HOLIDAY IDEAS-CRAFTS & DECORATING

Anyone that crafts or shops knows this is the BUSY time of year! I've got shows lined up and a ton to do and here I sit, but I wanted to share some easy decorating and craft ideas with you!
Thanks to all my friends for contributing ideas!! Alot of these ideas have been around for a while-If you know who the ORIGINAL artist was please let me know so that I may give proper credit. I've given credit to those who've given me pictures/poems/or directions!

CHOCOLATE SNOWMAN



The only thing better than a snowman is a CHOCOLATE SNOWMAN! Isn't this ADORABLE? VERY easy to make! Thanks to Charlotte of
RAGGEDY HOLLOW for her permission to use this idea and her picture! Also THANK YOU to Patti for the picture of her version! In Patt's version she used white felt instead of paper.

SUPPLIES NEEDED:
Hershey's Bar (The ones in the pics are 1/2 pound bars)
Kraft or other heavy weight paper
Embellishments (Buttons etc...)
Colored markers/pens
Scrap of fleece (Twice as wide as the bar plus 1")

All you do is wrap the bar like you would a gift, making sure the seam is on the back side of the bar. You can use paint pens, crayons, paint etc to paint on the face. Use buttons, bells or pom poms for his "coal" buttons. Take the scrap of fleece and fold in half long wise and sew up the long seam. You can flip up the bottom cuff and sew a running stitch to make it more fashionable. Use a dab of glue to attach it to the bar. Tie a piece of thread about 1-2" from the top and clip to make the fringe. Tie a scrap around his neck for the scarf.
You can write this poem by Kim of SIMPLE NEEDS on a tag and attach it or write it on the back of the snowman!

S is for snowman
short and fat
sitting on the counter
wearing a hat

I took off the wrapper
and what did i see??
MMmm....chocolate!
too bad for the snowman,
but goodie for me!!!



SNOWMAN SOUP
Another easy project with a new twist on it!
Snowman soup is basically hot cocoa, marshmallows, Hershey's kisses and a peppermint stick. You can package them up in a cello bag with a hang tag or a topper, put them inside of a coffee mug, or try this project out!
SUPPLIES:
Empty tin can (I use fruit or soup cans)
Can Opener (One that leaves no sharp edge! Walmart sells one by GOOD COOK for about $8)
Paper
Double sided tape
Elmer's glue (or other NON TOXIC glue)
Template for label
Open your can and empty contents. You can either open it from the top or bottom-whichever is easier! Peel off label and WASH THOUROUGHLY! Print out your label and attach to can with double sided tape or glue. Fill can with "soup" ingredients and glue lid back on. (You can also use double sided CARPET tape around the edge of the lid to seal it back on instead of glue!
Attach tag with Snowman soup poem.
SOME TIPS AND HINTS:
I buy my labels from Krista at COUNTRY CHARM GRAPHICS Krista has them all made up for you so the only thing you need to do is print it out!
You can also make your own template in whatever print program you use. Fill it in with whatever colors/sayings/graphics that you want and print it out.
SNOWMAN SOUP POEM:
Was told you've been real good this year
Always glad to hear it
With freezing weather drawing near
You'll need to warm the spirit
So here's a little Snowman Soup
Complete with stirring stick
Just add hot water, sip it slow
It's sure to do the trick!"

CANDY CANES
MANY thanks to ANGIE of ..... for her pictures and directions!


You will need the following materials to make one Candy Cane:

Plastic PVC Yard Candy Cane (found cheapest at Walmart or Dollar Stores)

1/4 yard Tea Stained Muslin

Red or Green Homespun

Hot Glue


*********

If your plastic candy canes red/green stripes are taped on (and not painted on) peel the tape off the white plastic candy cane. This will keep the red from showing through your muslin. If the stripes are painted or printed on, obviously disregard this step.

Tear your tea stained muslin into 1.5" wide strips. You should tear enough to make a 70" long strip. ( I used two 35" strips) Starting at the top of the candy cane, add a drop or two of glue on the tip of the candy cane and wrap the muslin around the tip and work your way down to the bottom, being sure to overlap your layers so that the white plastic doesnt show through.

Tear your homespun into 1" wide strips. You should tear enough to make a 35" to 40" long strip) Again, starting at the top, add a drop or two of hot glue and begin wrapping the homespun around, this time wrapping it further apart to create the stripe. Secure your homespun to the bottom of the candy cane with hot glue.


