I nearly gave up with these little blighters, nothing went or looked right, so I walked away from them, slept on the idea and the following morning everything just fell into place. I just found I needed a much lighter, less is more kind of touch.
I’ve had the walnut shells waiting for at least two years now, left in frustration after similar ideas didn’t work a couple of Christmas’s ago.
All I had to do was drill a small hole in the top of the shell and then add a tiny screw eye hook, adding a little B-7000 to help secure the fix.
I used HobbyCraft Superlight Air-Drying Clay (£1 for a 30g pack) for the snow. It’s really, really weird stuff, with a texture not unlike chewing gum! Learning from my mistakes the day before, I used a lot less of the clay than I thought I needed, pressing a small amount into the bottom of the shell, leaving room for the embellishments.
I put a cotton bud tip in the picture (above) so you can see how small the snowman and tree are, aghhhhh! I made a pile of snowmen a while ago using white Fimo, adding a scarf (red thread) and black wire arms, but again, aghhhhh, the heads weren't really quite big enough to add a full face of eyes, nose and mouth except for these two, which means making another pile as I now know I definitely want to make a lot more of these decorations.
The little wooden trees had to be cut down a little to fit at the back of the shell, after a light covering of green glitter. I stuck the snowman and tree down with B-7000, again for a secure fix.
I also learned that I had to hold back with the white Americana Writer for a more delicate covering of snow, on the clay base and round the edges (I was far too heavy handed with my prototypes), followed up with just a delicate dusting of Stampin Up Dazzling Diamonds to add a subtle wintery sparkle.
I am really pleased with how this second version have turned out …….. next mission ……….. to make a pile more!
