Christmas Crackers & Cracker Box

Morning Friends and Crafters, everyone seems to be talking Christmas at the moment. They all seem so far ahead with cards and other preparations for the coming season. I really don't know where the year has disappeared to. Today I thought I would make a start and make some luxury Crackers and a box for them decorated with Foamiran Poinsettias.

You Will Need:

Green Foamiran  (022)

Purple Foamiran (011)

14 Craft Bar Poinsettia Die Set  

Light Pink Berries Snowy

Bunch of Stamens White

Glue Gun

Tacky Glue

Tonic Cracker Die

Sheena Stamping Card

Box made from Centura Pearl White/Silver Card

Distress Inks, Wilted Violet, Chipped Sapphire also the Wilted Violet in the Oxides

Leonie Pujols Snowflake Stamps and Border Stamps

Tonic Die Cut Sentiment

Matching Thin Ribbon

Step 1: Cut your crackers using Sheena Stamping Card, using the die.

Step 2: Assemble and decorate your crackers, here i used Leonie's stamps and border stamp. I have stamped with the distress inks, I heat embossed the border with silver embossing powder. Tie the ends with matching satin ribbon.

Step 3: Use the 2 smaller sizes of the poinsettia die to cut a selection of your foamiran.

Step 4: Fold the petals together and twist them, be quite firm with them, leave them twisted for 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 5: Gently unfold the petals but dont open them too much, this will have formed you a base and wonderful shape to the petals.

Step 6: Layer the poinsettias together, I have used 2 of each together. Keep the large and small separate. I have then added the stamens to the centre, then edged the leaves with Tacky glue and sprinkled with crystalina glitter.

Step 7: To each cracker I added a poinsettia and a sprig made from the Berries and bunch of mixed stamens, all secured with hot glue.

Here are the finished cracker and box.

Many thanks for joining me today, I hope you have enjoyed the tutorial along with the finished project. How far are you with your preparations for Christmas? I do hope I am not the only one falling behind. I do hope you will join me again very soon. For now take care and Happy Crafting.xxx

Winter Wishes from the Winter Wonderland Signature Collection

Morning Friends and Crafters. Lovely of you to join me today. I am sharing a card I made for the launch of Sara's Signature Range, 'Winter Wonderland'. It's been a hugely popular collection and I am not at all surprised, as everything within it coordinates beautifully. I love the foil transfers, If you've not used them I would highly recommend them, They're so easy to use and give a really professional look.

You will Need:

Winter Wonderland 6 x 6 Foil Transfers

Winter Wonderland Foils 'Ice Blue'

Winter Wonderland Seasonal Sprigs Die Collection

Winter Wonderland Entwined Holly Embossing Folder

Winter Wonderland A4 Luxury Glitter Card Winter Blue & Sparkling Silver

Matching Ribbon Bow

Basic Circle Die

Basic Square Die

White Stamping Card

Centura Pearl Card Base 8 x 8''

This is a really simple, but effective card. It would be an excellent one to make En mass, which really helps at a time when we all have so much to do.

Step 1: Cut a 7'' square of glitter card and secure it to your  Centura Pearl Card Base.

Step 2: Die cut a matt and layer using 2 adjacent circle dies, approximately 4 1/2'', layer together with Tacky glue.

Step 3: Use the foil & transfers to add a wreath and sentiment to a second smaller circle, about 1'' smaller that the previous one.

Step 4: Emboss a 6 /12'' square of white card, secure it to your base. Add your larger plain circles to the card using foam tape or pads for depth.

Step 5: Next add your sentiment circles, again add these with foam tape or pads. To finish your card, decorate with a selection of foliage and berries cut from both colours of the glitter card, lastly add a matching blue ribbon bow.

Many thanks for joining me today, it's been great to have your company. I do hope you have enjoyed the tutorial along with the finished card that I have shared with you. I do hope you will join me again very soon to see what else I have to share.

If you have time to leave a comment it would be much appreciated, I sometimes wonder if the age of Blogging has passed and whether or not people just prefer pictures on Social media. For now Take care and Happy Crafting.xxx

Christmas Snowflakes From 'Winter Wonderland'

Morning & Thank you for all your comments it was lovely to share the news with you yesterday, Today I am sharing a Christmas Card I made for the launch of 'Winter Wonderland', A beautiful Signature Range from Sara. There are so many wonderful elements in the collection, it really makes it a pleasure to design cards to suit any taste or style. Everything in the collection coordinates perfectly, so all of the hard work has been done for you.

