Christmas Tag, Rustic Star, Kraft

I have a very simple offering to show you for Day 5 of Tracey's Christmas tag event.

Here it is...

And here's my inspiration...

As you can see, I stuck to a simple star and paint splatter theme for this one.

Happy Crafting!

Donna. x

Craft Consortium, Winter Woodland, Deer Gift Bag + Acorn Tassel

Good morning again!

You know when you start out making a project and then you just look at it and have that moment of clarity that tells you which direction it's going to take?

Well, that's what this was.

And let's be honest...  those moments don't always come along as often as we would like, do they?

We all have projects that nearly defeat us by simply just not playing nice!

So what was this Winter Woodland project for Craft Consortium going to be before it took a little detour, I hear you ask?

  

Well, to be honest you are pretty much looking at it!

It was going to be this design (on the panel you can see) on a Kraft card base...  end of.  

But the more I looked at it the more I knew it would be just perfect as a gift bag...

and what's a gift bag without a cute little tassel, I asked myself?

So I went ahead and made one!!!

Here's the bag...

...  and here's a close up of that tassel!

I've broken this project down into a few steps just to give you an idea of how it all came together:

Tear a piece off the 'Winter Woodland' Premium Paper Pad front cover (this black and white design is from the inside of the cover itself).  Glue it into place on this deer design from the paper pad, trim to size and then attach a piece of leaf ribbon as shown.

Then tear a piece of this gorgeous black leaf paper, trim that to size and attach to the bottom right corner.

(I also slightly distressed the outer edges of my paper before adding the ribbon and added just a hint of grey ink around the outside edge for contrast).

Next, add a strip of silver ribbon that hangs off one edge as shown...

followed by the deer and the flowers.

(Of course, I did draw and cut around the deer topper a few times first.
I always turn my toppers upside down before drawing around them so I don't have to worry about any pencil marks showing.
Glue the cut outs into place behind the topper and leave to dry before putting into position).




As for the flowers?

I wasn't sure if this was helpful/needed or not, but just in case it is useful to anybody I've included a breakdown of how these flowers are made.
(First flower on the left shows the finished flower, followed by a breakdown of layers used to make it.
The flower top left has also been turned through 180 degrees so that you can see just how different it looks by changing the angle).


Then I simply added on a few flower embellishments that were made using decoupage left overs from another project...
and that tassel - which really was as easy as simply having a very good/strong adhesive to secure the knots before trimming.

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Craft Consortium supplies used:

Winter Woodland

Premium Paper Pad

Metal Vintage Acorn Charms

Santoro - Kori Kumi

Raffia Cord Set

Leaf Ribbon Set

Floral Die Collection

Always & Forever

Metallic Ribbons - Silver

Adhesive Rhinestone Gems - 3mm

Decoupage Papers Set

Metallic Copper


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Other supplies used:
Holtz Paper Distressing Tool
Holtz Ink 'Hickory Smoke'
Glue

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As always, thank you so much for stopping by today.



Sending 'crafty hugs' your way...


Donna. x

Craft Consortium, Tell The Bees, Quick Card Make Using Ribbon Trims

I'm conscious that not everybody has a whole heap of time to spend on making a card, so today's post shares a quick and simple idea that should be easy to put together.

Guess I should show you the card first!

... In fact, it's so easy that I haven't included any step by step photo's today - but I do have one tip to share with you... 

See that piece of mulberry paper with those soft, fluffy edges?

That was achieved by tearing and then using a 'Pick Tool/Craft Pick/Pokey Tool' to tease around the edges.  (Seriously, just how many names does this little craft item have exactly)?

Here's a few more close up shots...

...  and a list of Craft Consortium supplies used:

Tell The Bees:

Premium Paper Pad

Clear Stamp Set

Linen Cotton Ribbons

Santoro - Kori Kumi:

A6 Embossing Folder - Hearts

Daisy Chain Ribbons

Just in case you want/need it, here's the 'How To' guide...

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Take a piece of Kraft card and cut it slightly smaller than your card base, then score it at the centre going from top to bottom and again from left to right.

Cut a piece of red card to size (A6), emboss it using the hearts folder and then glue into place.

Cut and/or tear a piece of the Tell The Bees Paper Pad to size.  Then, using clear embossing ink followed by white embossing powder,  add three bees from the stamp set near the bottom right corner. 

Glue into place (adding a second layer behind just to reinforce the part that pokes off the edge).

Wrap around a piece of linen ribbon and secure from the back.

