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So……what’s in the Crafty Cupboard right now?
Here we are again, home and twiddling our thumbs…. so let’s make the most of this time…..up-cycle some rubbish, use our imagination and have some crafty fun!
Here’s a project that can be as big or small as you like….. CARDBOARD CITIES……
If you have a favourite toy figure then you can make it to scale for them, or maybe you can build a model that represents your own home or village/town? Of course you can also simply let your imagination run wild and create a completely imagined town or city. These can then be used for play, performance or simply hung on a wall as a sculptural work of art!
Just take a look at this amazing example….
……for instructions go to our GUGGLEHEADS page and for supplies go to the Crafty Cupboard!
Happy House Building Guys.
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Holey Moley, it’s Holy Family time…….
Here we are, it is the week before Christmas, we have heralded, journeyed, husbanded [the sheep!] and are now heading for the the stability of a manger….
So… Mary and Joseph were as surprised as many about the arrival of the Baby Jesus and so they feel the wonder too. They sit around the manger feeling, probably, a little enthralled. So they need a sit down. Let’s use beer bottles instead of wine, not only will it please beer drinkers but it will also allow for a more creative tableau… 
You will also need some balls: from the crafty cupboard, to create the baby Jesus. Using four balls of varying sizes and an uncurled paper clip, attach all the balls together like this… 
Grab some calico to create the ‘swaddling’. Swaddling was basically wrapping a baby up to make it feel secure and keep it warm… 
Tear strips off of the calico and… 
Wrap them around the baby body, remember to paint his head first…. 
You need no prompting about how to create Mary and Joseph, just a couple of tips: Firstly, if you tie the belts much lower and let a lot of material spread out behind them, it will create the illusion that they are kneeling. Secondly, Mary and Joseph would have been basically, but warmly dressed, so no bling here! 
Next, create your manger. A manger was a rudimentary eating station for the animals that normally inhabited the stable. Find some cardboard and cut two oblongs with slits in and two the centre as shown here… 
Slot the pieces together to form an ‘X” shape. 
Paint the manger and add some soft bedding…Ive used shredded Gugg bills…. 
Now add your Mary and Joseph heads, headdresses and beards [not for Mary, obviously] and draw in the features for all three figures. HOLEY MOLEY THE HOLY FAMILY!
Our full tableau can now be viewed in the window of the Stalbridge Post Office. To enter the Competition you will need to take a photo of your Upcycled Nativity Scene and send it to us on out Facebook Page here.
For more details on the competition click here
Have fun and a Merry Christmas!
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A very wise man once said….. ‘oooh look there’s a star, let’s follow it and worship whomever it leads us to…’
The History behind the Three Kings/Wise Men/Magi in the Christmas Story
After Jesus was born, Wise Men came to look for him, probably from an area which is now in either Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia the Yemen, or an area in what’s now southern Turkey, northern Syria. Although they are often called the ‘Three Kings’, the Bible does not say how many there were, or that they were kings. One theory is that they might have been Kings of the Yemen, as during this time the Kings of Yemen were Jews. Three is only a guess because they brought with them three gifts: but however many there were of them, they probably would have had many more servants with them.They were certainly men of great learning. The word Magi comes from the greek word ‘magos’ (where the english word ‘magic’ comes from). Magos itself comes from the old persian word ‘Magupati’. This was the title given to priests in a sect of the ancient Persian religions such as Zoroastrianism. Today we would call them astrologers. Back then astronomy and astrology were part of the same overall studies, and a science, so went hand in hand with each other. The magi would have followed the patterns of the stars religiously. They would have also probably been very rich and held high esteem in their own society and by people who weren’t from their country or religion.
They had seen an unusual new star in the sky, and knew that it told of the birth of a special king in Israel. No one really knows what the new star in the sky was, and there are many theories including comets, supernovas, a conjunctions of planets or something supernatural!
The Magi would have known about the prophecies of a special Jewish Savior (also known as the Messiah) from when the Jews had been held captive in ancient Babylon several hundred years before.
Legends are told about them and they have been given names. This is how they are often described:
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Gaspar, who wears a green cloak and a gold crown with green jewels on it and is the King of Sheba. Gaspar represents the Frankincense brought to Jesus.
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Melchior, who has white hair and a white beard and wears a gold cloak. He is the King of Arabia. Melchior represents the Gold brought to Jesus.
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Balthazar, who has black skin and a black beard (or no beard!) and wears a purple cloak. He is the King of Tarse and Egypt. Balthazar represents the gift of Myrrh that was brought to Jesus.
Herod asked the Wise Men to find Jesus and tell him where he was, not so he could go and worship him as he said, but so he could kill him. He thought that Jesus sounded like a new King that could come and take his power away.
When the Wise Men found Jesus and Mary and they gave their gifts to him. The gifts seem quite strange to give to a baby, but Christians believe that they had the following meanings:
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Gold: is associated with Kings and Christians believe that Jesus is the King of Kings.
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Frankincense: is sometimes used in worship in Churches and showed that people would worship Jesus.
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Myrrh: is a perfume that is put on dead bodies to make them smell nice; Christian believe that it showed that Jesus would suffer and die.
