Mountain folk did not have the luxury of going out and buying new ornaments. Appalachians “up-cycled” almost everything, including “paper pokes” aka paper bags, wild found treasures, and bits of rags.

Today I am going to show you two DIY Appalachian Christmas Paper Bag Crafts: paper bag angels, and paper bag ornaments. The simplicity of these paper ornaments embraces the beauty of most Appalachian Crafts, and I hope that you are inspired to not only try your hand at creating your ornaments but share them with others.

Paper Bag Angels

Tiny paper bag angels adorned many a cabin and coal camp shack wall during the holiday season. You would find them adorned with bits of scrap ribbon and lace. Often they were the work of little hands, and never “store-bought” perfect, they held a beauty that you can’t find in store-bought decorations. As you gather supplies to create your angels, look for items that hold special meaning to you and your family.

There is no pattern for these little beauties, as the skill to make them was passed along from mother to child. Hopefully, you will be able to figure out how to put them together by viewing the series of photos.

Supplies:

• 2 lunch-size paper bags
• Ribbons or scraps of lace
• hot glue
• string for hanging
• scissors
• pipe cleaner
• fiberfill

Directions:

Head and Arms

1. Cut one of your bags along one side, and then the other side. Remove the bottom section and discard it. You should have two long rectangles of paper. Lay aside for now.
2. Using your second bag, add a ball of fiberfill to the bottom of the bag. Scrunch the bag beneath the fiberfill. Using a pip cleaner, twist the area closed to create the “neck” of your angel. Do not cut the pipe cleaner, you will use the leftover length will be twisted together to form a hanger.
3. Use one of your two rectangles of paper, and fold it over and over lengthwise.
4. Twist the folded paper to create the “arms” of your angel.
5. Add a bit of ribbon or lace to the ends of the twisted paper. This will create the “cuffs” for the sleeves.
6. Find the center of the twisted paper, and secure it to the center of the angel’s back, just below the pipe cleaner.
7. Pull the two ends of the twisted paper to the front and glue them together to form the hands.

Dress and Halo

1. Starting at the center of the bottom of the dress, glue ribbon to the hem.
2. Take the second triangle of paper and starting at one end, bend it back and forth to form an accordion shape ( like one would do to make a paper fan). You can glue ribbon to the ends if wanted. Pinch the folded shape together in the center letting let create a butterfly-like shape, next glue it to the back of the angel to form wings. In the photos below I used ribbon on the smaller angel to create wings. On the larger one, I used a long thin paper bag, cut it to the desired length, and pinched it together in the middle, and glued it in place. I added lace to the edges to give it a finished look.
3. If needed, shape the head of the angel, gluing it in place as needed. Just take care to not burn yourself with the hot glue.
4. Add a bit of twisted paper, pipe cleaner, or other embellishments to the angel’s head to form a halo.

Paper Bag Ornaments

The folks in the Appaliacn mountains found a use for everything, including paper bags. You would see them used to hold dried fruit and nuts, note paper, toilet paper, quilting patterns, and more.

My favorite use for paper bags was making tiny stuffed ornaments for my Christmas tree. I have several paper bag ornaments that I use on my tree every year. Below are instructions for creating your very own paper bag treasures for your tree.

Supplies:

• paper bags (or brown paper used for wrapping postal packages)
• Acrylic paints
• puff paint ( if desired)
• hot glue
• paint brushes
• fiberfill
• string for hanging ornaments
• patterns to transfer to the bag: Gingerbread Man
• scissors

Directions:

1. Print the pattern
2. Cut out two gingerbread men shapes, or snowman shapes
3. Draw a face, bow, and buttons on one of your shapes
4. Place the other corresponding shapes together, and glue around the edge-leaving a space open at the top to insert the fiberfill stuffing.
5. Slightly stuff the ornament.
6. Glue the opening shut.
7. Paint on the features.
8. Once dry, glue a string to the back as a hanger.

