Release your inner Geek and help keep old computer parts from making their way into a landfill by converting those old wired mice into holiday ornaments.
If you’re like me, you have a few old mice laying around. If you don’t have any old mice and you have an IT department at work, I’m sure they would love to give you their old wired mice.
Getting the Mouse Ready to Paint
In order to hang the mouse, you need to make a loop with the cord. To save money a large paperclip is heavy enough gauge wire to crimp on the mouse cord.
Taking some pliers and wrapping the paperclip wire around it will help form it into a circle. Then just cut the wire.
Loop the wire so there is a 1 ½ – 2 inches loop of wire. This will be what you can hang the mouse with.
Use pliers to crimp the mouse cord with the paperclip section.
Once you’ve confirmed the cord is held tight by the crimped wire, cut the extra.
Preparing the Painting Area
Using a zip tie, the extra wire from the mouse can be strung across some poles to make painting easier.
Priming the Mouse
Use a plastic primer, like the Rustoleum Plastic Primer.
Follow the primer directions for preparation. For me this meant cleaning the mouse with mineral spirits to remove dirt and oils from the surface.
Painting the Mouse
If you are using the old mouse cord to hang the mice to paint them there are two ways to do this
- String the cord through the looped cord on the mouse, as seen in the picture below.
- Another method is to use some extra paperclips to make hangers. I found this to be the best method.
When painting use multiple light coats.
The picture below is why preparing the mice before priming is important. If the primer doesn’t have good adhesion to the plastic, when you paint it will crinkle like below while drying.
Optional Finishing and Fun
Something fun to do is hand paint the mice with raised glitter pens.
I made about 10 of these mice for our holiday party, and had people decorate them. It was a nice way for people to interact before eating.