Leaf Lantern

This is something I have done at Forest School but equally you could do at home and the results are fabulous (if I say so myself!!!)

Leaf lantern when lit

One of the images I love on Pinterest are those of leaf lanterns made with autumn leaves. So I spent half term experimenting with different glues and ways to make a simple leaf lantern.
I used a clean jam jar, autumn leaves, pva or school glue, a rubber band and some raffia at the end to pretty it up with. I tried different glues - a glue stick, Copydex, but they didn't work nearly as well.

In daylight

'Paint' the jar with some pva glue. Then wrap a leaf around. Paint on more pva over the leaf and add another leaf, overlapping it. Keep painting on glue and wrapping leaves until the jar is covered. Carefully add a rubber band to hold them in place and leave to dry.

When they are dry you can swap the band for a piece of raffia or a ribbon to look pretty.
Pop a night light inside and wait a few seconds after it is lit.

The colours are beautiful

Please BE VERY CAREFUL when lighting the night light inside the jar, and DO NOT LEAVE IT UNATTENDED.

Glittery Mittenry

Half term week has been busy with all the usual things like dentist appointments, hair cuts and a lot of washing - for some reason!!! I've also been busy making Christmas goodies and restocking my Folksy shop.

mini mittens with tinsel cuff

This year I have updated the mini mittens - you can find the pattern for knitting them here by making them in pastel colours and the cuffs in tinsel wool. I have to admit I don't like knitting with the tinsel wool it makes my hands itch and I certainly couldn't wear anything made in it, but it looks lovely as a Christmas decoration!

sparkle and shine

I've been using King Cole Tinsel Chunky and just followed my pattern - I didn't change the needle size. I did think the mittens would look cute as a pair on a longer twisted cord and then hung on the tree like that.