It's a Creative World

Christmas Pennant Banner

Hello Everybody!  Joanne here - Queen of the Cereal Packet Pennant! If you remember I made a banner a few months ago, and thought I'd have a go at one for Christmas.  Here's what you do.

 

Instead of spending stash money on premade chipboard pennants, I make my own out of a good old cereal packet.  I chopped one in half and measured it out like so.  The wide part at the top is 21cm wide, then you just measure to find the middle at the bottom and draw to make a triangle.  As you can see you can fit three on one cereal packet.  Obviously some cereal packets are bigger, some are smaller, so you can make your pennants to whatever size you fancy. 

Then it's just a case of decorating.  Here's close ups of mine.

I made two of the star pennants, one for each side. They were covered with Basic Grey Fruitcake patterned paper in Wreath. It's best to punch your holes at the top at this stage, after you've covered your pennant, but before you start adding decoration.  I used a cropodile for this.  The edges were trimmed with red velvet ric rac and lace added at the top.  The chipboard stars were by Jenni Bowlin which I painted gold then covered with Glossy Accents and gold glitter.

 

The letter ones were all done the same.  The papers used are BG Fruitcake in Holly Berries and the middle section is BG Fruitcake in Sugar Cookie. 

 

After punching my holes at the top I inked the edges with chalk ink and trimmed with red velvet ricrac and lace. 

The chipboard letters are Basic Grey, and as before with the star I painted them gold then added gold glitter with Glossy Accents. The whole thing is then finished off with a couple of Prima Flowers at the bottom topped off with a pearl accent.

The whole thing was then threaded together on a length of matching red ribbon.

I hope you've enjoyed this project and have fun making it! 

TFL and I'll be back again soon.

Lots of love, Joanne xx

Christmas pressie spares!

As I am usually little Miss Unorganised I have been starting to plan ahead for Christmas this year, including making sure I have some ideas up my sleeve for a few universal gifts to be made good and ready for any unexpected, but very welcome (!) guests.

I remembered Jo's post back in August where she shared some really great instructions on how to make origami boxes and that gave me the idea to make a few up ready to be filled with some chocolate truffles. The really great bit about this plan is that if they go unclaimed I can make good use of them myself ;)

Following Jo's instructions  I made up the base and lid of the box. I decided to cut an aperture in the lid for a little something different so I measured out a square on the underside of the lid before I finished folding it. At this point I also checked how much of the points of the flaps that were to be folded in needed cutting off, I cut these off neatly so that the underside would have a nice finish.

I used a piece of lightweight acetate  that I had embossed with a snowflake pattern for the aperture ( I used a cuttlebug embossing folder through my BigShot). This creates a really quick and pretty effect, heavier acetate also works but there is much more definition of the embossed pattern with a white shadow where the acetate has been indented.

I glued the acetate under the aperture then finished folding up the box and used a bit of adhesive just for extra hold.

All's that was needed now was a bit of scrunched up tissue, a bag of chocs, some ribbon and a simple tag. The only problem is now making sure that I don't make a present of them to myself before Christmas is even round the corner!

Happy folding :)

Charlotte x

Hi, Jakey here, introducing our lovely card guest today - Bekka!

   

Hello there everyone

 

I’m Bekka.  I am really excited to be here sharing some ideas for Christmas Cards with you all.  In my spare time, when I am not at my craft table (OK so its our dining room table but I am trying to re-educate my lovely partner Joe so I don’t have to clear it up as often!)  you can often find me at the local theatre.  Currently I am directing my village panto so as you can imagine Christmas Excitement has been building up here for a little while now.  I am rapidly finding that panto is a very English tradition so if you would like to find out more about it Wikipedia explains it far better than I can!  I have enjoyed crafting for longer than I can remember and discovered rubber stamping and card making a couple of years ago.  It would be fair to say I am now addicted

 

 

Now I don’t know about you, but there are lots of people I would like to send handmade Christmas Cards too, but time is short, so I need my cards to be easy to make in bulk, look good and not take too much time!  I also like to be able to vary the design without having to invest in too many different supplies. 

   

This first set of cards is made using the Season of Joy Stamp Set from Stampin’ Up!  I have also used Stampin’ Up! Cardstock in Taken with Teal and Rose Red – I love this combination - its festive, slightly different, and oh so rich, warm and cozy looking.  Both cards were made by embossing the tree image in silver and then cutting it out and matting it on a contrasting panel.  The tree panel was then mounted onto a larger co-ordinating decorated panel. 

For the first card the panel was made by randomly stamping and embossing another stamp from this set. 

 

 

 

A  Stampin’ Around Wheel was used to create the pattern on the cardstock for the second card.  If you have not used these before they are a fantastic fast way to get a continuous pattern.  I also added some Chocolate Chip card. 

A quick dash of ribbon and each of these cards was complete

 

The second set again uses the same colours of cardstock with the addition of some serious bling!  The images are from a set of stamps called Flaky Friends.  These were coloured with co-ordinating marker pens (one of my favourite things to do in front of the TV) and then were covered with Dazzling Diamonds Glitter (not done in front of the TV!).  Each was then matted and mounted onto a contrasting coloured background that had been stamped with Versamark ink.  Again I added a little ribbon or some more glitter and the card was done.

