Reindeer Figure Tube Body Form

 This little replica has a body that gives a nod 

to bathroom tissue tube crafting. 

But this time, with a little more structure, 

with octagon shaped walls, leg-bottom tabs, 

and stabilizer rim ring.  Cut and layer tail, 

antler and head to be thick and sturdy shapes, 

press until dry, then fit slots to attach and bring 

this “miniature” reindeer to life. 

Choose a nose color and affix in place. 

Add a little “spice” if you choose, to make him a gingerbread deer 

by hand-penning “icing” lines at tail and head/antler edges. 

Create a woodland vignette with other tree and snow items, 

stand a small herd on the mantle, or build and name 

all of Santa’s team. 

Reindeer figure measures approx. 4.125” nose to tail 

x 6.875” antler to hoof x 1.75” tube width. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:

A body "tube" shape

B tube rim ring stabilizer

C left & right head/neck shapes to layer

D left & right head/antler shapes to layer

E left and right noses

F left & right tail pairs to layer

2. Position and attach left & right pairings of 

heads over corresponding head/antler shapes,

taking care to match up the edges where they

are identical and particularly at the slots, 

and glue together.

3. Layer the left layers assembly over the right layers

assembly, back to back, and glue together.

Immediately press the glued-up shape under a heavy

flat weight such as a thick book with something heavy

placed on top of it, and leave in place until thoroughly

dried, for several hours or over night.

4. Repeat the layering and gluing up of the left &

right tail shapes, taking care to match the slot edges.

5. Prepare the "tube" body shape by bending back

on all vertical panel-defining perforations, 

and on

leg end tabs.

Take particular care to crease all the way to the edge

where perforation lines intersect with the arch cut edges

on side panels.

6. Bend back and glue all leg end tabs except the end leg

section that does not have the tab, which will be

bent back and glued into place later.

7. Form the shape into a tube to overlap straight edge

across opposite flange tab, adjust top and bottom

to align appropriately, and glue seam.

NOTE that the shape can be pressed flat so that

fingertip pressure can be applied across the seam.

8. Bend back and glue the final leg end tab.

9. Prepare the rim ring reinforcement by bending

the edge tabs, forward.

10. Apply adhesive to backside of all rim tabs, then . . .

. . . insert the ring into the top opening of tube.

Adjust the tube so that it matches the irregular

octagon of ring.

Use fingertips to push ring tabs down until tab cut

edges and tube line up. Also make sure that front

and back slots are aligned.

11. If desired, use a white ink (gel) pen to add

gingerbread icing to edges of head, antlers, tail.

Position and attach noses left and right.

12. To allow the head/body and tube slots to fit together,

the rim ring will need to be trimmed open.

Use fine hand scissors to trim the inner ring 

"platform" so that it has a gap that matches

the slot width. Then . . .

. . . also trim the tab that bridges the slot so that

it also has a matching gap.

13. Fit the body/head slot over the tube slot

and push together . . .

. . . fully down. NOTE that this fit CAN be a friction fit

so that it can be detached. OR use dabs of glue

to slot interior edges to attach more permanently.

14. Repeat for the tail, which is more likely to need

a little glue to hold it in place, since the slots are short.

Here is the completed reindeer figure.