Upcycle Happy Meal Toys into Christmas Tree Ornaments: Tutorial |

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