The snow scene is special to me, only because of the little girl in blue, she was used to decorate the top of my mother's Christmas cakes, for many years. We don't like sugary icing, so she had become redundant and was in danger of being lost. Luckily I found a wooden board complete with a very tall glass dome, at a jumble sale (one pound) it seemed like the ideal way to display her.
I made some wreath bases from the pliable vines of my honeysuckle plants. By the time I had finished, they were twice as thick as this and ready for action. In the past I have paid a ridiculous amount of money for wreath bases, much better to use free garden clippings, plus a few minutes of effort.
I trawled the gardens for greenery. Holly, of course, ivy from Owl Wood, lots of rosemary and the big bay tree provided the rest. The wire is left over from when I made my Christmas angels, I used it to make their wings.
One of the nicest things about working with these simple things was the smell, especially the rosemary!
By the time I got to wreath number three, I must admit that I had had enough of it for one day!
I found some red hessian and made some rather inexpert bows, to finish them off - I love red and green at Christmas time, it makes me happy.
The main gates are huge, so I made this large one for there, the others went onto the house doors. They are rustic, very inexpensive, they do the job.
Our grandchildren have spent the night with us, their parents have taken themselves off to Lincoln ,for a bit of peace and quiet (and last minute shopping) before Christmas.
Yesterday afternoon grandchildren and I made some more 'natural' firelighters - this time we used dried orange peel, cinnamon, cloves and star anise, they smell really good.
I got the old wind-up gramophone out and the old pile of 78's which had belonged to my parents. I treated us to some carols, as sung over 60 years ago by the St Martin's Choral Society. The quality of the sound was impressive, considering the mistreatment those records have received over the years.
I had better head off and make some breakfast preparations, it won't be long before my little elves wake up for a morning of mischief. We should be able to hand them back to their parents by early afternoon. I may need a jolly good nap then!
Enjoy your weekend.
You must be quite the domestic goddess with an angel like that supervising you!
ReplyDeleteOnly in my dreams! I do find the angel a comforting presence. It is only made from papier mache - the crumpled wing came about after one of our previous homes lost a tile and some water dripped onto it.
DeleteI wish we hadn't dumped our honeysuckle cuttings now, I want to make a wreath! You are so clever with your crafts.
ReplyDeleteI only heard about how useful they can be, last year. I made a mental note of the fact - luckily, my brain allowed me to recall it at the appropriate time!
DeleteYour wreaths are gorgeous. My daughter bought me one of the little glass display boxes and it is perfect for displaying little Christmas bits like the domes. Those records with the dog on bring back wonderful memories for me.
ReplyDeleteLovely old HMV labels! We didn't listen to that record, I just couldn't do the post without reminding people of how lovely they were. I'm glad it brought back some good memories.
DeleteYou are clever. I like your wreaths and I wish I had mastered the art. I used to buy them and then decorate. That was in the good old days when I was keen. Sadly life as it is doesn't encourage me to bother bur I still spend most of the time designing and making Christmas cards.
ReplyDeleteSo you haven't lost the desire to craft, Valerie. I always promise myself that this year will be the one where I design my own cards - but then I end up buying them. I need more self discipline! I just fiddle around with many things, master of none.
DeleteNo more wreath making here but it was a fun task.
ReplyDeleteThe smell was wonderful and it was nice to work outdoors for a while, Marcia.
DeleteNever thought about useing Honeysuckly vines, not that I have any now, just clemetis. It looks simple enough to make so I might have a go next year, the one I put on my parents grave was £8 and that was a lot cheaper than others I have seen around. Only thing I made was my wife Christmas present which she wanted this year.
ReplyDeleteForgot to mention we do not have Christmas cake now other that something we buy,my aunty used to make us one and after she died many years ago we missed having one. Somthing else I suppose I could try.
DeleteHave a wonderful Christmas
Thank you, Bill. Just make sure that whatever vines you use have a bit of flexibility, and you can't go wrong. Long trails of young ivy are great for helping to bind things together, while adding to the look and the ivy flower buds/berries look stunning.
DeleteI hope your wife loves her present, made with love.
Happy Christmas to you and yours.
Never thought of using honeysuckles vines for wreath making. What a brilliant idea. Merry Christmas to the Little Elves and to you and G of course xx
ReplyDeleteThank you, Molly. My little Elves had a lot of fun and, eventually, went home very happy. They now have the rest of the lead up to Christmas filled with events and gatherings. Meanwhile, G and I are exhausted and plan nothing more exciting than a good rest. ;)
DeleteI hope you have a Merry Christmas.xx
I have plenty of honeysuckle in my garden - but today I was cutting the usual willow and hazel for the former for our wreath. We had a visitor, so it will be made up tomorrow, but I will gather some honeysuckle and make another for inside the house.
ReplyDeleteI need to go back through your posts and see where the firelighters recipe is, as those would make a nice little gift for my OH (who is the firelighter in our house).
I only ever had two 78rpm records, given to me by a neighbour - Le Mer and Kisses Sweeter Than Wine! I only have to hear a snatch of either to be back in my bedroom, aged around 8 or 9, using one of my mother's sewing needles to get any sound from our old record player!
The firelighters look beautiful, don't they! I think I wrote about them on 'Mid November in an English Village' - but they are just paper cases, melted wax/tealights, with a few natural additions, plus a little bit of wick. Orange peel (dried out in the hearth for a couple of days) is an excellent, combustible addition.
DeleteThose poor old records have been all over the place with us, stored in lofts, forgotten - and yet still they work and give pleasure. The only draw back with the old wind up gramophone is the lack of volume control - it has a small set of doors below the turntable - 'doors open' for painfully loud, 'doors closed' and the volume reduces to very loud. It is perfect for garden parties, which is when we normally use it. I will file away the snippet of information about the sewing needles, never know when that may come in handy. I love the way these things are so low tech, but still work.
Very festive and creative on the wreaths! How are the firelighters made? I do appreciate your Cherub, as my Grand had many of them through out their house. I love the 78's, and it is fabulous that they still fill the house with sweet music!
ReplyDeleteHello wyomingheart, Those old 78's gave my parents a lot of pleasure, I well remember them dancing around the kitchen as they played. Brilliant that they can still entertain their great grandchildren all these decades later.
DeleteThe firelighters are easily made, paper cake cases, filled with some combustible natural (visually pleasing) findings, then add some wax chips (from old candles, tealights, etc) melt them in an oven, then add a little piece of wick, add the toppings and let them cool. (Mid November in an English Village is where I originally posted about them.)
The snow scene is adorable. I can see why it is so special to you.You did a nice job on the wreaths.
ReplyDeleteHello Deb, The wreaths have been coping with heavy rain for the last few hours, if they have survived the battering, they will at least be nicely hydrated and should keep for a little while longer! I guess where you are, it would be ice and snow that would be coming down. No doubt the Mouse House is filled with marvellous festive preparations!
DeleteThe wreaths are delighful and I can just imagine the scents in your kitchen as you made both wreaths and firelighters. We have a wreath base we made from hazel twigs a few years ago. It is still in the garage waiting for us to get out and collect some foliage for it. Like you we aren't fond of icing so have made a Dundee cake this year. I remember my parents' old 78s which used to come out at Christmas when various older relatives were with us for Christmas Day. I remember Ronnie Ronald whistling 'A Dream of Olwen' and 'Happy Wanderer' by a girls choir. How wonderful you still have a gramophone to play those records on:)
ReplyDelete