Little Festive Gift Card Boxes

So ladies, who amongst us wouldn't like a new handbag for Christmas with a gift card inside? I WOULD love it...I'm a designer handbag junkie and am lucky to own bags from Prada, Gucci, Fendi, and Mulbery to mention but a few. However, sometimes my shopping for crafting goodies means not as much pennies to spare. So I've found the perfect alternative...make your own.

Using the Ulti Bags Board from Crafter's Companion the possibilities are endless. To promote the board to the German market I was asked by Crafter's Companion to design a few bags using the board. The samples where shown this week on HSE24 (German shopping channel) and have been used in a DVD in German that accompanies the Ultimate Pro. For the DVD I made a step by step for both the samples so I've decided to share these with you.

Today I'm going to start with the festive bag...

Products Used:

·         Christmas card and paper stock

·         Gold card

·         Scissors

·         Craft knife

·         Scoring tool

·         Extra strong double sided tape

·         Spectrum Noirs

·         Spray and Slide

·         Ulti Bag Embossing Board

·         Collall Silicon glue

·         Collall Tacky-Glue

·         Festive Embellishments and ribbon

1.    Select card stock to be used. Lightly spray with Spray and Slide. Tape card to Embossing Board to stop card from moving. With your embossing tool draw round the scalloped bag design on the board with the patterned paper facing onto the board.

2.     With the outline now done, using your scissors cut round the outline. Use your craft knife to cut out the bang handle insides.

3.     To colour the white card core, use a co-ordinating colour from your Spectrum Noirs and colour round the white edges. Use a piece of copy paper to protect your matt.

4.      Follow the score lines and fold in with the patterned paper facing outwards.

5.      Choose co-ordinating card stock/patterned paper and trace round all 3 of the elegant frames on the board using your embossing tool. Cut out.

6.     Using Collall  Silicon glue matt and layer the three frames.

7.     Trace round the square buckle with gold card stock and cut out. Thread red ribbon through the buckle and secure with Collall Tacky-Glue to decorative frames.

8.     With a gold fast drying ink pad, ink around all the edges of the pre cut bag.

9.     Using the Collall Tacky-Glue add glue to the far outside flaps on the patterned side. Bring the two outside flaps in towards the centre and then bring the front and back panels of the bag to meet the flaps and hold until dry.

10. Add decorated ribbon and buckle frames to front of bag with Collall Tacky-Glue.

11. Add festive embellishments as desired to decorate.

And that's you all parcelled up and ready to give to some one special. 

Tomorrow I'll blog the step by step for this little bag.

Get them while you can

If you have been glued to Create and Craft TV this week you will have been drooling over the gorgeous new Die'sire Christmas Dies, the Christmas Embossalicious folders and the Christmas Die'sire Sentiment Stamps which are on a 4 Day Deal.

Hopefully (fingers crossed) the lovely Leann Chivers will show lots of the samples I have made, using the fabulous new products. I previously blogged them but if you missed them or just want to know what and how I made them then here's the links to the relevant pages:

Jingle Bells - http://peonyandtwine.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/jingle-bells.html

Christmas Magic - http://peonyandtwine.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/christmas-magic.html

Happy Holidays - http://peonyandtwine.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/happy-holidays-set-b.html

Misteletoe Kisses - http://peonyandtwine.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/misteletoe-kisses.html

Only 5 Months to go..get them while you can - http://peonyandtwine.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/only-5-months-to-goget-them-while-you.html

Well I hope you managed firstly to decide what yo go for and managed to get the before they sell out.

'Pram'tastic

Well there seems to be a bit of a baby boom happening. In the past week I've made 23 invitations to a Baby Shower and 2 cards for two little baby boys who have just been born.

I just love the Marianne Creatables Pram/Stroller, it's such an elegant pram not like the modern contraptions you see today beeing pushed along the High Street. Wanted to try an steer away from the baby blue so added a dusky lemon as an accent colour.

Unknown to me at the time of making this card the nursery for this little bundle of joy is green and lemon. I love this shade of green and the same lemon I used with the card above just creates a fresh and elegant colour combinations.

