Hello everyone. Just a quick note to let you know that I’ve decided to add some Christmas recipes to the site. When you’re hard at work making crafts for the holidays you’re bound to get hungry so don’t be afraid to try some of these goodies and see what you think.

John

Well, it’s that time again…It’s nearing my favorite time of
year, Christmas time, and make no mistake about it,” Christmas is for
Crafts”! From now until December 24th I’ll be posting new ideas at least
once a week, so get your scissors, glue, and construction ready to go,
and check back often.

John

Teresa and I will be getting our tree this coming weekend, which means will be making our popcorn Christmas garland Wednesday night. The tricky part will be not only keeping our cats from playing with the garland while we’re making it but also keeping them from trying to eat it once it’s up on the tree… they did that last year.

My idea is to sacrifice a few shiny ornaments as “lower-hanging” play toys but Teresa doesn’t think that will be such a good idea. She would rather keep a few real cat toys scattered around the tree instead… I don’t think that’s a good idea.

Oh well, it won’t really matter once the popcorn garland is up, and besides we’ll just make a spare in case the cats decide it’s time to start eating it or tearing it down!

What “yule” need:

3 cups baking soda
3 cups cornstarch
1 5/8 cups water (cold)

How to prepare it:

Combine baking soda and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add the water gradually until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this mixture constantly under heat (not too hot mind you) until it reaches the consistency of mashed potatoes.

Put your clay mixture on a plate large enough to accommodate it and cover it with a dampened towel. When the dough is cool enough to handle, Knead it and your read to start shaping it into Christmas ornaments, Christmas beads, decorations for a faux gingerbread house, or anything else you can think of.

The main thing is to have fun!

My sister and I used to make ornaments with Christmas craft salt dough when we were in grade school. I think my mom kept the Christmas tree ornaments until just a couple of years ago, when my father and her moved out of our childhood home.

Here’s what you’ll need for the craft dough, and remember you can and should adjust accordingly. If you have more kids, or bigger projects make a bigger batch – and the opposite applies for less kids and smaller projects. Also, don’t forget that you can add food coloring as needed:

Christmas Craft Dough

2 cups salt
2 cups flour
1 cup water (a little less if you want it firmer)

Mix flour, salt, and water to make a stiff mixture.
Knead mixture for about ten minutes to dissolve salt.
Clay is ready to shape.

Today was Black Friday for retail stores, but fear not crafters, it’s not as “gloomy” as it sounds. If you were brave enough to go out to the craft stores you undoubtedly got some great deals. If instead you decided to stay home and make some crafts, you undoubtedly made some great crafts.

You see it’s just that time of year. No matter what your underlying beliefs are, if you are involved in crafting at Christmas time, you can’t help but feel happy, and happiness is contagious… Especially “Christmas happiness” and it can’t help but show up in your crafting.

Christmas is the time when making, giving, and receiving crafts gets turbo charged, and now’s the time to start. Okay, if you’re saying it’s too late to get started, well then I say Bah Humbug – It’s only too late to craft if you think it is, and if you think it’s too late then it’s all in your mind… Get crafting, and stop complaining:)