CD Mozaic Trilogy Boxes

Video HERE

Is it showing my age to admit that I used to use floppy disks for all my files...? As a slightly over-organized hoarder I feel the need to save all my videos. Although they are cheaper, the downside of using write-only CD's is a growing collection of used or failed disks. I always try to avoid throwing things away if they have the possibility of a second life, so this seemed an ideal opportunity to find a place for my shiny former coasters...

You will need:
Old CD's *
Sturdy scissors or craft knife and pliers**
Wooden boxes (Fittings removed)
Sandpaper
Acrylic paint (choose deep or dark colours to create a contrast to the CD material then silver for the detail)
Brush/Spreader
Tweezers
Masking Tape
Resin


*I used both CD-R and CD-RW's that had been filled or failed formatting which created a variation in colour for the final mosaic. Unless you want a mixture of tones I would suggest sticking to one type.
**Although I cut out most of the process it took some time to find a good technique. In the end I resorted to scoring with a blade then snapping off pieces - which led to a number of shards of plastic pinging across the shed. There is probably an easier and safer way, but I didn't find it before I had enough pieces to work with. Eye protection would be handy, just in case.

Method:

1. Cut your CD's into interesting shards. I didn't attempt to try for particular shapes or sizes, but having three sizes of box meant that I could pick through the pot for different pieces to fit the space. I did a couple of dry runs to see how well the boxes were covered, thinking about placement and spacing in a random style - if you have more of a design in mind you may need to be more particular.
2. Sand the boxes and apply a first coat of paint. Once dry give the sides a quick sanding, then a second coat, don't worry about the top.
3. Squidge a splodge of paint onto the top and spread into an even layer. Working quickly with tweezers place the CD shards into the paint then leave to dry completely.*
4. Using thin strips of masking tape create a random angular design around the sides of the boxes. Mask off the lid and paint a strip around the bottom edge if you like.**
5. Mask off the sides of the lid then pour on a layer of resin, spreading to cover the CD pieces and fill the gaps in between.
6. Remove the masking tape then add a few strokes of silver blended with a little of the background colour to create a highlight on the painted shards.
7. Apply a couple of coats of varnish to the sides, then line and finish with foam on the bottom.

*You could use glue, but I find that it is visible beneath the resin, and I prefer this paint-glue technique as it provides a solid colour base behind the CD.
**I did this, then masked over the top for the resin, which pulled off a lot of the paint that I then had to re-paint... choose your own order for this process.

Christmas Gifts for Foodies

Video HERE

Red Wine Ganache

4tbsp Red Wine*
200g Milk Chocolate
100g Plain Chocolate
120ml Double Cream
Pinch of Salt
Red Sprinkles
*Choose something with a lot of flavour, it needs to stand against chocolate after all. You could even go for a white wine, prosecco or Champagne

1. Put the wine in a small pan and simmer gently until reduced by half.*
2. Melt the chocolate and cream together in a bain marie or microwave.
3. Stir the wine and salt into the chocolate until smooth.
4. Pour into a lined tin then leave to cool to room temperature.
5. Cover the top with a layer of sprinkles** then transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours - the wine will make these a rather soft-set ganache.***
6. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

*You could use a rich port or other fortified wine instead of reducing one.
**If these are going to be around for any length of time, or if they're going to be taken out and then returned to the refrigerator, you may want to leave the sprinkles off until serving because a difference in temperature can cause condensation to wash out the colour.
***Alternatively you can tip the ganache into a piping bag, cool to room temp then pipe into moulded shapes, which is probably a better option if they're going to be sitting out for any length of time.

Candied Peel

Citrus Peel*
Caster Sugar

1. Cut the peel into pieces - I had some in 1/2" squares and some in sticks for dipping in chocolate.
2. Put the peel in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 25 minutes.**
3. Drain, then use a cup to measure over enough cold water to cover the peels. Dry the cup, then measure the same amount of sugar into the pan.
4. Heat, stirring, until the sugar melts.
5. Add a sugar thermometer and boil until the syrup reaches 115C/240F.
6. Drain the peels, then scatter onto a sugared plate and toss to coat.***
7. Spread the peels on a wire rack to dry for a couple of hours before transferring to a jar.

