Advent Crafting

Hello and Welcome to Magpieheaven! I haven't created a blog about what I've been up to for some time. Today, though, I wanted to just share with you a collection of tree decorations I've created - not for a design team project or an article, but for the sheer joy of it! Not that creating for design teams and articles doesn't bring me joy - I love it; but sometimes it is nice to make something with whatever takes your fancy.

I just lost myself in creating each of these little houses to place in individual domes - a tiny, snowy world frozen in time.

Photographing the domes is tricky due to the shine. Can you see the tiny blue bird on the roof in this one? I've been eager to use these for so long, as they were gifted to me by my lovely American friend, Clintine. He sings to the princess locked in a winter world of the freedom of spring, just waiting to unlock the ice-bound land.

Clintine also gave me the paper I used to cover the little house on your right: I love that bird. The wood circles under the domes are also gifts from her!

I had so much fun using my own MDF houses, but you can find kits that will fit inside these domes from companies like Calico Craft Parts. MDF craft parts; Chiyogami paper and flakes along with Distress Glitter and my own little faces blend to tell winter stories. Some feathers from my stash found their way onto the project too.

Never throw away scraps of paper - they come in so useful on these miniature MDF houses.

A scrap of stenciling, a piece of an antique map and a wisp of a tree and a miniature world is ready to hang on the tree. No end of stories could be woven around these little domes and winter is the time for sitting around a roaring fire telling stories. The last dome dome I'm going to show you, though, has a true story behind it.

This little Jack Russel is my friend, Patsy's dog, Poppy. Patsy has been such a good friend who I've known nearly all my life. Recently Poppy became very ill and her infection left her with high blood pressure and completely blind. This amazing little dog has coped brilliantly with her disability and now enjoys her favourite things - a country walk (smells are more fascinating than ever); affection and a tasty meal with almost as much delight and enthusiasm as before.

By merging this sketch of Poppy that I created with the body from a cabinet card, I made a special version of Poppy in Winter - realized in shrink plastic - to give my friend who has nursed and cared for her beloved pet with so much love this year. It was great to be able to put the ideas and skills I'd learned in a shrink plastic class with Stephanie Rubiano to use in creating an individual gift for a special friend.

Thank you so much for popping by today and reading my blog. These 9cm cloches to hang on the tree are such fun and offer so many possibilities to create tree ornaments that you can put your own worlds into. I would recommend having a go at creating some yourself if you have a moment at this busy season! A Happy Festive Season to you!