This blow mold nutcracker officially hit Walmart shelves back in 2019, but it’s been flying off the shelves every holiday season since then. This year, these nutcrackers have gone viral, becoming a massive trend in holiday decor and DIY projects. As a notable item in the lifestyle sphere of entertainment news, many have been eager to get their hands on this Animated White Nutcracker Blow Mold. It can be tricky to purchase due to high demand! Before ordering, they often appear as out of stock or unavailable online. But with persistence, snagging one is possible.
Just a few hours after finally finding them in stock online, two six-foot nutcrackers arrived, ready to be assembled and painted. This guide dives into the details on how to transform these basic plastic figures into stunning custom pieces, suitable for showcasing as part of your festive entertainment setup. While this tutorial walks through a specific customization, remember you don’t have to follow these steps exactly. Feel free to make these nutcrackers your own and customize them to fit your unique decor and aesthetic!
Tall animated white nutcracker blow molds before customization
This tutorial is meant to walk you through what the author did, share tips and tricks, and inspire you. You can pick and choose your colors, accessories, and more. Get creative and have fun!
Tips and Tricks to Order the Viral Walmart Blow Mold Nutcracker
The viral Walmart nutcracker has been popping up everywhere, and no wonder—it’s gorgeous and makes for the perfect holiday DIY project! Every time the author checked for it, it was marked as sold out, which was frustrating. But with a little extra effort, the trick to snagging one was discovered. It took some persistence and good timing. Here are the tips for ordering an Animated White Nutcracker Blow Mold of your own:
- Login to your Walmart account and update payment and shipping info.
- Add the Nutcracker to your Walmart wish list.
- If you find it in stock, click Buy Now (this is faster than adding to cart to help you get it before it sells out).
- If it shows as out of stock, keep refreshing the page throughout the day.
- Check back throughout the day to see if it gets restocked!
- Check your local Walmart. The online stocking info for your local store may not be up to date.
Side view of a large white blow mold nutcracker
Viral Walmart Nutcracker Details
This animated white nutcracker blow mold is a plastic figure measuring 75 inches tall. It features a white base with the iconic nutcracker design. Its notable animated features include LED lights in green located around the vest area. When plugged in, it plays festive music and is motion-activated, adding an interactive element to your holiday display.
If this particular nutcracker is out of stock, you can check out other blow molds that are great alternatives.
Many who purchase this item are eager to start the DIY process. Inside the box, you’ll notice that there are 6 parts:
- Head
- 2 Arms
- Torso
- Legs
- Base
Nutcracker blow mold pieces laid out: Legs and base
Supplies Used
To customize your animated white nutcracker blow mold, you’ll need various paints and brushes. The following list outlines the essential supplies.
Selection of acrylic paints, brushes, and supplies
Optional Supplies
These items can enhance your customization project, allowing for more detailed work and different effects.
Before you start painting your nutcracker or shopping for supplies, it’s highly recommended to download the available free printable guides and templates. This will help you plan your nutcracker design in advance and prevent mistakes later on.
Flat lay showing a custom painted nutcracker piece alongside planning sketches and tools
A finished, painted pink and gold nutcracker blow mold
Step 1: Prime Nutcracker Pieces
Before assembly, lay the blow mold parts out on a covered surface and prime them with a flat white spray paint primer. This is a crucial step as it helps the acrylic paint adhere better to the plastic surface of the animated white nutcracker blow mold. When applying coats of primer, use light coats to prevent dripping and running. Approximately two cans of primer per nutcracker were used for the project described.
Many ask whether they should use a gray or white primer. A white primer is generally recommended because it provides a nice blank canvas, especially for lighter colors. If you plan on using darker colors (like dark green or blue), gray primer can also work well.
Close-up of white blow mold nutcracker torso being primed, showing painter’s tape on lights
Pro Tip: Cover the LED lights with painter’s tape by ripping off small pieces, wrapping them around the lights, and then pinching the tips to protect them from paint.
Let all the pieces dry completely before moving onto the next step. Allowing them to dry for a full day is recommended.
Step 2: Paint Nutcracker Pieces
There are countless different colors you can apply to customize your animated white nutcracker blow mold. The author chose pinks and golds, specifically Vintage Brass, Baby Pink, Pink Tourmaline, and White Pearl Metallic Paint for their projects.
Many people paint the nutcrackers to represent themselves or paint them colors that match their existing Christmas theme or decor, making each piece truly unique.
What Is the Best Paint for Skintones?
You can find a variety of acrylic paints in different skin tones at most craft stores. “Warm Beige” was chosen for the nutcracker’s skin in this project.
A range of colors commonly used for skin tones includes Natural Buff, Almondine, Warm Beige, Golden Brown, Raw Sienna, Bark Brown, Raw Umber, and Burnt Umber.
