A Primitive Place
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Email: info@aprimitiveplace.org
Primitive & Colonial Inspired Homes
OLDE FASHIONED WINTERY CHRISTMAS SNOWBALLS
Here's what you'll need:
1. A few packs of white styrofoam balls in any size you like.
2. A bucket of white joint compound. Available at Walmart or any hardware store.
3. Your choice of either mica glitter, german glass glitter, or diamond dust (you can even use the clear glitter available at any craft supply store for basically the very same look!
(all glitters available on ebay. Just type in Mica glitter, Mica snow etc.)
OPTIONAL SUPPLIES FOR GRUNGING & SCENTING:
4. fragrance oil for candle making which is available online at Wholesale prices, on ebay and also at any walmart or craft supply store!!
5. Nutmeg
6. brown craft paint
7. plastic or wax paper lined tray or baking sheet
How to make the BASIC traditional white snowballs BOTH scented and Regular:
To make the snowballs the traditional white and NON SCENTED, just Roll your styrofoam balls generously in the already stirred joint compound and quickly drop the rolled styro. ball into a bowl of your glitter of choice. Mica is my favorite! Then just toss the glitter onto the ball and roll it around CAREFULLY to coat snowball evenly. GENTLY pick up the ball and shake off excess glitter, and place it onto the plastic or wax paper lined tray to dry for 2-3 days. Roll balls over at least once in the middle of drying time. Dry FULLY! Use a nice variety of sizes!! If you wish to SCENT the snowballs, simply blend a few drops of your desired Holiday fragrance oil into the joint compound and blend well, BEFORE rolling your styrofoam balls! Make sure you are happy with the fragrance before rolling the balls! You can always add a few more drops for a stronger, long lasting scent! The oils I use are candle making oils, which can either be bought wholesale online, on ebay or even at local craft supply stores and of course... Walmart! I like using Jack Frost, Peppermint stick, Holiday Cinnamon, Christmas Sugar Cookie, etc...Wanna make them grungy??
How to make the dirty snowballs:
Just place some of your joint compound in an old tupperware or cool whip container, and add your fragrance oil IF you are scenting them...and mix with a few drops of brown craft paint (available at any Walmart or craft store for about 49 -90 cents!) and blend to create a creamy Ivory Color! Start with only a drop, and add more drops of paint untill the desired color is achieved! Then proceed to roll your styrofoam balls in the Ivory compound, roll in your glitter and set to dry as usual! IF you want little flecks of "Dirt" in your snowballs, just add a sprinkle of nutmeg to the compound and paint, before rolling the balls and coating with mica!
Because they take a few days to make, it is a good plan to start early!
Making Glittery Holiday Icicles:
If you want to make the holiday Icicles, just use the same easy tecniques as you would use in making the snowballs, but rather than coating styrofoam balls, just coat CLEAR PLASTIC ICICLES with the joint compound and continue as usual. The plastic icicles are clear and are usually used as ornaments, but can be found just about anywhere in packages of 20 or more.You can make these white, or grungy as well, and scented or plain!
HERE'S HOW TO MAKE THE SNOWFLAKES:
Just purchase the cheap clear or white plastic snowflake shaped ornaments from Walmart, dollar stores, etc.. in the Christmas section...and brush on the joint compound with a sponge brush... coat with glitter, bang off excess and set to dry... It is best to apply the compound with a sponge brush for easy application! Just DAB it on! Make them white or grungy just like you would the snowballs and icicles! Scent them up if you choose and toss a few in a cello bag!
MAKING THEM INTO ORNAMENTS:
You can tie a grungy piece of string from the tips of the icicles & snowflakes for the cutest Olde Time Vintage Ornaments for hanging on your trees or for gift giving~ Even for selling! If you wish to make the snowballs into ornaments, just cut a piece of rusty craft wire or any black will do also, and poke through the center of the styrophome ball... when the wire pokes through the other side, bend it over flat against the ball, Then proceed to roll in the joint compound, glitter it and set to dry! Be sure to bend the HOOK shape so it will hang nicely! The compound will harden around the wire and the hook will be STUCK for good!
CRAFTING TIPS
If you have a crafting tip you'd like to share, email info@aprimitiveplace.org
HOW TO GRUNGE JARS
Ingredients:
Jar for grunging
Water Based Polyurathane
Cinnamon
Nutmeg or other spices
Coat the jar with the polyurathane then sprinkle your spices all over it, let dry and do it again.
