Em Stafrace| Just a Girl with Ideas

Hi Everyone,

I'm guessing your all busy sorting out Christmas pressies and organising the big day that Santa arrives, for me its been a bit hard for the sleigh to lift off, I have had a week of slumber, crafting and not much else and I put that down to the torrential down pour of rain weve had here the past 2 weeks, it has nothing to do with sheer laziness... tee hee.

If you're wanting something to do to beat the cabin fever and boredom because of all this rain I do have some fun workshops to share with you that I devised for Scrapboutique and its 2010 Christmas Workshops, which by the way finishes this Saturday 11th December so come and hang out at the Boutique. Here are the workshops I created... a Tri-Shutter Christmas Card that is fantastically easy to make and in time for you to make for Christmas ;) I also have a Kitsch Retro Style Christmas Bauble thats reminiscent of a snow globe...yeeees its true and lastly a gorgeous Christmas wreath I called 'The Magic Garden' using Kaisercrafts 'Funky Wreath'.

So here they are for you to peruse, perhaps even make, so have heaps of fun with them I certainly did!

Magic Garden Christmas Wreath. 

Here’s a christmas workshop on how to dress up the ‘Funky Wreath’ by Kaisercraft. Traditionally the wreath symbolises the coming of Christ and its circular shape represents eternity but it is also a fantastic way to dress your entrance way. It can also be used as a table centre piece by laying it flat on a single tiered cake stand and then placing some candles or perhaps a grouping of Nut Cracker Soldiers in the centre for height. Personally I am a traditionalist, so mine will take pride of place at the front door as a welcoming sign of the Festive Season...

what are you going to do with yours? 

I can’t wait to get started on this workshop, so lets get cracking! Here’s what you’ll be creating well at least something similar and more personalised for your preferred colour scheme. 

 

Materials You'll need: 

Kaisercraft 'Funky Wreath' 

Teresa Collins Noel Patterned Paper Range 

(specifically Red Damask and Sheet Music) 

Paint (I used MM Shopping Bag, Evergreen & Crafters Acrylic White) 

Distress Crackle Paint (I used Antique Linen) 

Glue 

Sharp Scalpel or stanley knife 

4 X different 1cm width co-ordinating ribbons @ 20cm lengths 

1 X 6cm width ribbon roughly 1/2 metre in length 

Fake Berries 

Optional Extra's: 

Fake Fruit/5 X Cinnamon Sticks 

Tulle or Netting 

Wood Wool (it looks like wood shavings) 

Sheet of Cardboard 

Florist wire or twine 

Step 1: 

Cut away the leaf fronds from the ring chipboard base, making sure to sand the edges to remove any small tags. 

Step 2: 

You will notice that there are about 3 different fronds and about 2 or 3 of each style. Separate these into groupings so that you can clearly identify the different types. 

(NB: There is one frond that is straight with small leaves attached to it set that aside along with the 4 birds for step 7.) 

Step 3: 

After selecting the patterned papers you want to use (I selected Teresa Collins Noel PP Range, specifically ‘Sheet Music’ and the B side of Red Damask) and lay one of each frond onto the individual papers. This ensures that you do not double up on any. I set aside two fronds to be painted.(see step 5) 

(NB: Before cutting your papers make sure that each same style frond is facing a different direction on the paper so that you create a different focus for each and remember to flip your PP if your using both sides.) 

Step 4: 

Carefully glue your fronds to the papers and wait for it to dry completely before cutting around the edge with a sharp scalpel. If you start cutting too soon you may find the paper edge tears rather than having a clean and precise cut. 

Step 5: 

Paint the two fronds (that were set aside in step 3) and the chipboard ring using a co-ordinating paint, I used shopping bag. 

Wait till dry then apply some Distress Crackle Paint I chose to use the Antique Linen colour. 

Leave to cure.NB:To have a closer look at the crackle effect see the 3rd photo in step 9.) 

Step 6: 

When all your fronds have dried and you have cut the paper edges cleanly, place them on top of the painted chipboard ring, and configure the fronds until you are happy with how it looks. When your 100% sure start gluing them onto the ring. 

Step 7: 

While your main wreath component is drying grab the single frond with leaves and remove each leaf, sand, paint then set aside to dry. The paint I used was Making Memories ‘Evergreen’. Then paint the birds I chose white for mine, but you could dress these little guys any way you like, by adding feathers or flocking them with an interesting patterned stamp. 

Step 8: 

Attach the dried single leaves randomly around your wreath. This should create some more points of interest and then attach the birds. 

Step 9: 

This is the really fun bit. Grab your ribbon lengths and make some small loops out of them by cutting 6 cm lengths from the desired ribbon, overlapping the ends like so...

...then gluing them to the wreath making sure you tuck them under the chipboard leaves so you can’t see their joins.

Repeat this process with the other varied sized and coordinating ribbons attaching them randomly on the wreath.

Step 10: 

Attach your berries and bows to help highlight the magical garden theme. Remember florists use an uneven number of blooms to create an overall balance, so apply the same principles here adding an uneven number of clustered embellishments, I used the cute little red mushrooms I bought from spotlight and some coordinating red striped bows. 

Step 11: 

Attach a larger bow at the top of your wreath, dress it by adding more fruit, berries or a cluster of cinnamon sticks and then attach a ribbon loop underneath making sure the loop is large enough to hang over a door knob or hook. 

(NB: I used the gold/glittery leaves from the bunch of Gold Berries I bought from Spotlight.) 

