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DIY – Make a Computer Mouse Ornament

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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.

Nest of Old Computer Mice
Nest of Old Computer 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.

Paperclip for Mouse Cord
Paperclip for Mouse Cord

Taking some pliers and wrapping the paperclip wire around it will help form it into a circle. Then just cut the wire.

WARNING: When you clip the wire, one of the ends will probably fly all over the place. Be careful, you don’t to have an I’m gonna git you sucka moment and lose an eye.

Bending Wire for Crimping
Bending Wire for Crimping

Loop the wire so there is a 1 ½ – 2 inches loop of wire. This will be what you can hang the mouse with.

Looping Mouse Cord
Looping Mouse Cord

Use pliers to crimp the mouse cord with the paperclip section.

Crimping Mouse Cord with Pliers
Crimping Mouse Cord with Pliers

Crimped Mouse Cord
Crimped Mouse Cord

Once you’ve confirmed the cord is held tight by the crimped wire, cut the extra.

Trimming the Extra Cord
Trimming the Extra Cord

Preparing the Painting Area

Using a zip tie, the extra wire from the mouse can be strung across some poles to make painting easier.

Attach Connector End with Zip Tie
Attach Connector End with Zip Tie

Tie Other End
Tie Other End

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.

Mice Ready for Priming
Mice Ready for Priming

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

  1. String the cord through the looped cord on the mouse, as seen in the picture below.
  2. 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.

Painting Mouse Silver
Painting Mouse Silver

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.

Bad Prep Work = Bad Finish
Bad Prep Work = Bad Finish

Optional Finishing and Fun

Something fun to do is hand paint the mice with raised glitter pens.

Elmer's Raised Glitter Pens
Elmer’s 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.

Hand Painted Mice
Hand Painted Mice


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