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Saturday, August 26, 2023

Kransekake, a "wreath cake" for your dolls...

Our doll's kransekake cake is made with Sculpey.
       Kransekage (Danish) or kransekake (Norwegian) is a traditional Danish and Norwegian confection, often eaten on special occasions in Scandinavia. In English, the name means wreath cake. In Norway it is alternatively referred to as a tower cake and often prepared for Constitution Day celebrations, Christmas, weddings, and baptisms. In Denmark it is typically eaten as part of New Year celebrations, while a variation of the cake, is traditionally served at weddings and baptisms.
       To make this special Christmas desert, you will need to roll out many long snake-like shapes using the oven-bake clay and curl these into individual 'wreaths.' Next, stack each one on top of the other until they resemble a cone or 'tree.' (see pictures below) Bake the stacked desert in the oven according to the directions on the package. After the baking the layers should stick together. Now you are ready to paint your doll's kransekake...
A doll sized kransekake.
       I used acrylic paints and puff paints to transform our doll's wreath cake into something a bit more colorful. There are no rules about how to paint/decorate a kransekake but it seems as though most people stick with coloring them green and applying a white, pink or red icing. 
        I first painted this festive cake with warm tanish colors and then applied green to the cracks. Then I used white and green puff paints to act as the 'icing' on my cake. 
 
Learn More About Christmas Deserts:
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Sunday, November 17, 2019

Christmas Doll Crafts

Left, wire sleigh and reindeer plus doll sized wrapped presents. Center left, tinsel trees
made from cereal boxes. Center right, an Inglenook fireplace with wood burner.
  Right, doll sized candied apples.
       
       Among all the days we celebrate Christmas stands first and foremost in our thoughts, the holiday of holidays. Coming in the season of frost and snow it brings a cheering warmth to our hearts that defies the icy atmosphere, and the feeling of kindliness and good will toward everyone, which it awakens, seems in response to the words the angels sang on our first Christmas, " On earth peace, good will toward men."
       Christmas is not merely a day set apart for feasting, giving and receiving presents, and for merrymaking. The day on which we celebrate the birth of our Lord is a time of rejoicing for rich and poor alike, and Christmas is Christmas still, although we may receive and can offer no presents and our feast is humble indeed.
       Feeling this, let us keep the Christmas festival as it should be kept, right happily and merrily. Let us decorate our homes to the best of our ability in honor of the day, and supply all deficiencies with happy hearts and smiling faces.
       A friend of the writer's once remarked, as she busied herself with some Christmas-cards she was preparing to send to the hospitals, "I always like to tie a sprig of evergreen on each card; it looks and smells so Christmasy." And so it does. Even a few pieces of evergreen, tacked over doorways or branching out from behind picture-frames, give a room a festive, Christmas-like appearance that nothing else can, and as evergreens are so plentiful here in America there are few houses that need be without their Christmas decorations. Holly, too, with its brilliant red berries peeping cheerily forth from their shelter of prickly leaves, adds brightness to the other adornments, and when the white-berried mistletoe can also be obtained all the time-honored materials for the Christmas decorations are supplied.
       Though we are Americans, our ancestors came from many nations, and we have therefore a right and claim to any custom we may admire in other countries. We may take our Christmas celebrations from any people who observe the day and combining many, evolve a celebration which in its variety will be truly American.  

