Toy Schooner

Add a little twist to the typical cork boat by making it a schooner with paper sails! You could take this in a pirate-y direction by using plain washi tape for the flag and drawing a skull and crossbones on it.

You will need:

* Power drill with 1⁄16" bit

* 3 corks

* 4 round toothpicks

* Regular scissors

* 1 thin bamboo skewer, at least 9" long

* 1 (12" × 12") piece of printed scrapbook paper

*  1⁄8" hole punch

* Washi tape

  1. Drill 1⁄2" deep pilot holes into the corks, as shown in the illustration.

  2. Use toothpicks, as shown, to assemble boat base. (There are two toothpicks poked horizontally through the corks to keep them together.)

  3. Cut the bamboo skewer into 2 pieces, 5.5" and 3.5". Insert into the first and second cork, as shown.

  4. Cut 3 sails from scrapbook paper, roughly 23⁄4" × 2", 23⁄4" × 21⁄2", and 31⁄2" × 21⁄2". They don’t have to be exactly perfect; in fact, it’s cuter if they are slightly tapered toward the top.
  5. Use the hole punch to make holes in the top and bottom centers of each sail. Thread sails onto skewer masts.
  6. Fold washi tape over top of skewers to make flags. Trim if necessary to make edges even.

What Is Washi Tape?

Washi tape is awesome. But what is it? Washi tape is a Japanese craft tape that comes in many colors, patterns, and widths. It’s kind of like masking tape, but a little more delicate and a whole lot prettier. I like to use it to decorate envelopes and packages wrapped in brown kraft paper. Start a stash by picking up a couple of rolls at a time. Try layering the different widths and patterns—mix it up and play!