Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. My family and I spent the day eating a lot of chocolate and watching the entire Die Hard series. Fun, fun, fun. Ok, this craft project is probably best done for Christmas, but is good for any time during the remainder of winter as well. Gourd Snowmen.

Gourd Snowmen

These little snowmen never melt no matter what the weather. Made from dried birdhouse gourds, they will last for years.

You will need:
Dried birdhouse gourds
Acrylic paint: white, black, orange and a bright color for the scarf.

Acrylic varnish
Hot glue gun
Black card stock

Mini-birdhouse gourds make the cutest snowmen, as each is only about 4 inches tall, but they can also be made from full size birdhouse gourds for a full size display. To begin, apply a coat of white paint to the entire surface of the gourd. Let set until dry. Apply a second coat of white paint. Let dry.

Using the black paint, add the eyes, mouth, and “buttons” down the front of the snowman’s body. Add an orange triangle to represent the traditional carrot nose. Paint a scarf around the “neck” section of the snowman.

When all the paint is completely dry, coat the snowman in a layer of varnish or sealer. Some craft stores carry a sparkle varnish with the regular acrylic paints. It works great on these snowmen as the sparkly bits give the gourds the appearance of having been made from real snow.

Take the black cardstock and cut a circle about 2 inches in diameter. (If you are using full size birdhouse house gourds, adjust the circle to about 5 inches in diameter). Then cut a 1-inch circle out of the middle of the larger circle. Set aside. Cut a strip of black cardstock an inch and a half wide, and about 5 inches long.

Hot glue the strip of cardboard to outside of the 1-inch circle. Trim the excess length, then hot glue the free side of the strip (which is now curled into a circle) to the inner edge of the 2-inch circle. This is the snowman’s hat. Hot glue the hat to the snowman’s head to complete the wintry look.

Tin Can Luminaries

Old soup containers can be recycled to make beautiful candleholders. The holes punched in the tin exude a warm glow from the candle within.

You will need:

• Used soup cans with wrappers removed
• Hammer
• Nail

To begin, you will need to make the can hard enough to pound without bending. To do this, either slide a tight fitting block of wood into the soup can to support its edges or fill the can with water and let it freeze. Once the can is ready to be pounded, decide on a design. (As an alternative to a soup can, cat food cans work great for smaller candles such as tea lights.)

Designs can either be drawn freehand or printed out from a computer. You may want to put newspapers or towels under the can if you use the ice method, as it will begin to thaw as you pound.

Pound your design into the tin can, one hole at a time. Try to space the holes evenly. When you have finished pounding, remove the block of wood or let the ice melt. (This process can be sped up by running it under hot water). Use the hammer to pound down any sharp edges or areas that may have warped during the pounding. Place a candle inside and watch the luminary glow.

There are many possibilities with this craft, don’t limit yourself to just one nail. Try mixing and matching nail holes of different sizes to create interesting patterns, or add long, thin marks from a flathead screwdriver.

Cream Cheese Stir-fry

I don't know if this technically qualifies as a stir-fry, but it has a lot of the same ingredients. It's sort of like house fried rice with cream cheese. I usually make this to use up leftovers.

Ingredients:
6 oz. box of wild rice
8 oz. package of cream cheese
10 baby carrots
About a fifteen 1-inch chunks of meat (chicken, pork, or turkey seem to work best)
Peas, corn, or chopped beans, depending on your liking

Cook the rice according to the box’s instructions. When it is done, chop 3/4 of the block of cream cheese into tiny piece and drop them into the rice. Set the burner to medium, and stir the rice and cream cheese together until it has entirely melted.

When the cream cheese is fully melted, drop in the chunks meat. Stir the entire meal together over medium heat for about 30 seconds.

Chop the baby carrots into tiny pieces, and drop them into the stir fry. Add in the peas, corn, or chopped beans, and stir together. When the entire mixture is warm, it is ready.

If there is any left over, it can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

Fleece Scarves

Fleece scarves are a warm welcome on a cold winter day. These scarves can easily be made in under an hour.

You will need:

• Fleece material
• Scissors

The following items are optional:

• Fabric Glue
• Sequins
• Fabric markers

To begin, cut a piece of fleece 8 inches wide and 1 yard long (shorter if you don’t like long scarves). Use the scissors to cut slits 3 inches long, at half-inch intervals across both short ends of the scarf to make fringes. To decorate the scarf, use fabric glue to add sequins, or if you have a steady hand, use fabric dye markers (available at most crafts shops, i.e. Jo-Anne Fabrics, Michael’s, etc.) to draw on embellishments.

Other decorative options include embroidery, needle-felting, or iron-on appliqués. Finish decorating and voila! You now have a nice warm scarf to wear or give as a gift.

Scrap Paper Christmas Tree Garland

These garlands are made using the same technique as gum-wrapper chains. Scrap paper offers an alternative to gum wrappers, giving a wider selection of prints and colors, and does not require hours of chewing gum.

You will need:
Scrapbook paper
Scissors

This is a relatively easy project, though it can be a bit time consuming. The first thing you need to choose is your scrapbook paper. (I have a tendency to use these lovely papers for everything but scrap booking!) Plain colors always look lovely, but if you want a pattern, choose one with a small design so it will not be lost on the garland. An alternative to scrapbook paper is to recycle newspapers by using brightly colored sections such as “the funnies” to make these garlands.

Cut the paper into strips four-inches long and half an inch wide. To begin the chain, cut one of the four-inch strips in half. You will now have 2 two-inch strips. Set one of the two-inch strips aside. Fold the other two-inch strip in half, then fold the sides into each other until they touch the middle fold. You will now have a square.