Memories of Christmas Past

Christmas doesn’t have to be stressful or complicated. The most perfect Christmas seasons that I can recall were spent stringing popcorn, making paper chains, and making homemade ornaments for our tree. Making crafts with my mom and siblings gave the season special magic. Our few gifts were not expensive., but it was such an amazing time of year. This year I encourage you to step back and enjoy the little things in life.

A Peek at My Next Blog Post

My next blog post will be on painting pinecones and using them as decorations around the house. It will include directions for a burlap garland and simple pinecone ornaments.

I had intended to show you the pinecone craft in today’s post. Me being me, I misplaced my pinecones and had to go out and pick up new ones.

Thank You

If you enjoyed this post on DIY Appalachian Christmas Paper Bag Crafts, you may want to check out my other posts for other mountain, holiday-traditions: how to create grapevine wreaths and how to make our Traditional Apple Stack Cakes.

I hope that you embrace the joy of the season by spending time with family or friends crafting and creating fun holiday decorations. This year can be the year that you start a beloved family tradition!

Thank y’all for stopping by. I’d love it if you decided to follow my blog or share it with others.

Wishing you all the joy of an old-fashioned Christmas,

Vikki

The post Homemade Appalachian Christmas Crafts appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

Ingredients & Prep

You will need:

• parchment paper
• cookie pan
• ingredients
• pastry knife
• grater
• oven
• knife
• baking spray/ oil
• One medium-sized sweet potato; washed and baked. Let cool before mashing to make your sweet potato puree.

Dry ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves

Nuts:

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Oils:

1 stick of butter ( or stick of vegetable butter) grated, then chilled in the freezer for about ten minutes. If your butter ain’t really cold, your scones will not turn out right. Shortening doesn’t work well in this recipe.

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sweet potato puree
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream- chilled
• 1 large egg- beaten
• 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• prepare a sheet of parchment paper that is at least a foot long (for patting out scone dough)
• Sift together dry ingredients; Using a pastry knife, cut in the chilled butter until the mixture resembles a course meal.

• Gently stir in the nuts (if using).
• Combine all wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
• Make a “well” in the center of the dry ingredients.

• Slowly incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stirring after each addition. Do not over-process the dough. Only mix it enough to combine the wet and dry ingredients. The dough should look like crumbly cookie dough.

• Turn the dough out onto parchment paper that has been lightly sprinkled with flour.
• Pat out the dough into a large rectangle shape. Cut in the center to create two squares. From there cut into small triangular pieces.

• Carefully move the scones to a lightly oiled cookie sheet.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes (depending on elevation). I usually remove them at the 10-minute mark.
• Cool on a wire rack. Top with glaze when just warm.

Glaze Recipe

• 1 cup sifted-powered sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon each: cinnamon & ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon each: nutmeg, & cloves
• 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon butter

Mix together dry ingredients. Stir in butter until mixed. Add cream, and blend well. Can add a bit more cream if needed, but take care to not add too much as the glaze will be easily thinned.

A Note About Pastry Knives

If you are new to using a pastry knife, you can buy them at Walmart and other department stores. Here is a link to a stainless steel pastry knife similar to the one I use. Any of them will work.

Happy Thanksgiving Y’all

Thanksgiving to me is not about having a fancy meal. It is about getting together with family and friends. Growing up, we didn’t have fancy place settings, but our mom sure could make you feel special and loved. Those are the most precious memories for me of when all of my siblings came together. I miss those sweet days and cherish the memories. Remember, you don’t have to have a perfect house to have a happy home. Enjoy the little things, like sweet potato scones and a cup of coffee to start your Thanksgiving morning.

I want to wish you and your family a safe and happy Thanksgiving. If you enjoyed this post, please pop over and check out my recipes for Appalachian Apple Stack Cake. It is another holiday favorite back home in the hills.

