Walnuts and Memories

I made this little Christmas in a nutshell while waiting for glue to dry on some other projects.

You never know what people will react to. Spend a week on something and no one bats and eye. Spend a few extra minutes and everyone loves it. I don't really mind though, especially when the reason for the reaction is because memories are revived.

A number of people said that they reminded them of German baubles that their parents or grandparents had decades ago. That's a nice thing.

I could see loads of conversations, people planning to make their own. "We need to buy walnuts!"

I'm all for encouraging a handmade Christmas (or just handmade in general really) so I cut into my holiday baking and cleaning time and put together a quick tutorial found HERE.

Below is a list of products I used. Feel free to substitute to create your own miniature masterpiece.

Walnuts
Hot glue
White glue
Moss
Frosted White Sisal Trees (painted them green) / aka Bottle brush trees
Wired Pine Needle Stems (or anything similar to cut into tree shape)
Flat-Back Gold Star Studs - 12mm*
Tim Holtz Mirrored Stars
Snowflake charms
Wee clay houses
Handmade Toadstools
Flower Soft
clear glitter
Buffalo Snow

Enjoy!

A Holiday Tradition for Petaloo - Clothespin Fairies

We celebrate both Yule and Christmas in our household and we have a number of traditions that go along with them. There are the regular things like putting up a tree, decking the halls, feasting and making merry. There's also our yearly argument about how many cookies the Pixie men are allowed to add to the cookie request list. A small tradition I keep is to make a small sweet craft, just a little something, to enjoy during the holiday madness. For a number of years that craft has been clothespin dolls.

In the past I've made peg soliders and winter talisman charms. This year I've made some acorn topped fairies.

The frilly little things look pretty darned cute in their Petaloo flower frocks. The frocks are most easily made with layered elements like the DIY-Daisy Layers or Mixed Textured Blossoms.

Paint your pegs first, with rosy cheeks and striped leggings. Then, simply snip a little hole in the centre of the flower layer, push onto the peg and glue into place. Multiple layers make for a nice full skirt.

Vintage velvet holly leaves make a very nice skirt too!

Add little Sugared Mini Blooms or as many flowers as your fairies demand.

A little acorn cap, a set of wings and your wee fairies are ready to fly and make someone's holiday a tiny bit brighter.

Supply list:

DIY-Daisy Layers

Mixed Textured Blossoms

Sugared Mini Blooms

Vintage Velvet Holly Leaves

Fairy Wings
Wooden Clothespins/Clothespegs

Acrylic craft paint
Glue
Acorn Caps*

Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop

I've been puttering with this project for a while. A little bit here. A little bit there. It kept popping up, getting in the way, nudging me, so I figured it was time to finish Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop.

Aren't familiar with Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop?

"Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop was a small tea shop located on a side road off the High Street at Hogsmeade. It was owned by Madam Puddifoot. The decoration was very tacky and frilly. The windows steamed up and the gaudy tables and chairs were all claimed by teenagers holding hands or kissing over cups of tea and coffee. A bell over the door announced customers in a tuneful tinkle; the round tables were decorated with lacy napkins and china sugar bowls, and cramped up the small shop to the point that Madam Puddifoot has great difficulty in moving in between tables to serve the couples." Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapter 25 (The Beetle at Bay)

"On Valentine's Day, the tearoom was decorated with golden cherubs hovering over each of the tables, which occasionally threw pink confetti over the people sitting below them." Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapter 25 (The Beetle at Bay)

"This, however, was more of irritating than romantic, as the confetti would occasionally land in the beverages." Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapter 25 (The Beetle at Bay)

 

The piece measures approximately 10" x 12". There's a battery pack located on the roof that lights the interior. I'm not 100% happy with the lighting to be honest (it's too led/fluorescent/blueish for my liking)... but I'll consider it a lesson learned. Edit: After looking at the piece in dimmed conditions I take this back. It does look a bit fluorescent in daylight, but in a darkened room it's just peachy.

Here are some of the products used in the making of M. Puddifoot's Tea Shop:

Storefront Room Box
Brick Wall Chipboard Texture Sheet* 

Stone Wall Chipboard Texture Sheet* 

Clay Planters with Saucers 
Gold Candleholders
Asparagus Fern Garland*
Mini White Plastic Tea Set with 2 Mugs 
Miniature Silverware - Set of 20 
Miniature White Wooden Shelf 
Bust of Diana *very nice*
White Mantle Clock *very nice*
Brass Cherub Banner 
Brass Cherubs - 1 Set  
Tiny Plant Table  
White Kitchen Wall Shelf Cabinet  
Pronged Metal Handles*   
Mini Rose Buds - Pink Cream Variegated* 
Clear Cake Dome on Gold Tray 
Mini Silicone Bread Mold Set - Larger Loaves 
Mini Silicone Cake Mold Set 
Mini Silicone Bread Mold Set - Smaller Loaves 
Narrow Gold Fleur Dresden Borders* 

Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop is listed HERE

Miniature Book Tutorial Now Available

We hoard books like crazy in the Pixie household. They are tucked into every cranny. It's not surprising that miniature versions should frequently make their way into my work.