You can group several of these together and decorate however you like! Here are some additional embellishment ideas:

Rusty Wire
Rusty Bells
Glass Glitter
Wired Ribbon
Greenery
Prim Tags

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JINGLE BELLS

A great idea using a find from The Dollar Tree!
My friend Kathy of GK PRIMS found some big bells at the Dollar Tree but they were a bright brass color. So she went to Walmart and found some spray paint (Red Oxide Primer) and simply spray painted the bells! Aren't they wonderful? She has them displayed in an old wooden bowl with some evergreen sprigs but also offers up a few other ideas for decorating with them such as wiring them onto a wreath, adding some homespun hangers and hanging them on your tree or tied onto garland. I'm sure you can think of plenty of ideas for using these great jingle bells!

GRUBBY JARS!

SUPPLIES:
GLASS JARS
MODGE PODGE (OR ELMER'S GLUE)
INSTANT COFFEE OR GROUND SPICES

Pour instant coffee granules into a large bowl (you can use a plate or cookie sheet-whatever. Coat the jar with modge podge, one section at a time and then roll/push it into the coffee granules-bang the jar to get off the loose coffee...Do each section and then let it sit overnight. Then coat again with modge podge and roll again in coffee granules...Let dry overnight. Do this as many times as you want for the look you want.

Just a few notes: ALOT of the granules will fall off and after the first application you'll still be able to brush them off when dry-DON'T DO IT! Coat for the 2nd time and roll again. As the modge podge mixes with the granules it will make the modge podge DARK as it dries...kinda looks like molasses but dried...You can see in the pic the parts that look like that.
After you are satisfied with the look and it's dry, coat one more time to "seal" with modge podge.... (I didn't do this part tho...A TINY TINY amount of coffee "dust" came off when I ran my hands over the jar so I'm thinking if you coated one final time it'd be "sealed" really good)
You could try this with cinnamon or other ground spices too-or mix the coffee/cinnamon together...You might need to do one round of the coffee and then the next time do cinnamon as when the coffee gets wet it tends to dissolve a bit....
You will notice that some of it will slide down the jar-don't put too thick of a coat of modge podge on the jar or it WILL slide down-remember it's like spray painting-a few light coats is better than one drippy heavy one!
I did not use anything to "prep" the jar, I did not do the inside of the jar either...
You could print out your vintage picture or label and glue it on the jar then do the grunging around the label...I havn't tried that either.
These would be really cool with prim fabric flowers in them...or candles...I have this one sitting on my counter with a votive in it-looks very cool-hard to capture the "glow" on camera tho...



My friend Rilda used a similar method for grubbying up those tacky electic candles you can buy around Christmas time...Here are her directions and some pics to go along with it...
Coat the candle stick in modge podge and rub on different spices (Ground cinnamon, allspice, clove etc...). When it dries completely, coat with more Modge Podge and another coating of spices. This is the before-plain white...

After the 2nd coat had dried completely, she painted the brass bases with a bit of black paint.

Aren't these great looking?? She added some "pizazz" by adding a tie, some berries and the cute tags!

And yet ANOTHER version from Rilda...Instead of spices she used glitter on this candle. You could use glass glitter or mica also...Isn't it beautiful?

AGEING AND STENCILLING WOOD SIGNS

I enjoy making stencilled signs-you can see them in magazines and they sell for some serious money! (Serious as in OUCH!) I sell these signs on my sight for much less. I can do them in any color combination you choose. If you'd like to learn how to do them yourself...it's a very easy project!
I buy my stencils from Tori of STENCIL ME IN Her stencils are top quality, inexpensive and she's lightening fast! She also does custom orders!
My signs are all 6" high and the usual length is 24"-48" altho I have done shorter and longer ones.
The first step is to cut your wood. I buy sheets of 1/2" plywood and cut them to size.
Next, I paint my basecoat. I use regular acrylic paint...You can use the small bottles but I buy mine by the gallon at Lowe's. (Regular wall paint-make sure you ask for FLAT!)If I'm doing one at a time I just use a sponge brush but when I am gearing up for shows I use a roller! I usually also paint the backside.
If you are impatient like me and can't wait for paint to dry-use a heat gun or a blow dryer. Be careful with the heat gun because it will make your paint bubble up if you hold it too long in one spot or too close.

Then I tape my stencil to the board using blue painters tape. To make sure it is even on the board I pick the largest letter on the stencil and make sure it is the same distance from the top as from the bottom. (This works great for stencils that are in all caps.) For stencils that have lower case letters I use the same method EXCEPT if there are letters such as "y" or "g". In that case, I try to make sure it is even from the top using the tallest letter and the same on the bottom using the bottom of the "y" or "g".

