Not a creature was stirring....

Pet Projects

Ginger Dog Treats in a Jar 
 Kitty Silhouettes

I recently read that Americans spend an average of $5 million dollars on their pets over the holiday season! Santa's list includes personalized Christmas stockings, a variety of toys and treats, not to mention spiffy new holiday outfits! 

Although Fluffy and Fido are worth every penny, here are some budget friendly ideas to celebrate our furry friends this season.

Ginger Dog Treats in a Jar

Recipe from Rachel Ray
http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipe/gingerbread-biscuits/

While your baking human cookies, why not throw in a batch of yummy holiday dog treats as well? This is also a fun and easy gift for any of the dog lovers on your list.

There are also other great recipes to try at this site (peanut butter pictured above)

http://www.lovescool.com/archives/2005/03/29/boneappetit/

Please Note: the original recipe continued cinnamon but a reader mentioned this could adversely affect dogs so I removed it. Ask your vet to be sure!

You'll need:

 Mason jar or decorative container (must hold 3 cups)

3 cups Wheat flour

1/2 tsp ground ginger-
tag with baking instructions (we have one on our Printables page)
dog bone cookie cutter- or any holiday shapes (a cat cookie cutter would be a riot)

ribbon or twine

Directions

Simply mix dry ingredients in jar, attach a fun cookie cutter and recipe tag! 

*Make sure to check with your vet if your dog has any dietary restrictions

Kitty Silhouettes

Everyone has digital photos of their pets but why not turn those pics into a classic silhouette. Of course this centuries old portrait technique originally used candlelight (and lots of patience) but we'll do more modern easy DIY versions.
These can also be done for dogs (or birds, or guinea pigs or humans for that matter) but since cats are known for demanding adoration from their owners, honoring them with their likeness to be prominently displayed seemed a fitting tribute. 

You'll Need:

photos of subject in profile 

(this can be more difficult that it would seem-even with an infinite collection of cat pics like mine)

sturdy paper or card stock

assorted paints

mini canvases

old jar lids- spray painted solid color
scrapbook paper

ribbbon, trim, glitter, odds and ends 

Once I found photos to use I sized them to scale and printed them out on sturdy paper

 The model, overseeing the creative process

 with a dark pen, I outlined the subject, taking license with the fur around the neckline to create a pleasing portrait

The photos don't have to be great light or focus-wise, more important is the angle of their cute little heads. Once outlined, carefully cut out silhouette.

 I flipped them over to tell how they would look in a solid color. These were fine but I added on the second ears, just feeling they looked more feline.

                                   

 There are several techniques you can use to create your pet portrait.

Using the silhouette as a template I placed it firmly on a mini canvas and painted the background black using a dabbing motion- like sponge painting. Once removed, the negative silhouette is created in white.

 I touched up any imperfections in the outline carefully with a small paintbrush and added some wispiness to the fur in places and "Le Chat" in white. Then I topped with a ribbon hanger and Voila!

I then finished painting the template cutout black and was able to create another portrait

                                       

I chose traditional black for these but any color combo will do.I lined the lids with scrapbook paper and glued the cut out portraits in the center. I also tried to match the color and style to the pet's personality: one loves sitting on books so I used the script the other fancies herself a princess so the pink damask.

 I then covered with a coat of Diamond glaze, let dry thoroughly and added trim, accents and ribbon hangers.

Wishing All Creatures great and small a Happy 2013!

Winter Solstice Celebration

Winter Solstice Cake

I don't usually need much of an excuse to enjoy cake, so whipping up a sweet treat to celebrate the  upcoming lighter, brighter, and lengthening days seemed a perfectly logical endeavor. Although ancient rites probably didn't include buttercream or white chocolate, the solstice "spirit" is there in this natured themed winter white confection.

I chose a light butter pecan cake and cream cheese frostings (with thanks to Betty Crocker and the Pillsbury Dough boy) but if unlike myself, you are blessed with baking skills any favorite homemade light or white cake and icing combo would be wonderful.

You Will Need

White iced cake

coconut "snow" (optional)

bread sticks or long cylinder shaped cookies (like Corinthians- my Dollar Store sells them)

white meltable chocolate 

zip-loc baggie with corner snipped for piping branches

paper moon topper

skewer

 As in an actual winter forest trees come in all shapes and sizes so I tried a variety of techniques using cookie or bread stick "trunks" and melted white chocolate branches. (If you don't have bread sticks or cookies on hand, you can also simply "paint" trunkless trees like the pines).

You can squeeze the melted chocolate using the zip-loc baggie as a makeshift pastry bag or simply paint on more free-form branches with a small spoon.

