Christmas Keepsakes 2014

January 1, 2015January 4, 2015 | knickknacktamarak

I focused on making homemade gifts for friends and family this year, with clay in particular. I made a variety of clay people and items, many of which I turned into ornaments or magnets. Here is my collection from this season:

An angel, to which I added a wire so it could hang on a tree:

Converse shoes ornament:

Mini gingerbread houses ornaments:

Mystery Coffee Shop magnets:

Dr. Who’s time-traveling TARDIS:

New baby in a stocking ornament:

Pregnancy Keepsake figurines, personalized:

Personalized husband and wife ornaments:

Magnets: mini turtle and Wild Thing

My children also joined in the clay fun, making beads, a Santa, gingerbread ornaments, and ladybug magnets:

Christmas Ornaments: Santa and Penguins

October 19, 2014October 20, 2014 | knickknacktamarak

This juggling, unicycling Santa Claus was a time-consuming project but he turned out quite well. Though I baked the juggling balls on the wire, I later had to superglue them in place. Eventually, we added a wire so that he could hang on a Christmas tree. Below, two penguins cuddle on an iceberg. I pressed the front of the iceberg into glitter before baking, giving it an icy shimmer.

All is calm, All is bright

October 19, 2014January 2, 2015 | knickknacktamarak

Last Christmas, I made several cozy little nativity scenes for Christmas. Each unique set includes 10 handmade clay figures, about 1 and 1/2 inches in height: Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, a shepherd boy, a sheep, a donkey, a camel, and three endearing wise men. My husband helped me with the stable, made from natural sticks, pine needles, and wood, with a clay star. The wise men – with their colorful turbans – and the camels were my favorites to make.

Personalized Snowman Families

October 19, 2014 | knickknacktamarak

Last Christmas, I had an order for four little snowman couples as ornaments. Each couple was based on real people, so the snowmen were personalized with small details to match (note the chihuahua, the playing card, etc.). The snowman arms are real twigs. My husband Josh helped me attach the wiring so that the ornaments hung properly on the tree.