This project may be a brand new idea to you or might take you on a trip down memory lane. Although we put earrings on our little lady and called her a girl, the original that was seen around town back in the . . . what? . . . 1950s? '60s? '70s? . . . was a Snack Guy. They are both basically the same--only the earrings make the difference. Construction will not take too long, but saving those required 76 bottle caps may take a bit of time unless you make friends with the proprietor of the local watering hole. From then on, it's practically one stop shopping at your local home improvement store.
NOTE: The wood pieces should be stained before drilling and the base either painted or stained.
Materials:
14, 1/2 inch length of 3/4" x 2-1/2" wood*
76 bottle caps
two inch length of a 3/8-inch wooden dowel
copper spray paint
drill
3/8-inch drill bit
1/8-inch drill bit
1/8-inch diameter long nail
hammer
two plastic bowls, six to seven inches in diameter
two screw eyes for attaching earrings
two S-hooks
one 12-inch steel rod, 1/8-inch in diameter
two wiggly eyes
stud for nose
wire clothes hanger
red and white paint for mouth
two plastic curtain rings for earrings
four furniture tacks for buttons
water-based stain
*Our wood strip was cut from Douglas fir and though it actually measured 3/4" x 2-1/2", I'm guessing that it was 1" x 3" in lumber yard language. The drill bit needs to be the size of the nails in circumference.
Steps: 1. Paint the top and sides of the bottle caps with copper spray paint. Only the two end caps for her arms need to be painted on the inside as well. When dry, hammer a large nail through the center of each cap to make a hole.
2. Saw a wood strip into three pieces. Cut one 2-1/2-inch length for the head, one 4-3/4-inch length for the body, and use the remaining seven inches for the base (figure A). On the body piece, make a small mark on each side along the edge about 1/2 inch up from the bottom edge. Make a third mark in the center along the bottom edge. Draw a line between each of the side marks and the one along the bottom edge (figure B). Saw along these lines. You will now have a V-shaped bottom edge (figure C). NOTE: If you wish to give her a more girlish figure, you can saw a half circle on each side of the wood piece
3. Drill a 1/8-inch hole about one inch deep in the middle of each of the angled sides (figure D). These holes should also be at an angle. If you treat the angled edge as a straight edge along the bottom and drill straight into the wood, the hole will be at the correct angle. Her metal rod legs will later be inserted in these holes. 4. Drill a third hole near the top of the piece for her arms. This hole should start on the side edge about 5/8 inch down from the top and should go straight across and out through the other side so the coat hanger wire can go all the way through.
5. In the center of the top edge, drill a 3/4-inch deep hole 3/8 inch in diameter. Drill a corresponding hole in the bottom of the head piece. Drop a bit of wood glue into the holes and insert the dowel, leaving about 1/2 inch showing for her neck. Place the head piece onto the neck (figure E).
6. With needle nose pliers, shape a closed curve at one end of a 12-inch length of the coat hanger wire and string 18 bottle caps onto it. Thread the wire through the hole in the top of the body piece, string the remaining 18 bottle caps onto the wire and form a closed curve at the second end to hold the caps secure (figure F).
7. For the legs, use the l2-inch lengths of steel wire cut in half. Coat hanger wire is not sturdy enough. Insert one end of each rod into the holes drilled at the angled bottom of the body piece. 8. After inserting the metal legs, stand the body piece over the base piece to determine where the holes should be drilled to insert the other end of the leg rods. Drill these holes at an angle, stack the remaining bottle caps on the legs and insert in the base holes.
NOTE: After assembly, I realized if our lady will really be holding two dishes full of snacks she needs a larger or heavier base. A larger piece of wood would be easy to substitute. Standing as is, she is fine, but rowdy party guests just might make her lose her balance!
7. Add wiggly eyes, paint a mouth and insert the stud for a nose (figure G). On each side of her head, add a screw eye for the earrings, which are large plastic rings that have been cut so they can slip over the screw eyes.
8. Drill a small hole in the bottom center of one of the bowls. Place the bowl on Snack Girl's head and pound a nail through the hole to secure (figure H).
9. Push three furniture tacks into her front for buttons on her outfit. Hold up the second bowl in front of her to determine where it should go and position a third tack so it can catch and hold the edge of the bowl when it is placed in position.
10. Curve her arms down and forward to see where they will touch the bowl. Drill a hole in each side of the bowl where the arms (hands) touch. Connect the bowl to the loops at the end of the arm wires with the S-hooks (figures I and J). 11. Fill the bowls with peanuts and pretzels and enjoy the party!
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