The nativity displayed in our dollhouse.
Christmas Parties for Doll Lovers:
DIY 54 Christmas Doll Crafts/Activities from Our Blog: You can help grow our listing by making requests for particular Christmas crafts in the comment box below:
  1. Craft a Yule Log Cake Candy Container - How to make a candy container for your child-size kitchen.
  2. Simple Chenille Stem Christmas Wreaths - Use everyday craft supplies to create something decorative and festive.
  3. Craft an Inglenook Fireplace for Your 18inch Dollhouse - These are popular in Great Britain, see how we design a lovely brick front fireplace into a cozy place for your doll's to keep warm this winter.
  4. Retro Tinsel Trees For a Doll's Christmas - use Mardi Gras beads to decorate doll sized Christmas Trees.
  5. Knot a Felt No-Sew Throw for Your Doll - A small version of a popular adult winter craft, DIY your doll's fleece blanket.
  6. Christmas Yard Art for Your Doll House - transforming tossed-out trash into treasure with just a bit of paint!
  7. Craft a Gingerbread Castle for American Girl Dolls - made using toilet paper rolls and scrap cardboard.
  8. DIY Christmas Tree Letter Art - for hanging on your doll's dollhouse walls.
  9. How To Build a Fireplace For An American Girl Doll House - This fireplace has a stone front made from paper mache.
  10. Doll Gingerbread Hornbook Craft - A historic inspired craft from Early Colonial America.
  11. DIY Doll Sized Candied Apples - Work with wooden parts to make these traditional holiday sweets.
  12. Three ways to craft a St. Lucia crown - three distinctly different looking Lucia crowns for your dolls.
  13. Craft Hot Cups of Cocoa - Learn how to fit faux drinks inside of doll china so that it can be removed later.
  14. How to make a Christmas popcorn tin for your dolls... - cheddar cheese and peppermint varieties 
  15. Sculpt a Holiday Turkey Using Paper Pulp  - There are many people around the world that eat a big bird for their holiday feast every year. Learn how we made one of these for our dolls.
  16. Craft a Christmas Ham from Paper Mache  - Are your dolls tired of always eating turkey at a Christmas feast? Try crafting a ham with pineapple and a savory sauce instead.
  17. DIY a Clay Pecan Pie for American Girl Dolls - cute little pecans and crust crafted with clay.
  18. Printable Reproduction Postcards for Christmas - Lovey, old-fashioned postcards for your dolls to send Christmas greetings this year.
  19. Christmas Craft Supply for Our Dollhouses...  - see what we collect to craft with for Christmas.
  20. The Pioneer Doll's Christmas Tree - If you need to decorate a Christmas tree for your pioneer dolls, go here to see how this was done by real people so long ago!
  21. Cut and Color Billy And His Animated Snowman - A sweet pattern for paper dolls with moving parts, just in time for winter fun.
  22. Links to 50 Christmas Doll Ornament Crafts and Resources! - see my daughter's Christmas tree dolls and visit other websites to learn how to make your very own.
  23. Printable Post Office Box Labels  - label those dolly Christmas packages so they won't get lost in route to other doll homes around the nursery!
  24. Star of Many Points Playscale Quilt (in holiday colors!) - printable doll blanket for Barbies or fashionistas. You will need transfer paper and a home printer to make this craft.
  25. DIY 18" Doll Size Advent Calendar - This is a cabinet version for small gifts and letters.
  26. DIY Christmas Countdown Calendar for Dolls - Our version features a snow cave and recycled wooden ornament.
  27. DIY a Christmas Candy Cane Wreath - a nostalgic wreath craft for your dollhouse that includes chenille stem candy canes...
  28. Four Doll Sized Christmas Pillow Ideas - make these comfy favorites for the living room or  bedroom of your doll...
  29. A Few of Dolly Dingle's Christmas Presents  - Cute color paper doll for Christmas by Grace Drayton
