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

Penny's Baubles

 

     Today sees the launch of John Next Door's Baroque Christmas collection, part one. This years festive season has a had a later start than before, a combination of Covid, customs and canals have all had an impact, but we're up and running now.

     This die set is called Penny's Baubles and they feature a selection of shapes all with gorgeous deer and snowflakes.

     Starting with a satin gold card I cut a square using the stitch dot dies, then with just the bauble outline dies I embossed the card, not cut it. I also embossed the little finials at the top of the baubles. I then cut the baubles inner designs on the gold card. 

     To go under the gold card I cut a tartan paper layer and a dark red card layer, I always cut the centre out of the card mats to keep for another project, it saves card and makes the finished project a tiny bit lighter in weight.

     I also cut a Noel stencil sentiment from the gold layer and backed it with a bit of the dark red card. I added the red and tartan layers to a white card blank and stuck them down firmly.     

     Next was to add foam tape to the gold card, making sure to give enough support around the cut outs. When adding it to the tartan paper I only peeled off one corner to begin with, making sure it was all lined up evenly. With this corner stuck down I then peeled off all the remaining tape and secured the card layer on the paper.

     To add a little bit of sparkle I glued some tiny green gems in the middle of each snowflake.

Materials List
JND258 - Penny's Baubles
JND195 - Jane's Tree  -  Noel sentiment

S57262 - 3D PVA Glue

Foam tape

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

Christmas Cards All Year 'Round - O is for ornament

Jingle Belles - Red & Green

Merry Little Christmas - Anything Christmas

My Time To Craft Christmas - Plaid / Gingham     (Top 5)

Bauble Window

   Welcome to my project for November at House Of Cards. This month we have a technique challenge for you, 'Stamped and Cut Window'.

     Yes I know, there's no stamping on my card! I didn't realise until last night, I got SO carried away with the window part of the card, I do apologise.
     I was so keen to try using some of the patterned card I have in my stash to make a few cards this year rather than just gazing at it. I had the same design in two colour ways so I thought this would make a great window card.
     I cut a square of mauve bauble card and cut a bauble shaped hole in it, then placed a paper template over the same bauble on the grey card to help me line up my die and then cut.
   

      There is a silver mirri card layer stuck on to the white card blank, then the mauve layer is stuck on top using double sided foam tape. The grey bauble is stuck flush on to the silver layer afterwards, I found it easier to line it up his way around.
     The greeting is die cut from purple mirri card and stuck flush to the card. This card has a lot of shine but it looks great from different angles.
     In theory I should now have the same design but with opposing colour ways to make another card, in practise.....we shall see!
     Come and join in the card making fun with us at House Of Cards, we have lots of inspiration for you, plus some great technique tutorials from the DT.

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

The Glory Of Christmas - Glitter and Shine

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Previous Theme - Ornaments

A Snowflakes Promise - Winter / Christmas 

Bottle Top Baubles

     This fortnight at The Male Room we would like to see your masculine creations made using 'hardware' e.g. brads, eyelets, charms. etc.  As Christmas is not too far away I chose to make a Christmas card that carries it's own present in the form of two bottle top baubles, these can be removed from the card and hung on the tree.

      These bottle tops are from a pack of new tops I had in my stash, you could just as easily make these with used ones once they've had a wash.
     Place your bottle tops in a basic sandwich of base plate and two clear plates (Bigshot), like you would for an embossing folder, and roll.
     I was a little cautious at first but they squash very well giving you a great metal disc to decorate.

      Using PVA I glued around the ridge on my tops and covered with silver glitter. Next I stamped  a snowflake on white card and embossed it in silver, adding a tiny blue gem to the centre. The next one was the word Noel stamped on to patterned paper and embossed in silver.
     Then both images were die cut, these measure approx 7/8ths of an inch, this will vary depending on your bottle top.

      The image discs were glued in place and allowed to dry. Once dry I filled the recess with Glossy Accents and left them to dry overnight.
     Each top has another card disc on the back which is stuck firmly over the silver thread which they will hang by. You could write a tiny message on them just for the recipient.
     The baubles are hung from a die cut pine branch edged with Distress Ink Faded Jeans, which is mounted on foam pads on a snowfall textured background.

