Yule Crafts

[Butterfly]

Is anyone making anything for yule this year? Me and the girls will be threading popcorn, and i quite fancy making one of those Pentagram wreaths! Any ideas anyone? xx

[gwenifer]

I made a load of decorations for the tree at the Botanical gardens out of salt dough but I haven't tried the pentagram wreath. I made a kissing ball of two circles of wire and covered with greeery, then put a candle in the centre, looked quite nice!! Cornucopias baskets filled with sweets to hang on the tree are nice too, they are made of card and doilies and finally little heart - shaped cards with pictures of flowers on and again using doilies as lacy edges. When do you want to do the stuff for? If you are going to the Yule dinner before you make everything I could bring you templates and examples?

[Butterfly]

Oh how annoying, i'm not going to the yule dinner, however your crafty ideas sound lovely! xx

[kharma]

I made a Pentagram wreath last year out of 'Fresh Holly' my main tip is wear gloves....

The easiest way i found is to you make the basic pentagram out of branches 30cm long stripped of the leaves and then using green cotton tie smaller stems with plenty of leaves on after. For decoration I tied on a few minature pine cones sprayed gold and hung it on the front door it lasted well past yule into the new year.

Jo

[Butterfly]

That sounds easier than i was antisipating. (the holly wreath). Your son is such a cutie!!!!xx

[merrybel]

I am a florist by trade, Fliss, so have done a fair few holly rings. I am making a welcome ring for my front door out of a vine that grew over the house all summer which has left beautiful supple strands that I have cut down. Barry and I collected fabulous holly with lots of berries today and I will get my ivy this week from the woods at the back of the house. I am going to make a garland for the stairs and the fireplace and am threading cranberries, cones and orange slices to go around the tree instead of tinsel.
I am trying to make as much as I can this year from natural materials rather than shop bought things. Can you tell I miss working at the florist?

[sleepyowl]

I will try to make some salt dough decorations as glass ones are well out of the window thanks to Gabriel & Jezebel, they are not going for the snip until January so their behaviour will only worsen till then. Rich wants a real xmas tree, I don't think it will have needles on it past day 2 if the cats start playing with it.

[gwenifer]

The pine smell usually puts cats off Rob, I have had real christmas trees every year except last year.
Do you want a salt dough recipe? I did mine in the microwave this year and it cuts an amazing amount off the time!! Handy tip though is to roll out and cut all your shapes on tinfoil or greaseproof paper so you don't have to prise them off the rolling board............

[merrybel]

Can you put the recipe up for me, Glynis? I've never made it before but my boys would love to do it this year.
Thanks, Sam xx

[Butterfly]

Trying to do as many natural decorations as pos also, it wouldn't get me into trouble if i helped myself(respectfully) to some holly and ivy from the canal toe path would it? My garden is rubbish for natural supplies, even my Ash Tree is ignoring me!!! Could be due to the fact i've been storing greenbags of soil and rubble beneath it waiting till i get a skip!xx

[merrybel]

I think you can help yourself to foliage, Fliss, providing it isn't from someone's property (y'know, growing over their wall onto the towpath). Anything down the canal should be fine. Take a bin liner, some secateurs or strong scissors, and some gloves (coz you never know what you might put your hand on/in). Only cut from waist high upward (dog wee, litter etc) and try not to take too many bugs home with you (I had a georgeous spider in amongst my holly yesterday). If you get long strands of trailing ivy, rather than the short tree ivy, you can weave it really well. Laurel is nice at this time of year as well and lasts really well out of water. If you keep it all in a bin liner outside your back door it will be fine for two or three weeks.
As you say, be respectful to the trees you take from, but I know you would be.
And be careful down there if you go on your own, but you don't need me to tell you that, do you?

[moonflower]

Maybe a bit late to be able to organise for this Yule but prehaps if we all smile sweetly at Sam and Glynis they could run a workshop next year where we could learn how to make welcome rings/pents and decorations. I would be very interested.
BB
Vicki x

[merrybel]

I would be up for this, no problem. Advent rings, welcome rings, garlands..... you name it, I've made it! I wish I could find time this year, but I am swamped at the moment with things that demand my attention. I will definately keep a day free next year, though, as long as people are interested.

[gwenifer]

You don't have to just make salt dough things for christmas, you can make all sorts of decorations I'll look some stuff out and post a link.
Here is the salt dough recipe anyway:
750gr. Salt (ordinary table salt or cooking salt is OK but not sea salt)
750gr. Plain Flour
Cocktail sticks, cookie cutters and clay tools
mix salt and flour together add enough water to make a stiff dough and knead for a few minutes till well blended and there are no cracks. Put in a polythene bag and leave in the fridge for half an hour, it's easier to handle then. Roll out on to tinfoil or greasproof paper to about 7 - 10 mm. thick and cut out your stars, holly leaves, gingerbread men (or whatever you've got cookie cutters of!!) use cocktail sticks to make a hole in the top of your designs so you've got somewhere to thread string or wire through and remember that the holes will close up a bit while they are cooking so make them about 3 or 4 mm wide, peel the excess dough from the edges and slide them off the paper/tinfoil onto a baking tray if you are doing them in the oven or onto the glass plate in the microwave.
In the oven:
Gas mark 2 (sorry you'll have to look up a conversion for electric!!)
for about two hours then check to see if they're ready, (the same as for bread, tap them and see if they sound hollow)!! If not leave them for another half hour and check again.

In the Microwave:
Full power (800 - 850 watts) for 1 & a half minutes, then check them.
If they are not hardened, then give them bursts of one minute at a time at full power till they are.
When they are done cool them on a rack and when they are completely cold paint them with a water based undercoat ( acrylic or household paint will do) preferably white so you can paint any colour on the top!! Unless you are doing gingerbread men, in which case two or three coats of matt acrylic varnish (Ronseal)
Happy dough making!!

[gwenifer]

Just remembered this
www.multihobbies.com/saltdough/steps.htm
You will love these little witches!!