*You may find it easier to stockpile your peel in the freezer until you have a decent amount - about 2 cups is good.
**Some recipes have you bring the peel to a boil, then drain, cover and repeat a couple of times. I find that this way works better for orange, the other for lemon - depending on the time you have in the kitchen.
***When completely covering these in chocolate I don't bother sugaring, but spread the peels pith-side up on a plate and leave them in the fridge until dry to the touch before dipping. If you're just dipping one end then you'll need the sugar.

Shortbread

For someone with hot hands, like me, pastry recipes (IE. those that are mostly flour and butter and require handling to roll or cut into shape) are a trial. Whilst hot mitts make bread making easy they really make a mess of pastry. I love making shortbread, but regularly find it turns into a greasy mess - until I found this recipe which needs absolutely no hand-contact (if you have a food processor)... until you stuff them into your mouth, that is.

300g Plain Flour
60g Rice/Corn Flour*
250g Butter, fridge cold, cubed
115g Caster Sugar + 2-3tbsp
85g Flavouring**

Preheat Oven 170C/325F/GM3

1. Line 2x 20cm (8") tins (or a 30x20cm square pan (12x8")).
2. Mix the flours in a bowl (or in a processor for the hot-handed) then rub in the butter (process in pulses until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs).
3. Stir in the sugar and flavouring (Quickly pulse in the processor to mix but avoid chopping the pieces too small).
4. Divide between tins and press very firmly*** with a spoon, then prick with a fork.
5. Score into segments then bake for 35-40 minutes until golden.
6. Re-score whilst hot then dust with more sugar and leave to cool in the tins.

*Rice flour helps make these crisp, cornflour does as well, but not as well.
**Glace Fruits, Candied Peel, Raisins, Chocolate Chips, Chopped Nuts... whatever you like.
***More than you think it needs. I use 2 matching tins and use the bottom of one to compress the other, THEN press firmly with the back of a spoon. If a lot of crumbs pop up when you start pricking with a fork then it needs more pressing.

Biscotti

This biscotti recipe fits neatly into a 1ltr Kilner jar. It's a great gift to give to someone who doesn't bake often, and simple enough for a baking novice - also tasty with a mug of coffee.

The basic ratio for 1 Egg: (Makes about 20)
100g Plain Flour
75g Sugar
50-70g Dried Fruit/Choc Chips
50g Nuts
3g Baking Powder

Some flavour variations:

Christmas (Orange & Cranberry)
Use a combination of almonds and hazelnuts, peel and dried cranberries
Replace half the sugar with light brown sugar
Add 1tsp mixed spice

Black Forest
Use a combination of hazelnuts and Brazil's, dried cherries and dark chocolate chips
Replace half the sugar with light brown sugar and 25-30g flour with cocoa
Add 1-1/2tsp Cinnamon

Nut-otti
Use a combination of sultanas and milk choc chips
Use all hazelnuts - best if roasted first
Dip cooked biscotti in warm Nutella, then scatter with chopped nuts

Jar Instructions:*

1. Preheat your Oven to 140C/GM4.
2. Empty the contents of the jar into a sieve and shake the flour through.
3. Add 1 egg.
4. Stir until it starts to come together, then use your hands to incorporate all the flour. [DO NOT ADD ANY LIQUID]
5. Add the fruit and nuts and knead until evenly mixed.
6. Transfer to a floured tray and shape into a rough log 30cm (12") long.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until risen and brown.
8. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
9. Reduce oven to 110C/GM1.
10. Slice into 1.5cm (1/2") pieces and arrange on the baking sheet cut-side up.
11. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn over and bake for a further 15 minutes until crisp and dry.
12. Wash out the jar and these biscotti will keep well inside for a month or more.