 I've been making little books for a very long while. Years even!

I love the challenge of going smaller and smaller... 

...while still being able to open them up and turn the pages.

There's something extra magical about being able to interact with those little things. When children pick up my little books the skepticism in their eyes turns into a flash of delight when discover they can open the cover and flip through the pages.

Anyway, after years of keeping it all to myself, I've decided to offer my book making technique with a PDF tutorial available in my etsy shop. I'm not gonna lie, it's a bit of a long process... but you end up with books that are pretty dang sturdy. I've left books in my pocket, put them through the wash, and they've come out the other end fully intact.

Instead of a template, the download shows you HOW to make the books so that you can add your own splash of magic and create them in whatever size or shape you like. Quick as can be you'll have an entire fairy library in no time at all.

You can find the listing HERE... and, don't tell anyone, but there's a little bonus project included too ;)

The Tomte

I bought some paper mache cones with the grand idea of making tree toppers. As time marched on, and I realized the clock was ticking down, I knew they weren't going to happen. 

Sometimes, in spite of things not going according to plan, you end up with something wonderful anyway. Here's my conical something wonderful...

Christmas Tomte! I'm sure you've seen these fellows but do you know their story? These Scandinavian creatures are very similar in appearance to gnomes (I hear they are third cousins) and act as a sort of helper or gaurdian of the homestead. If you are well behaved, and they are treated well, they will assist by tending animals, doing chores and bringing good fortune. Otherwise, prepare for mischief.

These wee fellows are also Yuletide gift bearers, leaving gifts on Christmas eve, for which they should receive a bowl of porridge and some butter. 

The details/names of these creatures vary depending on the Scandinavian country they inhabit. Sweden, Norway, Finland, Norway, Denmark all have their own versions. If interested in learning more about them, try searching Tomte, Tomtar, Nisse or Tonttu.

How's your holiday crafting shaping up? Remember to stop and take a breath once in a while, ok.

Christmas Open House

I've been busy, puttering, preparing for my Christmas Open House this weekend.

It's pretty dang clean in here, the 'showroom'. I can't say the same for the rest of the place which is an utter disaster. My husband looked at the floor last night and sighed. "There's more glitter on the floor than in your bottle!" Well, those jam jar fairies need some sparkle. Besides, I'm the one who vacuums... I'm allowed to muck up the place.

I'm *mostly* ready. The nice thing about showing your stuff off at home is that if you forget something it's easily remedied and you can put a pot of tea on.

If you can't make it I've got a little special in the etsy shop right now. The Special Pixie Package includes over $40 worth of goodies for $28. At the very least you'll get some Pixie Dust, Wishing Star, Thimble Garden, Fairy Sized Christmas Card and Fairy Footprints... and I'll pop in an extra or two because I loves ya.

If you are nearby please feel free to drop in, say 'hello' and be nosy.

Wintry Sleigh and Card with Petaloo and Graphic 45

What a lovely holiday treat to have the chance to work with the Christmas Carol collection from my old friends at Graphic 45. The gorgeous, vibrant colours work so well with Petaloo's blooms. Whether it's red, green or blues... they all coordinate beautifully.

I've embellished this Chipboard Sleigh which is perfectly sized to hold your holiday cards and tags. The sleigh is embellished with Bah Humbug and Graceful Garland  from Christmas Carol. A sweet bough of blooms adorns each side.

  

A bough of Sugared Berrys Cluster, Chantilly-VelvHydrangeas and White Glitter Snowflakes adorn each side of the sleigh.

The front and back have Christmas Carol Journaling Chipboard embellishments, accented with White Glitter Snowflakes

  

Finally, a bit of bling with Fancy Trims and a whole lot of glitter.

Here are the handmade cards I've filled my little sleigh with. Made with all sorts of papers from the 12" Christmas Carol pad. I've embellished with white and green Velvet Holly Leaves, Sugared Blooms, Botanica Petite’s and Sugared Mini's

And here's the supply round up if you want to create your own sparkly winter sleigh to hold your Christmas Treasures:

Petaloo:

White Glitter Snowflake pick
Sugared Berrys Cluster
Chantilly-VelvHydrangeas
Fancy Trims
Velvet Holly Leaves
Sugared Blooms
Botanica Petite’s
Sugared Mini's

Graphic45:

Bah Humbug
Graceful Garland
Christmas Carol 12" Pad
Christmas Carol Journaling Chipboard
Other:

Chipboard Sleigh
Glitter

Happy crafting!