Thanksgiving is fast approaching; and directly on its heels, the winter holidays and gift giving time. I expect you’ve already started your holiday crafting, especially if you’re participating in the seasonal craft fairs. So in this issue, I’m sharing some “quickie” holiday projects and one that your kids or grandkids can do alongside you.

You’ll create family keepsakes and cherished memories at the same time. Since you’re a crafter, it’s highly likely that some of them have inherited your artistic genes! It’s up to you to nurture them.

If you haven’t visited our website lately, there’s lots of new stuff to see. We’ve added segments on home cured modeling clays (including recipes), decoupage and collage; more ideas for computer crafting; and more graphics.

Our first goal, as a new website, was to get some good (actually we’re shooting for great!) content up. Now, as we’re learning more and more about web design, we’re focusing on the “look” of our site. Hope you like what you see, as well as what you read.

Please fill out our survey and let us know what you think. Newbies that we are as webmasters, we just realized that the survey form had not been activated previously. It is now. (And we thought you just didn’t like us.) Apologies to those of you who may have attempted to fill it out earlier.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Eileen

”Goofy Turkey” Place Cards

Download our free pattern for Goofy Turkey Place Cards – available here. If you are having a big family gathering for Thanksgiving with lots of kids – or kids at heart – these silly looking turkey place cards may be just the thing to complete your table.

If you’re hosting a more formal Thanksgiving dinner, you might like to use our Della Robia wine glass collars (available here) as place cards for a more elegant look.

Home Cured Modeling Clays

If you haven’t worked with modeling clay since you were a child, you have to check out our new segment on Home Cured Modeling Clays. It is the result of extensive research and testing.

If you’re a beader, collager, scrapbooker or decouper (that’s the proper term, I’ve been told, for someone who does decoupage art), you really should be creating some of your own materials from clay. I’ve done simulated stones like turquoise and coral, as well as granite (great for pendants and bracelets). Except for the lighter weight, it’s difficult to tell they aren’t real. Figurines; medallions; broaches; adornments for cards, plaques, wall clocks or picture frames … the list of possibilities goes on and on.

AND this is a great project to do with the kids or grandkids this time of year. While you’re creating your art, give them some clay. Let them roll it flat and cut out ornaments using holiday cookie cutters. Have them poke a hole at the top for hanging and decorate to their hearts’ content. If the clay is uncolored, they can paint with acrylics after it dries. Draw garland with a glitter glue pen. Glue shiny beads as ornaments on a tree or wreath shape.

The Christmas tree ornament pictured on the Bread Based Clays page was made by our son when he was five. It still graces our tree every Christmas.

This is what I meant about creating family keepsakes and cherished memories at the same time. If you decide to try one of the Bread Based Clays, friend and contributor Kay Davies, says the leftover bread crusts make great bread pudding. Following is her recipe for Bread Pudding. Thanks, Kay!

Kay’s Scrumptious Bread Pudding

Very simple! I fill a pan with stale bread (use just the crusts if I've been making beads) broken up into bit size pieces then mix together: 1 cup sugar, 3 eggs, 2 cups of milk, 3 tablespoons oleomargarine or butter, and 1 tsp vanilla.

I put the oleo and milk in the microwave to heat the milk almost to boiling and to melt the oleo ... then pour this over the broken up bread pieces and let it set until the milk is almost absorbed. I mash the bread down into the milk until it is all covered.

The English way is to just let the pieces poke up through the milk but I don't like the hard dry crust this gives the pudding. Bake it until it is not 'giggly'. I bake mine at 325 to 350 degrees and it takes about 45 minutes. Time and temp vary with the size pan you use, of course.

You can add raisins and cinnamon if you like ... Yumm! Think I'll go make some too ... Hugs, Kay

Another Quickie Holiday Project – Holiday Wine Glass Charms

Wine glass charms are soooo simple to make. They’re always a hit as a hostess gift and make great conversation pieces at your own parties. All you need is ring-size memory wire, some beads, end caps and cute little charms. Find full directions for Christmas Wine Glass Charms here.

Getting Ready for the Holiday Craft Fairs

My next craft fair is coming up November 22 and 23. So the next three weeks, I’ll be focusing on making projects that have been big sellers in previous years. Perhaps my list will be helpful to you.

Priority 1: is computer-crafted items because they are quick, easy and the designs are already done or fairly quick to do. I’ll be making 10-packs of note card size Christmas cards for $10. I’ll also put out some individual cards for $1 each. I’ll do Christmas wreath wine glass collars (just finished the design this morning), 12 for $6; Christmas place cards, also 12 for $6, as well as several other place card designs.

Priority 2: is sewn items, but the simpler, the better given the little time remaining.

Gift bags, especially wine gift bags, have been big sellers for me. I make them in jute with handles crocheted from natural fiber twine like sisal or hemp or from strips of leather attached with grommets. I always sew some doo-dad next to the handle to make them unique.

For Christmas, I use artificial holly, poinsettias and gilded berries or grapes. These bags go for $5 each. I also make cotton wine gift bags whenever I find a cute cotton print.

I have some Chanukah blue and silver fabric and lots of Christmas angels, nutcrackers, and holly. For the cotton bags, I sew a ribbon tie right into one of the side seams. The cotton bags are $4 each. I square off the bottoms of all my bags to give a more finished look.

Metallic sheer organza also makes beautiful gift bags. I make these in various sizes and use wired ribbon sewn into a side seam to be artfully arranged by the gift giver when used.

If I have time, I will make some panadieres or fabric bread baskets. I have two sizes: a square one which is the perfect size for matzo bread and a rectangular one using “pages” from fabric sample books. Mine are lined with double layers of cut up plastic report covers.

I’ve seen patterns for these baskets with no lining, which makes for a pretty floppy basket! The plastic lining means mine can go in the washing machine or be hand washed and laid flat to dry and store. I sell them for $12. They’re popular gifts because they’re unusual (even unique) and they’re easy to mail or tuck into a suitcase as you head off for the family holiday gathering.

Priority 3: is other crafts, mostly experimental. This is what feeds my artistic soul. Isn’t it a shame it has to be last on my list?!

I bought some glass votive candle holders last year and still haven’t gotten around to doing anything with them. Can you relate to that? I would like to become more proficient at glass painting. I’ve purchased Delta PermEnamel Air Dry paints, which dry to a durable dishwasher-safe finish. I also have glass etching medium which I have yet to try. I think an etched interior, washed with gold or silver paint would be really pretty for the holidays. If it works, I’ll share the idea with you in my next newsletter.

Marketing Tip: At the fairs, I put out a Santa hat and special order cards for people to fill out and drop in. I put up a sign with a dancing goose in a Santa hat singing, “Christmas is coming. The goose is getting fat. Please put an order in this old gal’s hat”.

Good luck with your craft fairs. I know what a frantic time of year this is for you. But isn’t it all worth the effort when people stop to admire and buy your work?