Scenic Baubles

 

     This month's challenge at Christmas Craft Creations is to 'Make A Scene'. It doesn't have to be a card, any handcrafted project is acceptable as long as you follow the theme.

     To make the mask for this card I die cut three different bauble shapes using John Next Door dies. I then taped this mask over a piece of white card and started to add colour with a blending brush.

     The trees and deer are also by John Next Door, these were stamped using a dark blue ink as black would have been too harsh.

      Before removing the mask I spritzed the scene with a little water containing some pearl mica, it gave it a subtle sparkle and by doing it when the mask was still on it's only across the scene.

      Having kept the cut out shapes from the mask I taped the together and then placed them over the dry scene. Using a text stamp of Christmas greetings I used second generation ink to add a pattern all over the card.

      The scene was mounted on a piece of dark blue card to give it a border, then onto a narrow mat layer of silver mirri card cut with a Presscut stitch dot edge. To get the right blue for the card I went around the edge of a white card with blue Distress ink, then mounted the scene layers on top of that.

      The bows were die cut from thick double sided silver pearl paper and finished off with a tiny blue gem. There is no greeting on the outside because the text says it all already.

      Please pop over and share your winter scenes with us at Christmas Craft Creations, we'd love to see what you've made.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Jingle Belles - It's a Wrap

A Place To Start - #12 Anything Goes/ twist~blue

Peace On Earth - #5 Anything Christmas

The Paper Players - PP570 Winter Wonderland

Sweet Stampin' - Anything Christmas

Cardz 4 Galz - #161 It's Snowtime

Four Fold Fun

 

     Another new challenge this month, Christmas Craft Creations is all about a Fun Fold for November. I have used John Next Doors pop out card again, but this time with four layers.

     The die set comes with dies for three layers of 'pop' but I wanted to use four for a better balance on two rows of deer.

     I cut the base card and the top mat layers, then embossed the top layers with a snowfall folder. The only colour in this is the silver mat layer between the snowfall and the card, with a tiny bit of silver glitter card behind the greeting which was die cut into the front band.

     I prefer to cut the scenic bits into white card and then cut the folding layers, it takes a tiny bit of planning but it means very little has to be stuck on as it's all one piece of card.

     The top layer is trees, nice and simple. The second is a town skyline, also pretty easy as it's about the same length as the layer. 

     The third was positioned so that the deer's body wouldn't be on a fold, I then measured how long it would need to be to fit the card and trimmed it accordingly.

     The final layer is the band across the front, this had the greeting cut into it, then it was backed with some silver glitter card. Three trees were die cut and stuck onto the front of the band and one lone stag was cut and stuck onto the back of the band so he looks like he's standing in the snow.

      Adding another layer to the pop out design wasn't hard, it just took a bit of measuring to get it right. I could have avoided adding this layer if I had stayed with the three and placed the inside two a little lower but I enjoyed the challenge of seeing if I could do it.

     

     Please pop over to Christmas Craft Creations and join us with your Fun Folds, remember if you wish to be included in our vote you do need to display our badge.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Happy Little Stampers - Anything Goes With Dies November

Pearly Sparkles - #68 Merry Christmas

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas - #567 Anything Goes/option 'H'

The Holly and Ivy - #105 Anything Christmas Goes

Peace On Earth - #3 Anything Christmas Goes/optional mood board    (Win)

Unicorn Challenges - #71 Christmas / Winter

It's Not Just Black & White

 

     The new challenge at Christmas Craft Creations this month is a colour theme, use black, white and one other colour. A splash of red for Christmas and an idea that positive and negative might work well was what started these two cards.

      It took a little while to work out what had to be stamped where and in what colour but once I got going it all worked out. I also stamped some on kraft card to try later as this was the sample I had seen at HoneyDoo Crafts shop.

      White ink can be a bit hit and miss so I embossed with white to get a good coverage. Stamping with black was fine so these were not embossed. I asked Amanda at HoneyDoo how she had got that perfect red on her card and she very kindly told me it was paper pieced.

      I stamped enough for these cards and a few spare......just incase. 

     

      I found it easier to add shading to the main image before adding the paper pieces, this was done with a mixture of 4B pencil, white pencil and a white pastel pencil. Detail was added with a white gel pen and a black fineline pen.

      It was important when I cut the paper pieces out that I cut along the lines, this meant there were no red edges showing outside the stamped line.