I used the Pram/Stroller die as the main focus on both the cards and the Marianne Pretty Paper Bloc, Eline's Romantic Nursery has such gorgeous papers. The colour pallette of this paper block, is that of pale lemons, dusky greens and blues. In addition I used my Coredinations Roy G Biv paper stack to enhance the colours for my matts and layers. The card blanks where made using Centura Pearl Accents.

In a completely different colour pallete a good friend who is about to me a new Mummy asked me to make Baby Shower invitations, which I was deeply honoured. The colour pallete of these cards is the same as the nursery (as the main purpose of having the baby shower is to show it off). I used my Cricut machine to cut the fret work design and used gingham and spotty paper in white and mocha and accented with chocolate ribbon and pearls. They just look so cute. Cant wait till her little bundle arrives so I can use the pram die again.

Fantastic Ribbons

I am delighted to announce that I have been selected to join the Fantastic Ribbon Design Team. Cant wait to get started. I love working with my Crafter's Companion dies and embossing folders but is soo looking forword to enhancing those products with the beautiful ribbon and buttons available from Fantastic Ribbons. Waiting with great anticipation and excitement for my first delivery of gorgeous goodies...keep checking in for sneeky peaks.

Jingle Bells

Sad to say this is the last of my samples using the new Christmas Sentiment stamps from Santa's Little Helper's at Crafter's Companion. Today I am showcasing the samples I made using the Jingle Bells stamp set. So lets get jingling...

I just had to use the Waltz Frame Die'sire die. It is so elegant so needed somthing elegant to complement the die. I stampled a Poinsettia stamp that I had in my stash onto patterned paper with a script patterns. I stamped it in Coffee archival ink and bronze. Stamped it a few times. Cut one complete section out with my craft knife and cut a selction of random petals and leaves. I used my alcohol pens to add shadeing to the leaves and petals and I decoupaged them using my sillicon glue gel. I used a lovely pearl and antique gold button to the centre from my button stash...I so love a nice button.

Die cut the Waltz Frame out in cream card and inked the edges with Tim Holz Vintage Photo. Stamped the sentiment in bronze.

The backing was cut from a broze metallic card and passed through the Holiday Holly A4 folder and the edges inked also with Vintage Photo.

Die cut some leaf swirls in a pale gold paper and added some small pearls.

It's then just a case of building the card - I liked the effect of placing the leaf flourishes over and under the flower. I think this is my favourite card of all the samples I've made for this launch.    

-o0o-

Enjoyed working with the Waltz Frame on the last card I just HAD to use it again. This is a nice quick and easy card, yey.

Made a card blank from green card and using a section of the same green card passed it through the Holiday Holly A4 folder. Selected a gorgeous piece of christmas rose paper and cut to size and inked edges with Tim Holtz Vintage photo. Attached both section to the card with a piece of green metallic trimming.

Wrapped two pieces of red natural twine to the card crossing over each other. Chose a large neutural coloured button with a gold on onto and threaded a piece of red raffia through the two of them and tied a bow.

Die cut the Waltz Frame from Kraft card and inked the edges with Tim Holtz Peeled Paint. Stamped the sentiment in green.

Die cut 2 sprigs of the large Holly Die'sire die in pearlescent green card and green vellum. Used ball toll to crate dimension. Tied a bow in red ribbon and attached two floristry red berries and a gold berry. 

-o0o-

Last but by no mean least...

I selected a piece of red Coredinations card and passed it through the I Believe 6x6 embossing folder, gently sanded and then inked with Tim Holtz Aged Mahogany. This was placed ontop of a piece of bauble patterned paper from my stash, again edges inked in Aged Mahogany. Added a piece of red and cream diagnonal stripe paper to card and added some antique gold lace with red cord threaded through.

At the top of th red embossed section I added a piece of antique white lace and red pom pom trim.

The sentiment was stamped in red onto cream card and die caut using the small die from the Waltz Frame. Edges aged with Aged Mahogany and curled outwards with ball toll on the reverse.

Stamped onto cream card a pine cone stamp in Coffee and cut out with craft knife and attached to card.

Using red seam binding tied a double bow and attached a wooden button to the middle with white rafia.

Added some gem swirls along with a red rose bud, red and silver berries. 