Selection of acrylic paint bottles in various skin tone shades
Painting Techniques
Once you’re finally ready to begin painting your nutcracker, it’s recommended to begin with the lightest colors first. Lighter colors are easier to cover up, so it makes the most sense to start with them. This also allows you to paint the lighter colors without worrying too much about staying perfectly within the lines since any overlap will be covered up later with darker colors.
Pro Tip: If using a light color for most of the nutcracker’s base, messy strokes over areas not intended for that color can easily be covered with a darker color later. Paint the dark areas last to avoid needing multiple coats of lighter paint over a darker color.
Painting one color at a time and letting it dry helps keep everything neat and clean. Be prepared for touch-ups! Painting a large blow mold can be a tedious process. You’ll likely need to plan on applying at least 2 coats of each color. For darker colors, a third coat may be needed to achieve full color depth.
Using painter’s tape for the first layer of paint can help define edges. However, avoid putting tape on top of multiple layers of paint, as this can cause the paint to peel off with the tape, requiring more touch-ups.
The surface of the nutcracker is textured, which can make it hard to get clean, straight lines. Sometimes, dedicating a day solely to touching up the paint helps the project look clean and complete.
It’s easiest to completely disassemble the pieces of the nutcracker to paint them individually. Setting aside a few hours with some background entertainment is a good way to approach the painting process.
Pro Tip: Add Vegetable Glycerin to your acrylic paints for better blending and longer drying times—also, a great way to add shine.
Paint Brushes & Paints Used
For detailed work on the animated white nutcracker blow mold, using brushes that aren’t too soft is recommended. Brushes with flat, square tips or round, fine points are ideal for smaller or more intricate sections. Specific brushes used for painting the eyes are reviewed later in this guide.
The paints used in this project were acrylic-based from the brands DecoArt and FolkArt.
Collection of paint brushes, acrylic paints, and other supplies
Painting Nutcracker Head
Starting with the head piece of the animated white nutcracker blow mold, the hat was painted pink, the details gold, and the trim of the hat a dark pink. Applying 2-3 coats was necessary for the metallic colors, such as gold and dark pink. Any messy lines were cleaned up with a fine-point brush once everything was dried.
The head of hair and facial hair were painted with DecoArt Pearl-Like Finish Paint, followed by a layer of White Pearl Metallic Paint on top to achieve a pearlescent effect.
The next step, painting the eyes, can seem daunting, but this guide walks you through the process and provides free printable guides.
How to Paint the Nutcracker Eyes
There are various methods for painting nutcracker eyes. After researching techniques and practicing, a specific method resulted in the detailed look shown in the photos.
A detailed illustration guide is available that walks through the steps to achieve this specific eye look. This guide can be printed or viewed on a device. An eye template the same size as the Walmart Nutcracker eyes is also provided for practice.
Download the Printable Nutcracker Eye Tutorial and Template Here!
Close-up photo illustrating steps for painting nutcracker eyes on a practice sheet
Before painting the eyes, gather the following supplies:
Supplies for the Eyes
- 2 circular objects – one bigger than the other (e.g., a spray paint lid and a smaller container lid, or a mason jar and a TP roll)
- Pencil and Eraser
- Acrylic Paint – colors for the iris (various shades of the same hue, like dark, medium, and light green or blue), black for the pupil, and white for highlights.
- Paint Brushes – Fine-point brushes for detail and potentially a fan brush for blending.
- Paper Towels
- 1 Piece of Copy Paper
- Tape
- Scissors
a) Cut Out Eye Templates
Start by grabbing your two circular objects, placing them on a piece of copy paper, and tracing them with a pencil. After tracing, fold the paper in half and cut out your circles. You should now have two large circles and two small circles, serving as templates for the iris and pupil.
Place pieces of tape onto the two large circles and position them onto the nutcracker’s eye sockets. For this project, they were placed about 1/4 inch away from the inner corner, with the outer edge of the circle template about 1 1/4 inches from the outer corner of the eye sockets.
Once you’re happy with the placement, make a crease where the nutcracker’s eyelids cut off the circle shape. Cut along the crease with scissors to shape the template, and place it back onto the nutcracker to confirm the fit.
Shaped paper eye templates taped onto the nutcracker face
b) Trace Eye Templates onto Nutcracker
Trace the shaped circle templates onto the nutcracker face with a pencil and remove the templates. Now it’s time to paint! Prepare a base color for the iris. A mid-light blue color was mixed for this project’s base.
c) Paint Nutcracker Eye Base
Apply the prepared base color to the inside of the traced circle lines on the nutcracker eyes. Three coats of this base color were applied to ensure good coverage.
Painting the base color inside the traced iris outline
d) Apply Paint to the Outer Edge of the Irises
Next, mix a darker shade of the color used for the base and apply it to the outer edge of the irises, along the traced line. Before it dries, blend the two colors together to create a gradient effect. Pro Tip: Using a small amount of water can often help with blending acrylic paints.
Applying darker paint to the outer edge of the iris base color
After blending the two colors into a smooth gradient, use a thin brush to drag the darker color inward in thin, radial lines towards the center of the iris.
