Decorative wooden hangers

 Hello dear readers,

I needed something to stand out from the walls of my book nook and remembered that once, years ago I made decorative wall hangers.  In my stash, there are many laser cut triangles that can easily be turned into lovely wall hangers.  I made two and here is how these were done.

After the two wall hangers will be painted and dry with the baskets on them, they'll be fixed between the windows and balcony

The light fixtures have arrived.  I plan to install the light from above and am debating how to make it. Here is a glimpse of how the book nook looks with the mirror installed.

That's all for the time being.  We are back in lockout starting today.  It will be strictly guarded for a fortnight. while most of us will get inoculated with the VOD-19 vaccine.  For me it makes no great difference, I'm still alone but not sad or lonely.  There is so much to do between cleaning, crafting, reading, keeping in touch virtually with friends and family, watching movies.  (I love black and white oldies.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcgHGRLYaIw

Happy Holidays! 

Giveaway Results

Hello dear readers,

It's time for the raffle so here is the list of participants. I added all the names of those who kindly commented on my tutorial to those who commented on my previous, 13. Dec. post.

1. Milimari.  2. Xandra.  3.  Britt.  4.  May.  5.  Marian.   6.  Carmen.    7.Elena.  8. Fabiola.  9. Ilona.   10. . Alexandra.  11. Pilar.  12. Rosa Maria.  13. Sheila.  14. Eloisa.  14. Isabel.  16. Birgit.  17. Nina.              18. Pilar.  19. Carmen.  20. May.  21. Xandra.  22. Teresa.  23. Ana.  23. Matxalen.  25. Teredu.  26. Naran. 27. Sheila.   28.  Elena.  29.  Eloisa.  30.  Ilona.  31.  Robin.  32.  Blanches.   33. Jodi.   34. Marian.              35. Cyberarpia.  36. Birgit.  37. Rosa Maria.  38. EVA.  39. Alexandra.  40. Isabel.  41. Fabiola.

Congratulations dear Rosa Maria! Please email me your address to drorahed@gmail.com. 

We had a small relief in the COVID-19 plague situation. Families and small groups could go on outdoor trips, of course on condition of wearing masks and keeping distance. My grandson Gilad and his family traveled north and brought me a souvenir from the Sea of Galilee, tiny seashells. I got them yesterday.

Unfortunately, the number of those infected in the epidemic is rising and there may very well be another enclosure soon. I hope to be able to send the prize on Sunday morning.

I wish you a calm and safe weekend with blessings.

Advent Giveaway

 Hello dear readers,

I have decided to make a giveaway that will include the miniatures from my cookies tutorial as well as items I crafted recently see photo below. 

All you have to do if you wish to participate in the draw is to be a follower, old or new, and make a comment on this post. The draw will be on 17 December, the last night of Hanukka when all the 8+1 candles are lit. All 23 blog friends who commented on my previous post, (2020 Calendario de Adviento) are automatically included and will get a double chance if they make a comment on this post.

Happy Hanukka with blessings!

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2020 Calendario de Adviento

 Hola queridos lectores

Una vez más estoy aquí con ustedes, participando en el 2020 Calendario de Adviento organizado por Matxalen. Gracias Matxalen por invitarme a participar.

Este es mi paso a paso tutorial para hacer un plato de servir transparente de pata larga y galletas instantáneas sin arcilla

Hello dear readers

Once again I am here with you, participating in the 2020 Spanish Advent calendar organized by Matxalen. Thank you Matxalen for inviting me to take part. 

This is my step by step tutorial for making a long leg transparent serving plate and instant no clay cookies.

Para el plato transparente

For the transparent plate

Materiales y herramientas 

Materials and tools

Un gran goggle-eye de 1,5 cm de diámetro

Un alfiler transparente

Alicantes

Tijeras

Pegamento (pegajoso o pegamento cliente)

One large, 1.5 cm diameter goggle-eye

One transparent push-pin

pliers

scissors

glue (Tacky or hot glue)

Usa las tijeras para cortar una tira delgada alrededor del ojo de las gafas para separarlo.

Saque el pasador de metal de la parte de plástico con los alicates. El passador sale fácilmente si primero lo calienta. El plástico será la pata del plato. Empuja el extremo más pequeño de la pierna hacia una superficie caliente para aplanarlo y pégalo a la cubierta del ojo.

Use the scissors to cut a thin strip around the goggle-eye to separate it.

Pull out the metal pin from the plastic part by using the pliers.  The pin comes out easily if you heat it. The plastic will be the plate's leg.  Push the smaller end of the leg to a hot surface to flatten it and glue it to the cover of the goggle-eye.