      All off the paper pieces were stuck on with Stix2 3D PVA, it's a good strong glue that dries clear.

      There was a lot of open space around the image so I hand drew a wiggly line around the edge as a frame, I was going to add a few sprigs of holly but my drawing skills are not great and after all that work I didn't want to make a mess of it.

      The base cards are 7x7 so I had room for a mat layer or two. When adding narrow mats I tend to use an inexpensive white card and an alcohol marker rather than cut up my precious coloured card.

      The mat on the greeting is also a 'frugal' layer. All main layers were stuck down flush to the card blank but the greeting was put on with foam tape, just to give a little bit of a lift.

      These cards can go letter post as they are thin enough but sadly being over 6.5 inches wide they will be large letter. By making two similar cards I am managing to increase my card stash a little faster as well as stretch my imagination.

      Please pop over to the Christmas Craft Creations blog for lots of inspiration and remember it doesn't have to be a card, we accept other projects as long as they follow the theme.

I would like to enter these cards in the following challenges:

The Holly and Ivy - #103 Anything Christmas

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas - #563 Anything Christmas

Merry Little Christmas - #39 Anything Christmas

Peace On Earth Christmas - #1 Inspiration Board

Mix It Up - #54 Anything Goes / Paper Piecing

Let It Snow

     This months challenge at Christmas Craft Creations is a sketch. As we are getting closer to Christmas you may wish to start making cards, if you haven't already, and share with us what you've made.

     I decided to work with white card only, it has a pearly shine to it so it glistens a little like snow. I also chose to make a square rather than a rectangular card but stayed within the sketch brief.

     To make the top part of the card look different from the bottom I used a snowfall embossing folder. The crisp dividing line is where I cut across the square and only embossed the top part, then stuck them back together afterwards.

     The trees were die cut and mounted on foam tape, the two smaller ones on 1mm and the large one on 2mm.

     The greeting has been moved across to the opposite corner because it looked a bit squashed under the trees. I have been trying to use my stash so the greeting is a peel off from a rather full box. To tie it all together I used a silver mat layer before mounting on a square card blank.

     It's a rather simple card but I think it's quite effective and a handy seasonal greeting for any winter celebration.

     As you begin to make your Christmas cards remember to come and share them with us at Christmas Craft Creations.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

The 12 Month's Of Christmas - #81 Anything Christmas /Twist - Metallic

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas - #558 Anything Christmas/option S

The Holly and Ivy - #100 Anything Christmas

Merry Little Christmas - #38 Anything Christmas

My Time To Craft Christmas - #17 Embossing Hot/Dry

Silver Snowflake Mandala

     The new challenge at Christmas Craft Creations starts today, this month's theme is to use Non Traditional Colours in your project. It doesn't have to be a card, just anything Christmas related that follows the theme.

     

     I chose purple and silver as I have several friends who love those colours. I used a purple card blank and die cut the outer mandala shape, plus the corners from the front cover. 

     I then lined the inside cover with white card, ready to drop the shapes back in the holes. It's also a good idea to have an insert on a coloured card as it makes it easier to write in.

     

     Using silver mirri card I cut the four corners, then glued them in the holes on the front cover so the white showed through.

     The mandala outer shape was cut in silver mirri, then I put all the inner dies on to the shape but embossed them rather than cut them. I love the effect you get from embossing mirri card and as long as you have a soft silicone mat to use under the dies it's quite easy to do.

     I used foam tape on the back of the mandala and put it back in the hole but turned it so the shapes were not perfectly in line, I think it makes the shape look bigger that way.

     To bring purple to the mandala I used a large clear gem, coloured with an alcohol marker, in the centre. A relatively simple card with a nice splash of bling.

     Please pop over and join us at Christmas Craft Creations with your non traditional colours project and remember it doesn't have to be a card, just something seasonal that you have created.

Materials List
JND245 - Snowflake Mandala
JND244 - Snowflake Corners

S57262 - 3D PVA Glue

Foam tape

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - #554 Anything Christmas/ option Penguins

Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas

The 12 Months Of Christmas - Anything Christmas/option Clothing

The Holly and Ivy - #99 Anything Christmas

Dream Valley - #252 Embossing Wet or Dry

Sparkling Monochrome Christmas

 

     We are Christmas every month over at Christmas Craft Creations, so if you have made anything seasonal come and join us. This month we are 'anything goes' and we have prizes too.