  30. How to Alter Footed Pajamas for A Doll - Christmas versions for our Magic Attic dolls.
  31. Fun Finds For Christmas - items collected from resale to decorate the 18" dollhouse...
  32. No-Sew Or Sew, Tree Skirts for A Dollhouse - Four versions of material used to glue or sew a tree skirt together.
  33. DIY a Doll Sized Needlepoint and Hoop - a tiny Christmas angel needlepoint, mounted inside a pretend embroidery hoop for the doll who loves to embroider.
  34. Make Peppermint Stripped Earmuffs - craft a set of earmuffs to keep your doll warm for the winter!
  35. Christmas Wrap for Dolls - decorative paper tubes and bows for wrapping a doll sized Christmas present.
  36. Two Rudolf Socks, Two Warm Hats - plus a step-by-step tutorial for making yarn pom poms.
  37. Color a Christmas Tree for Your Dolls - adapted from The Ladies Home Journal by kathy grimm for play only 2020
  38. AG Doll Sized Christmas Greetings... - printable Christmas Cards for the 'dolly mail'
  39. DIY Christingles for Your 18" Dolls and Friends - A marvelous, traditional Christmas celebration among Moravians and Christians in the United Kingdom!
  40. Sew a Doll Sized Santa Head Stocking - plus two more stocking ideas using the same pattern
  41. A Doll's Christmas - by C. N. Lurie, short story published in the papers 120 years ago for Christmas entertainment
  42. Children's Christmas Party Costumes from 1914 - Adorable costume design ideas for the parent or older child who loves an excuse to sew something for their dolls...
  43. DIY an easy plum pudding for a doll's Christmas... - history of, craft and poem "The Best Christmas Pudding..."
  44. Make a Gingerbread Carousel for Your Dollhouse Decor - This version has reindeer and pine tree ginger cookies ...
  45. Craft a Kransekake, "wreath cake" for your dolls... 
  46. Craft a brick dog house for winter weather... - This labradoodle has his own chimney for Santa to enter! 
  47. How to craft a pillar candle for the dollhouse... - this one includes decorative, pretend holly + berries
  48. Make an easy Christmas pom-pom wreath for the dollhouse - requires basic sewing skills
  49. Currier & Ives Prints for The Dollhouse - Print of winter grist mill and several cabins, a bridge and horse drawn sleigh
  50. Fixing A Factory Flaw? - Christmas misfit toy remake...
  51. The 12 Days of Christmas in Hawaii - hand movements, lyrics, music video
  52. Foam Bauble Wreath Craft - easy to make and hang on the dollhouse front door or inside over the mantle if you wish...
  53. A Ski Lodge Mantle Display - Christmas decorating ideas for a doll fireplace and example of handmade snowy felt cover 
  54. Chenille Stem Stocking Craft - for the wall, for the hearth or for the front door...
  55. Craft a Chenille Stem Wreath - for the dollhouse front door or interior, two types
More Doll Christmas Crafts Online:
 Christmas Poems & Carols:
  1. Santa Loves Little Girls and Boys - "I love little girls and boys, And I like to bring..."
  2. Hang Up The Baby's Stocking - "Hang up the baby's stocking; Be sure you don't forget..."
  3. December  by Arthur Burdick - "Oh, December is a jolly monthe a-brimmin' o'er with joys..."
  4. The Sugar-Plum Tree by Eugene Field - "Have you ever heard of the Sugar-Plum Tree?"
  5. Christmas Morning by Burges Johnson - "Yesterday I tore some lace --stuck my finger through it..."
  6. Christmas Song - " Sing a song of Christmas, the good time is here..."
  7. To Father Christmas by Maud Keary - "Father Christmas, will you please..."
  8. Christmas Carols by Alden Arthur Knipe - "Evening shadows dim the daylight..."
  9. A Christmas Wish - "I wish that good old Santa would travel like a show..."
  10. Father Christmas by Alice Morin - Here's old Father Christmas come again..."
  11. Wee Candles by Annette Dennsteat - "I am a candle Shining so bright..."
  12. December by Blanche - "There are no summer roses Nor brilliant leaves of fall..."
