Monday 3 January 2022

Wood Slice Reindeer Brooch/Badges

Sorry, sorry, sorry…….. but I’ve started Christmas crafting for 2022 already! I just never got everything that I wanted to do done in 2021, which I am putting down to eBaying. I realise after a few weeks off  how much time it was taking up, I am going to continue with it as I love a good, once a week, mooch, but only intend on listing a couple of things per week, so my non school run days aren't broken up by trips to the post office.

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So, today I have some wood slice reindeer brooch/badges for your delectation, but there’s not an awful lot to them.

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I’ve had a few packets of these small wood slices from a craft shop in Llandudno for quite a while now (£1 for about 12) and they needed using up.

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I started by using E6000 glue to stick on the wooden, laser cut antlers that I got from eBay.

Wilko Emulsion Tester

Then painted a circle in the middle of each wood slice with a brown emulsion tester pot from Wilko.

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This was followed by adding two googly eyes and a very large 12mm flat back red pearl nose with three white acrylic paint dots  ………

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……. and three tiny coloured stars on each antler.

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…….. and finally, a brooch fitting on the back, glued again with E6000 glue for maximum hold.  Et voila.

I road tested one brooch on my coat in the weeks leading to Christmas and it stood up really well to the wear and tear, but, I now intend to make Christmas tree decorations or parcel charms/tags with all the other wood slices I have left over, by simply adding a tiny screw eye hook between the antlers. I didn’t varnish the wood slices originally, I did try, but the results didn’t look great.  I am also not certain what would happen to the paint if the brooch got wet, so perhaps they’re only really suitable for indoor wear?  They are a novelty, but with hindsight not that practical with all the if’s and but  and I always want my bits and pieces to be fit for the purpose.

However…… to make a a few more similar brooches I have some wooden laser cut circles that I can easily use in place of the wood slices, which in turn would allow any paint used to be varnished.  I would also like to experiment with adding ears and perhaps a fringe, so watch this space …………..