*Normal baking - Put the flour, sugar, baking powder (and spice, if using) into a bowl then continue from stage 3.

Merry Christmas from the Dragon Shed.

Paper Christmas!

[Title Pic to follow!]

This is what happens when a crafter is confined to quarters by a back injury... 12 days of -somewhat- traditional paper decorations.

1. Polish* Spiky Ball

*Apparently these are a traditional Polish decoration... I 'borrowed' the idea from another YouTuber... I think it was YoYoMax12... This one is a little fiddly, but worth it in the long run.

You will need:
10x 2" circles of printed paper or thin card
Scissors
Pointed tool
Needle and thread
Small beads

Method

1. Fold each circle into 8 then cut along the creases leaving about 1/2" in the centre.
2. Fold and roll each segment around a pencil*.
3. Thread a bead onto a doubled-up length of thread then sew through the middle of the first paper circle from the pattern side.
4. Sew through the rest of the circles from the plain side.
5. Separate the thread and add another bead to one side then tie the ends together, pulling the thread tight.
6. Add a knot to the end of the thread and trim the end.

*If making a big one or using card you'll need to glue them in place.

2. 2-Tone Star

A really quick and visually interesting decoration that can be scaled up to however much paper you have.

You will need:
Decorative paper (double-sided or plain backed printed craft paper)
Ruler
Scissors
Glue Stick
Needle and thread
Small bead

Method:

1. Cut your paper into 6 equal squares.
2. Fold each square in half diagonally and cut as shown - depending on the size cut between 3 and 6 slots.
3. Unfold the paper and glue together the corners alternating direction. Repeat with each square.
4. Knot a bead onto the end of your thread. Line the squares up and sew through the bottom corner of each one, then bring the thread together through the button and tie off.
5. Bring the thread up along the middle of one arm and stitch through the top corner, then make a loop to hang on the tree, tie a knot and trim the excess.

3. Poinsettia Flower

Dainty little flowers are rather traditional in paper quilling, but this one is far from traditional - and not at all dainty. Using bold coloured paper and a touch of metallic paint makes a decoration that will stand up against all the other gaudiness hanging on your tree this year.

You will need:
Red and Green Paper*
Ruler, Craft Knife and Cutting Mat
Quilling Tool
Glue Stick
PVA Glue
Cork Board or Foam Mat (ideally covered with plastic)
Pins
Needle and Thread
Metallic Acrylic Paint and a Sponge or Q-tip

*I used three different shades of red and only one of green, but you can go for a solid colour or graduated on either petals or leaves or both.

Method:

1. First cut your paper into 3/4" (2cm) strips along its length. You will need 25 red and 15 green.
2. Stick together 5 strips of red and 3 of green.
3. Roll the strips with a quilling tool, release the tension and glue the end before squeezing the ends to make an eye shape.
4. Pin each petal to your board, drawing the centre of the roll down towards the middle and apply a line of glue from the centre to the bottom.
5. Glue each leaf between the petals, holding everything in place with more pins. Leave to dry completely.
6. Once dry sew through the top of one petal then tie off a loop.
7. Add a little metallic paint to the edges of the petals and leaves on both sides. Leave to dry before hanging on the tree.

4. Holly Sprig

These are very simple to put together, but really pack a punch - particularly with added flare from glitter or acrylic gold.

