Christmas Candle Box and Card

Good morning. Today I am sharing a couple of Christmas project ideas with you.

 

The first is a festive card with a bit of a grunge feel. I was experimenting a bit with this one – just had to add a bit of glitter bling though (no stopping me – ha ha). Stamp sets used: Winter Edges, Pears and Baubles plus Let’s Get Festive.

How it was done:

The card blank was stamped with the snowflake border and black dye based ink (12cm square texture Kraft card).

A die cut tag was spritzed with green and gold ink sprays. When dry the background was stamped with snowflakes and the sentiment using black ink and opaque metallic gold acrylic paint. A little black ink was blended around the edges. Black and white Bakers Twine was tied onto the tag and around the card front.

The tree was stamped with gold paint onto black card. A little opaque red gouache paint was added to the branches. This was cut out and mounted onto white card to create a border around the tree. It was lightly shaped before gluing to the card.

Next for the bling: I added Stickles (Gold and Sprinkled Sugar). Glossy Accents was also added over some of the elements to add shine and depth.

 

 

My second project is a festive candle box using the lovely Robin The Spruce stamp set – lots of bling on this one! The decorative background stamp from the Pears and Baubles set was also used to decorate the inner box panels, plus the Seasonal Elements Stencil to add sparkly snowflakes to the inner acetate box lid.

How it was done:

I first created a little plain box with acetate lid to go inside and hold 4 small T-light candles (approx. 8cm square and 2cm deep). Viva Décor glitter paste was applied through the stencil to decorate the acetate lid.

An A4 sheet of silver decorative metallic card was used to create the outer box. This was a little deeper than 2cm (to accommodate the inner box) and approx. 9.5cm X 13cm (large enough to fit the stamped panel and sentiment on the front). The candle box was glued inside and Pinflair Snow Dust used to create a snowy effect.

Instead of a fitted lid I created fold over flaps for the top (approx. 13 X 8cm each). Inner panels were stamped in green ink onto smooth white card and coloured with watercolour and sparkle pens. Red glaze pen was added to the berries. The panels were glued to the inside flaps. Thin magnets were added between the card layers to give a magnetic closure, plus a little ribbon tab added for opening. A little obligatory bling was also added with silver glitter glue.

The sentiment was stamped with black ink onto a die cut panel. Foliage was stamped in green around the edges, and yes …. more silver glitter glue.

The front panel was stamped onto acetate with black StazOn ink. The back was coloured with alcohol ink pens. A piece of plain white card was trimmed and glued to the back creating an opaque background layer.

Glaze pen was used to colour the berries and rosehips, and glitter glue added to the snowy hills.

Quick and easy cards using Chocolate Baroque stamps

Good morning. Here are a couple of quick and easy makes using the Christmas stamps recently featured on Hochanda TV with Chocolate Baroque. With the volume of cards needed at Christmas we all need a range of quick and easy make ideas. There are more ideas from my Teamies on the Chocolate Baroque Design Team Blog today if you would like to see more.

My first sample is with the gorgeous new Bearing Gifts stamp. I used one of the 6 X 6inch background papers from Crafty Individuals (Travels in Italy) to create a quick background. The sentiment from the Lets Get Festive set was stamped with Versamark Ink and embossed with detail white powder. The paper was then roughened with the edge of my scissors and curled before gluing to the card front.

The kings were stamped onto white card with Versafine (Onyx Black). Colouring was done really quickly using watercolour pens. Colour was applied directly into the darker areas and brushed out with water or clear sparkle pen to give the shading. The image was then cut out and layered onto the card front with foam pads for added depth.

For my second quick make I chose one of my inky background papers (textured cartridge) created with ink sprays and Brusho powders.

The theme for this weeks Simon Says Stamp Blog Challenge (Mon) is ‘Sprinkle and Splatter’ – so I have entered this one.