Once the stencil is taped down I use a stencil brush to dab the paint on. (Just a note on the brushes-I use the stencil brushes that have the black bristles. These ones are not stiff like others and it makes it so much easier!) Dip your brush in the paint-dab a bit off on a napkin-and "pounce" the paint on. When you are done SLOWLY lift the stencil off. I use my heat gun to dry the lettering. Some folks will go back with a paint brush and paint in the "bridges" of the stencils...I don't, but that is just my preference...I WANT it to look stenciling!

Now this next step is just a trademark of how I do my signs. A customer's husband suggested that I put a border around the sign and that is the way I have made them ever since. Thanks Wolfie's hubby The Raggedy Princess
I tape off about 1/2" along the edge of the sign-one side at a time and stencil the letter color around the edge like a frame.

At this point I let it dry overnight-or at least for a few hours. Paint that is not set will gum up your sand paper and make a mess!
Once it's dry, I use a hand sander and 60 grit sandpaper to sand the paint off the edges and to round the corners. I also sand in a side to side motion over the letters to give them a worn look.

Wipe the board down to get all the dust off and then apply your stain. I use MINWAX PROVINCIAL. I use a foam brush or a paint brush to apply the stain-don't try to be neat about it-just get it on there making sure to pay special attention to the corners and edges. I let mine sit for about 10 minutes and then I use a shop towel or old tshirt to wipe the stain off. If it's not as dark as you'd like it, apply the stain again and let it sit longer.

I let the sign sit overnight to give the stain plenty of time to dry. If it's humid out it will take longer for it to dry!
Add your picture hangers-measure the same distance in on both sides and hammer the picture hangers in. I always use two.

All done...Now you just have to find a clear wall space to hang your sign!

BEGINNER'S STITCHERY

The following article was written by my friend CINDER of BLESS MY STITCHES I hope that you'll check out her site for her BEAUTIFUL work!



As I always say...and y'all are probably tired of hearing it!! "I LOVE TO STITCH"

What you need to get started:
*some muslin
*some warm and natural (or a second layer of muslin...if you just have to get started right away, I speak from experience here!)
*a pencil
*a pattern (coloring sheets are fun to start with)
*a bright window
*a sharp embroidery needle
*embroidery floss in assorted colors
*fabric or a frame depending on how you want to finish your work of art
*coffee or tea mixture and a spray bottle
*optional~colored pencils, paints or crayons

Getting started:
Trace pattern onto muslin using your pencil and a bright window if necessary.
Lay muslin over warm and natural and pin together.
I use 2 strands of floss and a back-stitch for most of my stitching. This is an example of how to do the backstitch.



I use French knots to dot i's and to make "eyes" usually...they are tricky, but so fun once you get the hang of it!

Bring needle up at 1. Wrap floss once around needle and insert needle at 2, holding end of floss with non-stitching fingers. Tighten knot, then pull needle through fabric, holding floss until it must be released. For a larger knot, wrap floss around needle more times.


This link has a great tutorial on doing french knots!


I have been using a stem stitch quite a bit lately too, since I finally got it figured out...adds a bit more dimension.
The needle comes up a "A" and goes down at "B." Come up again at "C," exactly half way between "A" and "B." (Diagram 1) To continue, the needle goes down at "D" and comes up at "B," in the same hole made by the thread going down at "B." (Diagram 2) Continue by repeating Diagram 2. The thread may be held on either side of the needle, right or left, but should remain on the same side once the row of stitches is begun.

Snowman and Annie noses always look great done with a satin stitch.
Bring needle up at odd numbers and go down at even numbers with stitches touching but not overlapping.

Most patterns will tell you what stitches to use.
Finish up your stitching and then on to the grunging part!

My staining method:
I put about 1/4 cup of instant coffee to about 2 cups hot water. Stir it up to dissolve the coffee. You can also add a few drops of fragrance oil and/or some vanilla. Put in a spray bottle and spray to soak your stitchery. Place on a cookie sheet and put it in the oven at 200 for about 10 minutes. In warmer weather I usually hang them on the clothes line, spray and let them dry in the sun! I usually do this 2-3 times, but I like things a bit darker. It's totally up to you. Some people even prefer to use muslin that has been stained BEFORE they stitch, but I like the way the coffee pulls away from the stitches and darkens up and such. Keep an eye though, you don't want it to burn. You can also color in parts of your design if you like, for example...putting a bit of "blush" on an Annie's cheeks...whitening up a snowman, whatever. The more you stitch the more you will figure out what you like...experiment, experiment, experiment!! And my favorite part of prim is...anything goes!! Even if you burn it, there is probably some one out there who will love it!

Finishing:
Now you can frame it...sew it into a pillow...or if it's small enough, blanket-stitch some homespun to the back and tie a jute hanger to it for a prim ornie!!

