Dishfunctional Designs: forest

Thursday, January 7, 2021

Winter Woodland Inspired Crafts & Treats

We may be stuck in confined spaces & close quarters a bit more than we'd like to be this winter, but why not escape to a magical woodland forest in winter? Just by using your imagination and creativity-along with a bit of inspiration-you can do just that.

You know, gingerbread isn't just for Christmas! And in my book, decorating with pinecones, acorns, and winter evergreens such as holly and pine garlands should be done all winter long. And as for the gnomes, they're not just for summer gardens!

Not a fan of the cold? Neither am I. The good news is that you can do all of these crafts and make all of these snacks in the cozy warmth of your very own home. So go make some hot chocolate, get your fuzzy blanket, and be inspired!

Some basic elements to consider are:

Mushrooms & Toadstools

Wood slices

Pine, Holly, & Birch trees

Acorns & Pinecones

Forest gnomes

Cabins

Owls, Hare, Deer, & other woodland animals

Whether crafting or baking is your thing (or maybe both!) there is fun to be had with the deep woods of winter in mind. How about creating some Gnome cupcakes? Or a snowy mountain cabin with gingerbread and pretzels? Read on and be inspired!

Bake some cute gnome cupcakes with ice cream cone hats

A basic cardboard heart shape can be easily covered with pinecones for a pretty wreath, just in time for Valentine's day

Learn how to make leaf trees with this DIY from Anne Holter-Hovind at Moseplassen

Create a gingerbread log cabin like this one above and below from Three Pixie Lane

Strings of white mini-lights add a warm glow all year long (viacozymera)

Wood slices are great for crafting and home décor. These DIY coasters by Cami of Tidbits are a great example. Wood-burning designs on them is another great idea.

Upcycle old crystal or glassware along with wood slices to create a tiered wood slice display like this one by Andrea at Personally Andrea

Don't have the patience to make your own Hot Cocoa Bombs? You don't need a campfire to enjoy these S'mores Mini Dippers from Kevin and Amanda.

Create twig or grapevine snowflakes with glue and wire, and add mini-lights for glow.

This swing chair was created from upcycled skis

Make your own birch log candle holder like this one from ALoadofCraft

Halved grape tomatoes with mini mozzarella balls and a sprig of parsley transform into mushroom appetizers.

These cute acorns are made with Oreos mixed with cream cheese and covered with chocolate. The stems are pretzel sticks from The First Year

Create a beautiful stage & leaf cake like this one from Torie Jayne

Create a winter bird feeder with sunflower seeds and suet by melting suet into a paperccup and then peeling away cup after it solidifies

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My 5 Favorite Things For Today... My Morning Hike

My 5 favorite things for today...

1. My 5 favorite things for today are from my morning hike. One of my favorite things about living in Pennsylvania are our beautiful forests and hiking trails. It's hard to tell from this photo, but those boulders are massive!

2. This leaf-strewn path, and my favorite water bottle. These trails are much prettier in the summer, but still a serene and peaceful hike no matter the season.

3. This is the rock where we stop and sit every time we hike this trail.

4. This morning on my hike we came across this pyramid-shaped rock art sculpture that someone had built. It's a bit hard to see in the photo, but it was really neat. The center of it was open. We also came across two young white tail deer on my way back down the mountain.

5. "Trees are poems the earth writes upon the sky" is a quote from Khalil Gibran.