On the Sixth Post of Christmas I'm Pleased to Share with Thee...

...Six Christmas Crafts...

Last Christmas I lived in a small apartment in the city in Southern Canada. This year I'm in a house surrounded by wilderness, so I decided to go about making a few things to celebrate the season and The North.

The first is an inspiration from my Mother. She used to artfully hang branches on the door to our farmhouse when we were little, so I took a pair of clippers on a walk with the dogs and picked up a few boughs. I hung some gold pine cones with the branches, and looking at it now I think it needs a nice big red or gold ribbon.

The second craft is only for those living in The North like me: an ice wreath. I used clippings from the branches that I scavenged and found some winter berries too. I arranged them in a bowl with water, making sure to put a decent sized container in the middle filled with water too. Then I put the bowl outside overnight.

The next morning I took the bowl inside to let it warm up just a little to make it easier to take the wreath out. Then I simply hung it with string by the window. I sure hope that we don't get a great gust of wind that sends this one into the window. Perhaps I should hang in on the tree farther away, but then I wouldn't get to look at it as much. 

Speaking of ice and wreaths, it's gotten so cold Up Here that walks are becoming quite the chilly affair, especially for little Nanuq. He often ends up with little icicles in inconvenient places, although it doesn't seem to bother him in the least. At least we know that every thing works fine: last night my crafty little puppy made his own homemade wreath all around the kitchen table.

The third craft is an easy one too, involving only three elements: a long cylindrical vase, string (or rubber bands) and spray paint. Simply wind the string around the vase tightly, or arrange the rubber bands, then spray paint. I only did two light coats so that lots of light can get through: if you want light to be seen only through the lines, make sure to spray more heavily. Once dry, remove the string/rubber bands and pop in a candle to enjoy the metallic glow.

The fourth craft is my favourite. I have been keeping the corks from wine bottles for a few years now, not for any particular reason but I just didn't want to throw them out. I figured that they may come in handy someday, and that day arrived when I discovered these Cork Elves. For a knitting novice, at times an impatient one, they're a quick and super cute project. They're originally called Korknisse because they're from a Norwegian DIY craft site, but you can access the English pattern here.

The elves are a perfect way to use ends of wool from other projects, and the variation of colour and style are endless. I adapted the pattern to suit the yarn that I was using. I was also inspired by the sparkling wine corks, which are fatter and more curvaceous than the normal corks, to make a little Santa Clause. Here's the pattern that I made for those:

Coat:

Cast on 24 stitches loosely with white yarn, join in the round, (k2, p2) for 2 rows

Switch to red yarn, k, k2tog, k until halfway through, then k2tog, k until end of row

K for 1 row

K, k2tog, k until halfway through, then k2tog, k until end of row

K for 2 rows 

Switch back to white yarn, k, M1, k until halfway through, M1, k until end of row

Cast off

Hat:

Cast on 22 stitches loosely with white yarn, join in the round, (k2, p2) for 2 rows

Switch to red yarn, k for 2 rows

K2tog, k3, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k4

K for one row

K2tog, k2, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k3

K for one row

K2tog, k1, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k2

K for one row

K2tog, k1, k2tog, k2tog, k1, k2tog

K for one row

K2tog, k1, k2tog, k1

K for one row

K2tog, k2tog

K for one row

K2tog

Tie last stitch off and add a tassel if you want

If your elves are looking for a place to hang out, you can quickly make the fifth craft to suit their needs: a handful of cinnamon sticks make a cute pile of logs, perfect for tiny elves, and some nice Christmas ribbon finishes the look nicely.

Lastly, I wanted to make some ornaments for my tree to celebrate our first Christmas Up North. I used elements from the outdoors, specifically those I find while walking the dogs. I found the clear glass ornaments at Michaels, and the fake snow at Wal-Mart. The little pine cones I spray painted silver for a more festive and colourful look.

This ornament contains some of the sand from the beach where we walk, and also a rolled up piece of birch bark. I soaked the bark in water overnight, then wrapped it around a pencil, securing it with some twist ties. Then I put it in water again overnight, then let it dry out. 

The last one is simply little pine cones stuffed into the ornament. I spray painted a few silver and gold, but I wanted the natural look for this one so I left most the way God intended. 

I hope that these crafts inspire you to use elements around you to brighten up your holidays.