You all come back by real soon,

Vikki

The post Thanksgiving Day Breakfast:Sweet Potato Scones appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

Supplies Needed for Your Dollar Tree Gothic-Romance Pumkin Craft

• Item Total
• 3 oval, metal, Dollar Tree trays, $1.25 ea. $3.75
• piece of wood or vine for stem (about 4 to five inches long) free
• Large silk leaves
• dusty pink flowers $1.25 ea. (Used two) $2.50
• small plastic skulls $1.25 $1.25
• hot glue
• E6000 glue
• White (or cream) spray paint $5.00 $5.00
• drop cloth
• ribbon & floral wire for bow (or pre-tied bow) $1.25
• wire, or piece of twine for hanger: I used wired rope from Dollar Tree $1.25
• drill, or nail & hammer to punch holes

Note: I didn’t include the cost of glue, glue gun, hammer, etc.

Step One

Remove stickers and glue from oval metal trays. Decide where your trays will overlap, then cover that area with a thin piece of masking tape. This will prevent spray paint from interfering with the bonding power of the E6000 & hot glue.

Step Two

Lay out your drop cloth. Spray the trays with several light coats of paint, letting the trays dry between coats. After completely dry, flip over and paint the other side of trays.

Step Three

Remove the masking tape. Line up your first two trays. Add E6000, according to package directions, to the middle of one taped area. Add enough hot glue above & below the E6000 to hold the trays as the liquid glue sets. Push the trays together until hot glue is set. After E6000 has set, add the third tray using the same method.

Step 4

Add a thin glaze of bronze-colored paint around the edges of the trays, and in the center of each of the trays. I used hot glue to add the stem to the back of the pumpkin, BUT I ended up moving it to the front (See finished project).

Step 5

Drill holes in the top of the pumpkin. Add wired-roped, or preferred hanger). I pushed wired-rope through the front then glued them in place with hot glue on the back.

Step 6

Cut the end off of a rectangle of a floral-foam block (not the soft type that you use with water). I got mine from Dollar Tree. Place hot glue in the center of the foam, and E6000 glue on each side of the hot glue. Press in place until the hot glue is set. Let E6000 glue set for at least 30 minutes before continuing.

When I am creating a floral display, I find my center/focal point (in this case a large flower with a skull in the center). From there, I build outwards towards the outside edge of the floral foam.

Make sure that the floral stems are not protruding from the back of the foam, or you will have trouble gluing the arrangement in place.

When you are gluing the arrangement in place, apply pressure to the center of the floral foam until the hot glue has set.

My Finished Project: Gothic Pumkin Wall Hanger

Of all the wall and door hangers that I have made, this Dollar Tree Gothic-Romance Pumpkin Craft is one of my favorites! It has such a polished, put-together look that it would easily pass for a high-end boutique buy. I kept catching myself singing Sarah’s song from Hocus Pocus the whole time I worked on this project. This project seems to fit her aesthetic, don’t you think?

You could personalize these hangers further with vinyl wordage, house numbers, or a family monogram. Ready to create your amazing Dollar Tree Gothic-Romance Pumkin Craft for Under $20 hanger? Let that creative urge flow…. pumpkins, skulls, and vines, oh my!! I’d love to see your final result. If you’d like to share, drop a comment & photo.

Want more unique projects? Then pop over and check out my other pumpkin projects.

Subscribe to follow, and feel free to share.

Happy Fall Y’all!

Vikki

The post How to Create a Gothic-Romance Pumpkin Craft for Under $20 appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

• dryer vent hose
• wire snips
• utility knife or shop scissors
• floral wire
• E6000 glue (optional)
• hot glue gun & glue
• spray paint
• drop cloth (or box)
• stick, piece of grapevine, or something to use as pumpkin stem
• silk vines, leaves, or florals of choice

Choosing Your Vent Hose

I am going to show you two different DIY dryer hose pumpkin crafts. The style of hose that you use will determine the textures of your pumpkin. A ticker vent hose is likely to have tighter bands (see the photo of the white pumpkin). You can decide which look you prefer.

Cut the Hose

Strech out your vent hose. Use shop scissors, or a utility knife to cut your hose to your preferred length. I cut mine to a length of 24 inches.

