Christmas Craft Challenge 2010 - Day 3

December 3rd 2011


Christmas Present Tags are essential when you are giving presents to more than one person. Many an embarrassing moment has occurred when one has been neglected from a present... who is it from and who is it to??? (My own family has been guilty of this Christmas faux pas so I speak from experience.)
In the past I have generally resorted to a roll of self-adhesive, fill in the details then slap them on the present tags but this year I have made my own. 
I perhaps didn't think about my design enough, as happens when I shoot from the hips but I still think they look cool and hey this way I can turn them into a mini album afterwards.

1. Cut tags out of scrap cardstock using my Fiskars shape cutter & template.
2. Dry embossed tags using Provocraft Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
3. Decorated and highlighted the various embossed designs using chalks, H2O paints and Kindi Glitz. Set chalks with hairspray.
4. Punched hole in top of tags with my Crop-A-Dile.
5. Die-cut small tags using Sizzix machine (tried writing onto the back of the embossed tags and it didn't look good so decided to add small tag to write To:/From: message).
6. Stamped To:/From: onto each tag.

Will write each tag as I wrap presents and tie a decorative tag to a To:/From: tag with coordinated cord then attached to the parcel.

I may need to make some more tags depending upon whether I wrap up presents individually or altogether. I like individually, as it makes me feel like I'm getting more and who doesn't like feeling spoilt at Christmas time.

Christmas Craft Challenge 2010 - Day 2

December 2nd 2011


Today's challenge item is a Memory Tin with Mini Accordion Album that fits inside.

The tin is a pre-loved Jarra 99% fat free Hot Chocolate tin... my poison of choice so I have a few.


Memory Tin:

1. Covered the tin top to bottom with patterned paper. Had to do a patch job as the tin is about 12 3/4" in diameter, but strategic placement of embellishments can hide a multitude of sins.
2. Added my hills - hand cut coordinated patterned paper (just hand cut random rolling hills then matched them up at the seam.
3. Add ribbon strip which I had run through Xyron (only way to go).
4. Embellished tin with glitter trees and 3D foam back stars.

Accordion album:

1. Cut front & back cover from cardboard (heavy card or book board).
2. Cover outside of album covers with patterned paper, mitre corners and fold edges over to the back side of the covers.
3. Cut strips of coordinated cardstock & fold into accordion album. I cut three strips then taped them altogether to create one long strip.
4. Attach ends of cardstock strips to the front & back cover.
5. Decorate pages with coordinating papers & embellishments.
6. Decorate the front cover of your album to match the embellishments used on the tin.
7. Insert the album & any other small gifts into the tin.

This is a wonderful present and perfect for using up both your scraps of paper as well as re-purposing what might otherwise be something to be just thrown away.

Christmas Craft Challenge 2010 - Day 1

December 1st 2011


Todays Christmas Craft item is the Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) I made for a swap through Crafting Passionz.

1. I spritzed the cardstock base which Paper Glide then dry embossed using a ProvoCraft Cuttlebug Embossing Folder through my Sizzix machine.
2. Gently rubbed some white chalk over each of the snowflakes to give a "halo" effect then set the chalk with hairspray.
3. Highlighted the chalked snowflakes with Crystaline Kindi Glitz and allowed to dry.
4. Highlighted some of the fine scrolls with Gold H2O paints using a Zig Waterbrush.
5. Printed out the Victorian Santa Sign Holder Image from The Graphics Fairy.
6. Highlighted Santa's suit with Red & White H2O paints.
7. Hand wrote my Santa Wish List. 
8. Ran the Santa image through my Xyron 510 then stuck to the background.

SCF Design Team - Challenge Entry

I sent in my first challenge entry for the Scrapbooking & Crafting Friends Design Team. 


Here are a couple of cards that I made using the Tainted Sweets Balloon Bears digi-stamp from MyGrafico.

This card is for Ajay on his first birthday this weekend. He is my granddaughter's cousin. 

This card was for the ever lovely Miss Vienna who so kindly allowed our family to share her birthday party as we celebrated my step-children's Grandfather's birthday at the Auckland Botanical Gardens.

Christmas Craft Challenge 2010

It's that time of the year again... 


The stockings get hung by the chimney with care, 
The presents are wrapped & hidden 'neath the chair.


The Christmas cards get made, then written & posted,
The work Christmas parties are organised & then hosted.


The menu for Christmas Day gets sorted & split,
Between family members so the day is a hit.


And just when you thought you were Queen Organise,
Here comes Paula with her Christmas Surprise.


From December the 1st through 'til Christmas Eve,
She is issuing the challenge to those who believe.


Any Christmas Craft that you care to share,
Just add a link for your blog, as often as you care.


I will be posting to my blog every day,
My Christmas creations, so come look, have your say.


The second year of Christmas crafts will be better than the last,
So come one & come all, Christmas will be over too fast.


Now that I have my little poem out of my system, I hope you got the gist of all of that. Starting on the 1st of December I will be posting on my blog every day my daily Christmas Craft creation.
I would love for anyone & everyone to add a link to their blog or gallery of any of their Christmas creations. You don't have to participate every day as I understand this is a big commitment. If you create daily, every two days, once a week or even just once during the lead up to Christmas, add a link to your blog in my comments so we can all check out your Christmas creativity.
If you want to add a link to my blog in yours about my Christmas Craft Challenge, that would be fantastic as well.


And finally to see my creations from last year just follow through some of my archived blogs from December 2009 or click here. Then look through my creations during the 2009 Christmas Craft Challenge.


Please leave a message or comment to let me know you are following or joining in this year's challenge and I will try to add a link into my postings of where people can follow you as well.


Merry Christmas and Happy Creating.

For Steve's 73rd Birthday

Steve (aka Stewart) is my step-children's maternal grandfather. Today he celebrated his 73rd birthday. For us as a family, this is an achievement as he was recently diagnosed with brain tumour.

I wanted to give him something special he could put on his wall at the rest home hospital where he now resides. Each of the photos carries a story that although I haven't journaled for him on this page, I will add to the page probably as hidden journaling.

(Sorry - it's not one of the clearest pictures)

Close-up of one of the corner embellishments. These are rub-ons from Scrapbook King which I have highlighted with both a brown & white pen, to make the designs stand out more from the cardstock background.

Announcement...

I was hoping to hold-off until I had done completed my first assignment... but I'm just too impatient to share with everyone.


I have been accepted onto my first DESIGN TEAM... YAY!!!


It is with great pleasure that I announce my acceptance as a member of the Scrapbooking & Crafting Friends Design Team. 


Watch this space as I publish on my blog and the SCF Design Team Blog some of my creations. I can't wait to use some of the Digital Creations for our wonderful sponsor at My Grafico. Be sure to check out the exciting range they have available.


Back to creating my first challenge...