Then, add the flower ribbon.

(You should hopefully be able to see that I haven't completely glued this piece down - choosing instead to add some extra dimension by having it loose at one point).

Cut out a bee hive from the Paper Pad packaging, layer it up (turn it upside down, draw around it, cut and glue into place) and put into position.

Do the same with the bees.  (These were cut from one of the many gorgeous Tell The Bees Paper Pads sheets of paper).

Add the mulberry paper that's been stamped on with the honeycomb image.

Glue the whole card front into position...  

...  job done!

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As I said, a quick make.  

But a quick make that still manages to squeeze in some texture and dimension.

Thanks for stopping by.

Enjoy your day...

Donna. x

Garden Flowers, Textured Brickwork, Kraft Card

Do you ever have one of those days when you try out an idea that REALLY doesn't work?

That's how this card began.  Some of my best work is a 'happy accident', you know!

Anyhow, I wanted to make a card that was less 'girly' but still pretty.  I think I've managed to achieve what I set out to do...  But if you have the time I would value your opinion.  Positive or negative - as long as it's constructive, please :)

Here's the card...

I've used embossing paste and a Tim Holtz stencil (Bricked) to give some texture to the Kraft card base.  Once dry, several layers of sponged distress ink (Walnut stain) were added.

The layered front panel has my favourite flowers on it.  Elizabeth Crafts, Bunch of Flowers 2.  The centres are tiny flowers from Memory Box (Flower Mound).

I've kept the Fresh Foliage (Memory Box) ink free as I didn't want to have too much going on.  This is a card designed for a CAS challenge, after all!

As for the butterflies...  I don't know if you can tell from the photograph but they are, in fact, embossed vellum rubbed with just a smidge of silver gilding wax.  The large butterfly is from Memory Box (Blissful Butterfly Border) and the smaller one's are from Martha Stewart, Pop Up Butterfly punch.

One piece of very dark brown twine tied to the side...  Finished :)

I made this card for the CAS-ual Friday's Clean and Simple Challenge...

...  and for Country View Challenges...

Have a great weekend :)

Flowers on Branch, Kraft Tag, CAS

I love the simplicity of this card...  and it's really quick and easy to make.

Instructions...

Take one Kraft tag, add a Branch die (Memory Box, Woodland Branch), shape three white flowers from Centura Pearl card (Elizabeth Crafts, Bunch of Flowers 2) and glue centres to the middle of each flower using tiny brown flowers (Memory Box, Flower Mound).  Add some red twine, mount with foam pads onto green backing card that has 'cut outs' in the corners (Joanna Sheen/Signature Die, Rose Leaves), glue to a card front...  Finished.

It's like a quick and easy recipe :)

I'm entering this card into the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge (use Kraft, Flowers and Twine)...

It's also being entered into Country View Challenges (use Kraft card) and Tag You're It...

As you can see from the Tag You're It...  design shown above, I've kept to very little of the original design this time.  The central flourish has been replaced by a branch and I've kept three of the flowers.  Other than that this design is quite different.

Hope the bank holiday weekend is treating you well...

Tag Card, Yellow Rose, Kraft Card

I'm trying out a card design today that's for three different challenges.

This is what I've come up with...

The challenges are from Tag You're It..,  Fusion...

...and Country View Challenges (use Kraft Card).

I've taken the colour palette from the cake (that big yellow swirl on the top made me think of a spiral flower straight away), and the layout is from the tag card...  complete with the embossed white background, Kraft tag, central flourish, big flower focal point and the Dew Drop embellishments.  The differences are that I've added some extra leaves (Joanna Sheen/Signature Dies, Rose Leaves) and (Memory Box, Fabulous Phlox), one small butterfly (Impression Obsession, Butterfly Die Set) and dropped the musical notes, the sentiment and the smaller flowers.

The background was embossed using a Sizzix/Texture Fades Embossing Folder (Birch Trees, Tim Holtz).  The flower is also by Sizzix/Tim Holtz (Bigz Die, Jumbo Tattered Pinecone) and the flourish is from a set called 'Sweet Strawberry' (Sizzix/Thinlit).

As for the tag tie...  If you look closely you'll see that it has a zigzag edge to it - just like the case on the cupcake.  As for where it came from..?  Let's just say it's been upcycled and I'll leave you to try and guess.

It's going to be a fun filled day here today.  My daughter was still awake at 3am.  Just as well we're on school holidays right now.

I haven't made a card with a large 3D flower before.  If you can spare the time, I would love to know what you think.