Gingerbread Houses and Doors for Santa's Elves & Winter Fairies

Gosh, it's the first day of December already, the day you can start to open the doors of your Advent Calender.

This week I've been busy with Gingerbread Houses. 

Gingerbread has a long history, I read that Gingerbread was brought to Europe in 992ad by an Armenian Monk and from there the love of Gingerbread spread across Europe to Britain and America.

It's believed that Gingerbread Houses became popular after the story of Hansel & Gretel by The Brothers Grimm was published. 

These Christmas Tree Decorations are painted individually so are all slightly different and in different colours. 

Gingerbread House Tree Decoration

Handpainted Gingerbread House Tree Decoration

Gingerbread House with a Candy Cane

I've also painted a little Gingerbread Man for a Tree Decoration.

Watch out here comes the history snippet.. 

The popularity of the Gingerbread Man has been attributed to Queen Elisabeth 1. (1533-1603) It is said that she had the gingerbread figures made and presented in the likeness of some of her important guests and courtiers.

Gingerbread Man Christmas Tree Decoration

Christmas Fairy & Elf Doors have been a hit this year too, they are great for weaving a story around, they are a way for Santa's helpers to pop in from the North Pole to see how the children are behaving or as an alternative to a Santa Key. If you are going away from home for the festivities you can take the Door with you and Santa will know where to leave any presents.

I have traditional Reds and Greens,

Christmas Elf Doors in Red & Green

lovely Blues

Christmas Elf & Winter Fairy Doors in Blues

and even Pretty Pinks..

Pink Christmas Doors for the Winter Fairy

Don't forget that if you'd like to purchase any of these items (or similar) please contact me.

I hope you all have a great week and don't eat all the advent chocolates before the first week is out!!

This post is linked to  Handmade Harbours Linky Party

Jan x

Christmas Hanging Decorations & Chalkboards

 On Thursday I had a table at an 'Autumn Shopping Event' at a lovely little village school in Cambridgeshire. The organiser found me through my facebook page,  and she sent me an invitation asking if I'd like to attend. It was held in the school hall and started at 3pm untill 6.30pm. I went and I had a lovely time, there was a wood turner, a jam and chutney maker (mmm the jar of Banana & Lemon I bought is yummy), a Jewellery maker who sold lovely fresh water and seed pearl pieces. There was a lovely lady who knitted and crocheted wonderful Ruffle Necklaces and Scarves. It wasn't an exclusively handmade event but it was very pleasant non the less.

Did I take photo's?... No,  did I remember my camera?... Yes,  did I forget to take batteries?... No, but I forgot that they were flat, silly me. 
My best sellers (besides my Fairy Doors) were the Christmas Countdown Chalkboards

Christmas Countdown Chalkboards

and Christmas Hangy Decorations. I'll be putting these in my Folksy Shop and in my Facebook albums.

Hand painted Christmas Hanging Decorations

Do you like my display tree? I used a couple of twigs from the garden, painted them white and sprinkled it with glitter. I set the twigs into a tub of stones and plaster of Paris to make sure it was sturdy.

I had a successful and pleasing afternoon, I hope you all had a pleasing week too. I'm off now to check out the great blogs over at The Handmade Harbour blogspot


Jan X

Christmas Doors? or Christmas Fairy Doors?

I hope you have all been well this week, I was struck down with the dreaded early winter cold and had a few days feeling sorry for myself, but hey ho things don't get done by themselves and I think the housework fairy has gone on holiday.
Ooo, did someone mention 'fairy'? oh yes that was me..so, talking of fairies!!! I was asked if I could do a Christmas Door similar to my small Fairy Doors, so I did, I liked it, so did my customer, so I made some more....
I painted wreaths hanging on the doors

Christmas Doors

  I painted mistletoe

Doors in chilly ice colours

 I painted stockings on some of the doors

Christmas doors in traditional red & green

 I painted snow 

These small Christmas doors measure a cute 2 x 3 inches

I'm due to do a Craft Fair at a village primary school this week so hopefully they will be well received, fingers crossed, I'll also be popping a couple in my Folksy Shop, question is, do I call them 'Christmas Fairy Doors' or just 'Christmas Doors' ? what do you think?

They will have a little label on the back saying that it is a special door so Santa will always find his way into the home (even if you haven't got a chimney)

Before I go I'd like to thank every one who popped over and left messages (or just had a read) of my previous posts, I think I managed to get around most of the other blogs that take part in Handmade Monday, and I'd like to say a big thank you to Wendy for hosting this linky party.

Take care all

Jan x