     I was going to dry emboss the background with the words but in my haste to do this I mistakenly embossed the whole card blank! Not wishing to waste the blank I decided to use it as is and snowfall the front panel instead.
     Doing this meant that it would be hard to write on so I die cut a bauble shape from plain white card and stuck it over the back of the blank after colouring it blue, now there is somewhere to write and the greeting is peeping through the bauble die cut, disaster averted!
     The baubles are hung on the branch and fixed on the card with blue tac so that they will come off easily, I shall add a small note in the card to let the recipient know this.

Materials list - available from your  local craft shop

Woodware Craft Collection - Stampendous Silver Embossing Powder

                                          Glossy Accents

                                          Snowflake and 'Noel' - from clear stamp sets.

Stix2 Anything -  Iridescent Glitter

                         Silver Glitter

                         PVA Glue

                         Redline Tape

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

A Snowflakes Promise - Christmas/Winter
Christmas Card Challenges - Anything Goes
CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - Anything Christmas

Sparkling Baubles! Christmas isn't over yet.

     Christmas is never far away in my house and if you come and join us at CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra you can keep it with you too.  We are a monthly challenge that embraces anything made for Christmas, not just cards.
     We are sponsored by Bugaboo Digi Stamps so you will find this image there, it's called Make It Snappy Merry Christmas Ornaments.  There are lots of very cute designs as well as some stunning silhouettes to work with.
     This image has been printed on thin acetate and the baubles have been glittered from behind. The snowflakes also have a little clear glitter to give them some sparkle. To attach acetate to card can be a bit of a nuisance as most adhesives show through, for this one I chose to use some double sided sticky sheet, that way the glue is all over so it's not so visible.

     The card the acetate is mounted on has a blue marble effect which lends itself very nicely to the winter theme. This is then attached to a blue pearl card blank so there is sparkle and shine all over this card. The holly berries are red gems stuck on top of the acetate and the small stars have tiny clear gems stuck on them.
     This use of a digi is great if, like me, your colouring skills need improvement as not a single pen has been used.
     Come and join us at CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra with your seasonal makes and get ahead for next Christmas.

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

Glitter N Sparkle - Anything Goes

Christmas Card Challenges - Anything Goes

Mosaic Madness Baubles

      It's mid month inspiration time at CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra, where any seasonal creation may be entered, not just cards.
     I have chosen to play with my newly acquired Mosaic Madness set from Stampin'Up. When I say new it's a couple of months ago now, but this is the first time I've had time to play with it and I love it.
     The background is embossed with a folder from the set using Cryogen White card, it has a nice delicate sparkle to it.
     The baubles are stamped and embossed with silver using a paint chart from a local DIY shop, it's great as it has co-ordinated shades of the same colour. To my horror I went to a well known DIY shop to find that these charts are no longer available there, I'm just hoping that I can find them somewhere else.
     Once cool I used the punch from the Mosaic set to cut out all the baubles. Each one has tiny foam pads on the back which also hold the silver thread in place. All the threads are taken to the top of the card to give the impression they are hanging in front of the background.

     The white card has a small silver mat layer on it before being stuck on to a white card blank that has been coloured with Distress Ink Chipped Sapphire around the edge. I find it saves me time and money to use white card blanks and colour them myself.
     I have used peel offs to spell my greeting across my card, to stamp four times and get it right every time would be great but it doesn't usually happen, so this way I can make sure I don't have to start again!
     This card is for a couple of challenges as well as a mid month reminder at CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra, if you have any Christmas creations to show then come and join us, we would love to see them.

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

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Colours  (Silver, Blue and White)

Completely Christmas - Anything Goes

Crafting When We Can - Christmas Come Early
Glitter n Sparkle - Use A Punch

Woodware Baubles for All Crafts Christmas

      We are sponsored by Woodware again this month at All Crafts Challenge and have been given some goodies to play with that had a real Christmas feel to them, so here is part two of my creation. For part one click here.
     I have triple embossed one side of each bauble, they both had two layers of clear UTEE, then the blue one had  a layer of Luna White UTEE and the cream one a layer of Aged Ivory UTEE. By using clear to build up the depth before adding colour I use less of the precious fancy powder.
     For those who are not familiar with tripple embossing it's three layers of powder built up by inking and powdering to achieve a deep enamel that can be stamped into giving texture to your design. The most important thing to remember is to have your stamp inked and ready to go as soon as the powder is molten as it sets quickly, if it doesn't work first time it can be re-melted and try again.

      The cream bauble is stamped into with Archival Coffee on a JustRite stamp, with a scene taken from an old Christmas card stuck on the back. The edges have been sprinkled with the same ivory embossing powder, take card not to overheat as the other side may melt again.  There is a thin gold cord attached to the tiny whole at the top before being covered with two cream organza ribbon bows.