You will need:

Winter Wonderland 'Yuletide Sentiment

Winter Wonderland 'Snowflake Quartet

Winter Wonderland 'Fluttering Snowflakes' Embossing Folder

Winter Wonderland 6 x 6 Paper Pad

Winter Wonderland Luxury Matt Mirror Card: Winter Blue and Ice Blue

Centura Pearl Card Base

Crystalina Glitter

Double Sided Adhesive Sheet

Tacky Glue

Foam on a Roll

3D Glue Gel

Step 1: From the Winter blue, cut a selection of snowflakes.

Step 2: Add the double sided adhesive sheet to an 8 x 8 piece of card. Arrange your snowflakes, leaving the very centre as it will be covered.

Step 3: Coat the whole card with glitter and trim the edges.

Step 4: Cut the mats for the card layers, allow only a fine border and dont forget to gut the card. You should be able to get all 3 from one sheet of the card with basic layering dies.

Step 5: Layer your snowflake piece onto the largest.

Step 6: Take a matching sheet from the 6 x 6 paper pad and mount onto a layer using Tacky glue.

Step 7: Cut 'Merry Christmas' from Winter Blue. Also emboss a piece of 4 x 4 white card. The detail on this embossing folder is amazing.

Step 8: Cut a die to fit over the 4 x 4 embossed card, here I have used a Spellbinder die.

Step 9:  Layer this die onto your embossed piece, then add the 'Merry Christmas'

Step 10: To finish your card layer up as shown in the photo. To add depth and dimension use Foam on a roll for the two centre panels.

Many thanks for joining me today, I do hope you have enjoyed the tutorial and the finished card I have shared with you. I hope you will stop by again very soon to see what else I have to share. For now Take care and Happy Crafting.xx

Joy To The World

Morning Friends and Crafters. Today I am sharing a card I made using the 'Winter Wonderland' Signature Collection from Sara. It's been an absolute favourite of mine. Such beautiful colours and packed with coordinating luxury cardstock, paper pads, Dies, stamps and embossing folders. A must have that will enable you to create all of your Christmas makes. I also have some INCREDIBLY EXCITING NEWS to share, I am fit to burst....

You will need:

Winter Wonderland Snowflurry

Winter Wonderland Snow Season Stamps

Winter Wonderland Festive Wishes Stamps and Die Set

Winter Wonderland Fluttering Snowflakes Embossing Folder

Winter Wonderland Luxury Matt Mirror Card Winter Blue & Sparkling Silver

Sheena Stamping Crad

Centura Pearl Card Base

Centura Pearl

Chipped Sapphire and Blueprint Sketch Distress Ink 

Tacky Glue

3D Glue Gel

Foam Pads or Foam on a Roll

Step 1: Cut a piece of Sparkling Silver 6 3/4 x 6 3/4''

Step 2: Cut a piece of stamping card 6 1/2 x 6 1/2, then emboss.

Step 3: Cut another piece of Sparkling Silver 5 1/2 x 5 1/2''

Step 4: Stamp and emboss a selection of snowflakes and heat emboss them. Also with silver embossing powder add the ' To The World'. Finally blend your ink from the outside, towards the centre, using the lighter colour first.

Step 5: From Centura Pearl, cut the edger die to form a decorative tag for the centre of the card.

Step 6: Create a banner from a piece of embossed card and tint with the same inks.

Step 7: Cut out 'Joy' twice and layer up with Tacky glue

Step 8: Assemble your card elements as shown in the photo. Raise the centre panel by using foam pads or foam on a roll.

That is your card complete.

Thank you for joining me today, I do hope you will stop by again very soon to see what else I have to share with you. 

I have been so looking forward to telling you this news, for a long time now I have been designing something very different. I have visited Hochanda and I am pleased to say that I will be launching my new collection on Hochanda very, very soon. I will share more details later. I really hope you like what I have to offer, I am extremely pleased with the whole collection and I can't wait to share with you.

I do hope you have enjoyed the tutorial and the finished card I have shared. See you soon, For now Take care and Happy Crafting.xxx

By the Seaside

Morning Everyone, Welcome along today. I am sharing a card I made for the launch of the Three Way Overlay stamps and mask set that Barbara launched on Hochanda on 2nd September. I do hope you got to see the shows over the Celebration weekend to mark 25 years of Clarity.

