Ribbon tree

Christmas is all about lights, food, trees and presents but don't forget

that's our challenge at 52CCT this week. 

If you are like me you  have a box of ribbon which explodes when you take the top off and never seems to get any less no matter how much you use. Perhaps yours is neatly stored on rolls and never gets in a tangle. 
Glitter is now controversial, what isn't?, but I've used edible glitter so I hope that is better for the environment. Biodegradable glitter is now available. A world without glitter would be sad. 

I made a little ribbon tree using a twig and some scraps. It's not my idea, I did see one on Pinterest but couldn't get to the bottom of who had posted it. Sorry not to be able to credit the maker. 

I made the background with a few Christmas stamps. 

It was a little fiddly but once glued down is fairly secure. I used glue and tape to fix the ends of ribbon and the stick. I don't think I'll send this one through the post as it may not survive. 

We look forward to seeing how you use ribbons and glitter to add to your Christmas card stash. 

Thanks for visiting, enjoy your day. x

Joining in with 

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #413 Optional theme make your own background. I did. 

The Card Concept #102 Homestyle Holiday. Inspired by the tree and the homestyle take on Christmas. 

Snowdrops

Hello lovely crafters
I hope you are not all rolling around groaning in a stupor of too much food and drink. It's not over yet, we have another family bun fight later today and then I am free to craft and garden for the rest of the week.

I've lost count of the number of times I stamped out these snowdrops and coloured them in different ways. I've used plenty of snippets but perhaps not in the way Di intends the challenge to work. (They are all in the bin).
This final version is painted with dilute Brushos and brilliance white for the flowers. There is also very light blue inking behind the flowers which gives a slight contrast and background but doesn't show much in the picture. 

I had a plan for the offset circle but, as usual, didn't really think it through so if I did it again I'd do a few things differently. 
The snowdrops were stamped on a snippet and then stuck to the main card but it would be better if the stamping were on the main card and a die cut front glued on. That would save mess on the inside. 

Here is the inside. I'd like to decorate the insides more often but I usually run out of time. 
Don't think I just did this to cover up a failed stamped snowdrop on the back of my final version...why would you think that? 
I'm sure I'm not the only one who stamps on both sides of the card.

Well it finally turned out OK and I'm linking to the following challenges:
Pixie's Snippets Playground - Di is generously offering extra prizes of the holiday period and Parsnip is cooking up treats for the playmates. 

Stamping Sensations - the current challenge is Winter trees and flowers. I've seen the very tips of the snowdrop shoots above the ground. Brave souls but so welcome in the dark days of winter. I wanted this for a January birthday.  

Thanks for visiting. I hope you get some time to yourself in this busy time. 
x

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Guest designer Christmas tags.

Hello Lovely Crafters,

I'm very pleased to be guest designer for Di at Pixie's Snippets Playground this week. Di encourages us to use those scraps of paper and card we all have stashed away. 

My snippets are mostly plain card so I am always looking for ways to use them. I saw some tags like these and, with Christmas looming, thought they were very pretty and a good use of off-cuts. 

I saw them for sale from an online retailer so it's not an idea I've stolen from another blogger. 

I used 5cm strips of kraft card for these first tags and added embroidery thread and a couple of strands of gold for the ties. 

I think it's the gems which make them special. 

Of course you do need the right sort of die as some just leave a hole without much pattern to it but luckily I had one which worked. 
I found a good size was 5cm x 9cm. I made some a bit shorter but they didn't look as good. (Top line).

Then of course I was left with the cut out snowflakes so I just added them to a square of card with a similar tie and a gem in the middle. 

I also made some white ones but I think I prefer the kraft, or do I? I do like the pink gems...

 This photo now looks grey but they are white I promise. White with a pink gem and pink and silver thread. 

Dark gems and red and gold thread. 

Now I'm left with some 1cm strips. What can I do with those? Hmm. Or should I just throw them away! I think I know the answer...

So now I am stocked up with tags and have made a dent in the snippets mountain. I look forward to seeing what inventive  and creative ways people have found for using their snippets this week. 

Thanks for visiting. Enjoy your Day. x

CCT - November Sketch

We still have a week left of our Sketch challenge at Christmas Card Throwdown.

This is my card and here is the sketch:

I spotted these folded trees months ago but have never tried it out until now. This is where I found the information on how to do it. When I came to print the pattern, I found we'd run out of ink - how often does that happen? So I drew a circle and traced the fold points from the computer screen. I'm sure it could be done with a protractor if i could find one. 
You need double sided paper,. I didn't have the right sort of Christmassy paper so I've just used  a red pattern which I hoped would look a bit festive. 
Once I'd made the trees I made frames with snippets which involved a satisfying amount of cutting and sticking but I know would send Miss Di running for the hills. I used the same paper and my JustRite corner dies and thin strips. 
Each tree is made from half a circle so I made another tree with the remaining half. 

The I tried green which I didn't like so much as it is the wrong sort of green:

I'd like to try some mini trees but I have a long list of things I'd like to try so it might not be today. 
There are already some outstanding entries to this challenge so do go and admire them and join in if you can. 

I'm hopping over to Pixie's Snippets Playground where I am running in at the last minute again. You'd think with two weeks I could get in earlier. 
Crafty Hazelnuts Challenge Extra for November - there are some excellent DT cards on show. 
CHN Challenge 359

Thanks for visiting and Enjoy your Day. x