Nature Table/Sented Pinecones

Ta Dah!! This is the new gnome house for my nature table. It's made with a wood base about the size of a square tissue box. I painted the roof green and then covered it with moss. Then I painted the walls of the house black and covered them with river stones. I used hot glue to attach the stones and moss. It might be a bit big for my nature table dolls, but for now it's supper cute. The pinecones are Cinnamon scented. You can buy them at $5. a bag OR you can make them yourself by brushing pinecones with cinnamon oil and tying them in a plastic bag with cinnamon sticks (you can also add dried orange peel and cloves). Shake the bag once in a while and in about a month or two they will be ready. Sure it takes a little while to cure, but it's worth it! You can sent your whole house this way.

First Snow Fall

I woke up this morning and the world was covered in a thin blanket of snow. The first snow fall of the season. It's a bit early for snow but we are long over due for a Halloween Blizzard (like the one back in the 80's). It was the perfect time for this little fellow to be born. From his delightful nose to his wee little rump he is slightly less than 2 inches long and from the the tippy top of his head to his tiny toes he's only 1 inch tall. There is a brass wire armature in his core and he's wool felted just like the raccoon; however, I soaped his body to felt the extra fibers in a bit tighter. His eyes are made out of onyx seed beads. Today Bear and I will hibernate indoors much like our little felted bear emerging only to get refills of hot coco and cider. Happy first snow fall everyone!

Raccoon

This is my second attempt at needle felting.... I think I should have made him a bit bigger. Then it would have been easier for me to felt and easier for him to tip trashcans. This is one little raccoon that I wont mind living around my house. His arms legs and body are formed off of a wire armature. The head was attached last. He is the perfect size for my nature table. I made him this small because I want to make two to three inch sheep. AND I thought it would be cute to have a tiny raccoon.

Needle Felted Pumpkin

Something that I have been wanting to try for a few years is needle felting. After being challenged to work on a different craft everyday this week I finally got the courage to try this art form. This is my first attempt at needle felting. I started by making an orange wool ball, felting and rolling till it was more or less the shape that I wanted. Then I mixed a little brown and green wool and rolled it between my hands (like how you would make a play-dough snake). I folded it in half and rolled it again. I felted the end with a loop to the top of the pumpkin, and finished it off by making creases down the sides. I had to go over them repeatedly to make them deep enough. Still unsatisfied I felted the creases in with tightly rolled pieces of brown wool. The curlicue on the stem was made by tightly twisting the stem and letting go. I made several pumpkins and tucked them into my grapevine wreath (the pumpkin in the picture was the first one I made). My next attempt will be to try making animals.

Planting Crocus Bulbs in Clay

No "Crafts" so to speak of today. Yesterday I planted 120+ crocus bulbs in my front lawn. Yes, I said lawn. The plan is for them to come up before the grass starts growing next spring and to be spent before the first mowing of the season. Around Easter, after a long winter, when every one's lawns are mud my front lawn will be covered in flowers for every one to enjoy. Now here is the catch, my yard is clay. To plant these bulbs I used a paddle bit on an electric screwdriver to make the holes. Then I carefully put the bulbs in (right side up). Next year I might try long tweezers to put them into the holes. I did have a slight problem of the bulbs wanting to flip. The holes were to small for me to flip them right side up. I solved that problem by drilling a second hole close by and digging the bulb out to replant properly. Tweezers would allow me to put them in right all the way down. Then I filled in the holes with potting soil so the frost can not get to the bulbs. I can't wait for spring. I will have either a beautiful lawn or fat squirrels. Wish me luck!