**Anything Goes Winter Contest**

[Kato_411]

You know I think this is a great contest idea. For those that think they aren't able to do the contest because of your skill level... PLEASE... Don't stop that from letting you jump in and "trying". Sometimes it is just the inspiration you need to really get you going.

As for those on a budget... heck yes... we all love our hobby but sometimes we need to watch the budget.

So for building... try an "Unusual Container" build your scene in something that you may not have thought about before.

Suggestions:

File box... wrapped to look like a gift with a front opening

Aquarium...insert 3 walls if you like... use Foamcore or Illustration Board

Hat Box (round or square)

Old Metal Bread Box

OR

You could create your scene on just a base... no walls needed. The wooden plaques you can get at some of the craft stores make for lovely bases and if you get it from Michaels you can use your 40% off coupon can get it at an even better price ;)

I will see what I can find for little "Winter/Xmas" how to's to share with everyone here... See if I can help inspire.

I am not going to be taking part but I can't wait to see how you all do :lol:

[Kato_411]

Here are some ideas for winter/xmas ideas

* Dental Proxabrushes for trees – Painted Green make for nice table top xmas trees or for Pine Trees on a Gingerbread house setting.

* Icicles: To make miniature icicles, all you need is waxed paper,

Tacky glue and a pin or small nail. Squeeze out a thin line of Tacky

glue, as long as you like, onto the waxed paper. Give it a few

minutes to start setting up, then take your nail or pin and carefully

pull down a bit of glue from the main line. Do this every so far

along the line to make the icicle formation you want. Let the glue

dry completely, then carefully peel it off the waxed paper

* Twist red, white and green ropes of clay carefully together, reduce the rope and make candy Canes or a bowl full of min candies.

* Take Three of the Clay Candy Canes in previous Tip and turn them upside down and hold together and glue (hooks on the bottom). Glue a Candle to the top of the three candy canes and you have festive Candle Stick holders.

* Take a small branch of Lycopodium and add a Red bow to the end and hang from you front door.

* To create an Ice Skating Rink or Frozen Pond use a round mirror and dust with plastic snow or layer the edges with Delta© "Fresh Fallen Snow.

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*Christmas Crackers

Take a plastic drinking straw and cut into pieces 3/4" long.

With red or green tissue paper, roll each bit, leaving about 1/2" over on each end.

Twist each end and gently push a bit of the paper into the plastic tube to hold it.

Add a sparkly decoration around the middle of the cracker.

You can use them on the table at each place, or place 6 in a box to display.

____________________________________________________________

Attached is a how to on how to make "Melted Snowmen"

I hope some of this info helps to get people thinking about what they can do with their scenes. ;)

[Kato_411]

See I am brainstorming my head off now LOL

How about recreating a "Book" with a winter setting or a Xmas theme?

The Grinch?

Dicken's Christmas Carol?

Other ideas:

A Fairy's Winter Wonderland

Winter Cabin

A fav Ski vacation

A Winter Landscape

Dead of Winter (Murder Mystery in Winter?)

Skating in the Park

Your Winter Memories

Frozen Moment - an icy setting (clothes on a line frozen in the wind?)

Hmmm wonder if Winter in Hawaii would work? LOL My kind of winter LOL

[Kato_411]

Here is a how to I jotted out sometime ago on how to make a Lycopodium Tree. These look great in outdoor settings and are wonderful for xmas trees as well.

I have made about 4-5 of these and love how they make an inexpensive bottle brush tree look so lush.

Hope you like this.

[Kato_411]

Yet another How To:

Santa Shelf Buddy

You will need Fimo in the following Colours

Red

Green

White

Black

Skin Colour

You will also need some very thin string or x-stitch thread for his legs

A Small Paintbrush or something to mold the Santa on.

Roll a ball of red fimo and then mold in to a cone shape about 1cm tall on to the end of your paintbrush.

Flatten the top a little but try to keep the height.

Now roll some more red Fimo in to a sausage shape about a 1" long and cut in half (TIP...if you cut at an angle you will get better shoulders) and add these to the body for Santa’s arms (DO NOT FOLD THEM ACROSS HIS BODY YET).