The scene from the Winter Edges set was stamped across the centre with Versafine Ink (Onyx Black). It was stamped again without re-inking just above and to the left slightly (to create distance). The stamp was turned upside down and stamped along the base. Trees were then stamped randomly by inking only parts of the stamp. The reflection was created by stamping onto acetate and pressing this down onto the card to transfer the ink.

The scene was edged with black alcohol marker to frame, mounted onto white and red card before gluing to the card front (15 X 13cm card blank).

Christmas Card and Treat Bag

Good morning. Today I am sharing a couple of Christmas projects – a simple card in non-traditional colours using the Pears and Baubles stamp set, and a pretty fabric pouch stamped and coloured using the Hark the Christmas Rose stamp (Chocolate Baroque).

A 6 X 6 inch white card blank was stamped with the lovely background stamp from the Pears and Baubles stamp set using pale pink dye based ink (Memories Baby Pink).

The sentiments were stamped with pink and Silver (Encore Ink) from the Let’s Get Festive stamp set.

An octagonal piece of pink card was embossed with a textured folder from my stash. A little Distress Ink (Tattered Rose) was applied across the surface with a sponge to enhance the texture. Versamark Ink was applied around the edges and embossed with white powder. This was glued to the card with foam pads for added depth.

The bauble was stamped with Silver Encore Ink onto plain white card and cut out. The bauble was sprayed with glittery varnish for added sparkle (Crafters Companion Spray and Sparkle) and Glossy Accents applied to the central star. The bauble was glued to the card with foam pads.

Finished with sequins, an organza bow, silver glitter glue (Dovecraft Silver) and silver PVA pearls (Tonic Nuvo – Silver Lining) – just couldn’t resist a bit more bling.

A scrap of cotton was trimmed into a rectangle approx. 13 X 34cm. This gave enough room for seam allowances and a fold over top to thread with a ribbon drawstring. Before sewing together the Hark the Christmas Rose was stamped onto one end using Nuvo Black Shadow Ink. The ink was left overnight to dry and ironed to fix (essential if you want to colour with water based media).

Rather than water based media I decided to colour the image with permanent alcohol markers (green, yellow, pink and blue). Colour was encouraged to bleed and give a soft blended effect using a clear alcohol blender pen.

When dry a little clear acrylic sparkly glaze was applied to the flowers (Silks Acrylic – Ice), and gold glitter glue was applied to the stamens (Pinflair Glitter Wand). Yes – just had to be more bling. The fabric was again left overnight before ironing with a hot iron to set everything.

A small channel for ribbon threading was stitched on each end, then the fabric folded in half and the side seams stitched (omitting the channel). Two pieces of ribbon were thread through the channels to create a simple pull drawstring.

I hope that you have enjoyed my Christmas makes xxx.

Last Minute Christmas Card Makes

Good morning. Today I am sharing some quick Christmas card ‘panic’ makes. I cannot believe that yet again making my Christmas cards ended up being a last minute rush in order to meet the last posting dates before Christmas. I start making Xmas cards in July but all are sent in as TV show samples and I ended up making none for myself. I really must get more organised next year. I just couldn’t resort to buying in the cards as my friends expect a hand made card and would feel that I no longer loved them if I gave a bought card – tee hee.

I decided to stick with a similar theme and formula in order to make my cards quickly but have some variation so that they weren’t all the same – so that my friends feel they have something more individual to them.

I used a stamp set containing a variety of snowflakes and decorative baubles that matched some die cut card bases making lovely fold back cards – from Hot Off The Press (HOTP). I also used sentiment stamps from Chocolate Baroque – Let’s Get Festive stamp set. I made them all 5X5 inches square and fairly flat for posting. Where I added foam pads for dimension I used the thinnest thickness from my stash. I also made use of my Tim Holtz stamping platform to help make these. It enabled me to repeat stamp quickly in the same place on each card and batch make the sets.

 

On these first sets I used the pre-cut and folded card blanks that matched the bauble and snowflake stamps (HOTP). I stamped the images with Versamark (Majestic Blue) and added a little colour with Distress Ink (Tumbled Glass). The sentiment was stamped with Versamark (Onyx Black). I added clear glitter glue for sparkle.