You will need:
Green and red paper
Craft knife, ruler and cutting board
Quilling Tool
Glue Stick
Cork or foam board covered with plastic
Pins
PVA or Hot Glue
Hanging Thread
Metallic Acrylic Paint and a sponge or Q-tip

Method:

1. For each leaf (I made 3) cut 15 strips of green paper to about 3/4" (2cm) wide. Glue them into a long strip.
2. For each berry (I made 5) cut 4 strips of red to the same width.*
3. Roll each green strip tightly, then release and allow to sit and settle on a smooth surface before gluing the end.
4. Pinch each end, then make a few more points by pinching along the sides.
5. Pin each leaf onto the board, pushing in where necessary to create the holly shape. Add a line of PVA along the spine of the leaf, then out to the points.
6. Roll each berry tightly then stick in place at the top of the leaves (I like 2 leaves with 3 cherries on one side and 1 leaf with 2 on the other) Leave to dry completely.
7. Using PVA or hot glue stick the leaves together good-sides out, trapping a loop of knotted thread between the layers. Leave to dry completely.
8. Apply a light touch of acrylic or glitter around the edges of the leaves and cherries and leave to dry before hanging.

*I only had 1 shade of green, but multiple in red and chose to go random with the berries. The choice is up to you.

5. Snowmen

 This ornament is made up of simple, classic quilling rolls... I don't think you need a full step-by-step for this one, but I will give you the roll sizes and details...

Hat - 1xA4 (Colour+Contrast) - Loose roll pinched into an uneven rectangle.
Hat Rim - 1/2xA4 (Colour) - Loose roll pinched into long rectangle.
Scarf - 3x 1/4xA4 (2xColour 1xContrast) - Loose roll pinched into square.
+ 2 small strips for the scarf tails.
Head - 5xA4 (White) - Tight roll.
Body - 10xA4 (White) - Tight roll.
Arms - 2x 1/2xA4 (White) - Loose roll pinched into teardrops.

6. Gifts

Another simple design. I'll give you the parts again and let you follow the video for instructions.

Quarters - 3xA4 (Mixed or graduated colours) - Loose roll pinched into a square.
Ribbon Sections - 4x 1/2xA4 (Contrast) - Loose roll pinched into long rectangle.
Ribbon Centre - 1/4xA4 (Contrast) - Loose roll pinched into square.
Ribbon Loop and Knot - 1x1/2A4 and 2x1/4A4 - Hand-rolled and shaped.

7. Trees

This one looks complicated, but as with all things, once you break it down to its component parts it is really very simple. You will deffinitely need a foam or cork board for this one, hand-gluing so many pieces can be frustrating without it.

Star - 5x 1/3xA4 (Yellow) - Loose roll pinched into a teardrop.
Baubles - 8x 1/8xA4 (Red and Orange) - Tight roll.
Tree Trunk - 1/2xA4 (Brown or Green) - Loose roll pinched into a rectangle.
Branches - Top - 2x 1/2A4 (Green) - Loose roll pinched into triangle.
2nd Row - 2x 1xA4 (Green) - Loose roll pinched into paralelogram.
3rd Row - 2x 1 1/2xA4 (Green) - Loose roll pinched into paralelogram.
4th Row and onwards add 1/2 a strip to each row and continue the pattern.

8. Angels 

These seem complicated, but they're really only fiddly. A pin board is a definite must to pin all the pieces together whilst they glue.

Halo - 1/2xA4 (Yellow) - Loose roll shaped into a crescent around the Head.
Head - 1xA4 (Pink) - Tight Roll.
Upper Body - 1xA4 (White) - Loose roll shaped around the Hands.
Hand - 2x 1/8xA4 (Pink) - Tight roll squeezed into an oval.
Belt - 1x 1/4xA4 (Yellow) - Loose roll pinched into an oblong.
Skirt - 1x 2xA4 (White) - Loose roll pinched square at the top.
Wings - 6x 1xA4 (White and yellow shades) - Loose roll pinched into long teardrops.

9. Garlands 

Now, a garland is a pretty way to hang chains of small flowers around your tree, and an easy way to build quilled flowers if you don't have much time or skill. These are great for children, or you can roll dozens of petals from scrap paper whenever you're watching TV.

There is no set way to build these, you only need a length of string or narrow ribbon, some glue and paper quills. You can either tie the ribbon around a central roll and then glue the petals around it or make a number of flowers and then string them through with a knot either side to stop them slipping, the choice is up to you. Use a ruler or the width of your hand to space them out and simply carry on until you run out of paper or string.

