How to make an adorable wine cork Easter bunny

If you’ve got some wine corks lying around and don’t know what to do with them, why not make an adorable cork Easter bunny. This is fun little Easter bunny can sit on a shelf, or be added to a grown up Easter basket. 

He is so quick to make you may want to make a few extras to give away as gifts!  Lets get started.

Materials:

Wine corks

Flat cork sheet ¼” thickness (available at the local craft store)

Pink pompom in small 5 mm size (nose)

2 white ½” pompoms (cheeks)

1 1-inch white pompom (tail)

2 wiggle eyes

Pink bump chenille stem

Scrap of white felt

Scrap of orange and green felt (optional)

Pink cardstock

Hole punch (small and larger)

Hot glue gun and hot glue sticks

Craft knife or X-acto

Ruler

Nail or small awl

Self-healing cutting mat or corrugated cardboard to cut on

220 fine sandpaper

Instructions:

(Rub all cut sides on a piece of fine sandpaper to smooth)

1.     Work on a self healing cutting mat or heavy corrugated cardboard when cutting the corks.  Cut a cork about ¾ of the way down.  You will have two pieces of cork.  The smaller one is the head (set aside) The larger piece will be the arms.  Set this piece upright and make a line halfway across.  Slice it in half.  Rub the flat (cut) side on a piece of fine sandpaper to smooth.  Lay the flat side down and cut in half lengthwise.  Now cut in half once again from the point of the triangle (arms made)

2.     For the legs, cut another cork in half.  Place this piece upright like you did when making the arms,  and cut in half lengthwise.  (Legs made)

3.     Make a small oval shape on a piece of paper for a pattern and transfer twice to the ¼” cork piece.  Carefully cut out using the craft knife.  (Feet made)  For the body you will use an entire uncut cork.

All the pieces prepared

4.     To make the ears, place the fatter portion of a pink bump chenille stem on a scrap piece of felt.  Use a disappearing marker or pencil to draw around it leaving a little margin. Make sure you leave about ¼” of the straighter end since this is the part you will insert into the head. Cut out.  Make two.  Using the glue gun attach the bump chenille onto the felt.  (Ears made)

5.     Using a small awl or nail make a hole in the top of the head piece.  Add a bit of glue on the end of the chenille wire and insert into the head.  Repeat for the second ear.  You can bend the ears any way you’d like.

6.     Next, glue the prepared head on to the top of the body piece.

7.     Being aware that the flat side of the leg pieces will be attached to the side of the body, slice a scant amount on the side that will be the bottom so that is sits flat.  Glue the legs to the side of the body.

8.     Next glue the arms to the body. Then glue the feet ovals to the bottom of the legs.

9.     Make the face.  Glue two ½” white pompoms on the front of the head side by side. (Cheeks) Follow with a 5mm pink one in the center of the two white pompoms.  (Nose)  Finally glue two wiggle eyes centered above the cheeks.  Turn to the back and glue the largest pompom for the tail.

10. Optionally cut two small pointed shapes from orange felt.  Cut a piece of green felt, sandwich between the orange pieces and glue together.  (Carrot)  Place in the bunny’s hand.

11. For each foot, cut one large circle from pink cardstock and four small ones.  Glue to the bottom of the foot.

Patriotic tassel earrings

Celebrate Memorial Day and July Fourth with these adorable Patriotic tassel earrings.  They are so easy to make you will want to make some for gifts as well.  Great beginning craft or group project too

Supplies:

·      Embroidery floss in red, white, and blue

·      20-gauge wire

·      Wire cutters

·      Heavy piece of cardboard

·      Bead caps

·      Needle nosed pliers

·      Jump rings

·      Fish hook ear wires

·      E600 glue

Instructions:

1.     Gather your supplies.  Cut a piece of heavy cardboard 1 ¼” x 3.”  Cut a piece of wire 3 inches long with wire cutters.  Place the wire across the long side of the cardboard piece.