Fold a four-inch strip in half. Slide the two ends through the folds in the square you made previously. Fold the sides down until they touch the middle fold, this will lock the strips in place. You should now have half an inch sticking out from the first square.

Fold another four-inch strip in half. Slide the ends up through the half-inch. Fold the ends down until they touch the middle fold. A new half-inch will be sticking out. Continue sliding and folding the four-inch strips until the garland has reached your desired length.

At that point, retrieve the two-inch strip you set aside.
Slide the ends of the two-inch strip through the half-inch as you would normally. Fold the ends down until they touch the middle fold. This time there will be no half-inch sticking out, the garland will end with the square. Wind the garland around a tree or doorway for a holiday feel.

Mini Pies

When you take a brown bag lunch to work multiple days a week, you're bound to eventually come up with some creative, frightening, and even desperate concoctions. This is one of the more edible ones that I came up it. It makes a nice after lunch dessert, and sort of breaks up the monotony.

Ingredients:

• Rolled Piecrust
• Fruit for pie filling
• Honey
• Oatmeal
• Brown sugar (optional)

It is easiest to make several of these pies at the same time. Start with a rolled piecrust. They’re usually found in the freezer section and are very flexible. Cut the piecrust into 4×6 inch strips. Take your fruit of choice; apples, strawberries, pears, and blueberries all make great mini pie fillings. Chop or mash the fruit, then test the tartness. If the fruit is too tart, add a little brown sugar to sweeten it.

Spread the mashed fruit onto the pie filling. Carefully wrap the edges of the piecrust over the filling, completely encasing it. Pinch the edges to keep them in place.
Using a basting brush, spread honey on all sides of the mini pie. Then roll the honey-coated crust in the oatmeal. It will give a pleasant crunch to the finished pie.

Stick the pie in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees. The piecrust should be a nice golden brown when it is done. The fruit inside will have melted down a bit, forming an almost jam-like interior. These pies are best fresh, but will last for several days, and no refrigeration is needed.

Sights of The Season: Exterior Illumination

There's nothing quite like the holidays. Christmas trees, candles, holly garlands, and of course, extension cords being used well beyond their intended capacity. Here's an amusing yet truthful shot of holiday decorating.

Happy Post Thanksgiving, hope everyone enjoyed their meals. My personal weakness is Gramma's homemade stuffing. I can never get enough of it. Yum. This week's project is a candle project.

Hand-Dipped Taper Candles

Hand-dipped tapers provide charming light in the darkness of winter.

You will need:

• Beeswax or another type of wax
• Wicking
• A tall dipping container
• A tall container of cold water
• Washers or bolt nuts
• Double boiler (or two pans)
• Newspaper
• Scissors or sharp knife

To begin, cover the area with newspapers as this is one of the messiest forms of candlemaking. Decide how long you want your candles. You will be dipping two at a time, so measure a piece of wicking twice your desired length, then add two inches. Cut the wicking. Tie the washers, bolt nuts or a similar small object to the wick. These will be used to weigh down the wicking and keep it straight during the dipping process.

Beeswax makes the best taper candles, as it adheres to its own layers very well, however, any wax can be used to produce decent result. Heat the wax in a double boiler, or if you don’t have one, make one by placing the wax in a pan that sits on top of a second pan filled with water. Heat the wax until it is melted. It is very flamable, so if it begins to smoke, remove it from the burner immediately.

You don’t want the wax to be too hot for this project or the dipped layers will be too thin to adhere. As soon as the wax is melted completely, remove it from the heat. Pour it into the tall dipping container; the container should be several inches taller than your wicking.

Holding the wick in the center, dip both ends into the wax, almost to the top; just beware your fingers don’t touch the wax. Wait until the wick hardens. Dip the wicking into the hot wax once again, then quickly dip it into the container of cold water. This will immediately harden the wax. When you pull the wicks from the water, run your hand down them to remove excess water, which could cause bubbles in the finished candles. Continue alternating dips in the wax and the cold water, removing excess water each time. Keep your dipping hand steady as possible to ensure straight candles. Keep dipping until the candles reach your desired thickness. Usually about 25 dunks makes a good candle.

Using a sharp knife or a pair of scissors, cut the now wax-covered weights off the bottom of the candles. Once more, dip the candles into the wax, then the water to give them a smooth finish. Drape the candles over a stick or a dowel and leave them to completely harden for a few days. At that point, you can cut the wick in the center. The candles can be made into a lovely gift by bundling several together and tying them with ribbon or raffia.

Kid Wine: A non-alcoholic alternative

With the holidays beginning Thursday, there will be many get-togethers, and many people driving home afterward. Instead of adding to the dangers of the road by serving wine, try this non-alcoholic alternative.

For years, Thanksgiving in my family has been synonymous with two things: listening to Arlo Guthrie’s 20 minute story/song “Alice’s Restaurant” and drinking kid wine. Kid wine is the name my family has for sparkling grape juice.

Sparkling grape juice is a great alternative to alcohol. The white in particular is a dead-on imitation of champagne, but without the alcohol. It tastes and smells enough like the real thing that we have had people believe they were actually drinking the real thing.

Sparkling grape juice can go with any meal as it is available in pink (the big favorite in my family), red and white. It is readily available in stores, but can be easily made at home.

To make your own, create a mixture of half ginger ale and half grape juice. For pink kid wine, use purple grape juice; for white kid wine, use white grape juice; and for red, use red grape juice (in this case, make the ratio 2 parts grape juice to 1 part ginger ale). Served chilled in wine glasses and enjoy.