10. Baubles

Before you start to make this kind of bulk rolling project I always advise making up a Puck. Simply layers of white paper strips with a strip of colour every 10. The coloured rings help you to gage the number of strips you will need for a given project - and give you a rough idea of how many of each colour you will need for even layers.

For the yellow bauble I used multiples of 3 (6 strips of the lightest colour, followed by 9, 12 and 15)
The red is in 5's and both have a single strip of A4 for the ferroul(probably the wrong term) on the top - thread through your string from the bottom so that the loose ends are held in place by glue as well as knot.

After the second colour I added a loose roll of white (3 strips) to create a shine effect.

Once rolled you can apply a thin layer of PVA to the front and back to help ond everything together and create a shiny finish.

11. Bells 

Now these are deceptively simple... just 40 strips of A4 quilled together then pushed into shape. I would suggest making a Puck, as described above and on the video - so that you have an idea of exactly how many strips you need.

A few notes:

• You cannot glue the strips down until the end so I would suggest that you put them together in lots of 10 or 12 to make the twisting easier.
• When you're happy with the shape run 2 or 3 lines of glue along the inside to hold the layers in place.
• If adding bells on the inside I suggest you thread each bell individually then tie the loose ends into a loop, don't try and do it in one like I did.
• You can - and probably should - paint the outside with gold acrylic, which will also help to hold the layers together.

12. Candles

(Small typo... didn't realize until I started editing.)
This decoration is the culmination of all the skills I've demonstrated so far. Threading through from the bottom without gluing the flame into place helps add movement, but if you're having trouble with the threading you can just tie a loop an knot it under the flame then make sure it's stuck securely to the candle body, which is quite heavy.

Cradle - 40x 1xA4 (Yellow shades) Tight roll shaped into cup and glued.
Candle - 10x 1xA4 [2 1/2" (7cm) wide]  (White shades, with Cream on the end) Tight roll.
Handle - 4x 1xA4 (Yellow) Loose roll, twisted out.
Flame - 3x 1xA4 (Red through yellow shades) Tight roll, glued and trimmed into shape.

Have fun exploring what shapes you can make and combine for your own crafts and decorations.

Merry Christmas,

Vix

Crackers! Ornament Challenge 2017 Entry

Video HERE

I always look out for the woodworking challenges online... although until now I have not had enough of an idea - or enough confidence to attempt them... The Ornament Challenge from aswoodturns.com always used to be a wood turning challenge, but in the last couple of years they've opened it up to non-turners like me!

These crackers are an answer to the question 'Why hasn't anyone tried to make a non-turned Christmas cracker before?'

You Will Need:
Templates (See Below)
Wood Veneer
Shallow Bowl or Dish
Water
A length of thick Dowel (4x1/3" [1cm] Disk +)*
A length of thin-ish dowel**
String***
Salt Dough (See Below)
2x 2 1/2" dowels (about 1/4-8" diameter)
Drill with a bit to match
Brown Gorilla Glue
Cup of water
Paper towel
Brush
File and/or 60 grit Sandpaper
White Spirit
Craft Printed Paper
Card
Scissors
Pinking Shears (Or other decorative blade scissors)
Double-Sided Tape
PVA Glue
Masking or Sello-Tape
Crepe Paper
Thread in matching Colour
Nail File or Emery Board
Paste Wax
Varnish
180 Grit Sandpaper
Superglue****

*I used a couple of old curtain rails each around 1" diameter. Per cracker you will need about 2" of dowel plus a chunk for support whilst rolling.
**I used an old towel rail, about 1/2" diameter - depending on your veneer you might be able to get a tight roll, or use the thicker dowel instead (see Stage 2)
***I used cotton string rather than plastic, because it lets the wood dry evenly and doesn't bleed dye when wet.
****For those emergency repairs that are needed in the last moments!

