Fun With Oyster Shells

I've been terribly neglectful of this blog lately. Life has just gotten in the way and some things had to give here and there.

I find writing here therapeutic and, boy, have I missed being here. Tomorrow starts a new month and a fast countdown to Christmas. The "Busy Season" for most of us. I'll need therapy to get through the next 25 days, believe me! So, I'm pledging, here and now, to post each and every day until Christmas. Please hold me to it. Push me, pull me, cajole me into posting. Send me notes, etc., whatever it takes. I need you, all of you!!


Well, we've now worked through most of the Thanksgiving leftovers. (Which in our case is pretty good as we didn't do our turkey dinner here until Monday! We go to another family member's home on the true holiday.) One of the "leftovers" I had from Thursday was a box of empty oyster shells. (It's a Maryland thing - raw oysters for appetizers!) So, what's a creative painting gal to do?!?

Start painting!! The shells have a natural flow with ridges and lumps and natural lines to follow. Each is different of course. I kind of let each one speak to me and tell me what it is. (Okay, a few glasses of wine helped that creative flow along a bit. I'll admit it.) Suddenly, I was surrounded by Santa faces and more.


Some shells wanted to be so much more than just the Jolly Guy's face, some wanted to include his body, some wanted to stick him in the center of a wreath, or be his sleigh. One shell aspired to be a tree and one, I think it was female, wanted to be an angel. I gave each one some leeway to become what they wanted to be.


I think the results were quite rewarding. I added some ribbon loops and am working at giving each a listing of their own in my shop tonight. Well, sort of. some are going there in pairs - you know, the old two-by-two thing!

I'm thinking of playing with some sand dollars tomorrow!

OMG!! Christmas is in 23 Days!!!

Well, Santa may actually be in town already (just check your local mall) but he'll be at my house (and yours!) in just 23 days and a couple of hours!! So how ready are you?

I've scheduled PANIC to begin on Saturday of this week. I don't have time for it until then. I need to post a holiday shipping deadline in my shop tomorrow, right after I post some more holiday merchandise. I'm definitely behind schedule on getting some things into the shop. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for last-minute shoppers.

If you're an online seller, have you gotten all your merchandise listed yet? Don't forget to note a shipping deadline for holiday arrivals.

Last year, I received an order five days before Christmas! (Well after my cut-off date as posted.) I emailed the buyer and told her I would do my best but could not guarantee on-time arrival at that point. (I did not offer any over-night shipping last year and have not decided to do it this year either. In most cases, overnight costs more than my products.) I then found I had trouble obtaining the appropriate garment to paint in the requested size. With no time to dye the garment, I ended up making a last-minute color substitution and was unable to take the time to get customer approval first. I sent a note along, stating I tried to find an acceptable substitution but wanted them to have something for their child to open on Christmas Day. If they did not want the alternative color, please return it - unused - and I would replace it with the originally requested color and refund any return shipping costs. Turns out they loved it anyway!

I've still got quite a few items to photograph and get listed. Most still need a finishing touch or two. The good news is, I'm behind schedule due to working on existing orders. After all, a sale's a sale! My offline sales (mostly repeat buyers) have been satisfying this season but my online business has been disappointing.

Beginning Saturday, I also need to kick it in gear as far as my own shopping list goes. We have to ship a fair number of our own outgoing gifts and, since I make most, I need to get busy, get them done, packed and mailed.

Did I mention I haven't started decorating or baking yet? The good news is, I have a reindeer collection, currently numbering a little over 500 deer. Many stay on display year-round in curio cabinets and shelves around the house. So I'm always a little decorated for the holiday! I have actually scheduled candy making day. To be precise, that's the day I have a little help. Other families gather to bake cookies together, I have the girls help with the general and easier candies for an afternoon. I then spend a number of days working on all the rest myself! Candy comes first. If I have time, then I make cookies.

These tree ornaments are some of my newest listings. They measure 5" tall and look so cute piled on my table in a mound. I was tempted to use a photo of the pile for the listings but didn't want to waste a detail shot.

I also made some that can be personalized. My mom began a tradition of giving each of the children a special ornament each year that was their very own. Although she made many beautiful ones herself, she usually bought fancy, unique glass ornaments. I still have some of those despite the tree falling over several times in the last decade or so. I've lost many beloved ornaments that way!

51 Days & Counting - Keepsake Gingerbread Ornaments

It's easy to make adorable keepsake ornaments from altered gingerbread dough. (Although they do take a little pre-planning as the dough need to sit in the fridge overnight!) They look and smell like real cookies and, I believe, acrylic paint is easier to decorate with than real icing!! You can use them as tree ornaments, gift tags (that can then be hung as tree ornaments), adornment for wreaths, magnets, attached to baskets, garlands, etc.

This particular recipe is made with ingredients most of us already have on hand, rolls and cuts with cookie cutters just like regular gingerbread cookies but bakes up rock hard! They will even smell great for years and years!

I have found the scent comes through when you glaze them with a regular craft shellac but I prefer a polyurethane coating and that often eliminates the scent. It's your choice!

Recipe for Gingerbread Ornament Dough (NOT EDIBLE)

3 Tablespoons shortening

1/2 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup molasses

1 Teaspoon baking soda

3/4 Cup flour

1 Teaspoon each of cloves, ginger and cinnamon

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

*Beat shortening & sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in molasses.

*Sift the dry ingredients together. Stir them into the shortening mixture in 3 parts, alternating with 1/4 cup water each time. Dough will be stiff.

*Refrigerate overnight.

*Cut dough into 3 pieces. Knead to warm dough slightly, then roll each piece to about 1/4 " thick.

*Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out cookie shapes and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. (You can use parchment paper if you'd like.) **If you will be using these as hanging ornaments poke a hole in the top center of the shape using a sharp, pointy object. (I usually use a small Phillips screwdriver for this.)

***The hole will shrink about 50% during baking so be sure it is large enough for whatever type of ribbon or string you plan to use.

*Bake 20 minutes, then turn the oven off and let them cool in the oven.

*Remove from the cookie sheet and place on a rack to dry for approximately 3 days to harden. (I generally cover a clean, cold cookie sheet with wax paper and set my shapes on that. I stash them on top of a high bookshelf in my dining room and mark my calendar to remind me they are there. - Yes, I have forgotten them for days!)
*When set, you can seal the "cookies" with a clear acrylic shellac available in any craft store and use acrylic paints to decorate them.

These are inedible. They are purely for use as decorations.