For some reason, we never seem to get the broomcorn harvested on time. It's always after the autumn season, when the cold wind and rain of November hint at the winter weather soon to come. This year, however, is one of the nicest Novembers I can remember; there hasn't been enough wind and rain to destroy the broomcorn this year. As such, it is perfect weather to make broom ladies. They are perhaps a bit passed the season, but as broomcorn dries naturally, they can be saved for next year just as well.

Broom Ladies

These cute little brooms are functional as well as decorative. Made of broomcorn, they are excellent as hand brooms.

You will need:

• Broomcorn (also called ornamental grass/sorghum)
• Material for dress, face, and hands
• Cotton
• Yarn
• Markers
• Raffia
• Needle and thread
• Glue

Before the invention of nylon brooms, broomcorn was (and often still is) used to make corn brooms. It is not actually a type of corn, but in fact a very large grass. The nickname of broomcorn was derived from the fact that the grass stems are so large they closely resemble cornstalks.

Begin by shucking the seeds from the broomcorn heads (if your broom will be merely decorative, the seeds can be left on for the colorful effect) Tie several of the shucked broomcorn stalks together with raffia just above the heads, and again about an inch from the broom’s top. Form a raffia loop, and attach this to the top tie.

Cut 2 identical dress shapes from material and sew them together. Make sure the neck hole is large enough to fit over the broom handle. Cut a head and a pair of hands from material. Stuff them with cotton. Sew the head to the front half of the dress. Sew the hands to the sleeves of the dress.

Slip the dress over the top of the broom handle, sliding it down until the skirt part of the dress covers the heads of the broomcorn. Leave about an inch and a half of the broomcorn peeking out beneath the dress. Using the markers, draw a face on the broom lady. Cut a few pieces of yarn and glue them to the top of the head as hair. Embellish the broom ladies with miniature baskets or tiny brooms of their own glued to their hands.



Read more: http://quazen.com/recreation/crafts/broom-ladies/#ixzz1N8juqs7m

Wheat Weaving: Heart

At the end of the season, I always like to make a few weavings out of rye or wheat.Wheat weavings, also called corn dollies, are traditional end of harvest crafts. They can also be woven from rye, barley, and oats, but wheat is most commonly used due to its flexibility.The Celts used to do this to ensure good luck for the next years harvest. 'Round here we just doing because it's fun.

You will need:
10-12 long stalks of wheat,
rye, barley, or oats with heads
White thread

(For those without access to grain stalks, these can be woven from plastic drinking straws as well.)

In days gone by, farmers used to take the last few stalks of the grain harvest and weave them into beautiful designs in hopes of capturing the spirit of the grain to ensure a bountiful harvest the following year. These weavings were kept inside all winter. In the spring the weavings were unraveled and the heads were the first seeds sown in the fields, as it was believed they would bring good luck for the growing season. Today most people wheat weave for aesthetic pleasure as opposed to good luck for harvest, but the designs are just as beautiful now as they were hundred of years ago.

To begin, soak the straws in warm water for 20 minutes. Tie four straws together just below the heads. With the heads at the bottom, gently pull down the stalks so they splay in four different directions. Leave one gap wider than the others.

Start weaving by holding the gap away from you. Bend the straw across from the gap (second from the right) into the open space. A new gap will form where that straw was. Turn the weaving so the new gap faces away from you. Bend the straw across from the new gap (now second from the right) into the open space. Continue “filling the gap” until the weaving is about 5 inches long.

Do the same with another set of four straws, making a weaving that is 5 inches long. If you break a straw, just insert one of the extras in its place and continue weaving as though nothing happened.

Tie the two weaving together at the heads. Bend the weavings up into a heart shape. Allow the unwoven ends to drape down into the center. Secure the ends to the heads with thread. To finish, tie the bottom of the heart with a festive ribbon. As grain dries naturally on its own, these will last for many years.

I am happy to say that I did survive Halloween in a 120-inch hoopskirt. Although, I did have to ride to the party in the back of a van as it was the only place I could fit! Here is a picture of several months worth of work, and a whole lot of fabric.
So, now that it's after Halloween, the harvest season is officially at an end. As such, I've begun my annual end of the season cleaning. (It is really quite frightening how much accumulates over a summer!) During the scouring frenzy, I came across a few old books that were in less than stellar shape, so I decided to make bags out of them, which takes us to this week's project. If you have any hardcover books lying around, these bags are a great way to put them to use, as the book covers become the bags.

Book Bags

These little bags are named for their construction material, not what they carry. They’re a great way to recycle old hardcover books.

You will need:

• Hardcover book
• 1 yard of material
• Hot glue gun
• Bag handles
• Ribbon
• A large button
• Cardboard

Start by cutting the pages out of an old hardcover book. Cut a piece of cardboard, the width of the book’s spine, and hot glue it to the inside of the spine. Lay the book out flat, with the inside facing up. Measure and cut a piece of cloth that will cover the entire book. Set aside.

Cut four pieces of ribbon that are twice as long as the book’s front cover width. Loop these pieces of ribbon through the bag handles (for extra stability, you can sew the two sides of the halved ribbon together.) Hot glue the four ribbons to the front and back cover of the bag, allow enough ribbon so the handles do not quite touch the bag.

Cut a piece of ribbon a little larger than the circumference of your button. Form a loop and hot glue this the center of the edge of the back cover. Run a piece of ribbon through the holes in the button and hot glue the ribbon ends to the center of the edge of the front cover. This will form a button and loop closure for the bag.

Cut two pieces of triangular-shaped material. The tip of the triangle, should be as wide as the spine of the book, the bottom of the triangle should be several inches wider than the spine. Make the triangle half an inch taller than the book. Glue a triangular piece to each side of the bag, attaching the cloth to the spine, front and back covers of the book.