      Making cards for men doesn't have to be challenging, this one would be very suitable with it's monochrome pallet, even flowers work well this way.

      For this card I cut the frame in white with a silver mirri inner frame. Then cut the tree and foliage layers in shades of grey, finishing with a black glitter background with the deer cut out and backed with silver glitter.  All these layers were stuck down flat but you could easily add foam tape to give more depth.

      For the foliage I used grey and silver mirri card. The flower was cut in mat card for the top layer and glitter card for the backing. The gem in the centre was coloured silver with a Sharpie marker.

     Don't forget to pop over and join in with us at Christmas Craft Creations, you could be one of our lucky prize winners.

            

Materials List
JND194 - Four Seasons die set
JND187 - Lesleys Twigs
JND 190 - Pinstripe Poinsettia die

JNDCC017 - Poinsettia die - (solid background)
JND129 - Mini Ivy
S57262 - 3D PVA Glue

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

12 Months Of Christmas - #79 Anything Christmas Goes

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas - #550 Anything Christmas Goes

The Holly and Ivy - #97 Anything Christmas

Merry Little Christmas - #35 Anything Christmas Goes

Ike's World - #146 Christmas In July

Shopping Our Stash - #449 Christmas In July

Through The Purple Haze - #182 Christmas In July

Merry and Bright

 

      A new challenge at Christmas Craft Creations begins this week, the theme this month is 'Heat Embossing', so break out those stamps and powders.

      The stamp used on this card is an old Woodware one, it's one of my favourites. Stamped on black card and embossed in silver.

      Black isn't usually the first choice for a Christmas card but with a pop of colour I think it makes an elegant card.

      When I cut the mat layer I cut out the centre to keep for another project, it won't be seen so why not use it for something else.

       The layers were all assembled before the tiny purple gems were added, I have a few friends that love purple so this card will go to one of them.

       As I like making decorations for Christmas it's good to make the cards early in the year and store them, before going on to the 3D projects later on. So why not come and join us at Christmas Craft Creations with whatever seasonal project you have made using heat embossing.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

The 12 Months Of Christmas - #78 Anything Christmas/optional ChristMouse

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas - #545 Anything Christmas

Merry Little Christmas - #35 Anything Christmas

Snow Tag

     This months challenge at Christmas Craft Creations is to make tags or ATCs. 

     I started by die cutting some mountboard with a Bigz die, I like working on this because is thick enough not to distort when using wet glue or paint.

     I was going to use paint, but when I started rummaging through my stash I found a nice offcut of blue scrapbook paper, so I glue3d this to the board, let it dry and then sanded the edges smooth.

     I stamped several different snowflakes across the tag and embossed them in white. To make a pretty edge I used some silver gilding wax, I've found the best way to apply this is using the back of a piece of blending foam, it's firmer than my fingers so it's easier to get a good finish.

     A tiny gem in the middle of each snowflake added some shine but it needed sparkle. Using non shed glitter card I die cut some snowflakes and stacked them on thin foam pads and added it to the corner of my tag.

     A small length of silver organza ribbon finished off the tag. I like the simplicity of this, I could have added lots more to it but I think it's fine as it is.

I would like to enter this tag in the following challenges:

ABC Christmas - J~Jewels / K~Kids

Sparkles Christmas - #124 Use A Tag     (Spotlight Win)

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas - #541 Anything Christmas Goes

The Holly and Ivy - #94 Anything Christmas Goes

Merry Little Christmas - #34 Anything Christmas Goes

Christmas Craft Creations Birthday

 

     Over at Christmas Craft Creations this month it's our First Birthday and we are celebrating by having a Birthday prize pot, you might want to take a look at our theme of No Stamping, then come and join in the fun.

     I started this with some lovely blue card that used to be a folder, using a snowfall die I cut the holes into it. 

     The trees were cut from silver mirri card and stuck onto the blue card. I then trimmed the blue card so the trees were on the edges.

     Backing the blue panel with a white mat layer makes the holes into falling snow. Placing this onto another blue layer before going on a white card blank framed the whole panel.

     The finishing touch was to add some deer die cut from silver and grey glitter card.

     A very simple Winter card all done with die cuts, mostly from the John Next Door range.

