In this season of gratitude, we thank you all for supporting us through this interesting year!
While we are unable to gather in person for ornament crafting with our amazing volunteers, we wanted to share some awesome ornament crafts inspired by the art and wildlife at Creamer’s Field. We have compiled three easy ornament crafts that the whole family can create together with the right materials, supervision, and creativity!
The first craft is the Cork Moose Ornament!
While walking along one of the nature trails, visitors may spot moose meandering through the boreal forest on the refuge.
Known as moose across North America, Alces alces is the largest member of the deer family. Adult moose can range in size from 800 pounds (small adult female) to1,600 pounds (large adult male), and they can be up to almost 6 feet tall. Moose can range in color from golden brown to almost black, depending on the season and the age of the animal. Moose are often easily recognized by their antlers, carried only by the males.
(Information from ADF&G.)
For this craft, the materials needed include two brown pipe cleaners, five corks, two small googly eyes, pins, glue, and ribbon.
- Glue four corks to one horizontal cork as the body and legs of the moose.
- For the last cork, pin it to the body at an angle.
- Fold the two pipe cleaners in different sized loops to resemble antlers. Then connect them together.
- Attach antlers to the pin at the back of the moose head.
- Glue the googly eyes onto the top of the cork face.
- Tie ribbon and attach around the moose.
- Hang up!
The next tutorial is the Flying Geese Stain Glass Craft!
The Flying Geese Barn Quilt is an art piece installed on the east-facing Louden barn on the refuge. The barn quilt was created by local artist, Somer Hahm, the founder of the Far North Quilt Trail Project.
This craft tutorial shows the viewer how to turn this beloved art piece into a stain glass depiction that can be displayed around your home in several ways!
The materials needed for this craft include black construction paper, white tissue paper, exacto knife, colored markers, and glue
- First, cut black paper into a square, about 6”x6”
- Trace out geometric triangles on the sides, all circling a square in the center.
- Use exacto knife to cut all geometric shapes. *Parental supervision recommended.
- Color white tissue paper with desired quilt colors.
- Cut out colored pieces and glue behind shape cut outs
- Hang up on tree or window!
This last craft is the Owl Wood Slice Ornament!
There are ten species of owls in Alaska, inhabiting landscapes as diverse as the windblown, treeless tundra of the Arctic, the deep, still, boreal forest of the Interior, and the moss-draped rainforest of Southeast. Owls are finely tuned, nocturnal hunting machines. Large eyes enable them to see in the dark. Their acute hearing can pinpoint the precise location of small mammals — even under a blanket of snow. They glide on silent wings to grasp unsuspecting prey with their piercing, curved talons. Owls are aerial predators, and they need all these adaptations to survive.
(Information from ADF&G and The Alaska Owlmanac: A guide to the identification, habits, and habitat of ten owl species found in Alaska, by Karen L Lew, 1986.)
**Power tools are involved in making this craft. Parental supervision advised.
The materials needed for this craft include a small wood slice, orange paper, large googly eyes, marker, one pipe cleaner, and string.
- Cut a wood slice from a log, about 4-5” across, ¼” thick.
- Drill a small hole in the top of your wood slice
- Use the marker to trace the owl wings and fill in feather details
- Cut a small triangle from the orange paper for the beak
- Glue the googly eyes and beak onto the wood
- Cut the pipe cleaner into at least four pieces and form into two feet
- Glue feet onto bottom of the back of the wood slice
- String up the owl
- Hang up!
We hope you enjoyed this article and be sure to tag us on our social media if you would like to share any Alaskan wildlife crafts you made this holiday season!
It has been such a joy to create content for everyone this year! We wish you all the best for this holiday season and a happy, healthy new year!
See you all out on the trails!
Crafts and photos assembled by Melanie Graeff, Programs & Events Coordinator for the Friends of Creamer’s Field