  13. Christmas Company by Harriet Whitney Symonds - "I'm tarrible busy, I tell you, an' haven't a minute to play..."
  14. Santa's Workshop by Johnny Gruelle "This wonderful workshop is just for girls..."
  15. The Christmas Tree - "You come from a land where the snow lies deep"
  16. What Santa Claus Thinks -  "Hi! another one! What's all the world about?"
  17. Christmas, His Birthday - by Susan Coolidge, "How did they keep his birthday then,"
Christmas Reflections:
  • Treasures of The Snow - 'Today I want you to come with me into a wonderful treasure-house and we shall walk round and look at the treasures.'
History, People, Animals, Places and Things Christmas:
  • The Reindeer - 'It is at Christmas time that our thoughts are most apt to turn to the reindeer and caribou, for then we see it associated in many ways with Santa Claus and his load of gifts.'
  • Santa's A Real Doll in 1955  - 'For most people, the Christmas season doesn't begin until some time after Thanksgiving, but for manufacturers who depend on Yuletide sales for a big slice of their business, Christmas is likely to begin around the 4th of July.'
  • Evergreens - Everybody knows and loves a Christmas tree, and you will agree that without a tree no Christmas celebration is complete...
Real Christmas Stories About Children Who Lived Long Ago...
Toy Ideas For Your Dolls:
 Cut, Paste and Color More Christmas Paper Dolls:
Popular Christmas Video from American Girl Doll Fans:
Doll Interviews, Traditions and Crafts From Our Generation Dolls:
Left to right: "The Nativity", "It's A Wonderful Life", "Miracle on 34th Street" and "The Santa Clause" movie posters.
 Films for A Kid Friendly Christmas:
  • The Nativity Story is a 2006 American biblical drama film based on the nativity of Jesus, directed by Catherine Hardwicke and starring Keisha Castle-Hughes and Oscar Isaac. The film was released on December 1, 2006 after it premiered in Vatican City November 26, 2006. Read more...  and trailer
  • The Santa Clause is a 1994 American Christmas fantasy family comedy film written by Leo Benvenuti and Steve Rudnick, and directed by John Pasquin. The first film in the Santa Clause film series, it stars Tim Allen as Scott Calvin, an ordinary man who accidentally causes Santa Claus to fall from his roof on Christmas Eve. When he and his young son, Charlie, finish St. Nick's trip and deliveries, they go to the North Pole where Scott learns that he must become the new Santa and convince those he loves that he is indeed Santa Claus. Read more...  and trailer 
  • Miracle on 34th Street is a 1994 American Christmas fantasy film written and produced by John Hughes, and directed by Les Mayfield (the two would reunite for 1997's Flubber). It stars Richard Attenborough, Mara Wilson, Elizabeth Perkins, and Dylan McDermott, and is the fourth remake (and the second theatrical version) of the original 1947 film. Like the original, this film was released by 20th Century Fox. Read more... and trailer (both versions of this film are excellent)
  • Elf is a 2003 American Christmas comedy film. It was directed by Jon Favreau and written by David Berenbaum. Starring Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, Daniel Tay, Ed Asner and Bob Newhart, the film centers on Buddy, a human who was adopted and raised by Santa's elves. He learns about this and heads to New York City to meet his biological father while also spreading Christmas cheer in a world of cynics in the process. Read more... and trailer
  • It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra, based on the short story and booklet The Greatest Gift, which Philip Van Doren Stern wrote in 1939 and published privately in 1943. The film is one of the most beloved in American cinema, and has become traditional viewing during the Christmas season. Read more... and trailer
Intro to lovely Christmas Traditions for Children.
and
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Monday, November 26, 2018