Take the piece of material that was cut to the size of the book. Glue the material to the book, covering all the ribbons. Make sure this is securely glued.



When the glue is dry, the bag is ready to be used. If you want to get really fancy, you can cut a few rectangles of the same material, and glue them to the inside of the bag to make pockets. Once you get the hang of these, they are really fun to make.

Happy Halloween! This week's project is a quick and easy way to spice up some glassware for any Halloween parties that might be occurring tomorrow night.

Toll Painted Glasses

Toll painting glassware is an inexpensive way to create festive serving glasses for autumn parties. After the party, the paint easily washes off with a little soap and hot water.

You will need:

• Toll paint (acrylic paint)
• Paintbrushes
• Scratch paper
• Glassware to be painted

When choosing your toll paint, be sure it is not the kind made specifically for glass, as this type of paint is permanent and will not wash off the glassware after the party. Avoid anything that says “Patio Paint” as it is usually permanent. The best paint to use for this project is just the generic acrylic paint available in craft stores.

To make autumn leaves, load a flat-tipped paintbrush with red on one half and orange on the other (you can also substitute yellow for one of the colors). Run a short stroke down the scratch paper, squiggling the brush from side to side to blend the colors a bit.

With the red half of the brush facing out, paint several small maple leaf shapes on the glassware. Use a quick stroke through the center of the leaves to fill in any open spaces. Pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns, spiders and webs make equally appropriate glass decorations for autumn parties.

Once the glassware is painted, leave it to dry for several hours before using. After use, simply soak them in a sink full of hot, soapy water, and the paint will easily rub off with a dishtowel.

This project need not be saved only for autumn. It can easily be adjusted for any time of the year. Snowflakes, snowmen, and evergreen trees work well for Christmas. Shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day. Hearts for Valentines Day. Flowers for Midsummer’s Eve. Almost any time of year presents suitable symbols.

This week will be my last weekend at the farm market. It's both sad and exciting at the same time. Sad that it's over, but exciting in the fact that the winter rest is coming on. This week's craft is a ghost made of cheese cloth and muslin. They hold their shape when they are covered with a simple paper mache paste. This is a great project to do with kids.

Paper Mache Ghosts

The secret to making fabric ghosts hold their shape is a little flour and water. These are loads of fun to make and look great displayed as a group or on festive Halloween wreaths.

You will need: 

• Flour
• Water
• Sugar
• A saucepan
• Paintbrush
• White fabric
• Balloon or fish bowl
• Black marker
• Cheesecloth

To begin, you will have to make the paper mache paste. Adding 8 parts water to 1 part flour, boil the two ingredients together in a saucepan. When it reaches the boiling stage, remove the pan from the heat and stir in a tablespoon or 2 of sugar. Let mixture set until it is cool, it will thicken into a paste as it does. When it has completely cooled, it can either be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator. It will usually last about a week before it starts to mold.

Cut a square of white material; muslin or another similar material works well. Adjust the size according to what you want to use the ghost for. These are equally fun as tiny ghosts to decorate a wreath or as large ghosts to suspend from the ceiling. Paint the mache paste onto both side of the material. Prop the balloon or fishbowl up on a box and drape the mache covered fabric over it. (If making smaller ghosts, use an aspirin bottle to drape the fabric over.)


As the fabric is drying, cut a square of cheesecloth. Don’t worry if the ends fray, as it adds to the ghostly effect. Paint the cheesecloth with mache paste. Drape the cheesecloth over the white fabric, turning it so the ends fall in between those of the white fabric.

Let the ghost dry completely. The white fabric and the cheesecloth will stick together as they dry. Once the ghost has completely dried, remove it from the balloon it was draped over. It will hold its own shape now. Using the black marker, draw two eyes, and the ghosts are ready. The eyes can also be painted on. They can be reused year after year.

Glow-in-the-Dark Witch

For years my sister has had her bedroom roof covered in glow-in-the dark stars. They eventually gave me the idea for this project, a glow in the dark witch silhouetted against the moon. It's a pretty timeless Halloween symbol, and not really time consuming to make (which is great for a busy autumn schedule).

A witch coursing the skies on her broomstick, her form silhouetted against a full harvest moon is one of the most recognizable Halloween symbols. A little glow in the dark paint is all that is needed to make this witch light up any room.

Supplies

• Cardstock or poster board
• Glow in the dark paint
• Black paint

Instructions

To begin, decide how big you want your moon to be. Cut a piece of cardstock into a circular shape. Using yellow cardstock provides a moon silhouette even when the lights are on. Draw a freehand silhouette of a witch on a broomstick. (You can also trace a pattern if you can’t draw freehand). Fill the silhouette with black paint.

Using the glow in the dark paint (this can be found at any craft store, i.e. Jo-Anne fabrics, Michael’s etc.), coat the remainder of the moon shape. Don’t paint over the witch silhouette. When the paint has a dried, charge the moon by leaving it under a light for a few minutes. Then turn out the lights and watch the moon glow.

To create a more realistic effect, use any remaining cardboard to make stars as well. Coat them with glow in the dark paint and place them around the witch moon. If you want the glow to last longer, turn on a black light. The paint will continue to glow until the black light is turned off.

Charlie Brown Great Pumpkin Wreath

"There are 3 things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin." Familiar words to anyone who likes Charlie Brown. Earlier this week we broke out the Halloween movies starting with Hocus Pocus, the greatest Halloween movie ever filmed (which we have watched over a hundred times!), followed by the second greatest Halloween movie: Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin.

