Craft Сorner

[Olga Bondareva]

This Corner is for all who like to knit, embroider, sew, whose passion is decoupage or may be wood engraving.
It’s very interesting what do you like to do for the good of your soul when winter take you from garden?

For example last year I made many Christmas tree balls. They are formed from newspaper and decorated in decoupage technique. That was good gifts for friends!

[maggiepie]

Olga these christmas balls are lovely.
Is there somewhere online that gives instructions on how to make these?

[Lesley Cox]

Those are lovely Olga and so much nicer than what may be bought from shops for tree decorations. Do you also make the magnificent Russian Easter eggs, mostly, I think, in red and black and gold?

[Tim Ingram]

Olga - those really are good fun! My wife has made Christmas decorations, different each year since we were married and often recalling events during the year. They make the Christmas tree more and more interesting each year!

[Anthony Darby]

I used to have a Christmas bauble made during the Second World War from a ping pong ball. Wish I knew where it was.

[Olga Bondareva]

Tim, what a pretty decorations! Are they made of felt? Wow! Elephant is a real gem! Oh, and the guitar too! Your wife created a very interesting Christmas tradition!
I used balls mostly as gifts and only a few was on my own Christmas tree. And this year I have another passion, crocheting.

Is there somewhere online that gives instructions on how to make these?

Maggi, only my own instructions. I use sectional mould (is it a correct word?) glued with pieces of newspaper:

http://cs9427.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/115583799/x_f14f6c53.jpg


http://cs10343.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/115583799/x_afa139aa.jpg

Next I cut edges and glue hemispheres together inserting a loop.

http://cs4487.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/115583799/x_f8c7c19e.jpg

Then cover ball with putty or/and white acrylic paint. Putty makes balls more round. Without putty balls look more vintage. They are not smooth.

http://cs9683.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/115583799/x_4f848047.jpg

Than glue pictures (from napkins), draw and cover with acrylic varnish.

http://cs401.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/115583799/x_85fe1484.jpg

That's all.  

[Olga Bondareva]

Those are lovely Olga and so much nicer than what may be bought from shops for tree decorations. Do you also make the magnificent Russian Easter eggs, mostly, I think, in red and black and gold?

Lesley, no I don't have a time in spring.  Here in Russia we usually paint eggs (natural eggs) by onions husk.

Anthony, there is something in old things I can't express. Hope you will find it.

[emma T]

i love to knit.......hats mainly. I have knitted other things but people always want hats.

I also knit clown collars/ruffs for French bulldogs .

I also like to spin and dye  wool if i have the time , the wool comes from my pet sheep Lambi . Lambi is the sheep wearing the little hat

[emma T]

Lambi was an orphan, i had reared her. She had to have lots of antibiotics , the stopped her horns growing. She should have lovely horns ,so she has some antlers instead (when she is posing for my Christmas card photos )

[Maggi Young]

Mercy, you have the whole process organised, Emma.... from fleece to fedora, one might say!
.Many of us have admired your hats, both in the forum and elsewhere on the Web, but I had no idea you were also shearing and spinning your own wool! I'm impressed

[maggiepie]

Olga, thank you very much for the additional information.
I think this could be a very good project for this winter.
The finished balls are really beautiful, very special.

[Martin Baxendale]

Our Christmas tree is always covered with very tasteful hand-made wooden and straw decorations from Slovakia. Every year, when no-one is looking, I sneakily try to add some glittery tinsel to make it a bit more sparkly. And every year I have to take it off again. Slovak women can be very bossy.

[Martin Baxendale]

Even at Christmas (actually, especially at Christmas).

[emma T]

I dont shear the sheep, i just look after them on a day to day basis . Any problems and my local shepardess comes and sorts them out.

I do enjoy spinning the wool , i just dont have enough time . I ve  still got to make my christmas card and im running out of time !

[Olga Bondareva]

Emma, Lambi looks very pretty in her hat. She is happy you are her friend!