Free Christmas Crafts
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Walnut Christmas Mice
Copyright © 2007-2008 Jane Lake All Rights Reserved
This sleepy trio of Christmas mice is safely tucked in bed and waiting for Santa. Make your own walnut mice ornaments from walnut shells, hazelnuts and little scraps of felt or fabric.
Walnut Christmas Mice
Supplies for One Mouse Ornament:
- half a walnut shell
- one hazelnut or filbert
- small scraps of felt or fabric
- small scraps of felt, suede or leather for the ears and tail
- craft glue
- gold cord
- scissors
- black permanent marker
- optional: small gold stars
Project Instructions:
1. Clean out half a walnut shell and test fit a hazelnut to make sure it will sit snugly inside.
2. Glue a loop of gold cord to the inside top of the walnut as a hanger.
3. Cut two ear shapes from scraps of felt, suede or leather for each mouse, refering to our photo for details. Cut a thin tail from the same material. Glue the bottom of the ears inside the top of the walnut shell, in front of the gold cord. Glue the top of the tail inside the center bottom part of the shell.
4. Put a small amount of glue on the back of the hazelnut and set it inside the walnut shell. The top of the hazelnut should fit firmly against the bottom of the ears.
5. Cut a small half circle of felt or fabric as a miniature blankie; tuck the sides and bottom around the hazelnut mouse, working around the tail. Apply a small amount of glue to secure the blanket. If desired, add a small gold star to the side of the blanket.
6. Finally, draw a simple sleeping face on the mouse with black permanent marker. Allow the glue to dry, then hang your Christmas mouse on the Christmas tree.
I got the walnut to crack in half by using a small standard screwdriver and pounding it lightly in the natural crack. Then work it open gently with your hands.
I can't seem to crack the shell in equal halfs. How is the easiest way? I want to crack them and put money in them for christmas. Can someone HELP.
Would a hot glue gun work for this???
If you were careful not to let the glue gun drip too much, or squeeze out too much glue, it should work. These walnut mice are quite small, and sometimes I have trouble keeping the glue gun under control, but if you're more experienced at it than I am, I think it could work well.
HI! I am 9 and LOVED making this craft it is great to tie on to Christmas gifts like gift toper's but when I give them away I leave a poem something like this
Each mouse wrapped in a blanket of different colors not even one is like the others but all are sleeping tucked in their beds
each one resting their own head.
I love that poem Paige did you create it you self? because i an 14 teen and never thought of that my self
I made these last year as gifts for my 2nd grade students, they loved them, they are really cute. I found that stuffing just a little fiber fill stuffing in under the blanket helped hold everything in place. Thanks for the pattern, I couldn't find my sample from last year and was glad it was out here to find again.
I love this idea. My son has to take a christmas ornament to school for show and share. He is 4, and loved making these. and the steps are simple. So he can tell them how he made it. Thanks!!
aww! to cute
how do you get the walnut shells in half? I'm just cracking the shells all over--no neat, tidy halves.