Craft a Yule Log Cake Candy Container

This chocolate Yule log cake isn't really a cake! It's a candy container made to order for our
family's play room. Above you can see that the painted, plastic lid is on the tray and the
 peppermint candies are falling out from the inside of my candy container on the right.

        When my children were little, we often baked a special Christmas birthday cake for Jesus. Sometimes it would be fashioned into a tree or a yule log. One year, the birthday cake even resembled an entire forest of pines, dusted with powdered sugar.
       Parents and/or Teachers can help their young ones shape a candy container made to look like a chocolate yule log cake with the following supplies. Stuff it with candy treats and scriptures from the Nativity story if you'd like to start a new family tradition similar to our own.
Yule Log Candy Container Supply List:
Run your fingertips across the ends of a toothbrush dipped in
white paint to create a snowy mist of powdered sugar on the
surface of your faux, chocolate yule log cake. 
  • recycled cylindrical oatmeal can and potato chip can
  • masking tape
  • paper mache pulp
  • plastic fork, scissors
  • nail for poking holes and hammer
  • acrylic paints in brown and white
  • transparent glitter
  • white school glue
  • paint brushes
  • old, clean toothbrush (no longer in use)
  • wooden tooth picks
  • markers to color the printable pictures 
  • dollar store silver cake platter
Step-by-Step Instructions:
  1. Select a large recycled oatmeal can to be the primary yule log shape. Cut a second smaller potato chip can or juice can to cut down and tape to the larger part of the faux log as a cut branch. 
  2. Glue and tape the cut branches into place.
  3. Cover the entire outside of the faux yule log with masking tape. 
  4. Leave the opening and plastic lid for the larger oatmeal can in tact so that the yule log may be used as a box for surprise presents/candy.
  5. Mix together the paper mache pulp according to the directions on the package.
  6. Apply the paper pulp to every outside surface approximately 1/2 inch in thickness.
  7. Drag the prongs of a plastic fork through the covered surface to create a ''ribbed'' rough looking chocolate icing.
  8. Let the paper pulp application dry. Depending on the weather this could take two days or a week.
  9. Cover the entire outside surface of the dried yule log candy container with brown paint and let it dry.
  10. Mix a bit of white into the brown paint and brush another layer on the raised surfaces only. Let the log dry.
  11. Add the inside swirl of white vanilla cream to the ends of the log where it would normally show after someone would cut the jelly role cake in half. (see photos)
  12. Now water down a bit of white paint in a separate dish. 
  13. Dip the toothbrush into thick white paint and thin dip it into the watery white paint.
  14. Face the tips of the toothbrush away from yourself, pointing to the areas of the faux Yule log cake where you wish to lightly apply white sprinkles of paint. Move your fingers up and down the bristles of the toothbrush in order to wisp on a white mist of light paint. This should look just like the powdered sugar that is normally applied through a sifter onto the surface of a chocolate yule cake to mimic snow. Let the paint dry.
  15. Apply a bit of white school glue to the areas of the faux cake that you want to sprinkle the transparent glitter.
  16. Let the cake dry completely before gently pressing a nail or the sharp end tip of a pair of scissors through the top of the yule log. These tiny holes will be where you can insert the decorative picks after you have colored them.
  17. I've included a sheet of tiny pictures below for children to color, cut out, and glue toothpicks to the backside of in order to decorate the top of their yule log cake, candy container. (see photos)
  18. Don't forget to paint the lid of the candy container as well. Paint it to match the other ends of the yule log, with a vanilla swirl in the middle.
Left, select a large recycled oatmeal can to be the primary yule log shape. Center, cover the
 entire outside of the faux yule log with masking tape. Right, drag the prongs of a plastic fork through the
covered surface to create a ''ribbed'' rough looking chocolate icing.
Left, cover the entire outside surface of the dried yule log candy container with brown paint
and let it dry. Center, Add the inside swirl of white vanilla cream to the ends of the log where
 it would normally show after someone would cut the jelly role cake in half.  I also glued on
a real pine cone for detail. Right, the paper mache pulp texture looks like chocolate icing to me!
Left, Move your fingers up and down the bristles of the toothbrush in order to wisp on a
white mist of light paint. This should look just like the powdered sugar. Center, I also painted
 white snow on my faux chocolate pine cone. Right, the glitter gives the log even
more snowy appeal.
left, let the cake dry completely before gently pressing a nail or the sharp end tip of a pair of
scissors through the top of the yule log. These tiny holes will be where you can insert the
decorative picks after you have colored them. Center, The decorative picks are made from
 the printable below and toothpicks. Right, now it's time to fill the Yule log candy container
 up with Christmas candy!
Don't forget to paint the lid of the candy container as well. Paint it to match the other ends of the
yule log, with a vanilla swirl in the middle.
Above is a sheet of Christmas Clip Art for you to decorate a Yule Log Cake with.
Mount the pictures to the tips of wooden toothpicks with school glue. Poke them
through either a faux cake like ours or a real cake top to decorate for the holidays.
More Yule Logs and Christmas Cake Crafts:
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