Make your own paint-dipped little drummer boy tree ornaments using pine dowels and acrylic paint. Start a family tradition by gathering the family together to make your own tree ornaments for the festive season.

Inexpensive and so easy to make, these little drummer boy tree decorations are a fun project for the family. All you need is a 25mm pine or meranti dowel that you will find at your local hardware store, some acrylic craft paint, eye hooks and a few supplies.

YOU WILL NEED:
25mm diameter pine dowel
Acrylic craft paint (red, white and black)
Small pot for dipping
Artist's paintbrush for detailing
120-grit sandpaper
Saw for cutting to length
Eye hooks for hanging
Roll of wrapping twine

Step 1: Cut and Paint

1. Cut the pine dowels to a length of approximately 6 centimetres. We made twelve llittle drummer boy ornaments in total.

2. Sand each dowel after cutting to remove any loose splinters and have nice smooth edges.

3. Using a small pot or bowl, pour in enough white paint to over one third of the dowel. Dip each dowel into the paint slowly and then lift out.

GOOD TO KNOW
Shake the dowel over the paint pot to remove as much excess paint as possible.

4. Put the paint-dipped dowels aside and allow them to dry.

5. Wash out the paint container and add red acrylic paint.

GOOD TO KNOW
After using each colour you can pour the leftover paint back into the paint pot.

6. Now you will dip the other end of the dowel, so make sure to add enough acrylic paint to cover the lower section.

7. Repeat the process to add a band of black at the top and bottom of the dowel.
8. Make sure the paint is completely dry before screwing an eye hook at the top of each dowel.
9. Use an artist's paintbrush to add detailing for the face and the front of the jacket.

10. Thread a strip of wrapping twine through the hook, tie off with a knot and hang on your Christmas tree.

MAKE AN ADVENT CALENDAR
You can also use the paint-dipped little drummer boy ornaments to make an Advent Calendar. When adding detailing to the finished dowel, use an artist's paintbrush to paint on numbers 1 to 12 and hang these on a piece of painted board.

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