Adorable DIY Christmas Highland Cow
This shaggy, cuddle-worthy Christmas highland cow DIY is a fun project for a family Christmas crafting session. You can make the horns and snout ahead to help make this Dollar Tree pool noodle craft go a bit quicker.
RELATED READING: How to Make a Highland Cow (Free Pattern)
What You'll Find On This Page
Pool Noodle Highland Cow Tutorial
Here at Ruffles and Rain Boots, I’ve been asked to share a version of a Christmas Scottish highland cow and here’s the easiest one to put together! This pool noodle highland cow tutorial is quick, adorable, and a lot of fun.
A tip: if you’re setting this up for a Christmas family craft idea, create the horns and snout ahead of time. You can use polymer clay (as shown in my previous highland cow tutorial) or ModelMagic, as I’m showing here.
If you love this Christmas craft idea but can’t get started right now, save or share this page to a pin board or your Facebook timeline. Either will make it easy to find when you’re ready to begin.
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Materials Needed
If you need to check your stash, here’s a sneak peek at the materials I used for this holiday craft idea. This cute highland craft would also look great with a crown of holiday flowers using scrapbook finds instead of my Christmas lights and Santa hat.
- pool noodle (4 inches)
- a wood round or ornament
- rocks (or other weight)
- faux fur
- Model Magic (I used white)
- doll eyes or black beads
- wire
- decorations
Christmas Highland Cow Video Tutorial
If you’re a visual learner, watch the quick DIY Christmas highland cow video tutorial. Be sure to subscribe – we have a lot of fun with crafting on the channel.
How to Make This Christmas Decor Idea
Below, I’ll walk through each step of this easy craft. Keep this page open and follow along or print the tutorial by scrolling to the bottom of this page.
Prep-Ahead: Use one small package of Crayola’s Model Magic to create a small squared-off oval for the snout. Press pieces of wire into the top edge and doll eyes into the bottom front. Also, create a snake of clay with rounded points at either end.
Cut the snake in half and insert wire into the cut ends. Turn up the rounded points and set all pieces to dry for 24 hours.
Cut 4 inches of a pool noodle. Glue that to the wood round.
Next, add rocks (or other weight) into the center channel of the noodle, alternating hot glue, rock, hot glue, rock, etc. until you reach one inch from the top of the noodle.
Measure the faux fur needed by wrapping it around the pool noodle. Use a razor or X-Acto knife to cut it as high as the pool noodle to the top of the wood base (the fur will hang down). Glue it to the pool noodle, hiding the join within the fur.
Cut a top piece of fur into a rectangle shape, large enough to cover the top of the pool noodle. Fold over the top edge (the fur pile is brushed down) and glue to secure.
Use the X-Acto knife to create a hole on the side of the fur-covered pool noodle about 1 inch down from the top for the horn. Add hot glue and insert the wire into the pool noodle to secure it in place. Repeat on the other side.
Affix the fur piece to the top of the pool noodle with glue. Be sure to secure any edges.
Glue the wire and doll eyes (or beads) into the snout and attach to the front of pool noodle, using the same method as the horns.
Add on any decorations. I secured lights to the horns under the fur and added a Santa hat by splitting the fur so the hot glue would attach to the fabric backing. Display your cute Christmas Scottish highland cow for the holidays.
More Crafts You Might Like
- Easy Highland Cow Tutorial (Three Ways) and a Free Pattern – Whether it’s a sock or pool noodle, you can create a year-round cutie with one of these methods.
- Highland Cow Ornament – Whether you cut it by hand or with a laser, you can create some adorable Christmas ornaments.
- Highland Cow Door Sign – You have to see this: everyone loved this easy door hanger!
Please Save or Share This Fun Holiday Craft Idea
Your shares are how this site grows and I am sincerely grateful. Please save this to a DIY Christmas crafts pin board or share it with a crafty group on Facebook.
Christmas Highland Cow DIY
Make this adorable DIY Highland Cow for Christmas using a Dollar Tree pool noodle as the base. The easy Model Magic clay horns and snout come together in just minutes.
Materials
- 4 inches of a pool noodle
- faux fur
- Model Magic (or other clay)
- Wire
- Rocks (or other weight)
- Wood Round
- Decorations
Tools
- Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
- Scissors
- X-Acto Knife
- Wire Cutters
Instructions
- Prep-Ahead: Use one small package of Crayola's Model Magic to create a small squared-off oval for the snout. Press pieces of wire into the top edge and doll eyes into the bottom front. Also, create a snake of clay with rounded points at either end.
- Cut the snake in half and insert wire into the cut ends. Turn up the rounded points and set all pieces to dry for 24 hours.
- Cut 4 inches of a pool noodle. Glue that to the wood round.
- Next, add rocks (or other weight) into the center channel of the noodle, alternating hot glue, rock, hot glue, rock, etc. until you reach one inch from the top of the noodle.
- Measure the faux fur needed by wrapping it around the pool noodle. Use a razor or X-Acto knife to cut it as high as the pool noodle to the top of the wood base (the fur will hang down). Glue it to the pool noodle, hiding the join within the fur.
- Cut a top piece of fur into a rectangle shape, large enough to cover the top of the pool noodle. Fold over the top edge (the fur pile is brushed down) and glue to secure.
- Use the X-Acto knife to create a hole on the side of the fur-covered pool noodle about 1 inch down from the top for the horn. Add hot glue and insert the wire into the pool noodle to secure it in place. Repeat on the other side.
- Affix the fur piece to the top of the pool noodle with glue. Be sure to secure any edges.
- Glue the wire and doll eyes (or beads) into the snout and attach to the front of pool noodle, using the same method as the horns.
- Add on any decorations. I secured lights to the horns under the fur and added a Santa hat by splitting the fur so the hot glue would attach to the fabric backing. Display your cute Christmas Scottish highland cow for the holidays.
Meet the Creator
Hi there, I’m Sarah Nenni-Daher. I’m a crafty gal and always have at least 14 projects going at once. I am a crafter, designer, DIYer, and pattern maker. I share my creations here and in the Ruffles and Rain Boots® Shop.
Here at Ruffles and Rain Boots®, you’ll find DIY gnomes, crafts, gifts, cupcakes, laser crafts, and so much more. I love sharing video tutorials over on YouTube and chatting with other crafters in my Facebook groups. We’d love to have you!