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Christmas Nutcracker Ornament

What you'll need:

  • 8 2.5 inch long craft sticks
  • 2 4.5 inch regular craft sticks
  • Markers & Paint Pens
  • White Faux Fur
  • Yarn, Twine, or Ribbon for hanging
  • Hot glue
  • Clear cellophane bags for packing
  • Ribbon for bags

Instructions:

  1. Begin by gluing the popsicle sticks together as shown in the diagram below. Place the two longest sticks side by side. Add hot glue to one small craft stick, then place it on top of the two long sticks, centered and with the top edges lined up. Add hot glue on either side of the small stick and press two more small sticks down, lining up the ends. Glue two small sticks underneath, so they’re even with the long sticks, but attached to the three small sticks in front. Place glue along the top edge, then attach three more sticks, lining the bottom edges up so they’re about 1/3 overlapping the other sticks.
  2. Once all of the sticks are glued together, it’s time to add some color and personality. Paint the top of the nutcracker to look like his hat, then leave his face area raw wood. Paint the rest of the nutcracker light green, then when that is dry, add dark green sleeves and a curved area to look like a jacket. Leave the tips of the arms raw wood to look like hands.
  3. Using paint pens, add in all the cute details. Add eyes, a nose and a bushy mustache. Then fill in details like sleeve cuffs, hat bands, shoelaces, etc. Have fun with it!
  4. Cut tiny little strips of faux fur and hot glue them to the sides of the face area to give the nutcracker some hair.
  5. Use hot glue to attach a twine loop onto the back of the nutcracker to use as an ornament.