. So making clothespin reindeer just seemed like a given.

You'll Need:

• Wooden clothespins (available at craft stores near the popsicle sticks. NOT the kind with the metal spring)
• Glue (any sort of glue will work, but I prefer the instant gratification of the hot glue gun)
• Small white puff balls
• Tiny red and/or black puff balls
• Small googly eyes
• Optional: Brown craft paint, ribbon, bells, stickers or anything else you'd like to decorate your reindeer with

Step 1:
Glue two clothespins together facing the same way for the body and legs, then glue on a third flipped up to be the head and antlers.

Step 2:
Glue a little white ball on the tush for a tail

Step 3:
Glue on the eyes and a tiny puff nose (red for Rudolph, black for one of the eight...)











And that's it!
...if you like boring naked-looking reindeer! Here's what we did to make these more fun and festive:

Paint the clothespins brown
My little elf loved helping me paint some of these! She wanted to make the whole crew so we did half brown and half natural.



 
Add some Trim
I found some little red, green and gold bells at the craft store that I tied around each reindeer's neck with some ribbon. I had also picked up some sparkly holly that I stuck on each reindeer's behind.








The best part is, you don't need any ornament hooks or ribbon to hang them! Just pop them onto a branch like you would a clothesline!