2.     Working with the red floss, wrap around the cardboard 4 times.  Repeat for the white and the blue floss.

3.     Raise the wire evenly twist together to tighten all the floss together at the top.  Use the needle nosed pliers to continue twisting all the way up the wire.

4.     Remove the floss from the cardboard and cut the bottom apart.  You will have a tassel.  Repeat these steps for the second earring.

5.     Add some glue to the inside of the bead cap and insert the wire from the tassel.  Twist the wire down and insert back into the cap to make a loop at the top.  Repeat for second earring.  Let the glue dry before going on to the next step.

6.     Use your needle nosed pliers to open a jump ring by twisting rather than pulling apart.  Add a fishhook ear wire and twist the jump ring closed.  Repeat for second earring.

That’s all there is to it.  Wasn’t that easy?  You will be getting complements on your Patriotic tassel earrings at all your summer functions and parties. 

How to make a locket horse show hair bow

Horse show season is in full swing and are you ready with horse show hair bows for your little exhibitors?  Horse show hair bows can be quite pricey but you can make an adorable and personalized locket horse show hair bow quickly and easily and spend very little in the process.

Don’t participate in horse shows?  You can alternately make this little locket of your horse or pet and wear it around your neck on a chain.  Simply make the locket as instructed, then add it to a ball chain with a jump ring. 

Materials:

·      15mm circle bezels

·      ModPodge dimensional magic or other clear dimensional product

·      Tiny horse photo printed on paper and cut to fit in the bezel

·      1 ½” wired ribbon

·      1” grosgrain ribbon

·      ¼” grosgrain ribbon

·      Bowdabra bow wire

·      Bowdabra Mini Bow maker

·      Bowdabra tool and ruler attachment

·      Alligator hair clip

·      Hot glue gun and hot glue sticks

·      Ruler

·      Scissors

·      Lighter

Instructions:

1.     Make the locket.  Print a small photo of your horse on your printer on computer paper, or use a photo from a magazine.  Cut the photo to fit in the bezel. 

2.     Place the photo in the bezel and carefully add the dimensional clear glue on top.  Be careful not to shake the bottle, as it will cause bubbles to form.  Set aside and let dry completely.

3.     Cut a piece of Bowdabra bow wire 18 inches.  Fold in half and place in the Bowdabra.  You will have a loop on one side and two loose wires on the other.

4.     Cut the 1” wide piece grosgrain 15 Inches long in a color of your choice.  Dovetail both ends and lightly run a lighter over it to keep it from fraying.  Fold the ribbon in half to find the center and insert into the Bowdabra.

5.     Cut a piece of ¼” grosgrain ribbon in your coordinating color 14 inches long.  Fold in half to find the center and insert into the Bowdabra

6.     Cut a piece of 1 ½” wide wired ribbon 18 ½” long.  Fold in half to find the center and insert into the Bowdabra.

7.     Bring the right end of the ribbon over and insert the tail end into the Bowdabra

8.     Bring the other end over and under the first loop forming an X and insert the end into the Bowdabra.

9.     Insert the ribbon center of both loops into the Bowdabra.

10. Scrunch down with the Bowdabra wand.

11. Insert the two loose wires through the loop making a slipknot and pull tight.  Remove from the Bowdabra, turn to the back, separate the ends and tie a knot.  Adjust the bow and tails.

12. Using the wires from the back bring to the front and insert it through the loop in the top of the bezel.  Bring the wires to the back and tie a knot.  Cut off any excess wires. 

13. Use the hot glue gun and hot glue sticks to attach an alligator clip to the back of the bow. 

14. Repeat all the steps for a second bow to make a perfect pair.

Optional:  Make the locket according to step 1 -2.  Using a needle nosed pliers open a jump ring by twisting open.  Attach the locket and twist the jump ring closed.  Add to a neck chain in your desired length.  You can find Bowdabra mini bow makers at your local craft stores or online.