Make sure to lay out plenty of wax paper for your forest and I always make more than I need to allow for breakage. 

 Add extra chocolate wear the branches meet the trunk to secure

 As you can see some are more tree-like than others (some didn't make the cut)

Once the chocolate is hardened CAREFULLY peel away from wax paper 

(the bread sticks are especially fragile) and insert carefully into cake

Then create your winter landscape adding a moon topper (on our printable page) or any other greeting if desired

The writing is from the poem

 The Winter Solstice and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

www.astrologyinstitute.com

 In keeping with the "light" theme, you can add small votive candles among the trees just before serving, It looks lovely but act quickly, meltable chocolate really is meltable!

Wishing everyone Bright and Happy Days in the New Year!

A wing and a prayer

Angels' Wings

we get in such a rush

to fill our lives with things,

we seldom take the time

to feel the brush

of Angel's wings

                           unknown

Angel Globes * Feathered Wreath

Who couldn't use a little divine intervention in their decor? The holidays are the perfect time to add some angelic touches to your home. Of course these heavenly crafts have to be created on an earthly budget.

Angel Globes

Yes, everyone's seen these clear ornaments used a million and a half ways, but here's a simple craft that's not necessarily just for the holidays. These globes can be hung in a window, dangled on a Christmas tree branch, or simply given as a delightful gift to any of the "angels" in your life.

These are a bit tricky to photograph but they consist of an "angel" feather and mini "halo"

resting in a bed of sparkly "snow"

I hung from white ribbon but something glittery or rustic raffia would work as well

or perched one a candlestick (mine's a dollar store find with a light coat of spray paint)

or suspend from an "instant" tree (I made one of found branches spritzed with a light coat of white spray paint and glitter. I stood the branches in flower foam in a white ceramic container -covering the foam with craft moss- be sure to choose fairly sturdy branches and secure them well- my first attempt took a tumble when I added ornaments- much to the delight of my cats)

You'll Need:

Clear ornaments

Epsom salts and "faux" snow or glitter-

the epsom salt adds enough weight to keep it balanced

Craft feathers in white

Ribbon

Glittery pipe cleaners

Angel quote tags

Easy How-to

Funnel epsom salt with a bit of glitter or "snow" into globe

Pop in feather or two

Create small halo from pipe cleaner and squeeze through globe opening

If halos get a little misshapen use 2 skewers or cocktail stirrers to reshape halo inside globe. I positioned two skewers in opening in halo and pressed outward to reshape. (like building a ship in a bottle but not as hard as it would seem)

Use skewer or stirrer to rearrange or adjust items

Hang from ribbon and attach a quote if desired

 (here are a few of my favorites also available on the "Printables" page)

Feathered 

Wreath

I saw a feathered wreath at my local craft store and loved the gossamer glamour but wasn't thrilled with the price tag. I reinterpreted my own version for a fraction of the price. Since they say doves are the angels of the bird world I added one for good measure.

craft store feather wreath $34.99

You'll Need

A basic wreath: 

(mine was straw and $1 after thanksgiving but any type that could be painted white will work)

White spray paint

A feather boa (from craft store- you may need 2 if wreath is large)

Some additional feathers (I had them leftover from the angel globes)

Self Stick-on sparkles or faux jewels

Assorted doves or ornaments of your choice

silver doilies - optional

Ribbon or hanger

glue gun

 Easy How-to

(this is similar to our black Raven Halloween wreath from our Halloween Fun post)

Spray wreath with a quick coat of white paint (if it's not already)

Glue one end of feather boa to back of wreath and wrap evenly all around, adjusting as necessary

Glue or secure other end of boa 

 Looks a little sickly so far

Hot glue extra feathers for fullness. I trimmed the tough "quill" ends off of some feathers for a lighter fluffier effect. I also felt my wreath needed some more subtle sparkle, so I cut up a small plastic snowflake (6 for  $1) and glued it's "branches"among the feathers.

Then get creative: add sparkles, birds, ornaments, to taste- I cut a small "crown" from silver doily and glued on to dove's head for a royal touch. I tried a few arrangements with the accent ornaments before committing to glue and opted for a fairly simple design (if feather boas, sparkles and birds in crowns can be described as simple)

Hang with ribbon or hanger if desired

*Not wild about white? This idea could be reinterpreted in any fun or unconventional holiday color: Vintage Pink, Dove Grey, Baby Blue?

I tried a few different vignettes and thought the wreath worked well with the angel globes and some (not necessarily Christmas) bird themed odds and ends I had on hand.

Wishing everyone Joy 

and 

Peace this Holiday Season