     Come and join us at Christmas Craft Creations this month, just remember our theme is 'no stamping'.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Winter Wonderland - Peace On Earth

Sparkles Christmas - Trees

Jingle Belles - Peace On Earth, Recycle Something

Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas

Fezziwigs Festive Frolics - Oh Deer

Christmas Flowers

     This months challenge at Christmas Craft Creations is Christmas Flowers, it doesn't have to be a card either, we accept scrapbook layouts, ATC's or 3D projects.

     This card is based on an idea I saw on Pinterest by Lucy Abrams, thank you Lucy. 

     The card blank was covered with a patterned paper from stash, wrapping the paper over the spine for a neater presentation.

     I then cut a mat layer to fit the card and die cut two poinsettia shapes out of it.  The shapes were cut with a deliberate 'off the edge' look. I also cut the greeting in the red same card.

     Using a dark red and cream based backing paper gives the whole card a vintage look, especially after the addition of Distress ink.

    

     Using Distress ink I coloured all the edges of the red card to darken them a little and coloured over the greetings too.

     The idea was to mount the red panel on foam over the patterned paper, but I found it a bit too fiddly to get foam into the flower centre, so I opted to stick it flat on to the paper. The greeting was stuck flat on to the card, at opposite corners.

     Using a gold pen I ran around the entire red card layer with a stitch pattern, this was nice but didn't show up at certain angles. To make the stitching more obvious I then used a fine line black pen to run alongside each gold stitch.

     I also drew around each greeting to make it stand out more. There is a gold pearl in the centre of each flower to help pick out the gold in the stitching.

     It's almost flat so would go as standard post, I shall choose a more basic shape next time I try this so I can use foam tape to lift the top layer a little.

     It may a little early in the year for some of you to be making cards for Christmas but the more you do now the easier it will be come November, so come and join us at Christmas Craft Creations once a month....or more if you wish...to build up that stash of cards.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

The Holly and Ivy - #90 Anything Christmas

Merry Little Christmas - #32 Anything Christmas

Fezziwigs Festive Frolics - Vintage Christmas

Christmas 24 - #029 Tic Tac Toe (Die Cut, DSP, Pearls)

My Time To Craft - Christmas Flowers     Top 3

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas - #532 Anything Christmas

Blue and Silver Swinging Snowman

     This one is a mix of old and not so old items, the die to cut the swing card is new to me and the lovely snowman came from one of last years Christmas cards. It's blue and silver to comply with the new challenge we have at Christmas Craft Creations.

     I cut the base card in white using the swing card die, it came with solid panel dies as well so I cut them in silver pearl paper.

     The blue snowflake pattern was a separate die set which I was lucky enough to get at the same time I bought the swing card set. The snowman was cut from an old card and as luck would have it he had a dark blue glitter band all the way around him.

      The hardest thing was making sure I stuck the snowman on the correct side of the circle. A nice easy card to make, especially when you get to recycle parts of old commercial cards, gentle on the pocket too. When folded up it's a 5.75inch square so standard letter post.

      Please come and join us at Christmas Craft Creations with your blue and silver projects, we'd love to see what you've made.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Winter Wonderland - Anything Christmas

Sparkles Christmas - Snowman     Top 3

The 12 Months of Christmas - #74 Card For A Child

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas - #528 Anything Christmas/Cute

The Holly and Ivy - #87 Anything Christmas

Merry Little Christmas - #31 Anything Christmas     Top pick

Fezziwigs Festive Frolics - #30 Take Your Pick - Shaped card/Snowflakes/Glitter

Ribbon Tree

     A new year , a new challenge at Christmas Craft Creations, this month it's use ribbon or twine. As you can see I went a bit OTT with ribbon, we're not just a card making challenge so this seemed the perfect project.

     My crafting buddy Mynn made one of these a few years ago and I loved it, it's a fab way to use up all those odd bits that are too short for wrapping but too good to bin. I have to admit it took me a while to get my knots right, some ribbon is just so slippery.

     The trunk is a small twig cut from the garden and left to dry out for a week or so, then glued into the cotton reel. The ribbon around the reel is stuck on with redline tape and there is a small baize disk stuck on the bottom so it won't scratch any surface it's put on.

     The star is a brad, held with silicone glue because I didn't trust myself not to dribble hot glue all over my ribbons! The pins of the brad were then wrapped around the trunk once the glue had set.

     I have a small collection of festive trees which I add to every year, some are bought but most are handmade.

     Come and join us to start your festive makes for this year, we have lots of inspiration for you over at Christmas Craft Creations.

