Friday, November 30, 2012

Jo - Christmas Wreath

Hi everyone.  As it is time to start decorating the house for Christmas, I thought I had better get moving and make my new wreath.  This post is for Artfull Crafts House or Tree Decorations week.

This is a gift for a friend of mine, and I have done it very natural just like her.  Hopefully she will not guess it is for her, though she probably will. 
I started with a plain white polystyrene wreath.  I tore Kaisercraft wrapping paper into strips, and glued it around the wreath.  It doesn't have to be perfect as you are not going to see very much of it at all.

I was given a big bag of mini pinecones, which has come in handy.  I used a hot glue gun, and stuck them all over the wreath.  I then got two ribbons, gold and brown satin, and glued them in between the pinecones, and weaved them around the whole wreath, and added a few feathers for fun.   


Next I glued on a birds nest and then added some eggs, and a little bird on to the side of the nest, and a Tim Holtz Christmas tree.  I added Kindy glitz  to the eggs and the tree.

Then finally I  had this beautiful metal family embellishment from Prima Marketing which I hung down the back of the wreath.

I hope you have all started getting into the Christmas mood, if not, why not make a wreath, it is very easy and a great family project.  I have bags of baubles that I purchased last year after Christmas, and if I get time, I am going to make another of these using those. Use your cuttlebug or sizzix dies to make flowers and leaves and adhere them.  If you want something different try using wrapped sweets or chocolates.  Enjoy.     

Betsy - Tree decorations.

Betsy here today to share a couple of tree decorations which I have made.
Actually, I am a day late as we had an unexpected trip to Wanaka over the past couple of days, so do hope I am not treading on anyone else's toes!!





This is a  rather cute tea light holder. The pattern was sourced from the Magnolia magazine. I have a tea light inside which flashes and changes colour, so it does look rather gorgeous, when switched on.



The next is a simple Christmas ball made with Kaisercraft's Mint Twist collection. I cut 20 circles using my 1 1/2" punch, scored them into a triangle and glued them together. Very simple.
All from me today..
We have a full on Christmas Day at Artfull Crafts tomorrow and I know from past experience it will be great. Am looking forward to it, as well as seeing a lot of familiar faces!
Happy crafting to all,

Betsy.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Nichole - Merry & Bright Card

Hi Everyone!  Nichole here with a Christmas Card using the new Merry and Bright collection from Kaisercraft! 

This richly earth toned palette was a challenge to work with as it's outside of my normal color schemes - but it seems that the entire team have risen to the challenge well.

My favorite part of the collection was the foiled ornaments that are repeated throughout the line both in the die cuts and the paper themselves.  I wanted to highlight these ornament embellishments in my work.

Here I use some of the die cuts and hand cut ornaments from the paper to create a card.



A brown ribbon sets a deeper tone against the gold glitter.  Gold glitter strips were created by using tacky tape and covering with loose glitter.  The glitter was then burnished using a bone folder.

Merry Christmas greeting is stamped on to a die cut from the collection using Hero Arts Christmas Greetings in Royal Red ink.


Tiny raw twine bows accent the top of these ornaments, held in place with Tombow Mono Multi.  Edges were accented with faux stitching using a copper toned metallic gel pen.

Ornaments are adhered with foam adhesive to pop off of the front of the card.



This chocolate satin ribbon is the perfect accent to the rich earth tones and to add texture and a smooth finish.  Edges were squared with a We R Memory Keepers Angle Cut Corner Chomper.


Thanks for reading.

Be sure to check out Kaisercraft's Merry and Bright Collection - currently on sale for 10% off!  Or head to the Christmas Store to view what Santa has in store for you!

I Hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas Countdown and getting plenty of ideas to get started celebrating the season!  I can't wait for the Holidays to begin.

Christine - Mint Twist Decorations

Hi there - Christine here today with some Christmas Decorations to hang on the tree.