HOW TO MAKE A PILLOW:
Cut 4 strips of homespun about 2-3 inches wide and 2-34 inches longer than finished stitchery width/length. Sew to edges of stitchery leaving about 1/4 to a half inch or so space from stitching. Lay on chosen backing fabric right sides together and cut backing fabric to fit. Sew together leaving an opening about 3 inches for turning and stuffing. Turn and stuff firm and stitch closed. There you go!! Finished and ready for compliments!!



Please remember to give credit where credit is due...if you post pics online or sell your finished product on a web-site, ebay...wherever~artists really do appreciate you giving them credit as the designer. And remember although you buy a pattern, the designer still owns their original work...so no photocopying or forwarding the patterns via email. When in doubt just ask the designer...we are all pretty easy to get along with...most of the time *wink*!

Please feel free to email me with any questions...I'd love to help you!
CINDER IS OFFERING A SPECIAL TO ALL MY BLOG READERS ON HER PATTERN SIGHT...THRU THE END OF FEBRUARY BUY ONE PATTERN GET ONE FREE!! JUST TYPE "MEGAN'S BLOG" IN THE NOTES!
BLESS MY STITCHES

HANDMADE GRUBBY TAGS

Handmade Grubby Grungy Aged Tags



Supplies:
Shipping Tags (Whichever size you choose-You can find these at your local Office Supply Store)
Instant Coffee or Walnut Ink
Vanilla (optional)
Candle oil (Optional)
Stamps, Pens, Pictures (You'll need modge podge for the pictures)

These are really simple to make and add a great accent to your crafts!




First you'll need to mix your coffee stain. I take one cup of HOT water and add in 3 HEAPING tablespoons of instant coffee. (You can add a few drops of the vanilla if you would like) I put it into a spray bottle but you can also pour it into a shallow cookie sheet that has a lip around the edge and soak them or use a sponge brush to apply it.
Once you've stained your tags, place them on a dry cookie sheet in the oven on LOW until they dry out. If they are not dark enough then you can spray them again until you achieve the look you want.
To use the walnut ink, mix one teaspoon of granules (more or less depending on your preference) with 1 cup of HOT water. Stir until the crystals have dissolved. I would recommend using a sponge brush to apply this mixture to your tags. You can let them air dry or put them in the oven on low. If the little hole reinforcer falls off just glue it back on once it's dry. If your tags have curled up you can use an iron set on cotton setting to iron them out. I would use a pressing cloth or a small washrag over the tag and then iron on top of that.
Once they are dry, use your stamps to stamp a special message or a sharpie marker to write a neat saying. You can print out vintage pictures and modge podge them onto the tag. If the pictures are too bright on the stained tag stir a bit of the coffee mixture into the modge podge first. Try adding some pizzazz with glass glitter or mica flakes. You can embellish them with buttons, stickers, or rickrack. Check out the scrapbook section of your local craft store for lots of different ideas. You can also use different things in place of the strings-raffia, jute, or strips of homespun.
To add scent to your tags, I use 1 oz candle oil to 3 oz distilled water and put it into a spray bottle. Spritz the tags on the back and they'll smell terrific! Some folks add the oil to their coffee or ink mixture but to me it smells strongest when applied this way.

There is also another way to do tags and that is to print them out with the graphics already done. Terri from www.pumpkin-seed-primitives.com has done some this way with graphics from her CD.


Here are some handprinted tags from Erin of www.whimsicalprincess.com


Erin has also offered this tip:
Because electricity is so expensive here in Canada, when we have a beautiful, hot sunny day I antique my tags in coffee and vanilla like everyone else (the hotter the water the better, it tends to get to the fibers in the tags better) I then use old screen doors to put my tags on. (I am usually doing 200-500 at a time) I leave them out in the sun and let Mother Nature do it's thing, as they start to dry you can re-dip to make darker.


Here is another example of tags made by Stacey of www.primprimitives.com Stacey sells most of her tags on ebay under user name abigailes_mommy. She uses vintage pictures and embellishes her tags with glass glitter.


I am including some links for tags that are ready to print and also a blank template to make your own tags.
With the template, I use my print program, add graphics and then print out on Kraft Colored cardstock. You can use regular colored cardstock and coffee stain it first to print out the tags on, too.

Here are some free tags from www.primmart.com
http://www.primmart.com/FREEPrimitiveTags.html
http://www.primdoodles.com/printables6.asp

Here is a template courtesy of Cheryl at www.raggedyscrappin.com
http://www.raggedyscrappin.com/store/piclink.asp?pageID=freetemplates

PRIMITIVE SNOWBALLS

SNOWBALLS

Supplies:
Foam Balls (any size you want)
Joint Compound (Can be found at Walmart over in the hardware section)
Mica Flakes, Glass Glitter or regular glitter
ModgePodge

I grew up in Florida and now live in North Carolina-I prefer these kinda snowballs to the real thing anyday!!