The gifts are also all things that come from east of Israel in Arabia.
When the wise men were about to go to tell Herod where Jesus was, they were warned in a dream not to, so Herod could not carry out his horrible plan……
The wonderful thing about the wise man for us is that the tradition of gift giving at Christmas still goes on! [ooops sorry, I wasn’t mean to say that…]
Anyway, as you know by now how to dress your bottles I’ll skip all that part and just put pics of how I dressed mine as Kings….There is plenty of King Bling now in the Crafty Cupboard, help yourself…Instead what we will focus on here is the making of the gifts…..Soooo let’s get gifting….CLICK HERE
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Ok, so Christmas is on….
Our ‘Merry-Christmas-go-round’ pop up xmas fair will take place on Thursday! 
Our Nativity Scene Competition is on into its second week! Huzzah!! Luckily our pop up Christmas market can still go ahead in Tier 2, and we will be putting in place systems to keep us all as COVID safe as possible, let’s have some socially responsible festive fun! If you would like to pop along to the Christmas market then we are having two ‘sittings’ to maintain a the COVID safe environment. There will be a Merry-Go-Round system in place, simply follow the signs.
They are between 4-6 and 6-8 pm. We have 22 stalls for your delectation, offering such delights as jewellery, ceramics, knitwear, prints, woodwork, vintage items, embroidery, pocket money presents, Xmas deccies, Christmas family photos, chutneys, cakes and more…..come get all your Christmas pressies in one place…
The As The crow Flies shop and Milking Parlour Gallery will also be open and brimming with beautiful bits and baubles…
PLUS Bakerman Dan will be here serving up his usual Thursday fare, alongside turkey, stuffing and cranberry baps!
Lots of lovely festive frippery…..music, food and free mulled wine!
AND REMEMBER….. If you are interested in entering out Christmas Nativity Competition then then visit our GUGGLEHEADS! page for full instructions and pop along to the all new Crafty Cupboard on site….
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The Crafty Cupboard Nativity Scene Competition!
The Crafty Cupboard is back to keep us occupied during Lockdown 2! Bigger and better, new and improved…….
So to get us all feeling crafty and ready for Crimbo, this week sees the launch of our up cycled Nativity Scene Competition in association with Dikes and Sons Supermarket.
Everything you need to create your scene can be found at home, or by taking a quick visit to the Crafty Cupboard on site at Guggleton Farm….
In true Christmas story style we will start off with the shepherds for week one, move on to the Herald, Gabriel, and Star in week two, then the Kings [three] and finally Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus….
Full instructions for Shepherd week can be found by clicking here.
Once you have completed your scene photograph it, then we will post details of how to enter the Competition and where to send your images. Deadline for entries will be Sunday 13th December and judging will take place w/c 14th December.
The winning entry will be announced on Monday 21st when you can collect your prize from Dikes just in time for Christmas!
GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY AND GUGG BLESS US, EVERYONE!
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Welcome to the Hotel Gugglefornia……such a lovely place!
This week in #thecraftycupboard @thegugg we need your help! The GuggBugHotel is open for business but the rooms are looking a bit sparse…They need decorating and naming. If you are out on a walk then please pick up a room kit from the box on top of the cupboard.
Always wash your hands.For a great list of ideas of how to furnish your room then look here:
1. Go to the Crafty Cupboard! 
2. Take your room kit home. 
3. You will also need: a willing [well at least not unwilling] adult, screws or tacks, a screwdriver or hammer, some paint and decorative bits……and an abandoned bird’s nest….haha – not really. For ideas of how to furnish your room go to the link in the copy above… 
4. Your walls are marked A and B. Construct your room as shown using either your tacks or screws [this is where the adult comes in handy] 
5. Your constructed room should look like this [TIP: in order for all the rooms to slot together I the hotel please make sure you overlap the room walls as shown] 
6. Paint the edges only of your room. Too much paint may damage insects but a good bright colour attracts them! Please don’t use anything that might be a choking hazard for birds or small mammals. 
8. Place your room back on with glue or tacks. 
7. If you think your room needs a back because of how it will be furnished then use a piece of cardboard from a food packet that has some kind of protective coating so it will do better in the rain [it will be undercover though]. 
9. Name and furnish your room! 
10. On your next outing pop back to the Gugg and follow the signs to the Bug Hotel!
…..and in the words of The Eagles [ask your adults] ‘Such a lovely place’…..
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It’s Show Time!!!!
This week in #thecraftycupboard @thegugg we are making a doorway theatre for the puppets we made last week…You are going to need a large, or two medium sized, cardboard boxes and a kit from the cupboard. There are still a few puppet making kits available too if you wish to swell your cast…but if you don’t want to make any just use Barbie and Ken….teddy and panda or draw a face on a wooden spoon or two!
1. Including your kit from the Crafty Cupboard you will also need one large, or two medium sized, cardboard boxes, some strong, wide tape, a sharp craft knife, a bradle [or skewer], some scissors, a permanent marker, PVA, poster paint…… 
2. ……and a door! 
3. First of all flatten your box[es], cutting along one corner with your craft knife [get an adult to do this for you – craft knives are sharp!] to create a long, flat piece. 