Templates:

These templates are for a dowel of around 1" (2.5cm) diameter, but I've allowed for a fair bit of slop here... and I've also slipped into metric, 'cos it's easier. As I was making a huge batch I cut my templates in thick card, once I'm satisfied with the measurements I will probably make a new set in ply or plastic.

Veneer
1 piece 14x11 - longest side along the grain - divided into 2x 3x11cm and 1x 8x11
- If you want you can try to keep the grain aligned by cutting the ends from the ends of this piece. You will need to keep track of the top and bottom of each piece throughout the soaking and rolling stages.

Printed Craft Paper
3x 2.5cm Circle
1x 7x11cm
1x 5x11cm - split down the middle with pinking shears into 2x 2.5cm strips.

Card
1x 7x22cm
2x 2x22cm

Salt Dough Recipe:

230g Plain Flour
200g Salt
250ml Water
1tbsp Oil*

1. Mix the flour and salt together. Add the oil to the water.
2. Mix in about half of the water, then gradually add the rest until a smooth, firm dough forms.
3. Knead for 10 minutes (or 5 in a mixer with a dough hook).
4. Rest for at least 30 minutes in an airtight container**.
5. Bake at 120C (GM 1/2) for between 5-10 hours (or more, depending on thickness)

*Oil makes the dough slightly more flexible, but you can leave it out if you want.
**I have let this dough 'rest' for a couple of days without problem. It can become a little sticky, but kneading in a little more flour brings it quickly back to being usable.

Construction Method:*

1. Cut your veneer to size and drop the pieces into a dish of water, weighed down with a rock or other heavy object if they float too much.**
2. Roll the veneer around your 1/2" dowel - if you can, otherwise use your extra chunk - and tie with string. Hang them up to dry completely.
3. Shape*** and bake your salt dough for longer than you think necessary****
4. Drill the centre of each large dowel disk with a 1/4" hole.
5. Drop the thin dowel in water, brush the bottoms of the salt dough with gorilla glue, dip one side of the large dowel in water, dab it onto a paper towel to remove excess, then thread the pinch section together. Clamp in place with tape and leave to set.
6. Cut the paper and card pieces according to the templates.
7. Once set sand or file away any excess glue and shave any overhanging dough back to the sides of the dowels. Wash off the dust with white spirit or a damp cloth - avoid getting things too wet now.
8. Stick the printed paper onto the card with double-sided tape, leaving a line of sticky open. Glue the circles of paper onto both ends of one pinch, and one of the other(this is the lid). Wrap a thin strip of double-sided tape around the dowels, then roll the paper around using an off cut to maintain the shape of the body section.
9. Apply a generous amount of PVA onto the card strips and press them firmly around the paper. Hold in place with tape until completely dry.
10. Cover both twists with crepe paper, cinching in the waist with thread. Using thin PVA - or 50:50 PVA:Water - glue the edges to the dowels, trimming and folding over the bottom of the lid, then apply a light coat over the salt dough to fix the creases in place. Leave to dry completely.
11. Cover the card with glue and roll the veneer onto it, trimming to fit with minimal gapping. Align the join on the end to the body for a neater finish. Hold in place with tape until completely dry. DO NOT RUSH THIS BIT!
12. Check the fit of the lid, if it's a little tight wrap a strip of sellotape around the dowel to hold the crepe in and allow the lid to slide easily. If it's loose add a few pieces of card around the inner rim or a strip of printed paper around the lid instead.
13. Gently sand the veneer edges with an emery board then apply a little wax or oil if you prefer before painting varnish onto the veneer (not the crepe*****).
14. Sand to 180 grit, then varnish again.

