I have always wanted a “Wizard of Oz” Christmas tree. (It seems fitting, since I have Wizard of Oz bank checks, a Wizard of Oz wrist watch, a Dorothy key chain, a ruby slipper pillow, the Wizard of Oz Barbie collection, the Wizard of Oz trivia game….you get the idea.)
A few years ago, McDonald’s came out with Madame Alexander Wizard of Oz Happy Meal toys. I went C.R.A.Z.Y. driving around to all of the McDonald’s within a 15 mile radius to make sure that I obtained the entire collection. I even had the people get the box of toys and search through to make sure they had the specific toy I needed for the collection. SCORE! I was able to collect all of them. Fortunately, at the time, I could just buy the toy for about $1.00 each. I didn’t have to eat a dozen Happy Meals. I was so thrilled to have them all.
And then this happened:
NOTHING! Yes, you guessed it. They sat in a bag on my shelf for almost four years. I couldn’t bring myself to take them out of the packages. Then one day the idea popped into my mind to make them into Christmas tree ornaments. I remember seeing a gorgeous Wizard of Oz tree about twenty years ago while I was modeling in Bloomingdale’s. Oh, how I coveted that tree with those precious ornaments. I have thought about that tree so many times over the years.
When the theme for this weeks’ “So You Think You’re Crafty” competition came around, “Children’s Literature,” I knew immediately that I wanted to do something about my favorite story/movie. Ta dah! That’s how it all came together. Now I have the ornaments for my very own Wizard of Oz tree. Best part? It was sooo easy!
Supplies:
Happy Meal Toys, candle, matches, pliers, paper clip, tea cup hooks, ribbon
First, heat the end of a paper clip by holding it in the candle’s flame
Second, use the heated paper clip to carefully melt a hole into the top of the toy
Third, repeat the process, but this time heat a tea cup hook
Finally, insert the hook into the paper clip hole and turn until secure.
That’s all there is to it!
Here is an example of where I placed all of the hooks in case you also happen to have these particular toys laying around your house, doing nothing.
