Advaark 2020 Day 5: A leaf wreaf!

Arnold, Micro and Nano are going to make a Christmas wreath. They’re going for something a bit different this year. First we need a cardboard ring, so Arnold is drawing lines to cut round.

Arnold uses a set of compasses to draw circles on a piece of card, to form a ring.

We saved some leaves from the Sweet Chestnut tree in autumn, and we’re going to stick them to the ring with hot glue. Nano says he’s looking forward to maybe even getting some chestnuts from the tree eventually!

Arnold has a cardboard ring, and Micro brings a golden-brown leaf from a pile

Nano looks up at one of the crinkly leaves

So, Arnold sticks a leaf to the ring, and Micro and Nano bring the next one, and he works all the way round, overlapping the leaves.

Arnold puts hot glue on a leaf as Nano brings another on.

There! All overlapped so you can’t see the stalky bits.

Arnold, Micro and Nano admire the ring of leaves.

Leaves are all very nice, but it’s a bit plain, so they’re going to add some nuts to carry on the autumn theme. They plan where each one is going, then Arnold glues them down.

Arnold and Micro look at a bag of nuts in shells, with Nano sitting on top.

They start laying Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts and brazil nuts on the wreath

All the nuts are glued down

And for a final Christmassy touch, Micro is dry brushing a little gold paint onto the nuts and the edges of the leaves. Not too much, just a hint. There! That’s very stylish.

Microvaark brushes a little gold paint on the nutsThe three vaarks admire their work

Nano asks Arnold to crack a walnut for him. Arnold says why, are you hungry?

Nano talks to Arnold, who has a walnut and a pair of nutcrackers

Oh no, says Nano, it’s just I’ve always wanted a yacht!

Nano sits in a half walnut shell, with a mast and sail to look like a yacht.

Advaark Day 11

Dim and Matilda are going to make a Christmas wreath today. They’ve gathered some greenery, some garden wire and some little fake berries.

Dim and Matilda look at a pile of greenery, wire and berries.

First of all, they twist the ivy into a ring, and while Matilda holds it, Dim winds some wire around to hold it in place. Then Dim holds it, while Matilda weaves in some pieces of conifer.

Now for the holly, which is a bit prickly, so Dim uses some pliers to hold it. And then for a finishing touch, the gold and red berries.

It’s quite good, says Matilda, but I think there’s something missing, don’t you Dim? Dim agrees, it needs… There! That’s livened it up a bit!

Matilda has added some mini party ring biscuits to the wreath.