I saw these in an old issue of Martha Stewart and I wanted to make them, but I did not have a dough-nut pan until now. Most stores don't carry these, so I ended up ordering one out of a catalog. Have you noticed that Martha Stewart has these wonderful decorations, but you can only make them by doing intensive Internet searches or finding an art specialty store 100 miles from your home? Last year I was running around looking for the special paper that can withstand outside elements to make her hanging snowflakes. I found the paper and spent hours cutting out snowflakes, but they wouldn't stay anchored to the porch railing and spent most of the winter sitting in the gutter. Have you had trouble finding items to make a Martha Stewart craft?
To make ice wreaths:
Run around from store to store, and have specialty cooking stores tell you there is no such thing as a dough-nut pan, and then order one from here. If you know a way of doing this without a dough-nut plan, please share it with the rest of us. I cut up some greens that I bought in a bunch from the nursery and randomly placed them in each ring. If you wait until the water starts to freeze, you may be able to keep them from floating to the top, but I have no patience for that.
When they are frozen, put the bottom of the pan in warm water to loosen the ring and loop ribbon through each one. They start melting fast, so I would do one at a time and keep the others in the freezer on a plate.
We are waiting for the ice storm - tomorrow should be interesting.
I absolutely love the wreaths! I remember seeing that issue of Martha - and I was so sad to live in Southern California! Yours are so darn cute! They would last about 15 minutes here...I'll just look at your photos and dream...
Posted by: Valerie | December 11, 2007 at 12:50 AM
These are truly amazing! That top photograph should be in a magazine! It is never cold enough long enough here in Scotland to do this! I can't wait to see what the ice storm does to them (of course I hope it isn't too bad!!)
I agree with the Martha Stewart thing - here in the UK a celebrity chef Nigella Lawson is doing and Express programme but to make the things quickly you would need to have so many posh ingredients to start with!
Posted by: Di | December 11, 2007 at 01:52 AM
Those are absolutely lovely! Yes, her supplies can be a little obscure, can't they?
Posted by: Ram in the Thicket | December 11, 2007 at 07:36 AM
This gave me an early morning laugh. I suppose if you couldn't find the doughnut pan you could just whittle one out of wood. Wouldn't Martha love that? lol
I am new to your blog and I have to tell you it has quickly become one of my top faves! I just started my own blog as well, I hope you'll check it out. :)
http://wishingstardesigns.typepad.com
Hope the ice storm didn't hit you too hard!
Janet
Posted by: | December 11, 2007 at 08:32 AM
These are GORGEOUS! So glad you found the pan! And yes, I am often inspired to make a Martha creation only to find the key material can only be found in one shop in a small town in the middle of nowhere that hasn't heard of the internet...
Posted by: jennifer w. | December 11, 2007 at 08:54 AM
yes, i discovered that about martha years ago when i decided i wanted to gourmet-itize my meals. her ingredients are random enough that it would cost $50 for one meal. we're on to you martha, tempting us with pretty things and making them impossible to recreate. it's a big mean joke isn't it?
that being said, i love your results. your winter shots are stunningly gorgeous.
Posted by: sarah | December 11, 2007 at 10:34 AM
LOVE these Anne - perfect for our sub zero (centigrate) weather here!
Posted by: Lina | December 11, 2007 at 11:38 AM
I will just admire your little donut wreaths from afar. It's much to warm in Texas for an ice wreath.
Simply lovely. Hope they held up during the ice storm.
Posted by: Jade | December 11, 2007 at 03:23 PM
These are too precious!!! I love them!! We are pretty lucky here. Now that Martha has her craft line at Micheals, pretty much everything she currently does they stock.
Posted by: Leigh | December 11, 2007 at 04:21 PM
Yes I know! Way back when, before everyone had a computer and scrapbook stores, she would always mention vellum in her crafts. Drove me crazy because I always wanted to make the vellum stuff!
Posted by: Visty | December 11, 2007 at 11:30 PM
Anne, I love these! And your photos :) Right now I am wishing for a donut pan and colder weather. oh, well.
Posted by: Marjorie | December 12, 2007 at 01:57 PM
Absolutely adorable wreaths! Ditto on all the above comments. If only it were cold enough here to hang frozen wreaths. You have inspired my daughter to freeze stuff in muffin pans :)
BTW, did your Dicken's giveaway inspire this:
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=5419700&ch=4226713&src=news
Posted by: molly | December 12, 2007 at 08:37 PM
Love them. So beautiful and graceful.
Thank you for sharing.
Posted by: ninaandtom | December 12, 2007 at 09:06 PM
I think that my own success with Martha projects come from improvising. If I were going to make the snowflakes (and I was, I just ran out of time) I would just use tyvek envelopes, those are pretty easy to come by.
For the wreath things you could use a muffin tin with something like a candlestick in the middle or a bundt pan to make a big one.
I made her glittery branch thing last year (it's on my blog somewhere!) and I just took apart gift wrapping tinsel from Target to wrap the branch rather than purchasing a million dollars worth of lametta off the internet.
Posted by: Sarah | December 13, 2007 at 10:56 AM