MAKING VINTAGE JAR LABELS
Here is a link for some FREE jar label templates from Twigs:
GRUNGING FABRIC
Ingredients:
Fabric (muslin or homespun, etc.)
Instant Coffee
Water
Cinnamon or other spices (optional)
Vanilla
Combine: half cup of instant coffee, 3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of vanilla, 1 cup of water. Soak and bake in oven on the lowest setting.
RUSTING RECIPE
Ingredients:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup bleach
3 tablespoons of salt
Mix ingredient together in a container. Soak items that you want rusted in this solution until they have reached the desired look. This is great for rusting safety pins, jingle bells, etc.
HOW TO MAKE COLONIAL SPICED SUGAR
PANTRY CAKES
This is the quickest and easiest way to make sugar cones and
there is no cooking involved!
Ingredients:
1 lb of Sugar - You can use white,
light brown or dark brown or
a combination of the three.
Water
Spices (optional)
Instructions:
Mix sugar (or sugars) in bowl with your hands to insure that any lumps are removed.
Run your hands under the faucet and move immediately to your mixing bowl. Sprinkle the water from your hands into the bowl of sugar - do this a couple of times.
Using your hands, mix the drops of water through the sugar. Add spices, if desired.
Firmly pack the barely moistened sugar into your mold. It is better to pack a small bit at a time rather than filling the entire mold immediately. This will insure that your sugar is solid in the mold.
Invert your mold over the flat plate or pan to release the molded sugar.
Set aside and allow to "dry" for 24-48 hours.
You can wrap up your finished product in old paper bag and tie with jute or string or homespun or just tie with a piece of cheese cloth. You can also add a sprig of sweet annie under the string for an added touch.
HOW TO MAKE PRIM EASTER EGGS
Submitted by Hirt Homestead
What you'll need:
Adhesive glue or spray adhesive
Tea or coffee dyed cheesecloth
Cinnamon
Plastic Easter eggs
Instructions:
Cut pieces of cheesecloth and wrap around the eggs.
Glue the cheesecloth to the eggs, Spray with adhesive and roll in cinnamon!
Click photo to enlarge
Click photo to enlarge
HOW TO MAKE OLD FASHIONED SOAP BALLS/BARS
These bars have the look and feel of old soap. For a more grungy looking soap ball roll them in spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg or apple pie spice before they are completely set up. Once rolled in spices, they are for display only!
Ingredients:
1 cup of instant Quaker oatmeal
1 bar of ivory or dove soap
1/4 cup of water
Grind up the oatmeal in a food processor until finely milled but do not grind to flour, you want it chopped up enough to break up the oatmeal flakes but still be visible.
Grate the bar of soap into small slivers. Place the soap and water into a large microwavable bowl and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. Stir the mixture once or twice making sure it does not bubble over.
When the soap is dissolved remove from the microwave and add the ground oatmeal slowly, stirring constantly.
Let cool enough to touch, then form into balls or bars and place on wax paper to set and dry. It will take about 2 hours for them to set.
Oatmeal soap balls/bars have a great old fashion look and can be displayed in old soap dishes, vintage jars, wooden bowls and baskets in primitive or country bathrooms or kitchens. If you make the soap bars, they look really cute tied with homespun!
This page was last updated: May 30, 2010
HOW TO MAKE PRIMITIVE SPICED FRUIT
Submitted by primsfromabove
Items you will need:
-Plastic Pears or Apples -
the uglier and the cheaper the better
(Lisa bought hers at Wal-Mart)
-Brown Acrylic Paint
-Modge Podge
-Spices - cinnamon, cloves,
nutmeg and pumpkin spice
-Acrylic Sealer/Finisher
DIRECTIONS - Paint your pears or any type of fruit brown. Let it dry, apply a 2nd coat if needed. Once it is dry then apply the modge podge. Mix equal amounts of spices and apply it to the fruit. You can also put the fruit in a bag and shake the bag that contains the spices. Lisa put hers in a bag, but held the pears by the stem and shook the bag around the modge podge covered fruit. Set aside and let dry. Once the fruit is dry then apply a light coat of the sealer/finisher and arrange in a prim crock bowl or basket.
Click photo to enlarge
Click photo to enlarge
