Saturday, 13 December 2014

Christmas Patterns with Non-Christmas Stamps

Today, I'm bringing you a little international flair – that sounds amazing, right? Well, let me deflate any expectations: the “ international” simply refers to some German stamps (I'm desperately short on time to get my personal christmas stuff done, sorry!) I used a Wplus9 label die to create a few gift tags:

  1. I die cut the basic shape threet times from each color: red, white, and kraft card stock. (I messed up a few tags, that's why I cut more shapes than you see.)
  2. I adhered a white and red, and then a white and kraft label with removable tape and cut them apart with my guillotine. The reason I adhered them together was so the shapes would be cut apart exactly the same.
  3. I used one kraft, one red, and one white label as a base, and then glued the cut apart parts on top of it so I got the neat mix and match of colors.


On each tag, I used the Papel Picado stamp set to create a pattern on the tags. I wanted to go with a "scandinavian" style, but of course that was one of the tags that I messed up. But by using christmassy colors like red, gold, and green, you can create the impression of festiveness.



By simple creating a repeating pattern, you can go for a more playful or elegant look, depending on what you need.

Disclaimer: Since some products are currently not in the store, I'll be providing links to some alternatives that will give you similar results.


Friday, 12 December 2014

Krafty Christmas


Hello.
I have a love hate relationship with Kraft card, I love it when i see what others do but struggle with it myself. 
I think i may have over come that with this card using Winnie and Walters Winter woodland set.
I cut a small panel of kraft and stamped using silver fox and  green Avery Elle inks.
I stamped the deer also in Avery Elle inks then masked before creating the snow with the silver fox ink and sponge dauber.
I stamped the pine cones on some scraps of kraft and fussy cut them out then added on some foam tape and finished with a bow of lawn fawn peppermint twine.

Click the images to go straight to the products.

Winter WoodlandPeppermint Single TwineKraft Pigment Ink Pad

Jungle Pigment Ink PadSilver Fox Pigment Ink PadTruffle Pigment Ink Pad

Thanks for looking.

Thursday, 11 December 2014

Throwback Thursday and goodbye!

Hello!
Well,this is my last blog post here for the time being,so I am treating you to a proper throwback stamp set! 
It's simple,it's pretty,it's oh so easy yet effectively modern,it's Wplus9 Iconic Christmas.

See? Easy and elegant :-)
The words are from the gorgeously useful Winnie and Walter The Big,The Bold and Fun (these sets from W & W are great for project life too!)
Stamp the tree,stamp and cute out choice words,and a sequin at the top and bobs your uncle!

I hope you like it!

Right,that's it from me-Tara has an awesome new DT member lined up,you will meet her soon! 
I can't wait to see her projects :-)

Happy Christmas everyone,and all the best for 2015

Lou x
 

 

Wednesday, 10 December 2014

Hot And Happy Chocolate Baggie


Hello , it's Lydia here with you today!

Hope you are all feeling well. Today I'm sharing with you a super cute gift bag that would be perfect to gift some extra special hot chocolate... yum....


For the bag itself I have used the Lawn Fawn 'Goodie Bag die' and the tag is another Lawn Fawn die, 'Tag You're It'. To decorate the tag I have used Lawn Fawn 'Love You A Latte' with some simple masking to create the scene.

Hope you likie! And I'll catch you again soon.

Hugs Lydia x

Love You A Latte Goodie Bag Lawn Cuts   Tag, You're It Dies

Tuesday, 9 December 2014

Christmas Mojo!..or lack of it!

 Hey! I had grand plans.
They went a little awry. Awry on account of a slipping mojo.
Turns out I wasn't totally happy with what I'd done- so binned it.
It was unsaveable.
This fared a little better using this fab set
I got playing with this Waffleflower set 'Holiday Labels- Merry' and immediately spied the potential for a little faux subway art in the shape of a Christmas tree. Yes, I know the chalkboard trend was about 2 years ago- but it's still hanging around- and I've not really given it a proper chalkboard look but just gone with the basics.