You will need:

Clarity Three Way Townhouse Overlay Stamps

Clarity Letterbox & Alphabet Stamp Collection

Versamark Black Ink Pad

Memento Summer Sky

White Stamping Card 6 x 6'' & 8 x 8''

Black Card

Brayer

Indigo Blu Townhouse Teal Acrylic Paint

Indigo Blu Pantry White Acrylic Paint

Watercolour Pans

Brush and Water

Step 1: Stamp your Townhouse outline in black ink.

Step 2: Overlay the positive Townhouse stamp using the 'Summer Sky', I built the colour up as it's a fairly pale colour but layered it's a beautiful summery colour.

Step 3: Use a selection of watercolours to give the a seaside feel to your image.

Step 4: Create your background using the 8 x 8'' card, Use a Brayer to build up with the acrylic paints, the more layers the better for additional texture,set aside to dry.

Step 5: Arrange and stamp the letterboxes and fill with your chosen words. Layer this onto black card. Mount your background piece onto your base card. Then to finish the card add the topper you have created.

Thank you so much for joining me today, it's been great to have your company. I hope you have enjoyed the tutorial and the finished card. Hopefully you will stop by very soon to see what else I have to share with you. For now Take care and Happy Crafting.xxx

Christmas Lounge, Christmas Dimensionals

Morning crafters and Friends, A lot of you will know what great fun I had with the first launch of the New Dimensional dies from Crafters Companion. I really enjoyed making scenes with the house, chair etc, so I was so excited to see the new Christmas range. I have to say both collections work so well together to make the projects you make even more special.

You will need:

Tree Concept Die

Sparkling Snowflakes 1

Sparkling Snowflakes 2

Tree Accessorie Pack 

Holly Frame Embossing Folder

Basic Oval Die

Centura Pearl White Card

12 x 12 Plain Paper Pad

12 x 12 Christmas Decorative Paper Pad

Double Sided Adhesive Sheet

Blue Glitter

Step 1: Position and cut your design into the base card, the stairs, Window and tree.

Step 2: Use plain and patterned papers to decorate the scene.

Step 3: On green card emboss and cut out to add a carpet/rug. Use a sanding block to bring out the detail even further.

Step 4: Cut out the window frame from Centura Pearl add acetate to the back before securing it in place. Decorate the room to look really festive, using the elements in the collection. Cut a tree from the dark green card and secure with tacky glue, then decorate the tree with baubles and tinsel.

Step 5: Decorate the front of your card. Here I have used a double sided adhesive sheet on a piece of card, then added snowflakes and covered with blue glitter. Added a basic oval to the centre with a sentiment, to finish the card it was layered up with Tacky glue on the front of the card.

Thank you ever so much for joining me today. I hope you have enjoyed the tutorial along with the finished project. I hope to see you very soon to see what else I have to share. For now Take care and Happy Crafting.xxx

Parchment Tree Diorama

Morning, Today I am sharing a project I made for the launch of the Winter Wonderland Signature Collection by Sara. I thought it would be nice to make a boxed Diorama using some of the elements in the collection. I have also added a couple of photos of a Christmas decoration I made using the Star of Bethlehem Die, cut from Parchment.

You will need:

Traditional Tree Die

Star of Bethlehem Die

Foil Transfers

Foils (All three)

Snowflake Acetate

12 x 12 Paper Pad

Parchment

Clarity Groovi Plate

Embossing Tool

Texture Paste

White Flowersoft

Red Liner Tape

Tacky Glue

Tape Runner

Grey Board

Centura Pearl White card

Step 1: Cut all sizes of the Traditional Tree, you will need 2 for each tree you want to make.

Step 2: Add the foil transfer snowflakes to the trees and use the whole selection of foil colours.

Step 3: Use the Groovi Plate to add little dots to the trees.

Step 4: Assemble the trees using the tape runner and some Tacky Glue

Step 5: Cut 2 pieces of Greyboard and join them together. Cut a piece of the decorative paper to add to the backplate of the diorama. Cover the base with texture paste, using a palette knife to add lots of bumps and mounds. sprinkle with Flowersoft and snow to give a real wintery feel to the project. Add the trees.

To finish your project measure your finished piece and make box to fit, use an die to create apertures and add the snowfall acetate. I used the tree dies at either end. Here are some more photos.

Thank you ever so much for joining me today, it's great to have your company. I hope you have enjoyed the tutorial along with the finished card and extra photos. I do hope you will join me again very soon to see what else I have to share with you. For now Take care and Happy Crafting.xx