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If making your own Christmas tree ornaments takes you back in time, get ready to travel!

I was in elementary school when I first saw a version of these craft stick sleds on display at our Secret Santa Workshops before Christmastime. There's many designs out there to make similar sleds, and my version requires no cutting and can serve as a starter template to innovate your own design. Simply glue, paint, and enjoy!

Make a bunch of these cute sleds to gift away. Each one needs only eight craft or Popsicle® sticks, glue, paint, and string or curling ribbon. Get creative by adding your own embellishments to make it your own: found objects, glitter, polymer clay creations, or anything else that sticks to it! Most of all, have fun!

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Materials:

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• 8 Wooden Craft Sticks
• Glue gun or wood/craft glue
• Acrylic paint and brush (red or green look fantastic)
• Curling ribbon, jute, or colored string
• Optional: glitter
• Quick-release gluing surface (see tips below)

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Instructions:

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You will be working from the "bottom view" of the sled for the first three steps.

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Step 1: Lay down first three panels.

Place three craft sticks down on your surface (for the sled "panels"). Stagger the outer two sticks about 1/4" (or length of your choice) down from the middle stick as shown. Whatever stagger length you choose at this point will be repeated for the rest of the sticks on the sled.

Glue each of the outer sticks to the middle stick by applying a thin bead of glue to the each side of the middle stick and pushing the outer sticks into it. Hold firm for about 15 seconds.

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Step 2: Assemble runners.

Next, assemble and glue two more craft sticks (the sled "runners") to the outside panel sticks. The runners should be placed on their sides and glued flush with the panels.

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Step 3: Assemble end panels.

Assemble and glue the last two panels as shown. Allow the partial sled assembly to dry before moving onto step 4.

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You will be working from the top view of the sled for step 4.

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Step 4: Turn over and assemble top cross beam.

After the sled is dry from step 3, turn it over and glue the "cross beam" craft stick onto the top of the sled as shown.

Allow sled to dry before moving onto step 5.

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Step 5: Paint and decorate the sled.

When the glue on the sled is completely dry, you can decorate it as you wish. For this project, I painted my sleds with green and red acrylic paint.

After the paint dried, I tied a piece of curling ribbon onto the cross beam for the sled "handle" and hanger.

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Step 6: Turn your sled into a clever gift!

Make a "Rosebud" poetry sled gift-away card by gluing the sled to my printable poetry sled hill page on card stock.

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©2005–2023 Chris Dunmire. All rights reserved.