Tag Archives: ~Christmas

Christmas Snowman Ornament

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Supplies
Fluffy-Red, Black, Orange and White
Sculpey* Clay Tool Starter Set
Glass Ornament – make sure you only
use a glass ornament; plastic ornaments
will melt in the oven D Ribbon D Acrylic Roller D Quick Drying Glue D Disposable Foil or Wax Paper D 12″ Piece of White Tree Garland

Instructions
Getting Started: Do not use unbaked clay on unprotected furniture or finished surfaces. Good working surfaces include a glass or metal surface, disposable foil or wax paper. Knead clay for 2 minutes. Bake on oven-proof glass or metal surface at 130 °C (275 °F for US customers) for 15 minutes per 6 mm CA”) of thickness. Do not use in microwave oven. Do not exceed the above temperatures or recommended baking time. All baking should be completed by an adult. Wash hands after use.

Step 1 Remove metal cap/hanger from ornament. Remove wire hanger from the cap and set aside. Make a red clay disk slightly larger than the diameter of the ornament cap.

Step 2 Wrap the red clay disk around the edges of the ornament cap. Using the 2 mm pointer tool from the Clay Tool Starter Set, poke holes through the red clay so the holes in the cap remain open to replace the hanger later.

Step 3 Make 2 wide red strips for the headband and 2 large red domes for the ear muffs. Then make 2 medium black disks for eyes and 3 little disks for mouth. Make 2 tiny white eye highlights and an orange cone shape for the nose.

Step 4 Place the face pieces firmly onto ornament, making sure each piece follows the curve of the glass. With the blunt point tool from Clay Tool Starter Set, texture the ear muffs. With the flat knife tool, texture the nose. Make sure the clay covered cap will go back on and that the ear muff headband does not interfere with the fitting of the cap. Bake as directed.

Step 5 Allow to cool then gently remove all the clay pieces. Glue them back on permanently and allow to dry. The clay cap covering will not need to be glued on. Replace the wire hanger into the holes in the cap. Fill ornament with white free garland. Replace the cap and add ribbon.

Christmas Jingle Bell Projects

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Bell Wreath Supplies
Heavy gauge floral wire
Christmas theme colored bells
Chenille stems-gold, green, red
Broad width ribbon – red

Bell Wreath Instructions
Step 1 Make a circular loop with heavy gauge floral wire.
Step 2 String bells along wire and fit them closely together around the length of the loop.
Step 3 Use a pipe cleaner to wind around the bells at either end of the loop to hold the wreath shape together in a circle.
Step 4 Tie a bow around a pipe cleaner and then tie that pipe cleaner around the part of the loop that was joined together.

Bell Tree Supplies
12″ Floral cone, Styrofoam*
Christmas theme colored bells
Wrapping paper
Chenille stems – hot pink, turquoise, lime green
Craft feather boa – white
Glitter foam sheet, sticky back – hot pink
Glue
Gemstone-turquoise
Toothpick
Pattern printed from http://www.michaels.com
Pencil
Scissors

Bell Tree Instructions
Step 1 With hobby knife, cut a Styrofoam* floral cone down to desired size for tree.
Step 2 Cover cone with wrapping paper that matches the bells you will be using to decorate. Glue paper into place.
Step 3 String bells on lengths of chenille stems, keeping in mind how big your cone is.
Step 4 Join the strings of bells by twisting them together, end to end. Push one end of the joined chenille stems into the top of the cone.
Step 5 Begin circling the cone with the chenille stems and bells starting from the top and working down to the bottom in a spiral. Push in the other end of the pipe cleaner into the bottom edge of the cone.
Step 6 Wrap and glue craft boa to the base and top of the cone.
Step 7 Trace two stars and one base onto sticky foam sheet and cut out.
Step 8 Stick two stars together, sticky side to sticky side and insert a toothpick in between the stars half way in from the bottom.  Insert into the top of the tree. Glue gemstone onto front of star.
Step 9 Glue the tree onto center of base and glue craft boa around the bottom of the tree.

An Interior Desgners Gingerbread House

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AN INTERIOR DESIGNER’S GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Every year James Deartron makes a ginger­bread house part of his holiday decora­tions. His professional experience gives him lots of good ideas for decorating the delicious structure, and he has become known around town for these clever cre­ations. Here are some of his tips.

Cotton batting is perfect for smoke com­ing out of the chimney.

Un-shelled sunflower seeds give the look of flagstones.

Chocolate-covered   graham   crackers pave the walkway outside the house.

White frosting makes good snow; to cre­ate the effect of rooftop icicles, allow frosting to drip down eaves.

Powdered sugar resembles the freshly fallen snow.

Pine cones provide some outdoor land­scaping (tip them with frosting for snow).

A red-and-white  peppermint drop is a good stained-glass window.

Meringue latticework is used for the doors and windows, which are glued to gingerbread pillars with royal icing (a mix­ture of egg whites and powdered sugar).

Twas the Month Before Christmas – A Christmas Dinner Time Line

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A month in advance
Make and freeze soup and cookies.
Take stock of your cutlery, china, stemware and linens.  If your party or dinner is too large for your personal collection be sure and contact a party rental supply shop to best fit your needs.

Two to three weeks before
Decorate the house.

The week before
Make a list of everything you want to serve.
Clean out the refrigerator to make room for holiday groceries.
Shop for all non perishables.
Make place cards.
Bake and freeze desserts and breads.
Buy or make extra ice.
Polish silverware

Up to two days before
Shop for the remaining ingredients.
Make casseroles and salads that will
keep in the refrigerator.
Make centerpieces and floral arrangements.

Up to one day before
Remove frozen dishes from the freezer.
Cut vegetables.
Make stuffing.
Decorate and set tables and buffets.
Set up extra tables.
Clean and polish the dining room tables.
Iron linens.
Lay out tablecloths, napkins, glasses and silver.

Day of
Chill the wine and soft drinks.
Make punch and eggnog.
Prepare the main dish and any “sides” you haven’t made in advance.

Roasting Chestnuts

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a    different nut    to    crack

Soak chestnuts in a bowl of water for about 30 minutes; drain well. Cut a slit in the shell in the rounded side of the chestnut. Make sure the cut goes all the way through the shell; otherwise, they can explode.

To roast: Arrange chestnuts in a single layer in a chestnut pan. Place over an open flame; roast 25 minutes, shaking frequently.

To roast in the oven, arrange chestnuts on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes.

To mi­crowave, arrange chestnuts in a single layer on a microwave-safe dish. Microwave at HIGH 2 min­utes. Microwave a maximum of 12 chestnuts at one time so that they cook evenly.

Let the chestnuts cool about 5 minutes. Peel.