Well that's all folks.....have you decided on your favourite stamp set? Will it be Misteletoe Kisses, Happy Holidays, Christmas Magic or Jingle Bells....or if you are like me and cant decide then you will just have to get them all.

Christmas Magic

Christmas is'nt Christmas without a spot of Magic, so todayI  am going to showcase the samples I made using the Christmas Magic stamp set.

I've never really used Acetate before so thought the Let It Snow embossing folder was the perfect folder to use. I cut a section to size and passed it through my machine. I gently, gently being the word, sanded it back.

Passed a piece of green card cut to size through my Holiday Holly A4 folder. Selected a piece of red, white and pink christmas snowflake patterned paper and cut a section to size and matted onto red card.

The snowy hills section was cut from white card and passed through the spotty part of the Christmas Elegance 6x6 folder.

The tress where die cut from the Fir Tree Die'sire dies in green patterned paper and Centrura Pearl. With my ball tool i went round the outside of the green trees and then attached them to the Centura Pearl trees to give the impression of snow.

Using the Scalloped Tag Die'sire dies I die cut the largest label and stamped Let It Snow in red.

Using the smallest snowflake from the Die'sire Snowflake dies cut a white snowflake. Attached a red button to the centre with a piece of white raffia knotted in the middle.

Layered the card up using foam pads and sillicon glue gell and added some pearls to the tag, a little silver raindeer charm and some snowflake stickers with gems.

-o0o-

Simple card this time, and more traditional in design and colour. Merry Christmas was stamped on cream card in red and heat embossed. Die cut this stamped sentiment using the Magic Mirror Die'sire die inner section. Aged edges with Tim Holz Vintage Photo and threaded gold elastic through the die cut holes. Die cut also in cream the large section of the Magic Mirror and used the die as a stencil with Vintage Photo.

Die cut the small sprig of Misteletoe from the Die'sire die in green card and lightly sanded. Used my ball tool on the reverse to create dimension to the Misteletoe. Added some pearls for the berries and a small red bow.

Using the Christmas Patchwork embossing folder, embossed a piece or red Coredinations card and added Enchanted Gold guilding wax over the entire relief design. Attached a piece of stripped card to the top section of the card and inked the edges with Vintage Photo. Where the two sections join together added a piece of cream and gold trimming. Quite a simple and easy card to do.

-o0o-

The Christmas Ornament 6x6 embossing folder is such an elegant design so I didnt want to do anything too fussy. Again I used red, green and gold and being Scottish could'nt help not add a piece of tartan ribbon.

The gold section of the card was cut to size and matted and layered onto red and green card. I took another section of the same gold card and cut to size and passed through the Holiday Holly A4 folder and attached to the centre of the card.

Using a piece of Centura Pearl I cut a circle more or less the same size as the bauble and placed it in the folder. I used the Christmas Ornament folder and passed it through by embossing machine. Then with my emboossing pen i set about colouring in sections of the relief pattern and added, Tinsel Red and Metallic Gold Sparkle embossing powder and some pearls.

I attached a piece of green/gold ribbon to the card and added gold gems ontop of it and added the bauble to the bottom with foam pads. I stamped the sentiment in red and cut out using the Scalloped Tag Die'sire dies and attached to bauble. 

I die cut a small Die'sire Die Holly in green, tied a red and green tartan bow and attached to the bauble. Added some red gems and pearls to the holly for the berries.   

-o0o-

I know I said I was going to stick to red, greens and golds for this set of samples but I wanted to use the Snowflake Die'sire dies and snowflakes need to be silver....

 I used the Christmas Elegance 6x6 folder with blue card from Coredinations Brights and sanded slightly and sprayed lightly with Spray & Sparkle Iridescent.

Wrapped a piece of silver trimming and silver and grey ribbon round the card. Die cut a silver glitter snowflake and a smaller snowflake from handmade paper wich is blue with silver speckles. Both die cut from the Snowflake Die'sire dies. Attached the larger snowflake to the card then tied a bow in the grey and silver ribbon and attached. Tied another bow but this time in silver cord and attached ontop and then added the small snowflake which was decorated with pearls.

Used the Scalloped Tag Die'sire die and on Centura Pearl and stamped the sentiment in Brilliance Pearlescent Skye Blue and attached to card. Decorate further with some gem swirls. I used navy blue card, silver card and some silver mirror card all matted and layered onto a card blank made from Centura Pearl.