Para las galletas

For the cookies

Materiales y herramientas 

Tools and materials

Lámina fina de espuma artesanal de color blanco y crema 

Pinturas acrilica de color marrón oscuro y blanco

esmalte de uñas rojo

Perforadora de papel de oficina regular, perforadora en forma de estrella o flor

White and cream-colored thin craft foam sheet 

Dark brown and white acrylic paints

red nail polish

Regular office paper punch, star or flower shape punch

Para galletas redondas decoradas con mermelada.:

Utilice la perforadora de oficina para cortar pequeños discos. Pinte un pequeño círculo blanco en el medio de cada disco y agregue una gota de esmalte de uñas rojo. Si desea que las galletas se vean más horneadas, mezcle una pizca de amarillo, marrón con dos pizcas de blanco aguado y cepille esta mezcla sobre ellas.

For jam decorated round cookies:

Use the office punch to cut little disks. Paint a tiny white circle in the middle of each disk and add a drop of red nail polish. If you want the cookies to look more baked, mix a pinch of yellow, brown with two pinches of watered white and brush this mixture over them.

 

Si tiene perforadoras con aberturas más grandes para permitir que entre la espuma artesanal de 2 mm, puede hacer más formas de galletas, incluso marron y blanco bombones de chocolate. 

If you have punches with larger openings to allow the 2mm craft foam to enter, you can make more cookie shapes, even brown and white chocolate candies. 

Sugerencia: la decoración festiva para Navidad se puede hacer perforando hojas de manualidades con brillo.

Suggestion:  Festive decorations for Christmas can be done by perforating glittering foam sheets.

Me dio gusto practicar mi, casi olvidado, español, por lo que agradezco a todos mis lectores que hablan español.

Les deseos Feliz Dias de Adviento

Translation re

It gave me pleasure to practice my almost forgotten Spanish for which I thank all my Spanish-speaking readers.

I wish you Happy Advent Days 

Translation resuUn gran ojo de plástico para gafas

 

Book Nook project (Part 5)

 Hello dear readers,

Suddenly it is December again.  I feel as if I skipped November doing very little.  For example, the book nook isn't finished yet. Anyhow, before it will be finished I want to show you how the opposite wall looks because after assembly it will be difficult to take photos.

My friend Sarit is ordering the mirrors and when they are ready, she'll come over, and together we'll fix the lights (with what I have in my stash because the ones ordered online have not arrived). We'll also assemble the book nook and install the mirror.

The empty spaces are for the mirror.  I add stairs for the entrance to the book shop.

When my husband, may he rest in peace, and I resided in Bogota, Colombia,  we enjoyed very much the months of December, especially the time before Christmas when the stores and shopping centers were decorated with hundreds of pots of poinsettias and other Christmas decorations.  Just for nostalgia I decided to make these flowers and did my best with what supplies I had at hand. 

I made all the pots, the large one from egg-carton, the smaller pots from fired clay.

I used this punch to make the plants.

This is a smaller version of the plant.

I used this star punch for making it.

 

Please do not forget to follow the new 2020 Advent Calendar organized by Matxalen. 24 tutorials, a new tutorial each day!

I wish you safety and good health with blessings.

Hanging flower baskets

 Hello dear readers,

A few weeks before celebrating the 8 days of Hanukkah,  Kids in the kindergartens all over the country make menorahs to bring home to their proud mothers.  

These menorahs are usually a piece of long wood with nine round candle containers glued or nailed on it (with teachers' help). Day 1, the server candle, called the SHAMASH is lit and when it burns it is used for lighting the first candle. On day 2, the server candle is lit and then it lits two candles and so on until we reach the last day 8 when the server lits all the 8 remaining candles  The server candle always stands higher or apart from the r

And why all this information?  It's the time craft stores carry small candle containers of various shapes and materials in packets of 9 pieces and these are very useful for miniatures. Last year I bought metal containers which are in reality jewelry findings. I made my hanging flower baskets from them. 

I painted the metal bead caps used cotton crochet twine instead of metal chains which were too heavy. Now I have 9  hanging baskets. It was time-consuming but calming. 

Tomorrow for the first time in a long while, I'm going out to see what the craft shops carry for Hannukah this year.

Here are pictures of Hanukkah menorahs made by children.

Still working on the opposite wall of my Book Nook project.  I'm taking things slow and easy.

Blessings and good wishes to all.  Stay safe and healthy! 

 

Book Nook (Part 3)

Hello dear readers,

Like most of you, I'm working on my Christmas and Hanukka gifts.  I still do not know when it will be possible for me to go out and send them to their destinations and they'll be probably late in arrival but my friends and family will have to forgive me this time, we're all in the same boat.  Better late than never.