Warning: the foil that these vents are made of will cut you. Be very careful.

Two Methods of Turning the Hose

Into a Pumpkin Shape

1.) E6000 glue method: You will wire the back first (the part that will end up being the hole for your stem). You may need to use a large needle to punch a hole to feed the wire through. Once you have at least four areas (placed at even intervals around the vent) of wire pushed through the hose, go back and add the E6000 glue to the cut edge of the hose, twist the wire closed, then move to the next section and repeat until all areas are glued and all four of the wires have been twisted closed. Let the glue dry for at least two hours before painting.

Note: Avoid my mistake. Do not use thick wire to pull the sides of the hose together. I made a mess! The large wire punched huge holes in the hose which I ended up having to patch with heavy-duty aluminum foil. After reading the two methods below, if you decide to use wire, I would suggest that you use floral wire to connect the two sides of the hose.

2.) Hot glue method: Pull the ends of the dryer vent hose together and hot glue the edges. Do a small section at a time. I found that starting at the back worked best. Hold until the glue sets (about 40 seconds) before moving to the next section (I use clothes pins as clamps to assist in this step). I still use floral wire to secure the bond, especially if it is going to be on a porch or sitting in the window in direct sunlight. You may opt to only use hot glue; the choice is totally yours.

Painting Your Pumpkin

Do you want a farmhouse style pumpkin? Or, do you want your pumpkin to look more traditional? Neutral paint colors blend well with farmhouse decor. Orange tones give a more traditional look. I did one of each style so that you can see what they look like side by side.

I used two different brands of spray paint for my pumpkins. The first one that I used was Krylon Color Max in White (for a farmhouse look). The second brand that I used was ColorShot in orange. Choose a color that fits your decor style.

Place a box or drop cloth under your pumpkin before painting. Follow the directions on the label of your paint. Let the paint dry between coats.

Decorate Your Dryer Vent Hose Pumpkin

Find a stick or piece of grapevine to use as a stem. I used a faux vine that I cut into one-foot sections. Use hot glue to secure the stem in the middle of the pumpkin. After the hot glue sets, flip it upside down and add a bit of E6000 to the bottom of the stem.

You are now ready to add florals, faux vines, or silk leaves to your pumpkins.

You Can Do It

Dryer vent pumpkins give you the look of high-end decor that you can take pride in displaying. This trendy decor is perfect for a Fall wedding DIY, a luxury gift for giving, for Halloween and Thanksgiving decor and centerpieces. The total cost of your project will depend on the embellishments that you choose. I know that you can do it. I’d love to know how your pumpkins turned out, and what you did to make them unique.

If you love fall decor as much as I do, then you should check out one of my favorite blogs, Momenvy, and her amazing free Fall printables. You may also like my post from last week on how to paint pumpkins on canvas. Stop back by for updates and new posts. I plan to add more DIY pumpkin crafts over the next month.

Thanks for stopping in and crafting with me, drop in again soon.

Vikki

The post How to Make DIY Dryer-Vent Hose Pumpkin Crafts  appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

What Is a Stack-Cake?

A stack cake is a traditional Appalachian cake made from layers of ginger-flavored cake, and either apple sauce or cooked dried apples. Stack Cakes were a staple for holiday dinners and made use of such farm-grown products as molasses, fresh eggs, buttermilk, homemade butter, and rendered lard. The recipes varied from family to family, giving each cake a unique flavor. Most of those ladies made their cakes from memory, and recipes were not written down. Young girls learned to bake these cakes by watching another person. I hope that you enjoy this old-fashioned dessert.

Ingredients:

Note: If you want your cake layers to be softer, use 4 1/2 cups of flour. If you want them to be a bit firmer, like a cookie, use the full 5 cups. I use 5 cups of flour in mine. My mom liked hers a bit softer. The texture of Appalachian Apple Stack Cake varied from recipe to recipe.