 Once I'd finished it.. it looked rather..unfinished!
I got my trusty white gel pen out & simply joined the adhesive gems together with a dotted line- these had serendipitously been arranged perfectly for that (love my random subconscious sometimes!!) and it seemed to go a little better.
My second card didn't go to plan either- I wanted lovely sparkly snowflakes & dug out some old holographic embossing powder.
 Should have known better really- should have used some heat and bond type powder with this luscious pot

See the 'rope twist' on the label shape? Created with some dashes of the gel pen. What we would we do without those?
Ahh well- I'm hoping to create some little tag packs for wrapping Christmas gifts with this set. Do go and explore the new stock- there's a ton of amazing stuff here

See you next week,

Keren xx

Monday, 8 December 2014

Christmas Candles and a Photo Tutorial

Hello again.... I'm back with another gift idea for Christmas, in fact it's one I shared last year and I loved making them so much I thought I'd do it again but using different stamps....



This year I have used Lawn Fawns Deck the Halls Stamp set to decorate these white candles from Ikea and made a photo tutorial to show you how...


1. This is the collection of items you need to make these.The Waxpaper is quite important...I tried with Greaseproof and it didn't work. I bought my waxpaper from Lakeland Limited but I'm sure you can find it in most cook shops or even Amazon!! The other strip of white across the mat is just regular white tissue paper.

2. For these candles, I stamped my images along the bottom straight edge of the tissue paper. Stamp on the non shiny side and remember to check how much length you need by wrapping the tissue around the candle to see if your stamped images meet up!!

3. Once you've finished stamping you need to trim around the design... it doesn't have to be exact but try to follow the shapes of the stamping

4. Wrap the piece of tissue around the candle and hold it in place.
Stamped side should be on the outside.

5. Next comes the Waxpaper, you need a good sized piece so you can wrap it around the candle and have enough to scrunch up in your hand to hold it taught and smooth over the tissue paper and you need the shiniest side against the candle.  Allow your heatgun to warm up a little before applying heat to the candle...keep your heatgun moving as it is a very quick process. You will need to do an area and then remove and replace the waxpaper to repeat the process further around the candle. Remember to keep those fingers clear of the heatgun!!

6. What happens is the heat softens the candle wax and the wax on the paper which then traps the layer of tissue onto the candle. You will see your stamping turn brighter through the wax paper as it happens. Remember to keep that heatgun moving all the time. Here you can see the part of the candle that has been heated to the left because the edge of the tissue paper is no longer visable and the right hand side has yet to be done.

I hope this is easy to follow.... you can of course stamp and cut out your images individually depending on your chosen design, the heating process is exactly the same. I would suggest you buy a cheap candle to practice this technique on first so you can get a feel for the heating process before starting out on your first project...... ask me how I know *wink*

I have just kept these simple and placed them in cellophane bags tied up with hemp and attached handmade tags to them...ready to give as gifts :0)

I've used Christmas greenery for these but snowflakes would look equally good, it's much easier if you can just stamp the images and not have to colour them .... you could even try embossing the images on the tissue paper and placing them on a dark coloured candle :0)


                                                                    Deck the Halls

Jenny x

Sunday, 7 December 2014

Quick Masculine Christmas Card

I had elaborate plans for more gift ideas to share today, but I have a virus and nothing I tried came out as I wanted so I had to switch it up for something a little easier to create so I thought I'd give you my take on a masculine Christmas card.


I love the new Festive Silhouettes from Altenew - so great for quick cards as they are bold and stand alone elements.   I used the great deer head silhouette and gave it a cheeky twist by decorating him with some holly  to go with the "deck the halls" sentiment - deer heads - hallways - worked in my head!   A little bit of DP from the Sleigh Bells Ring pad with more matching deer heads and we have a perfectly masculine twist on Christmas.

Short post today - going back to bed now - catch you later.

Tara