"White Christmas" Carol

       "White Christmas" is an Irving Berlin song reminiscing about an old-fashioned Christmas setting. The song was written by Berlin for the musical film Holiday Inn, released in 1942. The composition won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 15th Academy Awards.

Isreal Beilin, May 1888 - 1989

       Since its release, "White Christmas" has been covered by many artists, the version sung by Bing Crosby being the world's best-selling single (in terms of sales of physical media) with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide. When the figures for other versions of the song are added to Crosby's, sales of the song exceed 100 million.
       "White Christmas" won Berlin the Academy Award for Best Music in an Original Song, one of seven Oscar nominations he received during his career. In subsequent years, it was re-recorded and became a top-10 seller for numerous artists: Frank Sinatra, Jo Stafford, Ernest Tubb, The Ravens and The Drifters. It would also be the last time a Berlin song went to no. 1 upon its release.
       Talking about Irving Berlin's "White Christmas", composer-lyricist Garrison Hintz stated that although songwriting can be a complicated process, its final result should sound simple. Considering the fact that "White Christmas" has only eight sentences in the entire song, lyrically Mr. Berlin achieved all that was necessary to eventually sell over 100 million copies and capture the hearts of the American public at the same time.

Michael Buble & Bing Crosby sing

 "White Christmas" via tech!

"Have A Cup of Cheer!"

Full view of my Welsh cupboard set up for hot chocolate and company.

       My Welsh cupboard is all arranged for company and service of hot chocolate. I've included the classics here, marshmallows, candy spoons, candy canes, cinnamon and sugar condiments. To the right is one of our many Advent calendars. On the left is a basket of small gifts for company. The galvanized village is lighted up and a hand-painted, snowflake sign welcomes visitors with "Have A Cup of Cheer!"

Left, gifts wrapped and ready for the season. Lovely puzzle by artist, Angela Harding.
Right, chocolate and peppermint stirring spoons and candy canes.

Left, Squashes in deep green and harvest gold colors displayed next to our spice grinder. Right,
galvanized houses for candlelight.

Left, colorful berries tucked between our pottery. Center a giant lantern displays Christmas 
baubles next to the Welsh cupboard. Right, delicate laser-cut snowflakes illuminate the 
cupboard at night with fairy lights.

A tree shaped Advent calendar with tiny woodland graphics on every drawer. 

 How I made the chalkboard sign for my "Hot Chocolate Station."

Left, I purchased a wooden snowflake to paint. Center, smearing the chalk on the back of a print-out. 
Right, see my print out of "Have a cup of Cheer" (included below)

Left, I drew on top of the printed text with a ball point pin to transfer the chalked letters.
Center, I took a wax white pencil and delicately drew on top of the chalk dust text.
Right, The last step was to paint the text again with acrylics so that the effect would
be stabilized and brighter.

Left, I then added swirls and berries free-hand. Right, I colored the berries with a bit of red paint.

Free text for your own Hot Chocolate Station craft.

"All Merry and Bright" chalkboard wreath

"All Merry and Bright" chalkboard paint design wired into a grapevine wreath.

       My firstborn loves to fashion wreaths during the holidays. She assembled this one using a chalkboard painted logo on a bauble shaped, galvanized steal sign. After wiring the sign to the inside of a grapevine wreath, she wrapped wire around pine branches and faux berry picks, just at the top of the wreath only. Then she hot glued pine cones between the branches for a bit more texture. This wreath hangs cheerfully on my pumpkin colored front door! 

• DIY Chalkboard Painted Ornaments
• How to craft a memo cabinet for the kitchen...

Print, Color and Cut a Frisky Fox for the tree

        Below is my frisky fox cardboard flat designed for those of you who have limited supplies and cash...

        You didn't paint or color the foxy ornament they way that I did, but, I've included a color version for those of you who would like a suggestion for "how" to finish the drawing. Apply a coat of Mod Podge and make your cardboard double or triple ply to give your finished ornament some durability. 

• Learn more about the fox from our ark-o-pedia
• Draw another fox, head only

Craft soap box cottages for Christmas

        To make these sweet little soap box cottages, you will need to collect the following supplies: pine cones, pliers, recycled soap boxes, a bag of cotton balls, white school glue, scrap cardboard, acrylic paints, green chenille stem (just one), tiny red beads,masking tape, transparent glitter, hot glue and gun, and white felt for the bottoms of the cottages.

Above are the finished soap box cottages wrapped in cotton batting. The roof tops are also covered in snow and glitter.

       First, you will need to pull the scales from the pin cones and snip of any split ends. These will be hot glued on the roof tops eventually. Second, cover the empty soap box with masking tape. Then shape a simple triangular roof by folding a triangle of cardboard in half and attaching this with hot glue on one end of the soap box. Use masking tape to secure this roof feature even more to the box. Cover the roof with masking tape. Close the ends of the roof with more cardboard and tape. Now hot glue the scales onto the roof top to act like roofing tiles. (see pictures)

Left, are pine cones. Center, pliers. Right removed scales from the pine cones with split, damaged tips cut off.

        Cut a flat chimney piece to adhere to one of the sides of the cottage, cover it with masking tape. Glue on a felt rectangle to the bottom of the cottage to prevent it from scratching furniture. Unravel the cotton balls to prep these for use. Apply generous amounts of white school glue between layers of cotton batting to form the outside walls of the cottage. Allow the cotton walls to dry.

The cottages have been prepared for details.

       Take the hot glue gun in hand and squeeze lumps onto the cardboard chimney to form a "rocky" looking surface. Let this hot glue dry and apply a coat of brown, black or dark grey. Then dry brush paler colors of the same to give the rocks depth.

Detail photos of chimney, door, window and bottom of the box covered with felt.

        Cut small details of the door, window etc... from cardboard and glue these on the cottage as you like. I also bent a tiny wreath for the door using a green chenille stem and added red beads for berries. Now the cottage is ready for additional snow. Glue in cotton lumps between the roof tiles and scattered randomly across the top. Smear white school glue on places around the roof tiles and chimney to adhere sprinkling of transparent glitter as you like. Let it all dry overnight and display the little Irish Cottages wherever these are needed.