By Ernie, Erstwhile Elf of the Pole of the North.....with more than a little help from Sadie Brown of Homewardflight! ‘Materials to be gathered from the world in directions south of The Pole: Polymer Clay - white, sunflower yellow Pastel - golden ochre, white Roller Mini star shape cutters in 3 different sizes Sculpey Bake & Bond or similar Old butter knife Map Pin Matte Varnish Glitter “Greetings of this most infectiously hospitable season to you! | am Ernie, a muchly estimable Elf and | have been sent forth to find out what the Peoples Of The No Pointy Hats (NB. Non Elves!) would like for their festive celebrations. So, | have decided that, this year, everybody should take it upon themselves to like Shortbread Christmas Trees. However, it is now too late for us to conjure up so many huge amounts of these master creations before that magical night of chimneys and carrots for the deer of the rein. So, I shall impart the knowledge of how to make your very own for your own self!” « Step 1 ix white polymer clay with just a touch of sunflower yellow to make cream before rolling ‘out the cream clay toa thickness of about a couple of millimetres. = Step2 Saar ww Use mini star cutters to cut two stars of each size.Step 3 Grate some golden ochre pastel and brush over all the stars to give them that shortbread colour! step 4 4 Mix Sculpey Bake & Bond (or similar) with white pastel and a little white polymer clay ~ = until you have a paste just like real icing! An old butter knife is good for doing this! Step 5 Coat one side of all but one of the small stars with the ‘icing’. Step 6 Use a map pin to pick up the stars and stack them to form the Christmas tree, starting with the largest two, then the middle two and finally one of the smallest stars. Step7 “Top” the tree with the final star and bake! Step 8 After baking, using some matte varnish as an adhesive, coat both sides of the top star and dip in some glitter! Later, when this is dry, you can go ahead and add a coat of ‘matte varnish to the rest of the tree! Happy christmas! Text, Photographs & the Concept of "Ernie, Erstwhile Elf of the Pole of the North” © Sadie Brown inttp://www.homewardilight.co.uk http://www.homewardflight.etsy.com