No one is ever too old to enjoy Charlie Brown; it's good, clean Halloween fun at its finest. Its only drawback is that it lasts less than a half an hour, I've always wished it was longer. So, a few years ago I came up with the design for this wreath, featuring the peanuts gang. The figures are nothing more than paper mache crafted from a little flour, water, and tissue paper and they last a lot longer than a half hour. Now, even after the movie is over, Linus can continue searching for the Great Pumpkin.

You will need:

• Grapevine wreath hoop
• Tissue Paper
• White fabric
• Flour
• Water
• Sugar
• Paintbrushes
• Acrylic paint
• Hot glue gun
• Fake autumn leaves (dried ones will crumble in this particular case)
• Orange Ribbon
• Clear varnish/sealer

The paper mache paste is the first thing that will have to be made. Adding 8 parts water to 1 part flour, boil the two ingredients together in a saucepan. When it reaches the boiling stage, remove the pan from the heat and stir in a tablespoon or 2 of sugar. Let mixture set until it is cool, it will thicken into a paste as it does. When it has completely cooled, it can either be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator. It will usually last about a week before it starts to mold.

To make the ghost costumed kids, coat both sides of a circular piece of white fabric. Drape it over a small bottle, such as an aspirin bottle, and allow it dry. When the fabric is dry, use black paint to add the eyes, or in the case of poor Charlie Brown, multiple holes.

To make the other figures, begin coating both sides of a piece of tissue paper. Tear the coated paper off in pieces, and crush them together into a ball. Then begin to form the figures. The paper mache coated tissue paper works much the same way as clay. Form the figures in separate pieces. Form heads, form arms, form legs, form bodies, and each character’s special pieces (i.e. witch hats, tail, welcome great pumpkin sign, etc.) Also form the pumpkin of paper mache. Leave the pieces to dry over night.

When the mache pieces are completely dry, glue the heads, arms, and legs to the bodies with a hot glue gun. When the glue has dried, use the acrylic paint to give life to the figures. After the paint has dried, brush the figures with a coat of clear varnish or sealer. This is usually sold on the same rack as acrylic paint.



Hot glue fake leaves to the bottom of the wreath, slightly rising on one side. When the glue on the leaves has dried, carefully attach the figures one by one with hot glue. Place Linus somewhere near his revered Great Pumpkin. Finish the wreath by placing a bright orange ribbon at the top, just off center. While it is a bit time intensive, this paper mache wreath can be reused year after year.

October!! My favorite month of the year. There are so many wonderful things in October: the harvest, brightly colored leaves, corn shocks, pumpkins, apple cider, grape juice and of course HALLOWEEN! My brother's costume is still inching its way along, almost exactly as we weave about an inch a day on it. I also found something very interesting about patterns; they aren't the size they say they are. The civil war costume I've been making was supposed to be a size 10, but I just finished it and I think it's closer to a size 6 now. I had originally intended to rent it out, but now that it's several sizes smaller, I think I'll just wear it myself for Halloween. It will be the same era as my brother's costume so we'll make a good pair for the holiday. All I have to do now is make the hoop skirt and it'll be set. I'll have to rummage through the barn and see what I can find strong enough to support the weight of the fabric. I've just learned that civil war skirts really did have a whole lot of heavy fabric!
Now onto this week's craft project. We've been eating a lot of sweet corn lately, tis the season after all, and we never let the husks go to waste. Either we feed them to the grateful cows who are always happy to receive a treat, or I make them into cornhusk dolls and put them on the wreaths I take to the market. They're loads of fun as husks are easy to work with and they're a great way to recycle the husks from some night's dinner.

Cornhusk Dolls

Cornhusk dolls allow the crafter endless possibilities. They can be anything from cute and simple to elegant and refined.

You will need:

• Dried cornhusks
• Thread/string
• An acorn or other small round object
• Wreath wire (optional)

Cornhusk dolls have their origins in Native American culture. The dolls were made as toys for children as well for more serious ceremonies. In later years, the pioneers also borrowed the tradition from the Native Americans and made dolls for their children out of cornhusks.

This project is the basic cornhusk doll. Once this is mastered, a crafter can get very creative dying or painting husks, or using scraps of cloth as clothing. To make witches for Halloween wreaths, just add a pointed hat and a twig broom. For a fairy or an angel, cut two husks into the shape of wings and hot glue to the doll’s back.
Cornhusks have to be dried before they are made into dolls otherwise they will lose their shape and fall apart. To dry the cornhusks, leave them out in the sun for a day then store them in a dry place until use.
To begin making a doll, soak the dried cornhusks in water for about 10 minutes. This will make them pliable enough to use. First take an acorn or other similar object. This will be the head. Lay two wide husks down, forming a cross. Place the acorn in the center of the husk cross. Fold the sides of the husks around the acorn. Tie off the ends below the acorn.

Next take two cornhusks to use as the arms. If you want the arms to be moveable, conceal a piece of wreath wire inside the husks. Lay the husks on top of one another, and tie them off the middle.

Using two cornhusks, lay them on the left arm, sandwiching it. Tie these two husks to the arms about a centimeter from the end of the “hand.” Fold the two husks backward over the tie, concealing it. This will form a sleeve. Tie the ends in the center. Repeat with the right side.
Slide the arms up between the long ends trailing off the neck. Tie off at the waist

Take two cornhusks and lay them diagonally across each arm. Tie off everything below the arms. This will form the bodice and the waist.

Next take eight cornhusks. Lay four on the backside of the doll, and four on the front side. Point them up toward the head. Tie off at the waist, then carefully fold them down, concealing the tie. This will form the skirt. For a male doll, separate the “skirt” into two legs and tie them at the ankles.