There are a few ways to do this...
*You can roll the balls in the mica/glitter while the joint compound is still wet...I'd wait until the compound "sets up" a bit before trying it that way tho!
*You can skip the joint compound and just use modge podge and roll the ball in the mica.

This is the way that I do them...
-SQUEEZE your foam balls or roll them on the counter to "compact" them-you don't HAVE to do this but I like to get my stress out!! HA HA!
-Open your joint compound and STIR STIR STIR! Get your hands dirty...use your hands and fingers to press the compound onto the foam-doesn't have to be even or "pretty"! A little tip is to let the joint compound sit for a little while to harden a bit-maybe 30 minutes. It can be pretty slushy otherwise. I just set the balls on some aluminum foil on my counter.


-Let dry overnight.

-You can elect to sand them a bit or use them as is!...In the pic you can see the difference in them.Use 150 grit sandpaper and sand them lightly. My suggestion is to dampen your hands a bit and rub them over the balls first. Sanding joint compound get VERY dusty and the little bit of moisture helps with that...Otherwise I'd advise wearing a mask or something similar over your mouth and nose and sand them OUTSIDE! (Remember it's dusty-Don't wanna have to clean anymore than we have to right??)
THE SANDED ONES ARE ON THE LEFT
-Once they are sanded, dust them off. Lay some aluminum foil or parchment paper down on your work surface. Dump some Mica Flakes into a plastic bowl. Using a sponge brush, coat your ball with modgepodge then roll the ball in the mica flakes. I hold the bowl and "swirl" it around. Take it out and set it on your work surface to dry!


WAH-LAH...SNOWBALLS!!
Lots of uses for these...use the smaller balls to fill up a mason jar or put in with some wintertime potpourri or fixins. Decorate a sewing drawer or cheese box light, add to a wood bowl or basket with some greenery or pip berries. Set them on a shelf with some of your snowman collectibles! They are a great addition to your winter decorating!

ALL ABOUT CINNAMON DOUGH

CINNAMON DOUGH
It's getting close to Christmas!! (I can hear you all groaning now!) Seems like it comes earlier and earlier every year! There are lots of things I LOVE about the season though and one of the biggest is passing down traditions and starting our own with the kids!
One of our traditions is making handmade ornaments each year. The kids have come up with some fun ideas-like the year we took all those mismatched socks (Like the lost ones the washer eats!) and tea dyed them and hung them on the tree with mini clothes pins! We've done beading ornaments, paper ornaments, filled plastic ornaments, painted ornaments, but the one my kids love to do EVERY year is making cinnamon dough ornaments!!
There are TONS of recipes out there for this type of dough-I wanted to provide you with some links and some ideas for these, too! (Just a reminder-make sure you put a hole in the ornament before you bake or air dry them! We had lots of "bowls" of ornaments one year as we forgot that one step!)

This first recipe is one that I use quite a bit. For Christmas, we make some gingerbread ornies and put each one in a bag with a topper with the recipe and send them in with my kids for their classmates! Nothing better than passing a tradition on to another family!

GINGERBREAD DOUGH ORNAMENTS

3 TBS. SHORTENING 3/4 CUP WATER
1/2 CUP MOLASSES 3 1/2 CUPS FLOUR
1/2 CUP SUGAR 1 TSP. BAKING SODA
1 TSP EACH GROUND CLOVES, CINNAMON AND
GINGER
PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES
BEAT SHORTENING AND SUGAR TOGETHER UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY. STIR IN MOLASSES. SIFT THE DRY INGREDIENTS TOGETHER. STIR THEM INTO SHORTENING MIXTURE IN 3 PARTS ALTERNATING WITH A 1/4 CUP OF WATER EACH TIME. DOUGH WILL BE STIFF.
USE CINNAMON TO DUST COUNTERTOP AND ROLL OUT DOUGH TO ABOUT 1/4 INCH THICKNESS...USE COOKIE CUTTERS TO CUT OUT YOUR SHAPES. USE A STRAW TO POKE A HOLE FOR HANGING. COOK ON A COOKIE SHEET FOR 20 MIN. THEN TURN OFF OVEN AND LET COOL IN OVEN-YOU MAY NEED TO FLIP THESE A FEW TIMES. LET COOKIES AIR DRY FOR A DAY OR SO. YOU CAN PAINT THESE WITH ACRYLIC PAINT SEAL THE FRONT (SO YOU CAN STILL SMELL THE BACKS!) WITH MODGE PODGE OR POLYURETHANE SEALER OR (LET MOM OR DAD) DIP INTO MELTED CANDLE WAX TO SEAL AND SCENT.
*If you want a lighter colored gingerman, substitute LIGHT CORN SYRUP for the MOLASSES or go half and half. You can also use WHEAT FLOUR for a different look! If you want some PUFFY ornaments, substitute 1/2 the regular flour with self rising flour!

