DIY Decorative Clothespins

Okay, I know what you are thinking reading the title. Why would anyone need decorative clothespins? And the answer is, well, you wouldn't actually need them. But stay with me. I promise this is going to be good and you will want them.

I got this idea from my brilliantly creative friend Tori. She belongs to a family of women who can look at almost anything and say, "Oh, I could do that." And then they ACTUALLY DO IT! She was helping me to come up with a project for a fundraising "Make It, Bake It or Fake It" auction. The concept is that each person brings something that they've "made, baked or faked" and we all bid on each other's handiwork. These sets were a hit and brought in much more money than they cost to make, so here they are:

I made decoupaged mini-clipboards and clothespin sets. These are perfect for gift-giving during the holidays and once you buy the basic supplies, each set costs around $2-3 (or less!)

1. Gather all your supplies. You could do large clipboards, small ones or simply sets of clothespins. Then choose sets of 2-3 coordinating scrapbooking papers. You will also need Mod Podge (or a similar product) and disposable sponge brushes.

2. Cut these papers to the desired size for your clothespins and/or clipboards. I like to put a piece of paper on both sides of each clothespin and each clipboard.

3. Working very quickly, apply a thin layer of glue to the paper and place on the clipboard. Press any bubbles out to the edge. Allow to dry completely before applying any topcoats.

4. The clothespins are easy to decoupage. I do both sides at the same time by holding the clothespin on the metal clamp and placing it on it's side to dry after gluing down a strip of paper on each surface.

5. Apply 2-3 thin layers of glue for topcoats. Once again, the clothespins are small and don't require much precision. The large surface of the clipboards make mistakes more noticable so work more carefully on these. The directions on the glue suggest 15-20 minutes between coats.

6. Tie them up with a cute bow and make your friends smile!

Here are a few tips I've learned in making these several times:

-Choose your paper for the clothespins carefully. A large pattern will not look that great on a tiny surface.

-You can wrap your brush in plastic wrap or cover with a damp paper towel to use the same brush throughout the entire project.

-Allow to dry completely for several days before attaching any paper or stacking the items, as they will stick.

I know you still may be thinking that you wouldn't need to use these, but who doesn't want cute clips on their chips? Here are a couple other uses for them that I have come up with:

- Use Christmas themed paper and make a card-hanging display with decorative clothespins and twine. (Also a perfect gift!)

- Use colors from a shower and decorate with shower-related items. (Recipes for a bridal shower, panties for a personal shower, onesies for a baby shower, etc.)

- Use fall colors and make a "Thankful Line". Hang pictures or words of things that you are thankful for with your kids.

- Attach small magnets and hang them from your refrigerator for displaying art or holding papers.

- Use different colors to sort papers in your homeschooling area or to display art and school work.

Got any more ideas?

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