I have made the little frames with  a Martha Stewart mold of a frame and the Easy Cast Resin.
Then using Kaisercraft's Mint Twist 6x6 paper pad I have created a background and embellished inside the frame. Some red ribbon to hang them on the tree with and we are good to go!
These would be great to put a Christmas photo of a child in with the year on it that the photo was taken.

TFL

Happy Creating!

Christine

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Tracy - Stocking Hanger



Hello Tracy here with a project for our Christmas Challenge " Home and Tree Decorations". I found this wooden hook from The Warehouse and new straight away what I wanted it for and which paper I was going to use! Bailee thinks it will go just nicely in her room for her to hang her stocking on.




So what do you think? I used Simple Stories Handmade Holiday, paper and stickers... don't you just love the colours in this range?. I also used a Whiff of Joy image along with my copics.





Monday, November 26, 2012

Sandy - Peek-a-Boo Christmas Ornament

Hi it's Sandy sharing something I made for the mantel decoration. This year I'm going with a colour scheme of gold, silver, black and woodgrain. Since nothing in the shops fit this palette, I decided to create my own using simple paper construction methods.




I love the effect of twinkling lights reflecting off translucent vellum so I created the basic shape of my ornament using Christina Re Speciality Papers. Then an outer covering of Echo Park with it's doily and woodgrain pattern is added. To add some glamour and glitz I gathered some Websters Pages mesh trim into a flower and added a Jenni Bowlin plaster doily painted over with metallic gold acrylic. Finally a Karen Forster Sparkle Burst Brad completes my ornament.

Wishing everyone happy Christmas crafting !


Supplies : Christina Re Transparency Provincal White, Echo Park This & That Christmas Wooden Nickels, Echo Park Everyday Eclectic Kraft Doily,  Websters Pages Let's Celebrate Trim, Kaisercraft Wooden Flourishes Blossoms, Jenni Bowlin Doily Flower, Satin Ribbon Gold, Dazzling Metallics Paint Splendid Gold, Karen Forster Sparkle Burst Brads  

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Christmas Countdown - 4 weeks to go! Home and Tree Decorations

We hope you've enjoyed the 3 challenges so far - Christmas Cards, Layouts/Photo Gifts and Homemade gifts. We have our WINNERS for the Layout/Photo Gifts - so keep reading to see if it's YOU! You also have until next Saturday to upload a Homemade Gift into the Gallery. Head there to see what's been entered so far and to submit your project. We've also got a great set of Specials this week - so keep reading!


4 weeks to go CHALLENGE!
HOME & TREE DECORATIONS
It's almost time to put your Christmas Tree - so why not make it look special this year? Show us your great ideas for making your home look festive and you could win!
http://www.artfullcrafts.co.nz/store/images/beyond-the-page-joy-silhouette-wall-artsample-big.jpeg
There will be TWO winners for this challenge!

1) Overall Winner will receive a Joy Wall Art kit $39.90 (similar to the one shown. It will include papers, paint and flourishes) >>>
 
2) Drawn Winner - everyone who enters will be put in the draw to win a Mint Twist Origami Flower Ball Pack with instructions! rrp$25










You have until midnight Saturday 8th December enter your projects in the Challenge. (Maximum of 3 entries per person please). Please load them up into the Gallery. It's really easy!! We look forward to you joining in the fun!

Inspiration
The Design Team will be sharing their creations each day until next Sunday when the new theme will be announced. Check out below to see how you can enter the TWO Challenges we now have running.
Here are some wonderful home and tree decoration ideas from last year's Design Team to get you started:


Sandy Ang with this fabulous Origami Wreath


Lisa Skinner with these cute Tree Decorations


 
Christine Bonifacio with these much-admired Cupcakes


 
Louise Forsyth with some sparkly Baubles.


 WEEKLY CHRISTMAS SPECIALS 
This week we're offering you fabulous projects that will make perfect home and tree decorations gifts. Ends 1st December.


25% off Kits and Packs

These kits and packs have everything you need to create your own home decorations. Put them on your your tree, string them on the wall and deocrate your mantel pieces with these great projects. Click here to purchase.


