DOLLAR STORE CLOTHESPIN TURKEY

This dollar store clothespin turkey is as cute as can be. You can put this together inexpensively using supplies from your local dollar store in just about half an hour.

This makes a fun Thanksgiving decoration to use as a table centerpiece, or mantel display, or for your tiered tray. You can even string them together to make a holiday garland!

This is so easy to make. Your older kids might enjoy helping you make these simple craft projects.

Materials:

Clothespins, Wooden Spring-Style – Dollar Store
Mini Wood Slices – Two
Felt Craft Sheets – Red and Yellow
Wiggle Eyes, Two – Dollar Store
Wooden Toothpick – One
Cardstock – Off White
Acrylic Craft Paint – Yellow, Orange, Brown, Burgundy, Green
Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
Paintbrush
Marker
Scissors
Paper Trimmer

Instructions:

STEP ONE

Gather all supplies. Remove the metal spring from the wooden clothespins. Line up nine full clothespins on your work surface, to create a fan shape. Attach the pairs of wooden clothespin pieces together with a glue gun and glue sticks, using the photo as a template.

STEP TWO

Paint all sides of each clothespin as follows with acrylic craft paint: one green, two yellow, two orange, two burgundy, and two brown. Set aside to dry. If you don’t have these colors at home, use the colors you have. Once dry, attach the painted clothespins together with a glue gun and glue sticks.

STEP THREE

Attach two mini wood slices together as the turkey body and head, using a glue gun and glue sticks. Then glue the body to the clothespin turkey feathers. Cut out a triangle beak from yellow craft felt and a wiggly wattle shape from red craft felt. If you don’t have felt, use colored cardstock or craft foam. Carefully glue two wiggle eyes, beak, and wattle to the head of the turkey.

STEP FOUR

To create a flag, measure and cut a strip of off-white cardstock ½” wide by 6” long. Write message like “Give Thanks” about one inch from the right side of the paper strip with a marker. Fold paper strip in half around a wooden toothpick, lining up edges. Secure flag with a bit of glue and cut out a triangle shape from the end to create the flag shape. Attach to either the right or the left side of the turkey.

If you’ve got the time, wouldn’t it be fun to make one of these for each of your guests for Thanksgiving dinner? You could place one at each place setting as a special take-home favor.