It’s beginning to be that time of the year again when we will all be creating LOTS of Christmas cards. One very popular embellishment for Christmas cards and projects is the use of candy canes. I’ve seen one big brand company selling a package of nine (9) pipe cleaner candy canes for $5.99/pkg., and another site that sells a package of six (6) for $3.00 (and keep in mind, that doesn’t include shipping). I think both of those options are TOO EXPENSIVE! And I’m here to show you how you can make them yourself for a FRACTION of the price.
First, gather your supplies. First, you will need a package of red and white (or any colors you desire) pipe cleaners. I got this package at a local craft store for $2.00 and the package had 24 12-inch pieces in it. That would make approximately 120 of these sweet little embellishments. In addition, you will need a spray bottle (I used an old one), a pair of scissors, a paper towel, water, and some Tim Holtz Distress Ink (in Walnut).
The next thing you will do is to cut the pipe cleaner into small pieces in the desired length of your candy canes. I made mine about 3-4 inches each. You can create various sizes for different projects.
Because pipe cleaners are made from wire, it’s very easy to simply bend the it into the desired shape. You can make them small, large, with a big staff/bend, or a small one. Be creative, and get them into your desired shape.
Once you’ve cut the desired number and sizes of candy canes you want, and shaped them; simply lay them out on a piece of paper towel. This is to protect the surface underneath.
Next, you will take just a few drops of the Tim Holtz Walnut Distress Ink and drop it into your spray bottle that has a few tablespoons of water in the bottom. There’s no exact Science to this. You can use my photo as a guideline, but you can’t really do it “wrong”. Just don’t make too much ahead of time because it won’t take much to complete this project.
OK…..I admit that this looks a little bit like a crime scene (LOL). You just spray the candy canes with the Tim Holtz Walnut Distress Ink mixture until you achieve the level of “vintage” shabby/antique look you desire. I like to get mine pretty dirty. This technique works great on wrinkled seam binding as well. I just LOVE all the great Tim Holtz Distress Ink Products carried at CropStop.
Once your candy canes have dried, that’s it! You’re ready to use them on cards, scrapbook pages, or any other project you wish. They’re super cute, easy to make, and they save you so much money compared to the others out on the market. Cute, huh? So, I made a card using one (and here’s a close-up of the vintage candy cane).
It’s so easy. CropStop has most every color of Tim Holtz Distress Inks, and they can be used in many different (and wonderfully creative) ways. I encourage you to give this a try for yourself. You’re welcome to stop by my blog, My Cup Runneth Over, to take a closer look. I also hope you will join in this month’s fun Linky Party for your chance to win some wonderful CropStop goodies of your own. Happy crafting!
Karen
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