*This is the process that I developed by a lot of trial and error. It still has a few tricky parts, but I think it's pretty much there.
**Depending on the flexibility of your veneer and how hard or old the wood is you may need to boil it for a while to soften, otherwise just soaking for up to 12 hours is usually enough.
***The shape depends on your dowel diameter, just remember to cut a hole through the centre slightly wider than your thin dowel - salt dough doesn't shrink much so it needn't be huge.
****I can get about half a batch of dough onto the tray of my Easy Bake oven so I bake them sitting upright for 2 hours, then turned over between the wires of the grill for another 2, then once I've made a few batches I take them into the house and bake them for a further 6-8 hours just to make sure.
*****Don't do this with the lid in place like I did, keep the parts separate until finished and dry.

In answer to the question I asked earlier, I can clearly say - because it's actually rather difficult... but I think I've worked out - most of - the kinks and - hopefully - I will have some for sale next year.

Pattern to Plushie

Video HERE

Plush toy patterns are everywhere - well, it often seems that way - but unless you have a particular mind for building 3D shapes it is often difficult to see the plushy from the pattern pieces - and in my experience, some patterns don't even resemble the image that comes with. This is my process for creating plush characters from online plans.

1. Search online for a number of patterns for the same animal - I find this easier in terms of choice and also an opportunity for Frankenstein building to put parts together.
2. Without scaling the plan up, and using cheap fabric or felt, follow the plan/s exactly to make prototypes, stuffing with scraps to fill the shapes. Don't bother with eyes or other additions at this stage.
3. Once completed look closely at the shapes, how they relate, how the limbs work together.
4. Re-draw the pattern pieces to add or remove fabric, round out shapes or clarify lines, then re-make the prototypes.
5. You can do this as many times as you want, until you're satisfied with the shape.
6. Using a scanner, photocopier or a grid scale the pattern up as required.
7. Cut out your new pattern pieces, then pin to your fabric and cut, leaving 1/2" (1cm) sewing allowance.
8. If using furry fabrics you may need to trim back along the seams, or trim certain sections short for different effects.
9. Pin the pieces together and sew as firmly as possible by hand, or using a lock-stitch on a sewing machine (or go over the seams a couple of times to make sure everything is child-safe)
10. Join pieces together using toy joints or some other child-safe method. Only use eyes that lock in place.
11. Stuff with fibrefill or some other fire-safe filling, then use a secure ladder stitch to close up the stuffing holes.

This is a general technique for any plushy pattern, and good practice for any pattern work you may try, particularly dressmaking.

Empty-the-Vegetable-Rack Soup - Thai-style with Meatballs

Video HERE

Making soup is an ideal way to use up slightly old and tired vegetables and reduce waste - as well as giving you a tasty bowl of something warm, healthy and comforting that you can take from the microwave in minutes. I always make a big batch and freeze the leftovers in ice cube trays, then transfer them to bags the next day so that we can easily portion out what we want as and when required.

Ingredients:
Vegetables... well, yes! Anything you have that has been hanging around for a while; slightly bendy carrots or parsnips, somewhat floppy leeks, celery or onions. (Greens if you like, but it is not necessary to roast them first) Leftover pumpkin or squash.
Stock

... That's it...

Well, perhaps not that simple every time, but that is the basis of any soup. You can of course stick to a stock cube and water - personally, I find that a mixed veg soup without a particular base flavour is a little boring... try some of these options...

Thai-Style

• 1-2 cans Coconut Milk
• 1 Lemongrass stalk, crushed and chopped
• 1-2" Root Ginger, sliced (no need to peel)
• 1-2 Red Chillies, chopped
• 2-4 cloves Ginger, smashed
• Bunch Coriander (Stalks chopped, leaves reserved)
• Seasoning - Soy Sauce, Fish Sauce, Lime or Lemon

Tomato (Ratatouille)

• 1-2 cans Chopped Tomatoes or Passata
• 1-2 Courgettes, cubed (cooked for 5 minutes in the stock)
• 1-2 Carrots, cubed (cooked for 5 minutes in the stock)
• Bunch Basil or Oregano (Stalks chopped, leaves reserved) 
• Seasoning - Sugar and Balsamic Vinegar

Tomato (Goulash)