4. Offer one piece of cardboard up to your door and mark the point at which it fits, snuggly, between the two door jambs. 
5. Cut your cardboard into sections of the same width as the door. [TIP: use your adult to do the craft knife bits…] 
6. Depending upon the size of your cardboard box[es] this will determine how many pieces you will need in order to create…… 
7. ….a flat piece that, when taped together and stood on end, is tall enough in the doorway for you to stand behind unseen, plus an extra 30cms or so taller; to create the stage surround. [TIP: make sure that you tape the cardboard pieces together on the side that was originally the outside of the box so that any labels or lettering will eventually be on the back side of the doorway theatre]. 
8. Use any left over carboard to strengthen taped joints. 
9. Flip over the sheet and, using your marker pen, create the design for your theatre. Draw a box for where the ‘stage’ will be. [TIP: if you lay down next to the sheet of cardboard you can ensure that the square for the stage is low to mid eye level for your height]. 
10. Start painting! [TIP: start with lighter colours first, then move to the darker ones and let each colour dry thoroughly before moving on to the next]. 
11. Let the theatre dry thoroughly and then…. 
12. …add the rest of your design elements using materials and card from the Crafty Cupboard, or anything you have at home. Then with the craft knife, carefully or using an adult, cut out and remove the stage rectangle to create your puppet theatre stage opening. 
13. Next, take the material you have selected for your stage curtains and use the cut out piece of card as a template to determine the size they will need to be. Leave at least 5-8cms around each edge. 
14. Cut the material into equal halves. 
15. Using the bradle make an even number of holes at an equal distance, along the top edge of your two curtains. 
16. thread the two curtains onto your cane, starting from front to back. 
17. Lay your curtain ‘rail’ on to the theatre and make two marks near to where each end of where the cane reaches above the ‘stage’ hole [as shown]. 
18. Using your craft knife cut two slits where your marks are and then thread the cane through from back to front to back [as shown] and then secure the cane front and back with tape. 
19. Disguise the cane holes with a design element. This will mean that your curtain ‘pole’ is behind the scenes but that the curtains can hang over in front. 
20. Using your sharp skewer/bradle make two holes along the top of your theatre and add string to hang it in the doorway. then with a marker pen, or more paint, name your theatre! 
21. Create the opportunity to use interchangeable scenery by placing two split pins from front to back, just above the curtains. 
22. You can then either paint scenery or use a plain backdrop for your shows by simply adding or removing sheets of paper from the back. 
23. Adjust the length of the string to the right length so that , when it is hung from a tack or drawing pin from the top of the door, your theatre reaches all the way to the floor. 
24 Your theatre is complete…. 
Select your puppets and entertain your family and friends! 
You can even star in the show yourself! -
Puppets not muppets
1, pick up your kit from the bag below the Crafty Cupboard! 
2, you will also need: some duct tape, paints and pencils, some cardboard [an old cereal box is perfect] a bradle or other sharp point, and some scissors 
3, using the stiff card supplied draw the outline of the front of your character puppet, without arms, and two arms separately 
4, using the less stiff card draw around the cut out of the body from the last step to create the back 
5, paint the bodies and arms and leave to dry 
6, once dry make six holes corresponding to the photo in the bodies and arms [ask and adult to do the sharp bits!] make sure that the holes in the body line up with the holes on the arms that are nearer to the elbows 
7, using duct tape attach the longer of your two green sticks to the stiff body front 
8, using the piece of string provided, tie the arms together, leaving enough string to attach the shorter stick as shown [tip: do not tie the arms together too tightly, make sure that there is enough ‘play’ in the string for the arms to move up and down] 
9, place the arms with the holes lined up and have your split pins to hand 
10, push your split pins through from the front 
11, the pins should emerge from the two holes nearer to the elbow 
12, using another piece of duct tape create a ‘loop’ over the two sticks, leaving the sticky side up 
13, now place your back onto the puppet, pushing it down firmly onto the sticky side of the tape and opening the split pins [tip: do not open the pins right at the base or push them in or down too firmly – you need to keep the arms free to move] 
14, using your pencils, or any other decoration you may have or can pick up from the Crafty Cupboard, decorate your puppet and give it a face 
15, wave! -
Paper bag bunting!
Here are the #craftycupboard paper bag bunting ‘how to’s:
1. Collect your kit from the cupboard! 
2. You will also need: scissors, an iron and a cheese grater…. 
3. Mark out and cut out your bag flags: REMEMBER to make sure the bottom of the bag is the top of the flag…. 
4. Grate your crayons! 
5. Place your string along the fold of the bag flag and sprinkle your crayon shavings in a random or planned fashion… 
6. Fold the bag flag over 
7. Iron carefully on MEDIUM heat 
8. Tie off the string one side with a loop for hanging up with later 
9. Repeat as many times as you have string and bags, whilst remembering to leave enough string over to tie a loop at the end…. 
10. Hang your bunting! REMEMBER PLEASE: Get an adult to do the dangerous bits (they love it), keep away from fire when complete, your bunting is not water proof! AND ALWAYS wash your hands! Happy Bunting!!!