This second recipe is from Wendy at Simply Cute Crafts...She is in the process of adding more craft projects to her sight but check out her ADORABLE diaper cakes! www.simplycutediapercakes.com

2 Cups Flour
1 Cup Salt (I use Kosher for a coarser look)
1/2 Cup Cinnamon
1 TBS Corn Starch
3/4 to 1 Cup Warm Water
Fragrance Oil (Optional)

I sift all of the dry ingredients together and then add the warm water a little at a time until you get the right consistency. If it's too sticky - add a little more flour. If it's crumbly - add a little more water.
Knead for about 5-10 minutes until dough is smooth......if using Kosher salt it won't feel completely smooth. Then let is sit for about 30 minutes.....either in a zip loc bag or plastic container with a lid. You can let it sit on the counter top or the fridge. Then roll out to desired thickness 1/4 to 3/4 and start cookie cutting away or use a sharp knife and do them freehand.....that's how I do my stars, moons and kitties!
Now I let mine dry on a cookie sheet and flip them about twice a day. Now you can dry them in the oven at a low temp 150 degrees or air dry them.
It usually take about 3-4 days to air dry, but can take longer depending on the thickness of the ornie.
You can wax dip them or I use Modge Podge Glossy and Brush that all over them to give them a glossy waxy look.





Twigs of Twigs & Sprigs has a great recipe on her sight
http://twigs-n-sprigs.safeshopper.com/133/cat133.htm?981

Susan of Simple Kneads has a recipe on her sight but she also sells a mix that you just add wet ingredients to-check our her sight for TONS of great ideas and patterns!http://www.simplecountrypleasures.com/tipsnhints1.htm Susan's dough smells like cinnamon powder or sticks!

Rochelle from CinnaMinnies also sells her mix from her sight. She also sells kits that include her Cinnamon Clay, oil and a cookie cutter along with her tips and hints! Rochelle's dough is a SPICY cinnamon (think Red Hots)!!
http://www.cinna-minnies.com/

Here are links to some other recipes with some great ideas in there, too:
http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/dough2.html
http://cookie.allrecipes.com/az/NonEdibleGingerbreadMen.asp
http://boards.hgtv.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/4004031632/m/5021081042
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/christmasfun/kids.htm
http://www.recipegoldmine.com/crafts/crafts42.html

I like to use mini cookie cutters to cut out small versions of trees, hearts, stars, angels, gingers etc...and then I add them to potpourri or I put them in a mason jar! There are TONS of ideas that you can make besides ornaments!

Another dough that I like to use is Salt Dough. Here is a great site with a recipe and lots of ideas! http://www.multihobbies.com/saltdough/index.htm
You can vary this recipe by using wheat flour and adding cinnamon or ground cloves to it. I find that if I dissolve the salt in hot water first it helps it have a smoother texture! If you want puffier ornaments substitute half the regular flour with SELF RISING flour. You can use some modge podge or polyurethane to seal these or you can dip them in scented wax.

DOLL MAKING 101

Doll Making 101

The tools of the trade:
Sewing machine (obviously!) & sewing supplies (Quality thread, seam ripper, pins etc.)
Muslin
Fabric for dress, pantaloons, apron, slip etc....
Stuffing (and a pencil, chopstick, wooden spoon handle, dowel etc. help stuff)
Embroidery thread, yarn, wool etc. (for hair)
Doll making needle (I like the 5" ones-looks like a regular needle-just MUCH longer)
Buttons (for eyes or for decoration)
Barn Red paint or regular powder blush & a brush (for cheeks!)
Paint for shoes
Fine grain sand paper

OPTIONAL:
Kitty Litter, Poly Pellets etc. for weighting your dolls
Accessories-Flags, baskets, rusty keys, etc. to "customize" your doll
Candle Oil for scenting (see Recipe at end of article)
Turning Tubes or hemostats for turning
Tea or Coffee for staining

SOME THINGS TO REMEMBER:
*If you are not an experienced doll maker-buy some patterns! There are a TON of dollmakers out there who make easy to follow patterns that are chock full of diagrams and tips! This is a great way to learn shortcuts, to learn new techniques and to try different types of designs!
*Remember that you are just starting off...I am showing you a picture of my very first doll-no laughing now! 3 years later-I am designing my OWN dolls!