4. The “well” in the center of ingredients allows you to mix in wet ingredients slowly and evenly, avoiding dry pockets within your dough. Add wet ingredients into the well and incorporate the wet mixture using a large spoon slowly into the dry ingredients (You can also mix the dough with your hands. I find this easier when incorporating flour mixture into the dough).

Don’t overwork the batter, stir just until combined.
The batter will be similar to a cookie, or scone, dough.

5. Turn dough out onto floured wax paper. Shape dough into six equal pieces. Pat out the dough until it is about the same diameter as your pan (you may also use a rolling pin to gently flatten the dough).

Moving Your Dough to Pans & Baking

6. Invert one of your pans over the wax paper and dough. Slide one hand under the wax paper, lifting the dough and pan together. Invert the pan again, to an upright position. Your dough should now be resting in your pan. Gently use your fingers to spread the dough out evenly to the edge of the skillet. Use a knife to go around the edge of the dough to prevent it from sticking to the sides of the pan. Repeat until you have placed one flattened piece of dough into each of the waiting skillets.

7. Bake at 350 degrees, for about 6 to 8 minutes (or until the top of the cake springs back at the touch, or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean). The cakes will be firmer than regular cakes, similar to a large cookie. Let the cake cool enough to turn out on a cooling rack. Sat aside.

Dried Apple Topping: Ingredients

• 4 ½ cups dried apples; chopped
• ¾ cup brown sugar; packed
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ground cloves (just a pinch)
• 1 tablespoon of molasses
• 3 cups apple cider, or apple juice
• 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• ½ cup apple juice + 2 teaspoons corn starch

Directions for Making the Apple Topping for Your Appalachian Apple Stack Cake

1. Mix together and set aside: ½ cup apple juice + 2 teaspoons corn starch

2. In a medium to large saucepan: Stir brown sugar into the apples. Add cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Add enough juice to cover the apples. Let sit for fifteen minutes.

3. Next cook the apple mixture over medium-low heat. Stir your apples often. Cook apples until they are soft (about 30 to 40 minutes). If it seems that the apples are cooking too fast, you may have to adjust the heat a bit lower. Add a bit of juice as needed. You don’t want your apples to scorch.

4. Once the apples are soft, remove them from heat. Carefully use a potato masher to mash the apples. Stir in the apple juice/corn starch mixture. Return the apples to heat until they are thickened. Stir constantly.

Constructing Your Apple Stack Cake

On a large round plate, or cake plate, carefully place one of your cakes. Top with about 1/6 of your apple topping. Repeat layers, ending with topping. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Notes

 If you do not have dried apples: You can use 3 cups of unsweetened apple sauce, plus two fresh apples (peeled and diced). Add the spices. Cook the apple sauce on low, for fifteen minutes, or until the apple chunks are soft. Add the juice/cornstarch mixture to the apples. Return to the heat until it has thickened. Stir constantly and watch closely until the topping has thickened. Carefully remove it from heat to cool. Add apple topping to cakes, and stack in repeated layers.

• I divided the recipe for my cake. I wanted my cake to be three stacks high.
•  Vegetable butter can be substituted for shortening.

Best Apples for Drying

Dried apples can often be found at farmer’s markets and health food stores. If you would like to dry your own you can visit Minneopa Orchard for a list of apples that are good for drying. You can use apple sauce or apple butter if dried apples are not an option.

You Can Do It!

This recipe may appear complicated where I broke it into so many steps. I wanted even a novice baker to be able to recreate and enjoy this traditional apple stack cake.

Feel free to subscribe to my site. You are welcome to share it with others. I will be adding recipes from time to time, along with other thrifty and traditional DIYs.

Get a copy of Free Printable Recipe Pages here:

The recipe for the Appalachian Apple Stack Cake will be printed as full-size pages. If you are like me, you always end up tweaking a recipe to make it your own. I wanted to leave room for writing notes. Enjoy apple season and the upcoming holidays.