Well that's Christmas Magic for you, tomorrow is the last in the collection Jingle Bells, see you then.

Happy Holidays

So what did you think of Misteletoe Kisses stamp set? Bet you loved them just like me...Well today is all about Happy Holidays. For these set of samples I stuck to the traditional greens, red and golds for my samples.

I previously showcases a card with a bauble using the Village Scence Die'sire die which I so loved and was desperate to work with it again. However I wanted to move this design on and try and so something a little different. So I made a card that has a detachable bauable that can be used to hang on your Christmas Tree. I think this would make a lovelty gift for someone spending their Christmas in a new home.

I'm not going to go into too much detail about how I made this as (when I have the time) I'll do a seperate blog page of how to. However I did use the Holliday Holly A4 and I Believe 6x6 embossing folders along with the Holly and Village Scene Die'sire dies and the gorgeous sentiment is from the Happy Holidays stamp set.

-o0o-

Using my trusty Centura Pearl created a card blank. I cut a section the same width of the card and about half the height of the card. I took my Holiday Holly A4 embossing folder and added perfectly clear embossing ink to the folder, making sure well covered. Then the piece of Coredinations was passed through the folder in my embossing machine. Carefully removed and covered with Tinsel Red embossing powder and heated.

I cut two pieces of pleasted red ribbon to go across the width of the card and two pieces of gold trim the same length. I marked on the card where the tinsel red holly patterned paper would go and added some ultra thick sticky tape and attached the red pleated ribbon lengths. I then overlaid the tinsel red holly section and then added the gold trim to cover the edges of the card. 

From some gold glitter card I die cut a sprig of Holly from the Die'sire dies. Tied a piece of cream and gold corn and some red pearl for the berries. Attached Holly die cut to card with sillicon glue gel.

I stamped NOEL from the Happy Holiday stamp set and used my Metallic Gold Spark embossing powder.

It's the first time I have used embossing powder with embossing folders but was surprise how easy it is to do, BUT just remember to clean your embossing folder straight away. 

-o0o-

I reluctantly sued some of my Graphic 45 Christmas Emporium paper for this card. I L O V E the holly paper and thought it would be a lovely backdrop. Matted and layered onto red and kraft card all inked with Tim Holtz Aged Mahogany. 

Using a section of green Coredinations card I passed it through the Christmas Patchwork A4 folder and lighly sanded. Used Autumn Bronze guilding was to bring out the gorgeous patchwork design.

I die cut a piece of Kraft paper and added some pearls. Cut a round piece of cream card and inked with Tim Holtz Tattered Straw and stamped in green the sentiment from Happy Holidays.

Cut a section of green card and matted on top of piece of stripped card and inked edges with Tattered Straw. Wrapped a length of green gingham ribbon round the card.

Die cut the large Misteletoe sprig using the Die'sire die and sanded lightly. Attached this Misteletoe ontop of a green gingaham bow. Added some pearls in different sizes for the berries and tied a gold bead thread in a bow and attached.

Created 2 small loops in green/gold ribbon and attached to top of card and added two pearls. Think I have fallen in love with the Misteletoe die.  

-o0o-

I had in my mind what I wanted to do with this card and although it looks the simplest of these samples it took me aaaaages.

I used the I Believe 6x6 folder on cream card and aged edges and relief pattern with Tim Holtz Vintage Photo and matted this onto red card. I stamped the Santa image in red onto cream card and die cut a cream circle and die cut the Santa stamp using a scalloped circle die. Edhes again inked with Tattered Straw.

Now for the tricky part...from the Happy Holidays stamp set I used the JOY stamp. I stamped each letter J O Y seperately making off the stamp and used white embossing powder. This took a few attempts. Then I cut the penant shapes out with my craft knife.

Attached Santa to center of card with foam pads and attached also with foam pads J O Y. Made two red raffia bows and two white raffia bows and attached. Added two little silver bells to the bows.

Well that's all my samples using the Happy Holidays stamps set, I think you will agree that the sentiments are so versatile and can be used to create so many different styles of cards. Tomorrow I will showcase the Christmas Magic stamp sets, see you then.