Step 12: 

As an optional step roughly cut out a ring the same diameter as the chipboard ring from a sheet of cardboard but make it twice as wide. Then attach some wood wool, tulle or netting to it and place the wreath over the top by attaching it using florist wire or twine. I recommend not gluing it on just in case you want to change the under foliage to wood wool or netting with each new Christmas Season. 

 

(NB: I added some varying sized loops of red ribbon at the base of the wreath under the larger birds to help balance the red mushroom cluster at the top of the wreath.) 

Tri- Shutter Christmas Card 

Although this card looks difficult its one of the easiest to make, and is heaps of fun to decorate. I used the 'Father Christmas' Range by Pink Paislee. 

Materials you'll need: 

2 X Contrasting card stocks that co-ordinate with you PP choice. 

4 or 5 X Co-ordinated PP's NB: Could be 2 types of PP's using the B Sides aswell like I did or you can add an optional extra PP. 

Scorer/Bone Folder 

Ruler 

Stanley Knife 

Double sided tape 

Ink 

Ribbon 

Embellishment 

Small Sentiment Stamp 

Step 1: 

Making the Card Base 

Start with a 30cm X 15cm piece of card stock, then 

measure and score fold lines at 5cm, 10cm, 20cm and 25cm. 

Step 2: 

Measure 4cm in from the top of your long edge of cardstock, then using your stanley knife cut a straight line from the 5cm score point to the 25cm scored point. NB:DO NOT cut before or after these points. 

Step 3: 

Then fold your card like this below, you may find the aerial view easier to see how your folds work. 

Step 4: 

Decorating the Card: 

Using your second card stock, cut mats to the following measurements. 

2 pieces that are 14.5cm x 4.5cm 

4 pieces that are 3.5cm x 4.5cm 

1 piece that is 6.5cm x 9.5cm 

2 pieces that are 6.5cm x 4.5 cm 

2 pieces that are 3.5cm x 9.5cm 

Step 5: 

Cut the patterned PP's to the following measurements. 

2 pieces that are 14cm x 4cm 

4 pieces that are 3cm x 4cm 

1 piece that is 6cm x 9cm 

2 pieces that are 6cm x 4cm 

2 pieces that are 3cm x 9cm. 

Step 6: 

Ink the edges of your Pattern paper pieces, then tape them to the pre-cut co-ordinating cardstock. 

Step 7: 

Adhere these to the corresponding sized panels on your card. NB: In the middle 3 panels of the card I used the same paper(the lightest patterned PP)to keep the panels as one solid piece, which allows you to write a message inside. 

Step 8: 

Add your ribbon, stamped sentiment and embellishment to the front of the card overlapping the left and right front panels like in the picture below. 

 

Kitsch Snow Globe Bauble 

Merry Christmas everyone, and welcome to the 2nd Workshop here at Scrapboutique. Tonight you'll be making a really simple bauble reminiscent of a Snow Globe. Its a tad kitschy but with the lastest fad for all things retro I just know it will look fantastic on your tree.

I have used the Pink Paislee 'Around the World' PP for the inside image but you could just as easily use photo's of your loved ones or of last christmases festivities as your focus image for an even more special Christmas Keepsake. Another idea would be to add a small card with To:...and From:.... on the back and send it to friends or family as a small christmas token.

...anyway below is what we will be making so lets get started!

Materials You'll Need: 

Pink Paislee 'Father Christmas' PP's

(Air Mail, Around the World and Trading Cards)

1 X Sheet of Cardboard

1 X Pull apart Bauble (NB: These can be purchased for $2 at Spotlight or at a 2 Dollar shop like Clints, Crazy Clarks & Sam's Warehouse)

Co-ordinating Ribbon

Co-ordinating Braid

Glitter or Glass Beads

Tools You'll Need: 

Circle Punch or Cuttlebug

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circle or Scallop

Glue

Pop Dots

Step 1: 

From a piece of cardboard using a punch or your Cuttlebug cut out 2 X circular shapes that are larger than the plastic bauble you will be using as the globe of your Snow globe, these will be the base to your bauble..

(NB: I used the second largest die cut from the ‘Big Scalloped Circles’ Spellbinders Nestabilities Set. This gave me a good centimetre larger in the circumference than the plastic bauble.)

Step 2:

Repeat step 1 by cutting the same size out of 2 X patterned papers (I used the B sides of 'Around the World' Red and 'Trading Cards'Green PP's). Then 2 X circular discs that are the same size circumference as the globe your using from cardboard. Then cut 2 X circular discs 5 millimetres smaller in circumference from the cardboard and 2 in this smaller size from the PP (A Side of the 'Around the World' PP) or photo you might be using.

(NB: These are the basis of your Hanging Snow Globe.)

Step 3: 

Paint the 2 small cardboard circular discs, so they are ready for the picture disc to be mounted on them.

Step 4: 

Glue the scalloped PP to the scalloped cardboard and repeat this process with the smallest round cardboard discs and patterned paper/picture discs. Once they are completed pop dot the picture discs so they can be centred and mounted on your painted discs then adhere and centre them onto the large scalloped base.

Step 5: 

Tip a small quantity of glitter or small glass beads into one half of the plastic bauble and carefully apply glue to the top edge of your bauble then place the scalloped base over the top. making sure the glitter or beads remain inside the bauble. Hold down for a few seconds to ensure a firm adhesion.

Step 6: 

Carefully glue down some braid or ribbon around the edge of the bauble to mask the join. Then add a loop and bow to the top so that you can hang the bauble.

Hope you've enjoyed the workshops!