Absolute Mommy: Cinnamon Stick Reindeer {Get Yo Craft On}

When I was eight I was in a baton twirling company that had performance teams. Being on the Team was an honor. You had to try out and everything. When I first tried out I wasn't really sure what was going on, but the following year I was excited and ready. Being on the performance teams mean that twice a year, you put on big shows at all the studios. For me this meant a week spent performing in my hometown, Salinas, then in Marina, Monterey, and Pacific Grove. I'm not sure how my working Mom managed that, but I will tell you that from the time I was seven until I was 13 I ate many dinners in the car during performance weeks.
Every Christmas I get really nostalgic for Team. Christmas was such a fun time when you were on Team. We did Secret Santas. The team mamas brought baked goods. We always hit up McDonald's or Burger King after the shows. It was magical, in my eight year old eyes.
Over the years of being on Team I received many ornaments as gifts. I still have most of them and they hang on my tree every year. As I hang them I remember when I got them, or what routine I did that year. A few years ago I had to retire one of my favorites, a cinnamon stick reindeer I received the year I was eight. When Christmas was still full of magic. When a list to Santa was a top priority. When green glittered sugar cookie trees were my favorite delight. My poor cinnamon stick reindeer, his legs weren't as sturdy, his eyes had yellowed, his nose almost shred. I was so sad to put him in a box, away in my craft room. I missed him every year.
Once I got the crafting bug and started making my own ornaments, my mom suggested I try a cinnamon stick reindeer. And for the past two years I got too busy, too distracted, and poor Mr. Cinnamon Stick Reindeer was forgotten. This year I made a plan to make one, no matter what, and so on Veteran's Day, with my kids helping out, I made some Cinnamon Stick Reindeer. I can't tell you how happy I am about these. They smell delicious, but they also make my heart so happy and full of nostalgia, it may burst.
I'm not a crafting blogger, so this tutorial is not grade A, but I promise you they are easy to make. The materials were bought a Michael's, and they aren't complicated. I like my crafts affordable and easy. If I can do them, you can do them. And if you are crafty you can probably do them better.
I'd love to see your cinnamon stick reindeer if you make them. If you do, please post a picture on Instagram and tag me: @absolute_mommy.

Cinnamon Stick Reindeer Get Yo Craft On

Supplies:

Cinnamon sticks

small red poms

small google eyes

brown pipe cleaners (antlers)

green or red pipe cleaners (hanger)

felt (any color you'd like)

Not pictured:

hand saw (I promise you can do it)

pinking shears

scissors

glue gun

glue sticks

sharpee

Step one at top left:

Saw your cinnamon sticks in half, if you feel they are too long.

also if your cinnamon sticks didn't come with small pieces for the heads,

you will have to cut them.

Step two at top right:

cut your felt to fit like a saddle, I used pinking shears.

Also cut your pipe cleaners in half.

Step three at bottom left:

Fold your felt "saddle" in half and make a small cut. Fold your green or red pipe cleaner in half and run it through the hole in your felt. Then center your cinnamon stick legs and glue legs to felt and pipe cleaner. Then glue the rest of the felt down.

Step four at bottom right:

Turn your ornament on it's side and place some glue just inside the felt fold on the cinnamon sticks. This is where you are going to add your "head", a small piece of the cinnamon stick that you cut. Hold in place until the glue sets.

Once the glue sets on your reindeer head, it should look like the picture on the top left.

Next add your eyes and red pom nose on the top right.

Fold your brown pipe cleaner in half and make a "V" for your antlers.

Add some glue into the open part of the cinnamon stick head and add your antlers. Shape them in any way you want, photo bottom right.

And that's it. I added a little bit of green ribbon on a few. Then I added "2013" on one leg using a sharpee marker on a few others. This tutorial is totally easy, just a little labor intensive if you have to cut your own cinnamon sticks. But I promise they are totally worth it. Super cute and do they ever smell like Christmas!! Enjoy! And Happy Christmas Tree Trimming!!