Thank you for stopping by,

Vikki

The post Traditional Appalachian Apple Stack-Cake appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

My first flower arrangements were made of wildflowers that I would find along our gravel road. I noticed that many of those same flowers would dry on the stems. Using these, I started making wreaths to give as gifts. When people started asking for my designs, I started creating flower arrangements and wreaths to sell at local festivals. I am not sure if my designs were that attractive, or if people were amazed that a child had their own booth!

Each year I would sell my designs, saving part of my earnings for floral supplies, using the rest to buy school clothes. My oldest sister saw my interest in flowers and gifted me with a book on creating floral arrangements. That one book cemented my fascination with floral design. I hope to do the same thing, and inspire others to create, especially younger people that visit my site.

Supplies That You Will Need:

• Floral wire
• Needle Nose Pliers (with wire snip)
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Wired Ribbon for bow, or purchased bow
• Grapevine wreath

Safety

• Have a trashcan near your workspace to discard flower stems that have been snipped off and floral wire scraps. Both can be embedded into a foot very easily if stepped on, and could also pose a danger to children or pets.
• Keep hot glue guns out of reach of children when in use.
• Finger guards are recommended when using a glue gun.

Preparing Your Supplies

If you have made your own grapevine wreath you will want to decide which side of your wreath you want to face outwards. Flip your wreath over and carefully snip away any vine tendrils that are pointing backward. This will ensure that your finished product will lay firmly against the wall or door.

If you are tying your bow, you may want to do that before starting on your wreath so that you can lay it in place on the wreath to decide where your bow will be placed on your wreath and how much of an opening to leave open.

Separate the flower picks into individual stems before adding them to the wreath. This allows for greater ease while wiring the stems in place, as well as giving your creation a more balanced look.

Cut at least 15 individual pieces of floral wire (about three inches long) and place them in a small bowl near the workspace. You may need to cut more wire as you go.

Getting Started

Decide what you want your wreath to look like. Start work placing your greenery along both sides of where your bow will go. Wire in each stem as you go, moving from one side of your wreath to the other (to keep your floral additions symmetrical). After the stem is wired in place, I also add hot glue to secure it in place. Using your pliers, curl the wire to where no sharp edges are exposed, and tuck them down into the wreath. For my greenery base, I used lambs’ ear, hops, ferns, and eucalyptus (I did keep a few small sprigs of the eucalyptus to add to the wreath after the florals were finished). Feel free to choose greenery of your liking.

You are now ready to start adding your

largest flowers.

Spacing out the larger flowers, add your stems, moving from side to side to achieve symmetry (refer to the photo of the finished wreath). Generally, I use groupings of three, or five, on each side. This seems to be more pleasing to the eye. Remember to wire the stems in place as you go, then secure with hot glue. Generally, I leave part of the grapevine wreath bare. You can decide how much, or how little, of your wreath, that you leave exposed.

Wire your bow in place. Next, add the smaller flowers to your wreath to fill in any areas that you feel need a bit more filler, wire in if possible, securing with hot glue. Decide if you need a bit more tweaking, or if it is finished to your liking.

Resources

Wreath making can be a fun hobby or side income. If you plan to sell wreaths at craft shows you may want to consider buying inventory at the end of each season to get better prices. I have ordered florals online, but I like to buy them in person. The quality of your florals and ribbon will determine the overall aesthetic of your finished product. I do buy some florals from Dollar Tree, but I carefully inspect them to make sure the heads are compact without any plastic showing in the center, and that the edges are not frayed. Mainly I buy flowers there that I use for filler. Below I am listing retailers that I use when purchasing florals, and ribbons.

None of the sites are affiliates, they are simply some of my favorites.

Dollar Tree: Some florals for filler, seasonal wired ribbon, floral wire

Michaels: florals, wired ribbon

Joann’s: grapevine wreaths, wired ribbon, florals, floral wire, floral tools

Hobby Lobby: Florals, wired ribbon

If you decide to make your own floral wreath, send me a photo. I’d love to see your work.

Thanks for stopping by,

Vikki

The post Spring Floral Grapevine Wreath appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.