Christmas Cards 3 (Variations on a theme)

Once again another variation on a theme, using Clarity Stamps and colouring with chalk inks.

 

Christmas Cards 2 (variation on a theme)

 Two variations of a similar design using Clarity stamps - one with a small tree and one with a large tree, coloured with chalk inks and glitter pen edging.

Christmas Cards 1

 To be truthful I can't remember what make these stamps were.   Stamped in Versafine Clair and coloured with chalk inks.   A border was added with black glitter pen.

Birthday Card

 Today's card was made using the Clarity Treescape Doodle Montage stamps and mask and coloured with chalk inks.

Another Macramé Gnome

 

 Another gnome from a kit as per previous post.   I made a couple of alterations.  In the red one the instructions said to glue the left over strands to the back of the hat and also glue on the beard.   However, having done a bit of macramé before I finished off the bottom of the hat slightly differently and wove the strands into the back of the hat.   I also attached the beard by weaving the strands into the back,

Macramé Gnome

 

  
I had a play with some macramé today and made this gnome.   I have another one to make in green.   A friend learned how to do it at a workshop at the NEC, and the tutor gave her permission to reproduce the pattern and make kits to sell in her place of work.

Kits are available from Heathcoat Fabric Shop in Tiverton - they have a website.   Also there is a video on U-tube showing you how he is made if you find visual instructions easier to follow than written ones.

More Christmas prep and experimenting

There was some pastry left from yesterday, so I decided to have a play and experiment with an idea for a different decoration on some mince pies from an idea by Marion Frost of Patchwork Cutters. The picture above is before they were cooked, and here is a close up of one of them:

 Now for the finished articles:

Can you work out how I made the designs?   ........

.... They were done by dipping the patchwork cutters in cocoa powder and then embossing the image into the pastry tops, before attaching them to the pie bases.

I think if I  had used ready bought puff pastry - the images would have bee sharper as there is more substance in that pastry.   Also I couldn't brush the tops with egg before baking for fear of moving the cocoa powder.   If I make them again - I will use the bought puff pastry, and then when almost cooked I will add the egg wash and pop them back in the oven to finish off.

A bit of cooking

 

Something a bit different from me today - a bit of Christmas cooking prep.   Above is what the family call reindeer droppings - Basically a variation of sausage meat stuffing.   Sausage meat mixed with finely chopped red onion and celery, mixed together and rolled into balls.   I then open freeze them ready to be cooked on Christmas Day.    The look festive with the different colours when they are cooked.

I then made some small cocktail sausage rolls - I even made my own pastry this time, as I like a nice flaky finish.    I cut the sausage rolls at a slight angle - that means that the cook gets to eat the trimmings from the ends.   There was a little sausage ad pastry left - so I made some sausage swirls .... these didn't make it to the freezer!

Yellow phone holder

 

So another phone holder - favourite colour advised was yellow - so did a mix of yellow and white, and added a few gold flakes.   (At least there will be no arguments as to whose holder belongs to who!

Camouflage phone holder

 Another phone / I-pad holder completed  in casting compount - in requested colours by grandchild (well they don't know what they are getting I just asked for favourite colours!  It's  bit shinier since I took this photo as I have varnished it.

Heart Birthday Card

 Just a simple card made with a Clarity Die, and a couple of stamps from my stash,   Hopefully my cousin will like it as much as I do.

"Jack Frost"

 

Another of the Craft Hut "Green Man" moulds, but I turned him into Jack Frost with blue, silver and white pigment powders in Resin, backed with some casting compound.    The light doesn't do him justice so here is a photo of him in situ.

Another phone holder

Another phone holder with resin and casting compound, a few glitter sprinkles and a small motif.   It was supposed to be purple, but it is more on the burgundy side of purple.   Hopefully the recipient will still like it.

 Firstly apologies for the photo - tiz  a tad blurry.   A stamped card, hand painted with chalk inks.   A Clarity die for the circle and some peel-offs from my stash for the number.

Christmas Decorations

 

 

A couple of MDF Christmas ornaments from me today.   I did something similar last year, but painted them in blue shades.  This time I stuck to shades of green.   Also last year I painted real baubles, but this year I used the MDF "baubles" in the kit, and stamped a greeting on them when they were dry, and shaded them with inks to get the bauble effect.