Dark December evenings in the run up to Christmas are the perfect time to get a little crafty.
With just a little bit of paint, a peg and a pompom, you can have your own gorgeous Foot Guardsman to watch over your London-themed Christmas tree this year. Attenshun!
You will need:
- Wooden clothes pegs
- Black pompoms
- Acrylic paint: black, red, white
- Puff paint: pink, gold, black
- Glue
- Paintbrush, cotton buds, cocktail sticks
Time required: 20 mins (plus plenty of drying time)
Step 1
Use the red acrylic paint to give your peg soldier a striking red jacket. Paint just up to his crotch.
Step 2
With the black acrylic paint, give your solider smart black trousers. Don't worry about getting a perfect waistline between the two colours at this stage, you're going to add a belt once these colours are dry.
Step 3
Use your gold puff paint to add shiny round buttons to his jacket. Don't forget, puff paint takes plenty of time to dry. (Our tubes suggested four hours.)
Step 4
Wait until the trousers and jacket paints are both completely dry, then use your red / pink puff paint to draw a neat red seam on your Guardsman's trousers.
Step 5
Use the black and pink puff paints to give your Guardsman two eyes and a smile. We added pink cheeks with a little pink puff paint on a cotton bud.
Step 6
After checking all your paint is dry, use the white acrylic paint to give your peg solider a smart white belt. (Tip: we tidied the edges with a black Sharpie once the white paint was dry...)
Step 7
Add glue to your Guardsman's head, then place your black pompom centrally on top. Push down.
Step 8
Give your Foot Guardsman plenty of time to dry!
Step 9
Sit your solider astride a branch on your Christmas tree.
Please share your Londony Christmas craft decorations with us, either in the comments, on Twitter, or on Instagram, tagged #londonistcraft.
(A big hat tip The Crafty Crow for this lovely idea)