To make hair, glue a bit of corn silk to the doll’s head. For a female, this can be tied off in pigtails with bits of yarn. Traditionally cornhusk dolls have no faces. This is due to an old legend about a cornhusk doll who had such a beautiful face that she grew vain. She ignored her duties and responsibilities, choosing only to stare at her own reflection. The Great Spirit saw this and punished her by removing her face. This is why cornhusk dolls are made without faces.

Cornhusk Dolls

Cornhusk dolls allow the crafter endless possibilities. They can be anything from cute and simple to elegant and refined.

You will need:
Dried cornhusks
Thread/string
An acorn or other small round object
Wreath wire (optional)

Cornhusk dolls have their origins in Native American culture. The dolls were made as toys for children as well for more serious ceremonies. In later years, the pioneers also borrowed the tradition from the Native Americans and made dolls for their children out of cornhusks.

This project is the basic cornhusk doll. Once this is mastered, a crafter can get very creative dying or painting husks, or using scraps of cloth as clothing. To make witches for Halloween wreaths, just add a pointed hat and a twig broom. For a fairy or an angel, cut two husks into the shape of wings and hot glue to the doll’s back.

Cornhusks have to be dried before they are made into dolls otherwise they will lose their shape and fall apart. To dry the cornhusks, leave them out in the sun for a day then store them in a dry place until use.

To begin making a doll, soak the dried cornhusks in water for about 10 minutes. This will make them pliable enough to use. First take an acorn or other similar object. This will be the head. Lay two wide husks down, forming a cross. Place the acorn in the center of the husk cross. Fold the sides of the husks around the acorn. Tie off the ends below the acorn.



Next take two cornhusks to use as the arms. If you want the arms to be moveable, conceal a piece of wreath wire inside the husks. Lay the husks on top of one another, and tie them off the middle.



Using two cornhusks, lay them on the left arm, sandwiching it. Tie these two husks to the arms about a centimeter from the end of the “hand.” Fold the two husks backward over the tie, concealing it. This will form a sleeve. Tie the ends in the center. Repeat with the right side.

Slide the arms up between the long ends trailing off the neck. Tie off at the waist.



Take two cornhusks and lay them diagonally across each arm. Tie off everything below the arms. This will form the bodice and the waist.



Next take eight cornhusks. Lay four on the backside of the doll, and four on the front side. Point them up toward the head. Tie off at the waist, then carefully fold them down, concealing the tie. This will form the skirt. For a male doll, separate the “skirt” into two legs and tie them at the ankles.



To make hair, glue a bit of corn silk to the doll’s head. For a female, this can be tied off in pigtails with bits of yarn. Traditionally cornhusk dolls have no faces. This is due to an old legend about a cornhusk doll who had such a beautiful face that she grew vain. She ignored her duties and responsibilities, choosing only to stare at her own reflection. The Great Spirit saw this and punished her by removing her face. This is why cornhusk dolls are made without faces.

Making Your Own Grapejuice

As the grapes are getting ripe, I thought this would be a good time put on a recipe for homemade grape juice. Granted it's not really a "craft project," but it's still a do-it-yourself sort of thing. And it sure tastes good!

Making your own grape juice at home produces one of the tastiest beverages around. As an added bonus, if you grow your own grapes, you know exactly what’s going into them.

Ingredients

• Grapes
• Potatoes masher
• Colander
• Cheesecloth
• Two large pans

Method

1. Choose your grapes. My personal favorites for juice are concords, but any sweet grapes will do. Sort the grapes, weeding out the bad ones and placing the good ones in the colander. When the grapes are sorted, wash them well.
2. Dump the grapes into one of the pans and completely crush them with the potato masher. Placing the colander over the second pan, dump the mashed grapes into the colander letting the juice strain into the pan beneath. Use the potato masher to increase the amount of juice that is squished from the grapes.
3. Set the colander full of grapes aside, but don’t discard them yet. Rinse the first pan clean, then cover it with two layers of cheesecloth. Use a rubber band to secure them to the pan. Pour the pan of juice through the cheesecloth. This will catch any large particles that may have worked their way through the holes in the colander. (At this point, I usually can’t resist sampling the juice, as it is at its sweetest point.)
4. Set the cloth covered juice pan aside. Dump the remaining mashed grapes from the colander into the empty pan and cook them on a stovetop at low temperature. Allow the grape mash to simmer and bubble for ten minutes, periodically crushing it with the potato masher. After ten minutes, more juice should have seeped from the grapes. Dump the entire pan of hot grapes onto the cheesecloth and allow the juice to drain through it, mixing with the juice below. The resulting product is a much tastier and healthier juice than is found in most stores today.

This week I decided that it is definitely never too early to start making a Halloween costume. At this rate, I'll be lucky if my family's costumes are done by Halloween, let alone anyone else's. Weaving is a slow business to begin with, but it seems to get even slower when I'm never there to push the shuttle through the strings. And as for the civil war gown, sewing with a pattern is certainly a new experience. There are a lot of pieces that I'm not sure are entirely necessary, but I'm committed to sewing my first pattern exactly as it is. Next time, I'll rework to my liking.

Well, onto this week's craft project. The gourds are getting nice and ripe, in fact we've harvested a few already. A lot of people who purchase them ask what to do with them after the season is over. There are two answers. They can either be fed to a local band of ravenous cows who will happily devour every squash, pumpkin, and gourd they can get their teeth onto, or the gourds can be dried. This week's project involves making birdhouses from dried gourds.