 

 

 

The final card I would like to share with you is just as quick and I love how it has turned out.  I wanted to try and make a card using non traditional colours.  I stamped the tree image from the Season of Joy stamp set and some Snowflake images with Versamark ink on Regal Rose Cardstock.  After I embossed them with clear embossing powder I used a dauber to rub Elegant Eggplant ink all over the cardstock in small circular movements.  The finished panel which appears almost suede like was then matted on Taken with Teal card, mounted onto Elegant Eggplant card and then onto a Regal Rose Card base.

 

 

 

 

Thank you for looking and I hope you have found these ideas inspiring.  If you would like more detailed instructions for these cards or would like to know more about Stampin’ Up! and its products please pop over to my blog Feeling Crafty and ask away.  I would also love to see any Christmas Cards you make inspired by these so please leave me a link.

It’s been lovely spending time with you and I hope to see you all soon

Happy Crafting

Bekka

 

Christmas Memory Box

Hello

I found this idea on a scrapping site recently and thought it would be nice to do my own interpretation.

I think it will look lovely on display in my living room at Christmas.

I wanted to use a square box but didn't have one handy so had to use what i could find which was a box i had purchased an ornament in. You can really use anything as long as it has smooth sides.

Because it was a normal brown box with openings i cello-taped them all closed and then used pieces of cardstock on every edge so that when i attached my patterned paper the edges that would be left showing were well finished. Alternatively you could wrap the box in some plain coloured wrapping paper.

Then i used Basic Grey Figgy Pudding PP to cover all the sides. I sanded the edges for a smoother finish.

I used 8 small photographs mounted onto different coloured bazzill card stock and all the lettering are American Crafts Thickers. To soften the edges of the photographs i sanded them slightly.

Most of the embellishments are again part of the BG Figgy Pudding range. Some of them were attached with foam pads for a 3D effect.

This doesn't really have to be for Christmas but i have used it as sort of a memory box with photographs for previous Christmases and you can make it as simple or elaborate as you like.

I apologise for the poor pictures but they were taken with the flash.

Thank you for stopping by.

Cath x 

Festive fabric!

Hi from Caz!

Today we are looking at two fabric projects and we are so lucky to be joined by the lovely Glittery Katie!

.....Shockingly I’m 38 (how did that happen?!) and I live with my husband, three young children and Beagle in Oxfordshire. I started crafting when I was a child but was not obsessed until I found scrapbooking 6 years ago! I’m unable to pass anything that says Tim Holtz on it and am regularly both inky and glittery! Thankfully I have a very tolerant family!

Dotee Dolls

I’ve been making Dotee Dolls recently. I’d seen mention of them on various blogs I’d been browsing and thought they looked fun! As I like to complete projects quickly I kept my dollies small and simple by using a basic oval shape for the body and only one fabric. You can get as complex as you like adding arms, legs and clothes to your Dotee if you like. Because Dotees are small you don’t need much in the way of fabric to make them. I’ve been using Fat Quarters but any off-cuts of material would do nicely. 

 

 

The simple Dotee is very quick to make, I usually make three or four in one sitting and then I get onto the fun part of decorating them! Use coloured beads, small buttons or Prima flowers for the hair, mix different sized beads and colours for a funky look for your Dotee!

 

A string of beads can be hung underneath the Dotees for an extra sparkle and larger buttons, charms or painted grungeboard hearts look great sewn onto their tummies. Grungeboard wings and crowns painted and stitched onto your Dotee turns her into a funky fairy!  Add a loop of ribbon or braid to your Dotee if you want to hang her up and how about adding some dried lavender when you stuff your doll or perhaps a few drops of scented oil?

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much for sharing your dolls with us Katie!!

 

A simple decorative Christmas cushion....

 

I love to sew although I am aware that i'm not very good! I have no idea how to follow a pattern, prefering to make it up as I go, straight lines are good for me, lol. So this project was PERFECT for me, or so I thought!!

 

 

I wanted a cushion that screamed festive season, and what better materials to use than red fabric, festive fat quarters and bobble trim.

 

 

 

I really had no idea how hard it would be to pin the fabric with the trim, and sewing it was a MISSION! I broke two needles on my sewing machine, before I found out that you should really do this by hand, lol. Oh well.

BUT as ever the challenge was met head on and I can say that once you figure out how to get it pinned together {you may find that you wish for a second pair of hands!}, it's not THAT bad.

 

I left a gap at the back {so I can take the cushion inner out to wash the cover} using festive ribbon to tie it closed.

 

 

Embellishing the front is the fun bit. There are so many possibilities.

 

 

haPPy sEWing!!
Caz
xx

Xmas hanger

I can’t justify buying more Christmas papers this year until I use some of the ones I already have.

I used some Making memories jigsaw alphabets and covered them back and front with the Love Elsie range from last year.

Afterwards I punched holes in the corners and threaded some glittery twine through to link them all together, added a covered star and it was soon done.