• 1-2 cans Chopped Tomatoes or Passata
• 1-2 Carrots, cubed (cooked for 5 minutes in the stock)
• 1-2 tbsp Paprika
• 1tbsp Caraway Seeds, crushed
• Seasoning - Sugar and Balsamic Vinegar

Method:

1. Roughly chop your vegetables, de-seed and peel if you must - I prefer to keep the peel on unless it's mouldy, more flavour and vitamins. Spread in a roasting tin, scatter over a pinch of salt and pepper and add a splash of water then cover with foil and roast at GM6/200C for 45 minutes.
2. Remove the foil and roast for a further 15-20 minutes until slightly burnt (caramelized) on the edges. Depending on your veg it might be a little under-cooked, which is fine. Just leave them to cool slightly whilst you make the stock.
3. For the stock, tip the cans into a large pan along with 2 cans of water per can.
4. Add the aromatics - spices, herb stalks etc. and put the pan on the hob to heat.
5. As the stock heats sort through the vegetables, removing any tough peel (IE. from pumpkin)* and add to the pan. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Cool for 10 minutes before liquidizing in batches and pushing through a sieve.**
7. Reheat the soup (with any extra vegetables) in a clean pan, taste and season, adding more water if you want.
8. Serve with crusty bread and a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream, topped with herbs and any other extras you want...

*If your liquidizer is quite sturdy you can just transfer the veg as is without removing the peel or skin.
**I usually add a splash of water to each batch to help things break down, then add the solids back into the stock for a second chance to break down so that I can get the most from them. For the video I ended up with only a ladle's worth of solids, I could have added them to the soup, but I prefer it smooth.

Extras:
Beyond the classic swirl of soured cream or scattering of croutons, there are as many options for toppings as there are for soup...

• Meatballs - make up marble-sized balls from pork, chicken or turkey with matching flavours to the stock. (Or squeeze the meat from sausages like I did) Brown in a small pan whilst you reheat the soup.
• Bacon - cooked and crisp, fabulous crumbled over ANYTHING, really.
• Cooked leftover meat - from a roast or pre-packaged, make sure to heat them through thoroughly. Either in a pan to make them crisp or in the soup for silky bits.
• Vegetable crisps, peanuts or pawn crackers - crunch is always welcome.
• Add a handful of small pasta or cooked rice, even couscous or one of the fashionable grains.
• Crackers - I think it's more of an American thing, but I rather like crumbling a couple of crackers into a bowl.

Character Boxes

Video HERE
This idea had some merit, but it seems that my abilities and tools aren't really up to the job... I intend to revisit and finish at some point next year, but this is what I had originally planned...

You Will Need:
Wood*
Paper, pencil and thick pen
Packing Tape
Glue
Sanding tools
Drill
Craft Knife/Chisels
Pyrography Tool
Acrylic Paint
Varnish

*I'm using pallet wood here, but anything you have will do.

Method: (Obviously you'll need to adapt to whatever you have)

1. Measure your wood and decide on which pieces will be the top, bottom and body of the box, then measure and work out the maximum size you can get from each piece.
2. Draw out this maximum shape on the paper then sketch in the 'character' shape you want. When you're satisfied go over the outline with a thick pen then stick the pattern onto the body wood.
3. Cut around the outline with your scroll saw/bandsaw,whatever...
4. Drill a hole for blade access and cut out the inner piece, leaving at least 1/4" (5mm) in the wall of the box.
5. Sand the inside until smooth then use the box as a template to mark the bottom and top.
6. Cut bottom and top as close to the line as possible then sand top and bottom.
7. Glue the bottom onto the box, then use some double-sided tape to fix the lid in place.
8. Sand the whole box as a block to fit the 'character', cutting and carving back as you like.
9. Add details with a pyrography tool then colour with a wash of acrylic.
10. Sand until smooth, then finish with wax and varnish.

... at least that was what I had planned... I will keep you updated with developments in the new year.