Gourd Birdhouses

A dried gourd can make a cozy house for some lucky bird and it can make an attractive decoration for a yard as well.

You will need:

• Dried gourds
• A dremel, drill, or jackknife
• Paint
• Acrylic sealer
• Eyehooks

The best type of gourd to use as a birdhouse is actually called a birdhouse gourd. They dry easily, have a sturdy shell, and are roomy enough for a bird to enjoy. That said, one need not limit themselves only to birdhouse gourds. A gourd birdhouse is as much decorative as it is functional and there are many gourds that lend themselves well to this project. Goosenecks, apple gourds, caveman’s club, and others all work well as birdhouses. You should select one that meets your fancy.

First, you will need a gourd. If you have one dried from last year, it makes the task easier. Gourds are best dried by letting them get hit with the frost for several cool nights, just be sure not to let them get too wet. They can also be dried indoors, but require a very dry area. Birdhouses can also be made from fresh gourds, but will sometimes become distorted as they dry.

To begin, scrape off the gourd’s flaking outer skin. Using the dremel, drill, or jackknife, cut a hole about an inch and a half in diameter in the lower half of the gourd. Pull out the “guts” through this hole. In a dried gourd, guts have usually hardened and may have to be broken into small pieces to come out through the hole. Be careful not to break the hole when pulling out the guts.

When the inside of the gourd is empty, paint the outside with any design you choose. Using the hole as the center of a flower is always fun. After the paint has dried, spray it with a clear acrylic sealer to make it weatherproof.

Turn the gourd upside-down and drill 3 holes in the bottom. This will allow for drainage should any rain come in the hole. Carefully screw an eyehook into the top of the gourd somewhere near the stem. This is usually where’s the gourd’s shell is thickest and allows for the strongest hold.

Loop a piece of string through the eyehook, hang the gourd from a tree branch and wait for the birds to move in come spring. It’s good to have the houses out several months before spring. Birds don’t actually claim a house until spring, but they’re searching for good nesting sights well before.

Well, this week I learned that it is possible to weave without a loom. I just tied two board above and below a windowsill and voila! an instant weaving loom. I'm using it to weave my brother's Halloween costume. Never too early to start. I usually make costumes for rental in October, so my own family's costumes have to be done earlier. I also decided to make this week, my first week sewing with a pattern. I usually make own patterns to sew from scratch, but this week I was in Jo-Anne fabrics (my favorite store in the world) and they were having a pattern sale. I'm a sucker for any type of period garb, so when I saw a pattern for a full-hooped civil war era gown, I couldn't resist. If nothing else, I just want to experiment and see what it's like to work with a premade pattern. It should be fun.
Now onto this week's craft project. We have loads of wild catnip growing in the cow pasture. My cats love rolling in it, so I thought I'd make a few sachets they could play with in the house. If nothing else, it'll give them something to do when they get cabin fever this winter. They're quick and easy to make and will bring new life to almost any cat.

Catnip Sachets

Even older cats appear young and spry when there is catnip in the air! You can create catnip toys completely at home – growing the plant, drying it out, and handmaking playthings for your kitty.

Catnip is easily air-dried. Just harvest a few leaves and spread them out in a dry place for about a week. When the leaves feel crispy to the touch, they are ready to be used.

What You’ll Need

• Dried catnip
• Fabric scraps
• Thin ribbon
• Cotton/stuffing
• Needle and thread colored to match ribbon

Instructions

Cut a circle of fabric 5 inches in diameter. It doesn’t have to be a perfect circle, just something in a general circular shape. Lay a few dried catnip leaves in the center of the circle, then place a cotton ball on the leaves. (These can also be made without the cotton, but will require a lot more catnip to fill up the sachet. Also, the sachets tend to lose some of their bounce without the cotton, and the cats love the bounce so I always add cotton.)
Pull the sides of the fabric up around the catnip leaves and the cotton, forming a little sack. Tie the sack together with a 7-inch piece of ribbon. Leave the ends of the ribbon long, as cats love to play with these.
With the needle and thread, run two stitches all the way through the ribbon and sachet to secure it all. Tie off the thread ends at the back of the sachet.
Throw the toy into a room with a cat and watch it go wild!

Flower Preservation: Pressed Flowers

A heavy book is all that is necessary to create beautifully pressed flowers.

Pressing flowers is a fun pastime that requires relatively little effort on the preserver’s part. Not only is the process very enjoyable, but the flowers can be used in a variety of projects such as note cards and stationary. Most any type of flower or leaf can be pressed, but flowers with thick centers such as sunflowers or Echinacea do not turn out as well. On the other hand, flowers like pansies are so easy it’s incredible.

Flower presses are readily available, but not necessary to successfully press flowers. A telephone book, encyclopedia or other heavy book will work just as well. I have a large Audubon book that I press all my flowers in and as it’s bigger than most flower presses, I can press many flowers at one time.

It is best to pick flowers on a dry day to avoid extra moisture accumulation. To begin, lay a sheet of paper in the open encyclopedia (or whatever large book you might be using), to protect the book’s pages. Arrange the flowers on the paper, placing them carefully to avoid overlapping edges. The emphasis here is to imagine what it will like when it is pressed. Petals that end up folded during pressing will remain folded forever. Place another sheet of paper over the flowers and carefully close the book.

One heavy book is usually enough to successfully press flowers, particularly if the flowers are being pressed near the back of the book, so most of the book’s weight is pressing on them. However, it never hurts to place a few additional books on top to ensure enough weight. Flowers are usually fully pressed within a week, though a few may take longer. If you are unsure, it is always better to leave the flowers a little longer. It won’t harm to blossoms no matter how long they sit in the press.