     The blue bauble has been stamped with Archival Cobalt on a snowflake stamp, then a small clear gem added to the middle. Again I have used an old Christmas card for the picture on the back, but you could use photographs to personalise your baubles, just take care when heating. This has the Luna powder around the edge of the picture to bring it all together. A thin silver string for this one and some more of the organza ribbon, this time coloured blue with an alcohol marker.
     The reason I have added the picture side last is when triple embossing there is a lot of heating and I didn't think the picture would hold up to it very well. If you emboss the edges at the end it will also help cover up any little blemishes or uneven bits making your bauble look more professional.
     We are a Non Card multicraft challenge at All Crafts Challenges so please come and join us with your creations, they don't have to be Christmas projects either.

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

Allsorts Challenge - Early Christmas Makes
Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Embossing
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Anything goes
Completely Christmas - Anything Goes

Framed Baubles

     This month's challenge at Technique Time Tuesday is to create a Faux Frame around your image. There is a great tutorial on the blog to show you just how do it so please pop over and watch it, you'll see all the lovely ideas the DT have come up with too.
     As we are approaching Christmas I chose to make a card using my Spellbinder Heirloom Ornament dies. I cut my bauble shape from the middle of my square piece of card, I wanted to make use of the bauble and the offcut.
     The bauble has been stamped, with the die still in place, using Perfect Medium Ink and then embossed, without the die, in Cosmic Shimmer Bright Gold. I then put the die back over the bauble and used Distress Ink Festive Berries to colour the whole bauble. When you take the die off again there will be a small even white frame around the whole shape.
     The next step was to clean the die thoroughly and put it onto the offcut square, I then inked this with Distress Ink Evergreen Bough and stamped a small tree branch in the same ink across the top. Again this gave me a small white frame around my bauble cut out.
     The square has been mounted over a layer of gold paper and the bauble has been mounted on thick foam pads to lift it up. When the card is at an angle you can see the gold behind the bauble, but viewed head on it just has a wider white frame.
     The small bauble has been coloured in the same way after stamping a small greeting in gold on to it. This has a thin foam pad on it. The gold ribbon bow on the bauble is stuck on with silicone glue. The white card blank looked a little too white so I have inked the edges with Evergreen Bough to soften it a little.
     Please give this technique a try, it's very simple but very effective. Come and join us at Technique Time Tuesday, you have until the end of the month to play along.

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

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - Anything Christmas

Holly Jolly Christmas Challenges - Red and Green

Heck Of A Challenge - In The Frame

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Bling It Up  (thanks Hazel)

Hanging Baubles

    Have you ever started something you thought was a good idea and then wondered whether it would actually work? Well this is one of those ideas. I'm pleased to say I finished it, thanks to the encouragement of my crafty friends last night, but it doesn't look as it did in my head.
    52 Christmas Card Throwdown's challenge this week is ornaments and CraftyHazelnut's challenge is frames, windows or apertures so it was then a challenge to put them together.
    I began by die cutting my card front, another piece of white card and both patterned papers all at the same time. This meant that all apertures where in the same place exactly saving me lots of measuring and fiddling about later. I have used Spellbinders Heirloom Ornaments 2011 which matches up perfectly with Just Rite cling stamps Merry and Bright / Deck The Halls.
    I also cut out several bauble shapes to hang and stamped and embossed them in Bright Gold from Cosmic Shimmer.

     Each hanging bauble was cut and stamped twice so that I could put one either side of the gold thread that is stuck from top to bottom of each opening. This way the card looks good inside and out.
    The red baubles are stuck on the inside of the card so that when the card is shut they fill the apertures. This was done by sticking them in place through the apertures with the card shut, just be careful not to use too much glue or you could stick your card shut!
    The largest red bauble has a 'Merry Christmas' peel off on it and each bauble is hanging on a peel off chain.

   
  There are also gold corner peel offs on the front of the card, I have tried stamping before and usually get three good ones and the last one goes wrong!
    The pattern in the papers lines up perfectly despite the colour change because they where cut together. I also chose to use the second card piece on the outside as another layer so that inside stays clean and simple. The threads are sandwiched between the card front and the mat layer so all mechanics are hidden.

