HOW TO CREATE SNOWFLAKE PEG COASTERS

ALL ROUND CREATIVE JUNKIE, CHERYL LUMLEY BRINGS US A CREATIVE AND FESTIVE HOW-TO, REUSING AND UPCYCLING OLD WOODEN PEGS.

Whenever I talk about about upcycling I get a few very different responses. Some know what it means, some think it’s to do with actual cycling, but the best response I’ve had was “so you’re a bit of a tree hugger then and love recycling everything?” I told them although I do love to recycle and help our tiny planet, I upcycle mostly because I’m a hoarder and can’t bear to throw things out. I keep the rope handles from paper carrier bags when they break, I will always find a reason to keep scrap wood instead of throwing it out, I put broken pegs back into the peg bag. Every time.

So as it’s Winter and I’m not using the washing line at the minute I thought I’d try and use my old broken pegs for an upcycling project. However, I didn’t actually have enough pegs so I accidentally on purpose broke a lot of good pegs in the making of it. I may be in trouble come the Spring!

Upcycling is about seeing a new use for something discarded, unwanted or broken and breathing a new lease of life into something otherwise destined for the bin. Aside from their practical use, pegs are really quite lovely little things. They have an attractive curved side that looks quite decorative when you put them back to back.

Here is a really easy way to get a little crafty with pegs and make a few Christmas items at the same time. Made from wood, they make a great coaster or trivet protecting your surface from the heat. They also look exactly like snowflakes so it would be a shame to not make these for Christmas!

Steps

ARRANGE YOUR DESIGN

Fire up the glue gun and get it nice and hot. While it is heating up take apart all your pegs and arrange in pairs making it easier to glue together one peg at a time. Run a fine strip of glue on each peg and glue the pairs together.
SNOWFLAKES

Once cooled down you can create the pattern. For the smaller one, start by making a cross then add the angled ones in between creating a star-like snowflake gluing the ends together one peg at a time as the glue dries quickly. For the larger one, glue the thin ends to each other creating a small circular hole in the middle.

The large snowflake required 20 pegs and the small ones used 8 pegs each.

Top tip: when you’re creating the large snowflake use a penny as a centre guide to make sure your circle stays as a circle.
SPRAY

I went for a nordic feel with my snowflakes using Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch in Heirloom White. But you could use any colour to tie in with your Christmas theme. Or go bright with a splash or neon! It took 3 fine coats of paint to make sure the pegs were fully covered.
TO FINISH

Invite someone round for a pot of tea and a few biscuits and show off your new trivet and coasters.

Idea: Instead of coasters you could thread some organza ribbon through the holes and use as tree decorations instead.