Beaded Candy Canes

As promised - a Christmas craft! This is far from a new or original idea, but it is still one I was very excited to do with my kids.

This was 1983. Our family Christmas tree for many years was full of homemade decorations. Along with painted ceramics, cross-stitches of wreathes and candles, and reindeer made out of old school clothes pins stained brown were these simple candy canes made from beads and pipe cleaners.

My hope was to make them last year, but I must have waited too long in the holiday season because the craft store was all out of the right beads. They are these funny looking ones as picture above. They likely have a fancy name.

Afraid I would not have good luck at the store again this year, I went ahead and order kits from Oriental Trading. I would suggest this only if you can't find what you need.

Otherwise, head to the craft store and pick up a package of pipe cleaners (red or white) and two packages of beads - one red, one white.

Each candy cane will need 25 beads of each color, so 50 per ornament.

The  way I made mine is to put on 2 beads of one color, then two of the next. leave about a half an inch or so between the fist bead and the end of the pipe cleaner. To speed things up I put on 4-6 and then slid them down to meet the beads at the bottom. My boys preferred to put on one at a time sliding each the entire length. I tink this si why they burned out after making 2. That's okay though. :)

Once all 50 beads are on, fold the ends in towards the beads so they won't fall off. You may have to trim the pipe cleaner down a bit. Then just bend into a crook at one end and you're done!