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

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Ornaments

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Frames, Windows or Apertures

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - Anything Christmas

Ribbons, bows and baubles

    This weeks Christmas card is inspired by ribbons, bows, baubles and the number three.  52 Christmas Card Throwdown are looking for ribbons and bows while CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge are asking for three of something.
    I began by die cutting a circle out of my large DL card with a Spellbinder die. I then started to weave red and green ribbon to decorate my bauble. Have you ever started something and then wished you hadn't?! I did get in a bit of a tiz but I wasn't about to give up and I'm glad I didn't because the finished weave looks OK.
It wasn't helped by having a split thumb, which nearly gave the card more red than it needed!! At different angles the ribbon shines either colour, maybe because it's satin.
   Once my weaving was done I die cut a bauble cap from gold satin card and stuck it to the top of the circle. Then I added a chain peel off for the bauble to hang by.
It looked a little lonely so I added two small peel off baubles backed with glitter and hung on chains to keep it company.

   I recently got a bow maker free on a magazine so I though this was the time to use it. I used the same ribbon as the weave to make three bows, one for each of the baubles.
   It may seem a bit of a cheat to use peel offs rather than stamping but after all that weaving I really didn't want to risk a mistake on my card. The inside is decorated, I used the insert to cover up the back of the weave so nothing can be seen inside. The envelope is also decorated with a small bauble.

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

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Ribbons and bows

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge - three of something

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - Anything goes

Triple layer, two tone stamping

 This weeks challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown is to 'triple layer/time stamp'. This involves using three layers of card and stamping over all three at the same time. It doesn't matter about perfect edges as matting is used to cope with this and add that finishing touch too. There is a link on 52CCT site to a tutorial by Dawn Olchefske if you would like to see how it's done.
  This is my second try at this technique, the first one was not defined enough in its image. That then set me to thinking how I could change it slightly, I then hit upon a positive / negative style.

I began by cutting my mats and layers to fit a 5 3/4" card. I arranged my layers carefully and tacked them in place while I stamped. The stamps are from Stampin Up - Ornament Keepsakes. I stamped with black Archival ink then separated the layers and used white embossing powder on the black card and clear embossing powder on the white card. I then built up all my images and mats before placing them on the card blank. A friend pointed out at craft club that a little red would be good, thanks Ann, so I have coloured a white card blank with Distress Ink Festive Berries to get a nice bright red base and then added a few red gems to the baubles.
I have also decorated the inside and the envelope to finish it off.
I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Triple Time Stamping

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - Anything Goes
Sparkles Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes

Winter Wonderland - Monochromatic

Scandinavian Glitz

Somehow it feels right to be making Christmas cards while there's snow outside, even if it is eleven months to go.
This weeks challenge over at 52 CCT is the use of glitter and patterned papers, while Jingle Belles have a red and white Scandinavian feel so after a sift through the Christmas stash this is what I've managed to come up with. I found a lovely red ribbon from a box of chocolates (all eaten in the name of craft) so I can also enter Crafty Hazelnut's challenge to recycle.
I began by covering a square card with patterned paper. Then added a row of 3 mm high tack tape around the edge which I covered with red glitter, I've found this a cheaper way of adding a glitter border than using glitter card to mat with, plus I'm not covering up all that lovely glittery card in the middle.
The bauble is cut from red pearl card using a Spellbinder die and then run through an embossing folder before being sanded back to show the white core, (this is also a good way to hide any cracks that may appear in the red top layer). It is then mounted using foam pads.

The ribbon is stuck on with high tack tape because it has a textured surface, I also added a small length of Scandinavian style ribbon to the straight edge, again stuck on with high tack tape. The greeting is stuck on with thin foam pads across the bauble. The bottom corners looked a little empty so I have put on some red gems to give it a little more sparkle.
As requested in the 52 CCT Challenge I have decorated the inside with a bauble branch stamp in Distress Ink Festive Berries and added a small bauble to the front and back of the envelope in true 'Ruth' style! It really makes the whole card look so classy, thanks Ruth it's a great idea.
I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Glitter, patterned paper and inside decoration

Jingle Belles - Scandinavian style

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Recylce something or use something free

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - Anything goes

Christmas Card All Year Round - Anything goes

More Baubles

Here are a few more baubles, as you can probably tell I really do love these Spellbinder dies and with the Just Rite stamps there are so many things you can do with them. The blue bauble is made with just the dies.

Card or paper decorations are great if you have small children crawling around, they can't hurt themselves much with these decorations and you can change them every year without huge expense.
The Suffolk Papercraft Show was eventful and reasonably busy despite the economic climate. I hope everyone managed to find a few bargains.