Now wash your hands and then roll a pea size ball of skin colour fimo and put this on to the top of the cone for his head.

Now roll a very very small ball of skin colour for Santa’s nose and place this on to his face. (Don’t worry about the eyes, as this will be painted on when baked). Make a hole in the face for Santa’s mouth with a paintbrush handle.

Now wash your hands again and roll some white fimo flat. Then cut very very small strips of the white fimo and add to Santa’s head for hair and beard (make sure you leave enough room around his mouth to paint his lips), cuffs, front of his coat, (every where you think there should be some white)

Now go back to the red fimo and roll another small ball and mold in to a hat shape and add to Santa’s head (don’t forget to add some more white to the hat for fur and the pompom)

To make Santa's gloves roll a small amount of green Fimo in to a ball and add to the ends of Santa’s arms. You need to cut a small triangle on both gloves to make then look like mittens (you can now fold his arms how you want them).

Now roll some black fimo and mold them in to boots (add white to the top of the boots if you wish)

Make a hole in the top of both boots (big enough for the string) Make sure there is still a hole under your Santa also.

Now bake the whole lot and glue in the sting legs after.

There you have your very own Santa shelf buddy

[Anna]

How about recreating a "Book" with a winter setting or a Xmas theme?

Dicken's Christmas Carol?

Now this is an idea I really like! I have made a mini book with the Dicken's Christmas carols that I would be more than happy to share with anyone who might want it? It is in a kit form and I still have 5 kits or so left?

Mini-hugs

[strudles]

Wow, Terri,

You're just a wealth of info aren't you? Thanks for chiming in even if you aren't planning to participate. It helps get my creative juices flowing just to read your ideas. Love the Christmas crackers idea and dental brush trees. Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with.

Trudi

[MiniMadWoman]

Terri, excuse my "lack of knowledge" (sounds better than ignorance :lol: ), but what is Lycopodium and where do I get it? ;)

Thanks for all the ideas and information! It's so nice of you to share!!

[wenlaine]

Terri, I'm also not entering the contest but thank you so much for all those little ideas, they look really great and I can't wait to try some.

Thanks again

Wendy

[CatColorado]

Wonderful ideas! :lol: I couldn't open up the Lycopodium tree doc though, so I am sad :lol: . I will try again later. ;)

[Minis On The Edge]

I'll send it to you now Cat. I have been having goofy issues with my PC computer too. I don't think I can open this on my Mac though.

[havanaholly]

The last thing I showed my mini newbie in VA before we left was how to make glue glass so the icicles oughta be fun! Also the shelf-sitters, you can adapt the Santa instructions for a snowman or reindeer, I would guess.

aren't able to do the contest because of your skill level

I have never let a little thing like lack of skill stop me from trying anything. If it won't kill me the worst that can happen is I'll make a mess. I might also acquire skill along the way (or not), but it's certainly more fun to try & fail than not to try at all & miss out.

[Shakyshaky]

Isn't lycopodiom like an evergreen branch? Not the pine needles on christmas trees but the short needled (?) ones?

[Missymew]

I love all the ideas! IT SNOWED HERE ON SUNDAY EVENING!!

It was so pretty ... unfortunately, I had to head out to the Emergency Vet during the worst of it. Dudley, my fifteen year old cat, had a claw that grew very thick and then pierced his paw pad. He's insulin diabetic and I was worried since it didn't seem to bother him when I clipped it. My husband was at work, so I wrapped Dudley in a blanket and drove him to the Emergency Vet (10 minute drive .... and only that long because the streets were quite slippery and visibility was poor). A consultation at the Emergency Vet is $85 before midnight and $133 after midnight. I went over at about 8:30 P.M.

Couldn't believe my luck ... a good friend (Vet Tech) was working there and treated Dudley for free!! We're kind of family because she owns a cat that I had nursed from a kitten 9 years ago (a friend found three two-week old kittens in a dumpster).

Anyway the snow has inspired me. Knowing Dudley is still okay is great too.

Incidentally, four hours before Dudley's vet visit he had ran up our back yard maple tree after a squirrel. Lots of life in the old guy yet!!