 

If you are very careful when you cut out the letters you can use them for a card as well…two projects for the price of one!

See you soon

Lemon xx

A to Z Journal - the V page

We are approaching the end of our A to Z journal with only a few more letters to go! Wow this year has passed soooo quickly!

Here are a few ideas for the letter V:

Book of me/you: Vivacious, Virtuous, Veritable, Vigourous, Visionary, Voracious, Voluminous, Vices, Volatile...

Book of baby: Vaccination ...

Book of everyday:  Vacuuming, Viscious, Violence, Vindictive...

Occasions/ Life: Valentine, Vacation ...

Tools and Techniques: ...

Knitting: Vibrant...

Lemon's Book of growing up

Vegetables are the bain of my life.  My daughter, like most children, does not like most of them. Hopefully when she gets older she will come to enjoy them...just like I have done!

Caz:

 

To see, both into the future and life right now.

Di : Book of my life

How do I feel about me? Well after all this time my life is surrounded by Very Vintage stuff but I still feel Vibrant!

Lets see your Very Vibrant V pages.

love from the cReative giRls XXXX

Letters to Santa

Hi from Jo!

My boys love writing their letters to Santa every year but they've always looked a bit dull so this year we decided to jazz them up a bit.

We started with plain paper, A5 size, but of course any size would work. I then let the boys loose with (some of) my Christmas stash. One chose to go with some patterned paper and stickers:

 

The other had great fun with various Christmas stamps and colored pencils:

 

There are loads of things that could be used - glitter, sequins, foam shapes or your child's own drawings. When they've finished decorating the paper then comes the next fun bit - writing a wish list.

Hope your children have fun with their letters to Santa this year!

Christmas Gingerbread Muffins

*Warning  -  Not to be consumed if on a diet!* LOL!

Hiya

Well i thought i'd share a little recipe with you that is just scrumptious and would go down a treat maybe on Christmas Day morning with a nice coffee. The little ones will love them too.

So here is the ingredients list and recipe:

250g (9oz) Wholemeal SR Flour

250g (9oz) Plain Flour

75g (3oz) Demerara Sugar

2 Tablespoons Ground Ginger

2 Teaspoons Bicarbonate of Soda

125g (8oz) Butter

175g (6oz) golden syrup

175g (6oz) black treacle

225ml (8 fl oz) milk

2 large eggs

50g (2oz) icing sugar

1 tablespoon orange juice

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C / 400 F / gas mark 6. Place paper muffin cases on a large baking sheet.

2. Put the flours, sugar, ginger and bicarbinate of soda in a bowl and stir well.

3. Cut the butter into small pieces and place in pan with the golden syrup and treacle. Heat gently until the butter melts.

4. Whisk the milk and eggs together in a small bowl.

5. Add the treacle mixture and milk with eggs to the dry ingredients and beat until thoroughly mixed.

6. Spoon into the muffin cases (about 3/4 full) and bake for about 25 minutes until risen and springy to touch. Cool on a wire rack.

7. Mix the icing sugar with the orange juice until smooth and drizzle a little over each muffin.(You'll have to excuse my icing skills!) Leave to set. You could also use some ready made Vanilla frosting if you like(i love the Betty Crocker one!)

Recipe says it makes 16 but i probably got well over 20.

I hope you enjoy them as much as i do!

Cath xx 

Take One Stamp......

 

Making your own Christmas cards and decorations needn't mean spending a fortune on Christmas stamps and papers.  Here I have challenged myself to come up with a few ideas using just this flourish stamp.  The stamp itself is from a Stampin' Up! set called Baroque Motifs, but I'm sure almost any background type stamp would work just as well.  Here's how I got on!

 

For this card, I used the stamp to make the background.  I stamped it twice onto the card and embossed with clear embossing powder. The sticker I used is from Melissa Frances and the rest was just odds and ends of ribbon, lace and a charm I had in my stash.

 

Here I had a go at an acetate card.  The stamp was printed with white Stazon onto folded acetate.  I then decorated it with rhinestones and tied a ribbon around the top and hung a pewter charm snowflake from it.  A Christmas sentiment was stamped on a piece of white card and attached to the card with a white flower complete with rhinestone brad.

 

For this rustic, folk art type card I first stamped the image onto white card and embossed it with a red glitter embossing powder.  I then used a 1 1/4" punch and a 1" punch to cut out circles from the image to make baubles.  They were attached to the card on top of some patterned paper and twine was used to make the bauble loops. 

This idea for tree decorations used the same idea as the bauble card above.  I stamped and embossed the design in gold embossing powder onto pink cardstock and then cut out bits of the image using a scallop circle punch.

 

After cutting out two scallop circles, I then placed a round chocolate mint in the middle and sandwiched it, together with some ribbon for hanging and stuck the lot together with a little double sided tape.  The good thing about this idea is that you can make your treats to match your Christmas decor - just choose cardstock and embossing powder to match! These look great hanging from the tree, but they would look equally stunning just piled in a decorative bowl or plate as a centrepiece.

I hope you get some inspiration from these ideas!

Lots of love Joanne xx