25% off Home Decor pieces

Here are some more projects waiting for you to add your flair. Try the free-standing words and the fun trees. Click here to purchase.




25% off Origami Flower Ball Kits
Create your own amazing decoration. This is our HOTTEST selling project kit of all time! The kit includes 60 pieces of 10cm x 10cm papers, paper clips, instructions, colour picture of completed project along with ribbon in case you want to hang it! And just to help you out we've even put in a folded sample for you - which you can unfold and copy. This is an easy project - and it looks so impressive. Kids and adults LOVE these! Click here to purchase.






30% off Advent Calendars
It's not too late to have one of these POPULAR Advent Calendars ready by December 1st!  We have made up some kits and packs with papers, paints, embellies and instructions. Click here to purchase.





Homemade Gifts Challenge -  til 1st Dec.
EVERYONE loves receiving a homemade gift! So why not show us what you've planned for your loved ones. Frames and drawers are obvious choices and we've got 25% off them this week!

There will be TWO winners for this challenge!

1) Overall Winner will receive a 12x12" Frame from Twiddleybitz
 
2) Drawn Winner - everyone who enters will be put in the draw to win a fabulous Christmas Cards.
 
  

WINNERS!!!
The Photo Gift/Layout Challenge has ended and the lucky winners are:
1) Overall Winner - Sue Hamilton with this Advent Calendar and her jolly elves!>>>
2) Drawn Winner - Dallas Turner with a stylish layout.

Make sure you check out the entries this week.

CONGRATS and thanks for entering! Winners please email the shop at info@artfullcrafts.co.nz and let them know which competition you won and the address they should send the prize to.


Here at Artfull Crafts we love Christmas so much - we have a whole section of our website dedicated to Christmas Products. We are still ordering more Christmas Stock - so be sure to check in often.

Have a great week!

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Betsy - Christmas Gifts

Betsy here today with a couple of Christmas gifts I would like to share with you.
I really am JUST a card maker, so have really branched out in putting together a trinket box which I saw while I was over in Australia, at the Kaisercraft's retailer's day. These OTP projects are a bit of a challenge for me, but must say I did enjoy putting it together. What's your verdict ladies!








I have used Kaisercraft's Twig and Berry Christmas collection to cover the box - I love the colours in this range.
Now for a change! This next project is a post-it note holder which stands up similar to an easel card. More in my comfort zone!! I have used Authentique, Festive range papers to make this.





Well ladies, all from me today - hope you are all enjoying the fun at Artfull Crafts. There is certainly plenty of hype there at the moment and lots of goodies to be had!! We are celebrating Christmas, next Saturday, at the shop, and Liz always has a fun day organised.
Happy crafting, enjoy your day.

Betsy.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Jo - Dame Cashmere Bookends

Hi Jo here.  I have to admit when I first got these Kaisercraft book ends from Artfull Crafts I was stumped.  I just looked at them for a few days.  I decided just to start covering them using the  Dame Cashmere paper, and hoping that a plan would come to me.  I showed my daughter Aly when she came home my blue plan, and she said,  "No mum,  you have to use the yellow and the flowers".  She knows that yellow isn't one of my favourite colours, but I agreed that it would be bright, and not my usual vintage style.  

I didn't want to just paint and cover the bookends, so I decided to push myself, and use no paint at all.  I also decided to put on Dame Cashmere hat, and really imagine afternoon tea for a Dame, in the garden.

I took the Honeycomb paper and printed out a new cupcake recipe that I found on-line on to it.  Then I pasted it to the inside of the stands.  I added the prima bling clock, because nearly all my projects have a clock on them (have you noticed that?)

I then covered the teapot and cups in the floral paper.             



I used both sides of the paper,  the yellow honeycomb as well as the floral.  I then added red distress ink around the edge, to distress it a bit.  I couldn't help myself, it was just soooooo yellow.  I also had to carefully do all the edges of the pot and cup with paper, which took a lot of patience (it would have been easier to paint it)!  But it was an interesting challenge, especially the inside of the cup handle.

