From Turtle’s Desk

December has always felt like the warm hearth in the cold — the month where the studio slows just enough for me to breathe… and yet the ideas glow brighter.

This year, stepping into the holiday season feels a bit different. Our move is still underway, the shell is still shifting, but what hasn’t changed is the heart of TurtleCraft Studio: quiet creation, genuine community, and a cup of something warm in hand.

So this issue isn’t about sales or rush. It’s about comfort, craft, and connection.

Here’s what’s new for December.

🎄 Cozy Craft of the Month: The “Lantern of the Shell” Wood Slice Ornament

Simple, rustic, calming — a tiny project with a lot of heart.

Holiday crafting doesn’t have to be chaotic. Sometimes the best projects are the ones you can make while the kettle’s warming and the house is quiet.
This month’s cozy craft is a tiny wood slice ornament, hand-painted with a little TurtleCraft spirit.

It’s beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, and perfect for a calm night at the table with cocoa or cider.

🪵 Materials

You only need a few basics:

• 1 small wood slice ornament (pre-drilled; craft stores or Amazon)

• Acrylic paint (forest green, brown, white, + gold if you want a glow)

• A detail brush

• Twine, jute, or thin ribbon

• Optional: clear spray sealant

✨ Instructions

1. Set the scene

Lightly sketch your design in pencil — nothing fancy.
A little turtle holding a lantern, or a simple glowing lantern with a shell pattern, works perfectly.

2. Paint the background

Use soft browns, warm greens, or even a snowy white.
Think: winter forest at dusk.
Let it dry completely.

3. Add your main design

Paint your turtle or lantern with thick, simple shapes.
Don’t worry about perfection — cozy art looks best when it feels handmade.

4. Highlight the magic

With white or gold paint, add snow dots, lantern glow, or tiny sparkles.

5. Seal it (optional)

A quick coat of clear sealant keeps it protected for years to come.

6. String it up

Tie your twine or ribbon through the top, knot it, and hang it proudly.

Each ornament turns out a little different — a tiny reminder that handmade things carry real warmth.

 

🧡 Turtle’s Note

If you make this, I’d truly love to see it.
Tag the studio, share it in stories, or save it for your tree — either way, thank you for crafting along with me this month.

Next up... 

☕ Featured Product: “Winter’s Hearth” Mug

This month’s mug design captures the quiet warmth of a studio fire — soft glowing embers, snowfall settling on a turtle-shell pattern, and the phrase:

“Craft warms the soul.”

Available now as part of the Mugged By a Turtle collection.

Whether you fill it with cocoa, cider, coffee, or something in between: make it yours.

You can even enjoy it, while you do this...

🎨Free Download: December Coloring Page

Our free monthly page is live. Head to the Digital Downloads section and grab the December single-page illustration:
a woodland turtle gathering lanterns under softly-falling snow.

As always, this page is free for the entire month.
Once all 12 months are complete, the full-year bundle will go on sale.

🍯 The Leatherback Kitchen — Recipe of the Month

Gingerbread Turtle Bites

December’s featured treat is warm, soft, spiced, and unmistakably TurtleCraft.

Nothing feels more December than the smell of gingerbread drifting through the house — warm ginger, sweet molasses, cinnamon, and clove filling every corner like memory.

This month, we’re giving that classic flavor a TurtleCraft twist: tiny, soft gingerbread cookies shaped like little turtles.

They’re simple, adorable, and the perfect holiday companion to crafting nights, cocoa mugs, or family baking time.

Ingredients

Dry

• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp nutmeg

• ¼ tsp cloves

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ¼ tsp salt

Wet

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened

• ¾ cup brown sugar

• ⅓ cup unsulphured molasses

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional Coating

• ¼ cup white sugar for rolling

Instructions

1. Prepare the dough

1. Whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt.

2. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy.

3. Add molasses, egg, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.

4. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until a soft dough forms.

5. Chill for 30–60 minutes (important for shaping!).

2. Shape your turtles

Roll one dough ball the size of a walnut — this is the shell.
Then roll four tiny balls for legs and one slightly larger ball for the head. 

Press gently to connect all pieces.

If desired, roll the shell lightly in sugar for a sparkling effect.

3. Bake

1. Place turtles on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

2. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes until the edges just begin to set.

3. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring.

Cookies will stay soft — that’s exactly what we want.
A cozy gingerbread turtle should never be crunchy (unless you’re building a gingerbread house).

4. Optional Decoration

• Dot melted white chocolate for eyes

• Dust lightly with powdered sugar “snow”

• Drizzle icing over the shell in a spiral pattern

• Add a single chocolate chip to the head before baking

Serving Suggestions

These little turtles pair beautifully with:

• A warm mug of cocoa

• Holiday crafting sessions

• A cozy winter movie night

• A December snow day

• A TurtleCraft Studio mug (naturally)

A Note From Turtle

Sometimes the smallest creations carry the most warmth.
These gingerbread turtles are simple, sweet, and a reminder that even in busy seasons, small moments of craft bring calm back into the shell.

Enjoy the recipe, share photos if you try it, and have a warm beginning to December.

 

🧡 Additional notes from the Shell

As you’ll see from the shop, this month will be lighter-production and more intentional.
The move is still in motion, and I’ve got daddy-duties, daughter-duties, and studio-duties all tucked into one shell.

Thank you for your patience, your support, and your belief — truly.
Here’s to warm drinks, quiet tools, and steady creativity.

— Turtle

 

✨ Before You Go

• Subscribe to The Leatherback Ledger so you never miss an issue.

• Follow on Instagram/TikTok for stream updates once the schedule resumes.

• Download December’s free coloring page today.

• Grab the Winter’s Hearth mug while it’s featured.