*Sewing dollies takes time-so TAKE YOUR TIME! I used to line my dolls up and make them assembly line fashion-suddenly the dolls started looking ALIKE! I wanted UNIQUE dolls so I started concentrating on doing one at a time!
*Some folks like their dolls to have a "theme"...Your fabric can inspire you-red, white & blue fabric for a patriotic doll, reproduction feed sacks for a mammy doll etc. Don't forget the accessories! A flag, a basket, an animal etc.
*When I first started out I used the cheapest Muslin that I could find-and that worked O.K.! Then I started trying different types and now I use the muslin that is already TeaStained. You can find this right next to the other muslin at Walmart or Joanns or other fabric stores. I use it because it has a tighter weave and doesn't unravel, tear or pucker as easily! It is the perfect shade for my ShabbyChic dolls but I can still stain it to make it even more prim and grubby!
*Here's a hint for epatterns...Print out the directions on regular paper but print out the pattern pieces on cardstock...Then you just have to cut them out and trace onto muslin!
*Every time that you trace a doll piece it gets BIGGER! I remember buying a doll made from one of my favorite designers and it was so much more petite than mine! But I was adding size by tracing around the original pattern pieces, then tracing that onto cardstock and then tracing the pieces onto the muslin! No wonder my doll looked like an amazon!
*You can use a variety of items for tracing your pieces-some use a mark-b-gone pen, colored pencils, carbon paper-I just use a regular No 2 pencil-slightly dull so it won't snag.

TEA OR COFFEE STAINING:
*Experiment to find the "recipe" that works for you. Remember that coffee will give a much darker look especially if you bake the doll in the oven. (Bake on the LOWEST setting for 10-15 minutes at a time-KEEP AN EYE ON THE DOLL or set the timer!)
*I usually stain a couple yards of muslin at a time but if you are going to stain your dolls individually make sure you do it before you put on the face or hair (the coffee or tea makes the hair stiff and will stain the color of the floss) and DO NOT put your doll in the oven if it has poly pellets or any other weighting material in it! Buttons may also melt in the oven!

PAINTING YOUR DOLLS:
You can use either black or brown (I like burnt umber) craft acrylic paints. You don't need to add a fabric medium to the paint. There is no need to paint the entire doll, as the clothes will cover much of it. Some folks do-some folks don't. Apply one to two coats, let dry and sand LIGHTLY using fine grain sandpaper.

ONTO THE DOLL MAKING...
*Lay your pattern pieces out on the muslin-arrange them so that you use the least amount of muslin but make sure you leave room around the pieces to cut! The traced lines will be your sew lines! Sew the pieces according to the directions-leaving open where indicated or on the fold. Some folks will double sew the neck for added stability to prevent against "blow-outs." Trim all seams to 1/4" or less-clipping your curves and corners. (you can also use pinking shears for this)
*Before you turn your body piece right side out, I recommend putting in a box seam to help your doll sit better. Match the bottom seam up with the side seam and sew across. Clip 1/4" from sew line.



*Turn all pieces right sides out-this is where the turning tubes or hemostats come in handy!
*Cut a slit through one layer of fabric on the body. If you are going to weight your doll pour in the poly pellets or use a snack size ziploc bag filled with kitty litter, sand, beans or whatever you use to weight your dolls. (The ziploc prevents moisture and bugs from invading your doll! Place stuffing around the bag and continue to stuff the body. Whipstitch the opening closed.



STUFFING
I like to use a wooden chopstick for stuffing my dolls...I spray the doll part lightly with warm water and use SMALL pieces of stuffing! Spraying with water will make the fabric shrink a bit and using small pieces of stuffing ensures smooth seams. Stuff only to where indicated on pattern. If your doll has a long narrow neck you can use a small dowel or chopstick to stabilize her neck. Push the chopstick up into her head and stuff around it. Make sure the chopstick extends into her chest.
*Once I have my pieces stuffed I like to paint the shoes before I attach the legs to the body. Follow the pattern diagrams. I let the paint dry and sand LIGHTLY with fine grain sandpaper. Some patterns have laces for the shoes-mark where the laces will go. I use 6 strands of embroidery floss or crochet thread.

