Wreath Base: One idea for a base for a wreath is to use a clay and/or cookie cutters to cut flat "donuts" of Styrofoam! I've done it and it works quite well! And, you have all sorts of options as to size! Any sturdy round circle,(or other shape) such as the cap of a marker or the edge of a tuna can cuts Styrofoam quite easily!

Wreaths: I've made wreaths with the "Virginia Creeper" (says my dictionary). It is that speedy climbing plant with lots of green vine-like leaves which turn into reds and yellows in Autumn. Just take the youngest part of the stems, remove the leaves and start making a wreath in the size of a bracelet. As soon as you are accustomed to working in this size, you can go smaller till you reach the desired measurement. The stem will dry within a few days and will give you some extra room to fit your decorations in. I am sure you can manage working with this plant!

Marjon de Haas (The Netherlands)

Icicles: Haven't tried this, but why wouldn't this work? Lay strips of fine white thread down on waxed paper and with a toothpick drip and drag glue downwards, to different lengths, at intervals along the thread. Let dry and lift off the waxed paper. The flat side would toward the house. For more dimension You could go back and drip more on the first layer that had dried. Let me know if it works, if you try it!

Betti from MS

Christmas Tree: Anne Gerdes has a page on her site giving wonderful directions for an evergreen tree, or Christmas tree.  http://gerdesdesign.com/tree.htm

I modified the directions and used as a base one of the "bottle brush" trees instead of the foam and it came out great!

Donna in Montana

If your lycopodium Christmas tree starts to dry out, spray it with a mixture of alcohol and glycerin.

Tom Berkner

Christmas Stockings This is in response to a request for Christmas Stockings: I have Christmas Stocking Cross-stitch kits on my web site. I sell them finished as well. They can be found on the Cross-stitch Kits page at http://www.weedarlings.com.

Debra

Christmas Stockings: Recently at the Hoosier Miniature show there was the most talented family doing needlework. Miss Jeanne's Miniatures. You wouldn't have believed your eyes when you saw the craftsmanship and talent they possess. They also had quilts and pillows, more than I can recall at this time. I do think they also sold them as kits too. She is out of Dover Tennessee. Her email is msjeanne@compu.net. You might email her and see if she has a web site or can snail mail you a catalog.

Lisa Lynn

Poinsettias: I made some paper punched poinsettias a couple of years ago from a holly leaf punch. The leaves are almost the same shape as poinsettia petals. I used the tiny berry dots for the center. Or you could use no-hole beads. Little Goodies also makes a kit for poinsettias. Their address is PO Box 1004 Lewiston, TX 75067

Kristie

Poinsettias (Christmas flowers): Just caught up on requests back to last Thursday. I make poinsettias by first cutting little rectangles of red flocked ribbon, then turning them into parallelograms (those things with slanted 45 degree ends, Form a circle of covered wire about 1/8 inch, glue end of the pieces to the circle, and then fill the center with something yellow. Little bits of bunka are good. The same shape can be used for leaves, but more accurate ones are made from an oval leaf that you cut a half circle out if the middle. Leaves are usually about the length of the flower petals which really aren't the flower, but everyone thinks the red is the flower.

Alice, queen of trash in IN

Poinsettias: I have seen full size poinsettias made from ribbon in this way. If you used much smaller ribbon and infinitely more patience you might get good relults. Cut little strips of narrow ribbon to the length that you want to be the diameter of the finished flower. I would guess no longer than 1/2 inch. Cut the ends of the snippet of ribbon into points and perhaps touch the ends of the ribbon with fray check. Make six of these ribbons. Then gather them together in the middle and secure. The full size flower was fastened with wire, but maybe tacking or tying with thread would be better for the miniature. For the center you could hunt for the tiny glass marbles in a craft store and glue a few yellow ones in the center to cover the thread. Poinsettia leaves can be done the same way, only in green. This is pure theory on my part, I have not actually done it.

Kellie in Omaha

Poinsettias; Ruth Hanke sells flower kits, including poinsettias in 2 sizes. She also has other kits, and punches, and how-to books. Website is http://www.hankypankycrafts.com She's very helpful on the telephone, and ships to Canada with no problem.

Kay Gale

Fly fishing stores have spools of mini tinsel for your Christmas tree! It comes in gold and silver. The gold one is made by a company named "Danville's" and it's called Mylar Tinsel. The silver one says "Lagartun" Varnished French Tinsel. Unwrap some of this and put it on your mini tree or wind it around a small piece of cardboard to stick in a mini tinsel box for the mini procrastinators. They come in different widths. The ones I purchased are LESS than 1/16" wide.

Annie Olson

Cross Stitch Stockings: Just wanted to let you know I have a kit with two different cross stitch stocking designs in the kit. It also has enough fabric to make several (well, actually, probably 6 if you wanted to!) stockings and supplies for completely finishing two. The supplies include backing so it can be an "actual" stocking, little candy canes, and pompoms and beads to make two little teddy bear "heads" to stick out of the stocking. The kits are pictured on my website. Just follow the link to Mary Lynne's Needlework Store and then the link to my kits. http://www.angelfire.com/wv/minipix

Mary Lynne in Huntingdon, WV

Christmas 1" Scale Room Boxes and Gift Bag Kits: http://www.arainbowsend.com/

Kaye Meldrum

Christmas Fireplace: I made a Christmas roombox for my daughter when I was making my first Christmas decorations for my dh. I had to make a fireplace for her, so I just rolled right along and made a fireplace for me. That way, I glued on the garlands (with Christmas cards and other cuties), stockings, and mantle decorations. I do some rearranging in the dh for the tree at Christmas time, and I usually stick the regular fireplace in the dining room and install the Christmas fireplace in the living room. I keep the tree and fireplace in a whatnot shelf with glass doors where I don't look at it all the time and spoil the fun of getting it out for Christmas. But it is handy when I am showing off my work.

Bar Turner

Christmas Decorating: Just happened to find a product at Michael's - Chenille stems! Right, pipe cleaners. (Like any of us has cleaned pipes with them.) These are silver or red or green shiny FANCY pipe cleaners....and very soft and drape-able. Wonderful for mini garland decorations. These drape where you want them. And then I use Understickum, a temporary soft wax which is easily removed after Xmas.

Laurie Sisson

More witch ideas: A few years ago Skycrest Ceramics sold small orange jars (you could make your own) with the following decal: Eye of Newt (I filled it overflowing with the tiniest eyes I could find, the kind used on teddy bears, etc.), Hair of Werewolf (I filled with pieces of steel wool) and Spider Legs (I filled with pieces of bent wire).

Ruth

Natural looking Christmas trees: I have instructions for two different methods (the second is by SSer Donna Worth) at http://gerdesdesign.com/tree.htm

Anne Gerdes

Witch ideas: How about: a broom closet, a sign that says "has anyone seen my vanishing cream", Witch Hazel (an actual rubbing ointment), Love Potion #9, gargoyle and moth-wash, and coffin syrup.

Maria in MD

Witch ideas: how about Death Boy Soap, Skunk #5, Brute, Dirt Plus Shampoo, Wrong Guard Deodorant and Rage Hair Spray.

Shirley

Christmas Fireplace Garland: You might want to try poster putty to apply your garland. Its removable and very easy to use. :o) You can find this in Wal-Mart or at Michaels Craft Stores.

Peaches