Upcycled Light Bulb Penguin

attosa
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Upcycled Light Bulb Penguin - ornament hanging on tree Light bulbs that burn out make for fantastic crafts. Here, I've painted an old useless light bulb to look like a penguin, then wrapped it in some felt scraps and cotton balls so he's ready for the holidays. A simple piece of yarn glued to the top will make this a great ornament on your tree!

Tip: I used a 1/2 inch ring cutting from a cardboard tube to sit the lightbulb on in order to paint it evenly and not have it move around.

Total Time: 90 minutes

Yield: 1 penguin

Supplies:

1 light bulb, clean and dry
pencil
paintbrush
white paint
black paint
black felt
orange paint
craft glue
scissors
red felt
yarn or string
red thread
needle
2 cotton balls

Steps:

Start by drawing a light outline of the penguin's face and tummy area where you will be painting white.

Upcycled Light Bulb Penguin - sketch face and tummy on bulb

Fill the tummy area in evenly with white paint.

Upcycled Light Bulb Penguin - paint tummy area white

Paint the rest of the bulb black.

Upcycled Light Bulb Penguin - paint the rest of the bulb black

When the white paint dries, draw two little black dots for eyes.

Upcycled Light Bulb Penguin - draw on eyes with paint brush

Paint on an orange triangle for its beak.

Upcycled Light Bulb Penguin - paint orange beak

Cut out two small black teardrop shapes as the penguin's flippers.

Upcycled Light Bulb Penguin - make teardrop shaped felt flippers

Attach to the sides of the body with craft glue.

Upcycled Light Bulb Penguin - attach the flippers with glue

Cut out a long thin strip of red felt and cut both ends 3 times. This will be its frayed scarf.

Upcycled Light Bulb Penguin - make red felt frayed scarf

Glue the scarf around the penguin, hiding the tops of its flippers.

Upcycled Light Bulb Penguin - glue scarf on hiding top of flippers

Glue the a loop of yarn to the top of the lightbulb and allow to dry fully.

Upcycled Light Bulb Penguin - glue loop of yarn to top of bulb

Cut out a piece of red felt long enough to wrap around the top of the lightbulb. Pull the loop of yarn out from the top. Pinch the top then use your needle and thread to sew the top shut in a cone shape.

Upcycled Light Bulb Penguin - when yarn dry wrap a piece of red felt around the top of head and yarn, pull yarn though

Glue a cotton ball to the top of the hat. Unravel another cotton ball and wrap it along the base of the hat, gluing as you go around.

Upcycled Light Bulb Penguin - pinch the felt and make it cone shaped and add a cotton ball pom, unravel another cotton ball and glue around base of hat

Add an embellishment to the front of the scarf if you like. You can leave the penguin propped up in the cardboard tube ring, or use the loop to hang it from your tree. Happy holidays!