A string of bling was added to both teacup and pot. I wanted to use pearls but they didn't stand out enough, so I went for these aqua ones.

I used the red Gingham paper for the tablecloth.  I cut out the girl from the left over  Gingham paper and put behind the teacup. 

I folded a small paper doily that I had in half, and made a little table cloth.  I made a cupcake from resin, I put a couple of drops of pink alcohol ink into the mix, to get the correct colour, then I poured it into a mini silicon cupcake mould that I picked up at the $2.00 store.  Once it was dry I piped a swirl (yes in my expensive icing bag, and using my good tools!) from modelling compound. I then rubbed a little Kindy Glitz hot pink onto the top when it was dry. 

I made a little vase of flowers, that I added a few small white stones to, and then I could glue them in place, and not see the glue.  I added a couple of mini books, for reading.

Dame Cashmere is now ready for afternoon tea in the garden.    These book ends are on special this week, so make sure you get one! What a great gift for someone who likes to cook, or just to have as a decoration in the kitchen.  You could decorate them yourself, or gift the recipient everything they need to make a similar project.  There are also a few other designs, so go and check them out here.

Enjoy your afternoon.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Lowri - Echo Park Advent Calendar

Hi Everyone - Lowri here to show you my Echo Park / Kasiercraft Advent Calendar.

Also - if you swing by my blog and comment on this project - you can win an Echo Park Collection Pack too!

Advent Calender
  

This Advent Calendar looks so festive decorated with the This and That Christmas Collection. I tried to pick papers that gave it a Nordic feel, with lots of paler colors and splashes of red. The calendar base is from Kaisercraft and is easy to put together. If you follow this short video here on YouTube you can construct the frame in about 10 minutes.


To cover the boxes in paper I glue each box individually then cover the 2 sides and back of the box with one strip of paper, cutting a separate piece for the front face. Other people have quicker ways of doing this but I do not think they give as nice a finish. You just need to try and see which works best for you.
 
This particular calendar has a shadow-box central area which is a great place to create a Christmas Scene. I have used elements from the digital collection so I could re-size and print certain images the right size, but the paper collection offers heaps of lovely embellishments you could easily use. I have also added some little presents - so cute!


To create the woodgrain effect, I inked the edges with Distress Ink and used a woodgrain stamp over the top with Stayzon brown ink.


Be sure to link up any projects you create to our Gallery - where you can win heaps of fabulous prizes EACH WEEK - all the information here!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Christine - Pickled Pear Card Kit

Hi there - Christine here - I have a simple card kit to show you.
I usually give a set of cards to friends and family as a gift, but this year I have put together a simple card kit to give as a gift and the recipient can make their own cards!
 The kit comes in a decorated kraft bag!

 Inside there are 12 blank cards and 12 envelopes.

 A finished card to show how all the pieces can be put together.

 I have used Kaisercrafts Pickled Pear 6x6 papers as the base.

 Strips of Kaisercraft card have been punched with a Martha Stewart punch - onto these go 1" strips of the pickled pear paper.

 In cellophane bags are black diecut circles, diecut tabs with 3 different greetings to choose from and some Martha Stewart punched butterflies.

 Some Kaisercraft Rhinestones to embellish and a bottle of glue to hold everything together!

Here is everything shown together and it all fits into the bag nice and neatly.

These kits are nice and simple and are quite quick to put together - hopefully the recipient will find them so as well!!
 Here is another kit I have put together using some My Minds Eye Madison Square papers.


These kits would be great to make up using Christmas papers - give them as a pressy this Christmas for someone to make cards for next Christmas! Also great for a child's gift too.

Don't forget to join in this week's challenge to be in the draw to win great prizes! Submit your Homemade Gift to the Gallery by the 1st December (max 3 projects per person please!). And remember that you've got until Saturday the 24th to submit your Layout/Photo Gift for last week's challenge.

TFL

Happy Creating!

Christine