In between, and while waiting for the light fixtures and mirror, I was able to make a little progress in the book-nook project.  Just adding colorful flowers to the rather boring stone walls seemed not enough so I stole from my accumulated hoarded staff an old piece of stained-glass contact paper, framed it with a piece of plastic net, and glued it on the door of the bookshop. I realized too late that a shop if it wants clients to enter has to have a door.  I was lucky there was barely enough space for the door but I managed to create one and install it as part of the shop facade.

Before and after

There are more, lots of time-consuming flowers, plants and a hanging flower basket to make for the balcony and windows of the opposite wall. I'll tend to it after I finish the two Holidays gifts.

Please take care of yourselves and your families and stay safe.  Blessings!

A Bench for the Book Nook

 Hello dear readers,

As I mentioned before,  the bench I ordered arrived in time but was too small.  I had to create another. .  All the materials are from my stash.  Sometimes it's good to be a hoarder.

There are only balsa sheets for sale here.  I buy craft plates that can be cut with a sharp knife.  Usually, I work with craft sticks but sometimes a wider or thicker piece of wood is necessary and I cut it from these plates to the size I need. The seat is from the plate, the back is from the square piece of embellishment cut exactly in half and glued together as you see in the photo.  Then, glued between two pieces of 3 mm wooden sticks.  The sides are from the small triangle wood embellishments and the 4 legs from the end of chopsticks.

Waiting for the glue to dry.

Waiting to be painted.

Painted

Self-crafted bench versus bought bench

This is for all the wonderful talented knitters among us

The following photos feature the work of a 91 years old British lady who knitted, during the lockout, a miniature hospital for raising funds for 3 local hospitals. I have still trouble with inserting a link. I hope this time it will work.  Here.

Isn't she amazing?

Please keep on taking care of yourselves and your families. Stay safe!

Baalatova and friends - Halloween 2020

 Hello dear readers,

Skelly and Skella together with their pet cats come to visit Baalatova. They encounter Baalatova sitting outdoors with Solly and Kitty, enjoying a lovely sunny day.  

Baalatova: Welcome dear friends.  I know that what I'm going to tell you will disappoint you, but this year's Halloween you will not be turned into ghosts.   There's an evil worldwide epidemic spreading fast around us. No festivities, no crowds, no trick or treats. People will just stay at home to be safe. They'll have enough health worries, there's no need to frighten them by adding ghost haunts and boos.

Kitty and Solly: ( with tears in their eyes):   No treats!!

Skella: (Deep sigh)  Our only once-a-year treat is being taken away from us.

Baalatova:  I can make it up to you.  Turning you into ghosts is possible only on Halloween but nothing prevents me from casting a spell, sending the three of us, just as we are, to Brazil, for example.  Every February they hold a carnival and besides the incredible samba festivities, Rio de Janeiro inhabitants love to masquerade wearing different costumes including those of skeletons and witches. We'll have a fantastic time there, no one will notice that we are two genuine skeletons and a witch.  We may even receive a  prize for the best costumes.

Both Skellies:  But there are dances and everybody will take part while we can scarcely move.

Baalatova:  You don't have to dance, just move to the rhythm of the samba.  The sound of your shaking bones will make them think you are playing the maracas. You know, now that I think of it you may even win a prize for being the best maracas virtuosos. 

Solly:  Please take Kitty and me along with you.

Baalatova:  Sorry kids.  This will be a one-night outing only for grown-ups but we'll bring back treats for you. The cats can stay and take care of you while we are away.

Skelly:  Suppose Brazil too, is infected with the virus and decides to cancel the carnival?

Baalatova:  In that case, we'll postpone the fun.  I've seen epidemics come and go through the ages and I assure you this one too will be over.   Who wants a delicious cup of eye soup?

Both Skellies:  Thank you, we have no stomachs for it.

So the Skellies stayed spending the whole afternoon with Baalatova,  practicing the samba. to the sound of shaking bones and maracas.  Solly, the young flying bear, and Kitty the little cat girl were having a hilarious time and tried their first steps in dancing along. The Skellies, for the time being, forgot all about their ghost's dilemma. Suddenly the future seemed brighter.

To continued next Halloween (or sooner?)

(Witch made by Sarit.  Catgirl made by Tatiana. Flying bear made by Birgit. All, including the skeletons and cats, were gifts for which I'm very grateful.)

I had fun concocting another silly Halloween episode.  It's good to smile, it gets one out of worries and sadness.

Happy Halloween and blessings to all my friends and readers!