Well, it's Labor Day weekend, the official end of summer, though I have a feeling it won't actually feel like the end of summer for quite some time. A cooler summer usually means a very nice fall. The Ring of Fire is this weekend too, so we'll all be heading up to my grandmother's to watch it. We live right next door to her, but her house is higher up on the hill, so there's a clear view of the lake from her house. This year, however, the corn across the road is extra tall due to all the rain. Not sure how much of the ring we'll be able to see this year.
Labor Day is usually the last big summer picnic for people, so this week's project is something to do with all those extra shells if you happen to have clams this holiday. Clamshells make great tea lights. The shells are thick and sturdy and they usually sit well all by themselves. If they're made with beeswax, they'll usually burn 10-20 minutes depending on the size of the shells.

Clamshell Tea Lights

These little candles will burn brightly for 10-20 minutes. They’re a great way to use clamshells left over from summer cookouts.

You will need:

• Empty clamshells halves
• Beeswax or another type of wax
• Double boiler or two pans
• Wicking
• Newspaper

To begin, cover your work area with newspapers, as this is a messy crafts. Soak the clamshells in warm water, then vigorously scrub them out to remove any clam residue. When the shells have dried, place them on a flat surface to see how well they set. Most of them will lean forward a bit, but try to use the flattest shells as they will hold more wax.

I always use beeswax for these candles as it is the longest burning and it is easy to wick once it begins to cool. However, other waxes can be substituted for beeswax.
Melt beeswax in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, this can be easily done by placing a pan of water beneath the pan with the wax. Melting wax this way is a safety method, as it keeps the heat from directly hitting the wax. Beeswax is highly flammable so do not leave it unattended even for a minute. If it begins to smoke, remove the pan from the heat immediately.

It is best to melt the wax on a low temperature. It may take a bit longer, but it also reduces the risk of wax fires. Do not cover the wax when melting it, but keep a lid handy in case the wax does catch fire. The lid can be used to quickly smother the flames.

Once the wax has completely melted, remove it from the burner and let it cool for 1.5 minutes. If you wish to add color, now is the time to do so. You can also add scent after the color, but it is usually not necessary with beeswax as it bears a natural honey scent.

Measure a length of wicking 1 inch for each shell candle you have. i.e. 12 candles is a 12 inch wick. Dip the wick into the wax, completely covering it, then set aside and let it cool.

Fill each clamshell to the brim with beeswax, taking care not to overflow it. While the beeswax is cooling, cut the wax covered wicking into 1 inch sections.

When beeswax cools, the bottom and the sides are the first to harden. Watch the shells carefully and when the wax at the edges has hardened about 2 millimeters from the edge, place a piece of one-inch wick into the liquid center. Let go and the wick should stand on its own. Repeat with the remaining shell candles.

After 4 hours, the candles should be cooled completely. At that point, they can be lit or saved for another special occasion.

Making a Dreamcatcher

Dream catchers are both beautiful and functional. When hung above one’s place of sleep, they are said to protect a person from nightmares.

You will need:

• A wooden or metal hoop
• Roughly 3 yards of yarn or leather string
• 1 yard of white string for the interior
• Beads
• Feathers

Dream catchers are a craft originating with the Ojibway Native American tribe. They were often woven for newborns by grandparents, to protect the children from nightmares. While the traditional dream catcher is Native American, the concept of objects to protect a sleeper from bad dreams in universal. Many cultures throughout the world have their own ways prevent bad dreams.

The Native American dream catcher consists of a hoop, within which is woven a “web,” and feathers dangling off the ends. This dream catcher is hung over one’s bed. Good dreams pass through the center hole in the web, trickling down the feathers into the sleeper’s head. Bad dreams get stuck in the web and disintegrate when they are touched by the first rays of the morning light.
To begin making a dream catcher, you will need to start with a hoop. Traditional dream catchers were made with wooden hoops (willow often works well due to it’s suppleness), but today, many dream catchers are made on metal hoops. Craft shop carry ready made metal hoops, but a cheaper solution is to fashion a hoop out of bailing wire (one of my favorite crafting mediums), or another strong wire.
Once you have your hoop, it is time to wrap the edges. (If you are using a wooden hoop, and prefer to have the wood showing, skip this step). Many dream catchers are wrapped with leather, but yarn can be just as attractive, particularly for a child’s dream catcher as the bright colors available in yarn can be quite appealing. To achieve a leather look, I often use strips of Avola (a suede like material) as an inexpensive alternative to real leather. Wrap the entire hoop in your chosen wrapping, tying off the end in a loop.

To begin the web, tie a piece of white string to the top of the hoop. Pull it a couple inches to the right (or left if you’re a lefty). This will form a space between the string and the hoop. Pull the string over the top of the hoop dropping down behind the hoop, then through the space. Pull taut. Repeat until you reach the last space.

The last space should be about half the size of the others. Instead of pulling the string through the space, this time, pull it through the center of the first loop you made. Continue on with the third, fourth, and so on. A star-like pattern will begin to form.
When you near the center of the web, slip a single bead onto string, but continue weaving the center of the loops as normal. The bead will fall into place on it’s own. Some people like to have beads covering the webs of their dream catchers, but traditionally only one bead was used. This bead represented the spider of the web.

When you reach the middle, tie off the string. There will be a small hole in the center of the web; this is where the good dreams crawl through.
Tie three pieces of string to three feathers, sliding a few beads down each shaft. Tie these three feathers to the bottom of the dream catcher. You can add a few feathers to the top of the dream catcher as well, or wherever else you desire.
Hang your dream catcher above your sleeping place and enjoy.