On the next set I used just the stamps straight onto plain flat card blanks – some with Noel and some with the Hugs sentiment – not everyone is into hugs. I added little ribbon bows. I upcycled some of those thin ribbons that are stitched into clothing for hanging – ideal for using on cards.

Then then made a set with coloured card blanks, stamping onto a white panel topper.

I also had some green and red scalloped card blanks in my stash. Been meaning to use them for Christmas for ages.

I stamped with green or red dye based ink onto the waste pieces left over from the shaped fold back cards. The background was stamped with Encore Ink (Silver) but it didn’t really stand out well enough so I overstamped with Versamark (Onyx Black). I finished with opaque white pen to draw faux stitching around the edges, and silver glitter glue for sparkle.

Hoping that you all have a lovely Christmas without too much stress if you are entertaining. Hugs xxx.

Quick and Easy Christmas card created for Chocolate Baroque

 

Good morning. This is a quick and easy Christmas card make – great when you have big batches of cards to get ready. I think that the sentiment might be better stamped directly onto the card front – quicker too.

Materials:

• Reindeer Landscape, Let’s Get Festive stamp sets
• A6 white card blank, white stamping card
• Inkpads: Versamark, Versafine (Onyx Black), Distress Ink (Tumbled Glass)
• Fine tipped pen (black), alcohol marker (black) and 3D glaze pen (Sakura – red)
• WOW Embossing Powder (Metallic Gold Sparkle)
• Ribbon (red)

How to make it:

1. Stamp the trees with Versafine and extend the base of the scene by drawing with the pen. Edge the card with black marker and a little Distress Ink. Glue to the card front.
2. Stamp the sentiment with Versamark and emboss with the sparkly gold powder. Note: I combined 2 sentiments using the separate ‘and’ stamp to join them. Tip: Use a gridded acrylic block to help align the text level and straight.
3. Trim and edge with black marker. Glue to the card front.
4. Finish with a bow and with dots of 3D glaze pen.

Sparkling Noel card created for Chocolate Baroque

 

Good evening. Today I am sharing some of my Christmas makes made for the recent shows on Hochanda from Chocolate Baroque. Sorry if Christmas makes are too early for you but hopefully they will give you a bit of inspiration x.

Materials:

• New England Winter, Frosty Trees, Let’s Get Festive stamp sets
• Seasonal Elements stencil
• 15cm square card blank, white stamping card, heat resistant acetate
• Inkpads: Mulitcoloured pearl pigment ink (Brilliance Twilight – pink & lilac), Versamark, Dye based (Marvey Matchables Pink)
• WOW Embossing Powders (Clear Gloss, Fuchsia Fusion)
• Watercolour pens (pink, blue, lilac)
• Alcohol ink markers (mid and dark pink)
• Holographic clear Glitter Paste (Viva Décor Kristall Gel)
• Ribbon (pink)
• PVA Pearls (Cosmic Shimmer Vintage Pink)
• Glitter glue (lilac pink)

How to make it:

1. Stamp the corners with multi-coloured ink onto the card blank and heat emboss with clear powder.
2. Stamp the sentiment with pink ink and emboss with clear powder (work quickly as dye ink dries fast). Glue down the ribbon with double sided tape.
3. Stamp the trees onto stamping card with the multi-coloured ink and emboss with clear powder. Colour with watercolour pens. When dry add some additional shading with the alcohol pen. Edge the card with dark pink alcohol marker.
4. Apply glitter paste through the stencil with a palette knife to add some sparkly snowflakes and rain drops.
5. Stamp the corners onto acetate and emboss with pink powder. Trim and glue behind the main panel.
6. Fix the topper to the card with foam pads and trim the top and bottom edge of the acetate to fit the card front.
7. Finish with PVA pearls and glitter glue plus add the bow.

Let’s Get Festive card created for Chocolate Baroque

 

Good evening. Today I am sharing some of my Christmas makes made for the recent shows on Hochanda from Chocolate Baroque. Sorry if Christmas makes are too early for you but hopefully they will give you a bit of inspiration x.