[Kato_411]

Wow, Terri,

You're just a wealth of info aren't you? Thanks for chiming in even if you aren't planning to participate. It helps get my creative juices flowing just to read your ideas. Love the Christmas crackers idea and dental brush trees. Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with.

Trudi

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Trudi I just love to brainstorm I believe it really helps folks to get past some blocks that they may have. One idea is all it takes and it just may unlock other themes that folks don't know they have swimming around

Glad to help... if I find more info or come up with other ideas I will be happy to share

[Kato_411]

Terri, excuse my "lack of knowledge" (sounds better than ignorance  ), but what is Lycopodium and where do I get it? 

Thanks for all the ideas and information!  It's so nice of you to share!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmmm to be honest I am not sure where you would just run out and buy some. I was lucky, I had a gal pal that ordered a ton of it and I scooped a zip bag of the stuff to do up some trees.

Now she purchased her's from a supplier here in Canada. Now I do know that Shelldricks 9206 Dickenson Rd. West Mt.Hope Phone: 1-800-263-6479 (Canadian) carries this product. I am not sure if you would be able to find a supplier/source in the US through a search or not. http://www.sheldricks.com

Info on the plant: http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi?...gi&symbol=LYAN2

http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/images/401/Ly...a_plant_RK.html (colour Pic and botany name)

Possible source: http://www.sciencestuff.com/prod/5Ls-LiveLi/BLL1013

Here is a link to another how to using Caspia http://gerdesdesign.com/tree.htm

Where to find Caspia: http://www.driedflowersrus.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=62

Ebay listing for Caspia: http://cgi.ebay.com/DRIED-FLOWERS-BULK-BUN...1QQcmdZViewItem

Hopefully this helps a little... in the meantime I will see if I can locate a source. If by chance you are a member of Small Stuff I would drop that question on there, someone is bound to know where to find it

[Kato_411]

Wonderful ideas!   I couldn't open up the Lycopodium tree doc though, so I am sad .  I will try again later.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you are still having problems with the Doc file on the Lycopodium Tree let me know and I will convert it to a PDF and upload it

[Kato_411]

Isn't lycopodiom like an evergreen branch? Not the pine needles on christmas trees but the short needled (?) ones?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They are much like mini pine branches. Its a plant that grows on the ground and I think I have just found a souce online for the product.

For those that are interested here is a link to a supplier

http://www.winterwoods.com/consumerbags.htm look at the bottom of the page ... it comes in colours too

[MiniMadWoman]

Susanne, sorry about your cat. Glad to hear he's doing well and still climbing trees at his age!!

I spoke with my Mom on Monday night and she told me it had snowed! 'Tis the season!!

Terri, thanks for the information on lycopodiom! I guess I'm going shopping!!

[Shakyshaky]

can anyone tell me what sizes sleds come in? Length I mean, kids to adults.

[Kato_411]

can anyone tell me what sizes sleds come in? Length I mean, kids to adults.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am not completely sure on the sizes of all the sleds or toboggans but I can direct you to a site that has different styles (some with measurements if you click on the images).

http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/winter/gear/sleds/

http://www.midnightpass.com/bavmounsledn.html

http://www.camdentobogganco.com/toboggans.html - says these come in 6, 8 and 10ft lengths

http://www.activetoys.co.uk/ishop/955/shopscr353.html - this site has some nice traditional toboggans and it too gives the length of each one.

http://www.sledwarehouse.com/toboggans.htm - another source for info on design and length

Hope this is helpful Shaky...

[Kato_411]

I have this how to on how to make mini poinsettias for your Xmas Trees and thought I would share it here with all of you. These are a little fussy to make but the results are worth it.

I am sure alot of you are in the planning stages of your contest entries so maybe this will help if anyone is decorating a tree or swag or wreath

Hope you like them.

[CatColorado]

Those are wonderful, thank you!

[Shakyshaky]

I found these sleds a crafts and stuff but they are only 2 1/4 inches long. I did not know if they would work in a 1/ 12 scale or not.

[havanaholly]

If it helps, remember 1:12 scale means 1"=1', therefore your 2 1/4" sled would be equal to a 2'3" sled in real life; it sounds like it would be better for 1:24 scale (1"=2')