THE FACE & HAIR
* I like to blush my doll's cheeks first-that way I won't get paint or blush all over the doll's nose and eyelashes. If you are using paint to blush the cheeks use a dry brush method. Put a small bit of paint on a paper plate and then dip a DRY stencil brush into it. Using a circular motion, dab it onto a paper towel until most of the paint is gone and it BARELY leaves a mark. Very lightly brush onto the doll's cheeks in a light back and forth motion. Remember, you can always add more but you can't take it off if you put on too much!
*I also like to do the face and hair before I attach the legs and arms. Following the pattern guidelines trace the face onto the muslin LIGHTLY. If you are using embroidery floss for the nose-use however many strands of floss the pattern indicates and your 5" doll needle. Tie a knot about 2" from the end of the floss and insert the needle in the back of the doll's neck (under the collar line) and come out at the bottom left corner of the nose. Take a stitch across the nose and back out the other side of the nose. Continue until you finish the nose and insert the needle back down THROUGH the head and out the back of the neck. Knot the threads and clip. If you are using embroidery thread for hair-this is a simple way of doing it. I like to use 6 strands. Take your needle from the front to the back on the head where indicated on pattern just below the seam, leaving a tail as long as you want the hair to be. Take the needle and go through the front of the head and back out the back, the same way you did the first time! Cut the thread the same length as the tail. Repeat until you have covered the head.

(I like to do the nose and hair before the face as it helps me to decide on the doll's expressions and size of the button's for eyes.) For the mouth, eyebrows, eyelashes and attaching the button eyes, I use one strand of black embroidery thread-tie a knot in the end like you did for the nose-enter from the back of the neck and come out on one side of the doll's smile. Backstitch the smile and on the last stitch go through the doll's head and out where one of the eyes will go. Attach the button and take the needle through the head to where the other eye will go. Attach that button coming out at the edge of the eyebrow. Take a stitch and come out where the other eyebrow begins and take a stitch. Going through the doll's head, come out where you'd like to have eyelashes. When you are finished with the eyelashes go through dollies head and out at the base of the neck. Tie off and clip. For dolls with big heads and/or long necks, I stitch HALF the mouth from the corner of the smile to the bottom. Then I do the eyes and eyebrows and lashes. I come down to the other outer corner of the mouth and stitch the last half of the smile and then back out the neck! It is a lot easier that way & you don't wind up scrunching the doll's head and neck trying to get that needle back out.

ATTACHING THE ARMS & LEGS
*To attach the arms and legs I fold the raw edge under 1/2" and whip stitch them onto the body where indicated. You don't have to fold under the raw edge-it is just the way I do it!



*Don't forget to sign your dolly! You can use a pigma pen (Found in the scrapbooking section) or a fine point sharpie. I sign my name, the doll's name and the date.

MAKING THE CLOTHES
*Follow the pattern pieces for making the clothes making sure to follow any instructions for doubled material or laying pieces on the fold.



Cut or Tear the skirt piece of the dress and sew a gathering or a running stitch about 1/4" away from one long edge. Gather the skirt and with right sides together match it to the bottom of the bodice. Pin & sew right above the gathering stitch



Once you have both sides done remove the gathering stitch if you can see it.
With right sides together, match the underarm seams and edges of dress and sew the bottom of the arm and down the sides of the skirt on both sides. Sew across the shoulder seams leaving open where indicated on your pattern-or if you have cut on the fold-clip an opening for the head.



*I like to put the doll's dress on feet first-especially if the doll has a big head!
*Sew a gathering or a running stitch around the neckline and around the cuffs of the arms and legs (if indicated in the pattern)


MAKING THE LOONS
A lot of patterns will not give you an actual pattern piece for pantaloons or a slip (underskirt). They will simply tell you how long and tall the piece of material should be and most will have directions or diagrams for how they should be sewn.
For loons cut a piece of material the length and width indicated in pattern.

Fold from left to right.
Sew the side about 1/4" from edge (green marking)



Move the seam to the middle



Sew up one side close to seam, across a few stitches and back down other side (Purple marking)


Clip between the stitching making sure to clip the corners



Turn loons right side out and sew a running/gathering stitch around waist (red thread)



Put them on your doll and cinch tight. You may want to tack the sides to the doll's body.

NOW JUST ADD ANY ACCESORIES YOU MAY HAVE AND YOU ARE DONE! CONGRATULATIONS!



Recipe for Doll Perfume
VERY EASY!
1 oz candle oil
3 oz distilled water
Put in a spray bottle and SHAKE well before each application
I have sprays that I made 2 years ago that still smell as strong as the day I made them. The spray bottles I use come from Michael's and are 4 oz clear plastic bottles with a white sprayer. I lightly mist the dolls when I am done and also before I ship them. The scent that gets the most compliments is CinnaBun. I wouldn't recommend any floral scents. Remember-a little bit goes a LONG way!