Using a thin brush to drag dark paint inwards from the iris edge
e) Paint Pupil
Let the iris base and blending dry completely. Grab your two smaller circular templates and place one in the center of each iris. Paint the pupil a solid dark color (usually black) in the center of the iris using a small brush. Let it dry completely.
f) Outline Iris
Allow the pupils to dry completely. Dip a fine paint brush into a darker blue color (darker than the base color) and apply it along the outer edge of the iris. This step outlines the iris to give it more definition and depth.
g) Outline Pupil
Let the iris outline dry. Next, apply a very light shade of color around the outer edge of the pupil. Then, while the light paint is still wet, drag it outwards toward the edge of the iris in thin, radial lines. This creates a sense of light radiating from the pupil.
h) Add Reflections to Eyes
The final step in painting the eyes is adding highlights to mimic the reflection of light, which brings them to life. Add white circles or shapes on the iris and pupil using a fine brush and white paint. Pro Tip: Place these highlights off-center for a more natural look.
Adding white highlights to the painted iris and pupil
Finished painted nutcracker eyes with highlights
Let the highlights dry, and the nutcracker eyes are complete! If you wish, you can apply a clear gloss varnish over them to make them sparkle and shine.
Feel free to add blush to the cheeks or behind the mustache by tracing a smaller circle (like the TP roll) onto the face and filling it in with a blush color.
Painting Nutcracker Torso and Arms
For the torso piece of the animated white nutcracker blow mold, light pink was applied to the coat, cotton candy color to the shirt, deep hot pink to the accents, and gold to the belt and chains. The beard area was painted white, and a mix of deep hot pink and baby pink was used for the gums, adding a pop of color.
The arm pieces were painted light pink. The shoulders were painted hot pink, and the cuffs, shoulder details, and chain details were painted gold, complementing the colors used on the torso.
Painting Legs, Boots, and Base
Three coats of gold paint were applied to the leggings portion of the leg piece to ensure opaque coverage. For the shoes (boots), painter’s tape was used along the top to mask off specific details that were not intended to be painted immediately, leaving areas open for adding faux fur later.
The rest of the boots were painted light pink, and the base piece was painted gold, completing the main color blocking for all components.
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Step 3: Add Accessories to the Walmart Nutcracker
Once all the painted parts have dried completely, you can add optional accessories to further customize your animated white nutcracker blow mold. Popular additions include faux fur, gold chains, or a cape, along with other embellishments that match your desired look.
For the featured project, a luxurious cape was created based on a reader vote on social media. Faux fur was added to the tops of the boots, and gold chains were attached over the molded plastic chain details on the nutcracker using a strong permanent craft adhesive like E6000.
Adding gold chain accessories to the painted nutcracker torso
Before adding the chains, the areas where the adhesive would be applied were lightly sanded to improve adhesion. Pliers were used to remove excess chain pieces to achieve a perfect fit along the molded details. Blue painter’s tape was used to keep the chains in place while the adhesive dried. It’s easiest to do this with the torso piece lying flat on its back to help gravity keep everything in place while drying.
Sanding a section of the blow mold surface before adding adhesive
Using painter’s tape to hold gold chain accessory in place while adhesive dries
Other creative ideas seen include adding tassels to the vest and shoulders, which can add extra flair.
Step 4: Spray with Clear UV Resistant Spray Paint
If you plan to display your customized animated white nutcracker blow mold outdoors, it’s highly important to seal all your hard work to protect it from the elements, especially the sun and moisture.
Spray all of the painted pieces of the nutcracker with a UV-resistant spray paint. This will help ensure they are moisture-resistant and prevent the colors from fading, cracking, or turning yellow over time due to sun exposure. You can choose a matte or glossy spray paint depending on your preferred final finish.
Step 5: Assemble Nutcracker
Once you’re completely happy with your amazing customized nutcracker pieces and they are fully dry, it’s time for assembly. Start by attaching the torso to the legs. Place the torso on top of the leg piece and turn it to the right until it locks securely into place.
Next, attach the arms by inserting them into the sockets located on the sides of the torso. Finally, attach the head to the top of the torso. Place it on the neck post and turn it to the right to lock it into place.
PRO TIP – If your head and chest don’t align perfectly during assembly, you might need to twist the head piece harder than you initially expect to get them to click and line up correctly.
Step 6: Display Your Finished Nutcracker
This project to customize the animated white nutcracker blow mold was a fun experience involving painting, assembling, and decorating. Placing the finished nutcrackers next to a Christmas tree or as part of an outdoor holiday display creates a significant visual impact.
This project is truly a labor of love and can take many hours to complete, especially with multiple coats and detailed work. The process itself can be an enjoyable part of the holiday season’s entertainment. So, have fun with the process, put on your favorite music or series, and enjoy creating a unique piece of holiday decor. Happy Holidays!
You can shop the Walmart Nutcracker by clicking here!
If you have questions about painting this nutcracker or the DIY process, feel free to seek out more information from the author’s original platform.