I would like to enter this project in the following challenges:

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas

The Holly and Ivy - Anything Christmas

Crimbo Crackers - Anything Christmas

Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas     Top 5

Fezziwigs Festive Frolics - Anything Christmas     Top Pick

Winter Blues

     The theme this month at Christmas Craft Creations is Winter Blues. I know this has a touch of purple but they go so well together. 

     This idea came from a friend of a friend, it's so simple but looks like you've spent hours making it. The best thing is there is a video tutorial to follow which you can find here.

     For this card I used Ultramarine Brusho on the embossing folder, silver guilding wax and some die cut snowflakes. It's not the same as Mary Ellen's but that's the beauty of this technique, it's not going to be the same even if I use the same items.

     After polishing the crackle I added the snowflake and some blue dewdrops type gems from deep in my stash. I decided to mat and layer on purple to bring out the odd bits of purple in the Brusho.

     Just having Winter on it means it's a good card for anyone not celebrating Christmas and being snowflakes, my favourite seasonal thing, it's not religious either. Our challenge doesn't have to be a card, anything you have made that fits the Winter Blues theme is fine with us.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

ABC Christmas - Y-Your Favourite Things - Snowflakes

The 12 Months of Christmas - #72 Anything Christmas

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas - Anything Christmas

Bastel-Traum - Winter

Gingerbread Village Light Box

     The theme this month at Christmas Craft Creations is Anything BUT A Card. I love making decorations and with the arrival of the new Paper Village die set by Tim Holtz and an idea I saw on FB, this is what I've come up with.

     

     Believe it or not this whole box and the church was cut from one A4 sheet of brown card, it took a little bit of planning but it means everything matches.

     I used one of the skinny houses to make the tower on the church, if you lay the house die on top of the tiny house cut out you can work out the pitch of the roof so it will fit.

     To make it look like a gingerbread village I used a white gel pen to add decoration all over, though the doors were coloured with a white Sharpie to get better coverage.

    

     A church should have stained glass windows so I used some patterned vellum stuck on the inside of each opening, it was stuck on the wrong way around so the strong colour is on the inside. I cut a hole in the roof so the light could shine through into the tower.

     To get the roof tiles even I used the deckle edge of a piece of card like a ruler. It was all stuck together with a good strong PVA glue which gave me a little wiggle room to get my edges right.

     

     The base of the box was die cut with all the variations available in the die set for windows and doors, I tried to make every house different.

     I used some plain vellum for the windows in the village and decorated it all with the gel pen.

     At first the houses weren't going to have a porch roof but it didn't look quite right so they were all added later.

     The lid of the box had a white cover added to the brown so I only had to colour the edges with the gel pen. There was a hole cut in the lid so the light from the box would shine into the church.

     The church was glued onto the lid but it lacked something......snow!  Using some True Snow paste I added this and it looked so much better, it also hid any gaps around the base of the church that the light might shine through.

     I added a small tree to the scene and buried it in the snow because it had a tiny wooden base that needed to be hidden.

     I wanted a small car to add to the scene, where on earth was I going to find one small enough?...cake topper?...toy car?....Monopoly piece!  Not wanting to use the only Monopoly car I have I decided to make my own silicone mould so I could have a whole fleet of cars.

     Making a mould is quite easy, silicone glue, cornflour, a few drops of baby oil and a spritz of paint for colour. Push the car into the 'dough' and leave overnight to set. Remove the car and then use hot glue in the mould to make many more. The advantage of this is the glue card had a flat bottom, making it easy to stick in the snow. The car was coloured with a mix of Sharpie pens and acrylic paint.    

     

     It was important that the back look just as good as the front so the whole thing has been decorated all the way round to look the same. Even the rear windows of the church are stained glass.

     The light source is a colour changing LED tea light placed in the bottom of the box. I did try a string of tiny LED lights but all together they were too bright, I rather like the changing colours too.

     This Paper Village is so cute, it's going to be used over and over for years, you have been warned!

I would like to enter this project in the following challenges:

Fezziwigs Festive Frolics - Anything BUT A Card    Top pick

Creative Craft Cottage - Christmas/Winter

Country View Crafts - Anything BUT A Card

Dragonfly Dreams - Christmas/Winter

Jingle Belles - Include A see Through Element - windows

ABC Christmas - W - Winter Wonderland/ X - eXtra Special   Top 5