Materials:

• Frosty Trees, Let’s Get Festive, New England Winter, Reindeer Landscape stamp sets
• Seasonal Elements Stencil
• A6 card blank, white stamping card, heat resistant acetate, satin card (silver)
• Versamark Inkpad
• WOW Embossing Powders (Detail White, Calypso and clear with silver glitter)
• Ink sprays with mica (teal and gold – Lindy’s Stamp Gang)
• Fine tipped pen (aqua)
• PVA pearls (Tonic – Caribbean Blue)
• Clear holographic glitter paste (Viva Décor Kristall Gel)
• Glitter glue (aqua)
• Pebeo Gilding Wax (Silver)
• Ribbons (aqua) and small brass bells

How to make it:

1. Stamp and emboss the tree scene with white powder. Trim and spritz with inks.
2. Stamp and emboss the corner onto acetate with blue sparkle powder and trim. Stick behind top right hand edge of topper.
3. Add some snowflakes and rain drops by applying glitter paste through the stencil with a palette knife. Add some aqua glitter glue around the border.
4. Cut a mat for the topper from silver card and glue behind.
5. Stamp the sentiment onto the card blank and emboss with blue sparkle powder.
6. Stamp the snowflakes onto the background and emboss using silver sparkle powder.
7. Add the topper to the card with foam pads for dimension.
8. Colour the brass bells with the silver gilding wax. Add the ribbon and bells to the card.
9. Draw on the faux stitching and finish with PVA pearls.

Christmas Blessings card created for Chocolate Baroque

 

Good evening. Today I am sharing some of my Christmas makes made for the recent shows on Hochanda from Chocolate Baroque. Sorry if Christmas makes are too early for you but hopefully they will give you a bit of inspiration x.

Although these decorative stamps come with a Christmas set they are not obviously Christmas and could be used with any other sentiments to create a card of any theme.

Materials:

• Winter Birds, New England Winter and Let’s Get Festive stamp sets
• 6 X 6 inch square Kraft card blank
• Versamark Inkpad
• WOW embossing powder (detail white)
• Fine tipped pen (opaque white) and glitter pen (dark red)

How to make it:

1. Stamp with Versamark Ink and heat emboss with white powder. I used a stamping platform to help me align the corners and centre. If you don’t have one of these add some pencil dots to locate the card centre and position of corners – leaving space for the sentiments. I stamped the sentiments ‘by eye’ using an acrylic block with grid markings to help me align the stamp straight, and to get the stamping lined up with the design.
2. Add colour with the red pen and draw faux stitching around the border with a white pen.

All Hearts Home for Christmas card created for Chocolate Baroque

Good afternoon. Today I am sharing some of my Christmas makes made for the recent shows on Hochanda from Chocolate Baroque. Sorry if Christmas makes are too early for you but hopefully they will give you a bit of inspiration x.

I used the Frosty Trees and Lets Get Festive stamp sets to create this one.

 

Feeling a little reticent to share these today but running behind with some of my posts and needed to do some catch up. I am hoping that all my ‘friends’ across the water are safe and away from the dreadful storms. Feeling for all those that have lost homes, or worse, already on the nearby Islands. It looks terrifying!

 

Materials:

• Frosty Trees and Lets Get Festive stamp sets
• 6 X 6 inch Kraft card blank, Kraft card
• Versamark Inkpad
• WOW embossing powder (Detail White and Clear Sparkle)
• Strong double sided tape (‘red liner’)
• Loose glitter (holographic sparkle)
• Fine tipped pen (opaque white)
• PVA pearls

How to make it:

1. Stamp and heat emboss the background with sentiment stamps and clear sparkle powder. Lay down the double sided tape sprinkle on the loose glitter and rub in well.
2. Stamp and emboss the trees and sentiment with white powder. Cut out the panels and glue to the card front with foam pads.
3. Add faux stitching with the white pen and finish with PVA pearls.