Mini Biplane

I've pretty much given up drinking soda. Not only because it's not good for you, but because it doesn't quench a thirst - I'm always thirsty afterward. So I've switched to bottled teas and water - not exclusively, but primarily. As a result, I have a lot of tea bottles piling up. I love the shape of the bottles and have been making a ton of vases. I've run out of people to give them to, so I decided that the diner that I frequent for breakfast could use a vase of two on their tables. Instructions for the vase are located here.

Since it's a small airport cafe, I thought it would be cute to add an airplane to the foliage. They have all kinds of airplanes hanging from the ceiling with a lot of them being WWII-era or earlier. I tried searching for Matchbox-sized airplanes, but they were either too modern looking or were cost-prohibitive for making 13 of them.

In searching Pinterest, I found a lot of tutorials for popcicle stick airplanes, but they were all too big and were geared toward party gifts for kids. But they gave me the basics to work with, so off I went!

What I Used:

• Mini clothespins
• Popcicle sticks
• 1/2" wood discs
• Bamboo skewers
• Scissors
• Pliers
• Gorilla clear contact adhesive
• Hot glue
• Sandpaper
• 18 gauge floral wire, approx. 18 inches long (straight wire, not coiled)

I used Gorilla contact adhesive throughout except where noted.

WINGS & TAIL - For the wings, using the popcicle sticks, cut 1 stick in half and round cut edges. Sand smooth. For the tail, cut a popcicle stick approximately 2 inches long (I eyeballed it) and round and sand the cut edge. For the spoiler, cut a small piece from the rounded end at an angle. Trim one side slightly to make a straight edge and sand edges.

Glue wings on top and bottom of clothespin, placing them toward the gripping end covering the metal hinge. Glue the tail piece to top on opposite end. Glue the spoiler to the tail.

PROPELLER (Make 3 blades) - For the blades, cut the pointed end of a bamboo skewer approximately 3/4 inch long. Using the pliers, smash the non-pointed end. Sand edges.

Glue the pointed ends of the propeller blades to the 1/2" wood disc, spacing evenly. Cut a little nub from a skewer and glue to the front of the circle.

Glue propeller to the gripping end of the clothespin using hot glue.

APPLY WIRE - make a narrow loop on one end of the wire. Glue to the bottom of the airplane using hot glue. Bend wire down and trim to fit vase. 

TA-DA!