Hi Everyone - Lowri here

Today I am sharing some of the work of one of our staff members Diana.  Diana is a gifted artist (in many fields) and she is also a Christmas fanatic!  Today she is sharing a couple of her homemade gifts as well as some of the wonderful Christmas decorations she recently picked up in the US. You can read heaps more on her lovely blog - My Batch of Gingerbread Babies.

These gorgeous stockings were made using the Kaisercraft Christmas Stocking Garland. 

Look at some of these home decoration pieces Diana found on her travels - this is my favorite!

I also love this 25 space cubby - perfect for a Christmas Countdown!

Be sure to visit Diana's blog has she has some really wonderful stories and photos to share from her recent trip to the US to compete in the International Sweet Adelines Competition.


Christmas Challenges

Here is a recap of where we are at with all our Christmas Challenges!

Week Four Challenge
You can WIN yourself a Kaisercraft Christmas Journal and a set of Making Memories Twinkle Papers by entering YOUR Homemade Gift into the Week Four challenge by Saturday 3rd December.
Email us a picture of your project and PLEASE name the file you send with your full name as this makes it a lot easier for us to administer the competition! Send your entry to entries@artfullcrafts.co.nz

Week Three Challenge
You can WIN yourself the Teeresa Collins "Christmas Home" and Jenni Bowlin "Holiday 2011" papers by entering YOUR "Impress your Friends" Christmas Cards into last week's challenge by Saturday 26th November.
Email us a picture of your project and PLEASE name the file you send with your full name as this makes it a lot easier for us to administer the competition! Send your entry to entries@artfullcrafts.co.nz

Week Two Challenge - won by Erin Hennessey
Week One Challenge - won by Carol Noakes

Hi there Christine here with some homemade gifts for Christmas to show you.

I have altered some Diaries for 2012 to give to my 3 sisters and my daughter for Christmas.
I have used the Kaisercraft Bonjour range on all of them, as I love it so much and I know they will too!
So here they are-
I really find the 6x6 paper pads great to use, they have the fabulous papers and at the back are labels and tags which are great for embellishing.

For my Sister-in -law I have made this Butterfly wall art. This idea is in the October 2011 Kaisercraft Workshop magazine on page 3. These magazines have great projects and ideas and they are free!  I just bought a photo frame with a large space between the card and glass, so that the butterfly wings can stand up.



Thanks for looking and happy crafting.


Christine


Supplies used:
Kaisercraft Bonjour Speciality paper, 6x6 pad, rhinestones, Rubons              

Hi Everyone - Lowri here.

I have a fun project to share today -  a Kaisercraft Advent Calendar using the Silly Season Collection. Liz is going to be making up some kits for this project later in the week so you will easily be able to put it together. You can of course use any of the wonderful papers and embellishments we have in our Christmas Store!



Click here if you want to order the Advent Calendar.
Click here if you want to order the Days til Christmas Tree

If you have any questions - please email us here or call us on (03) 688 8566

Hi Everyone - Lowri here and welcome to Week Four of our Christmas Countdown. There is lots of information in today's post so read carefully and be sure to scroll to the bottom to see the entries and winner of the Christmas Countdown Week Two Challenge!

**Shop Specials**
This week in the shop - all our Christmas Glimmers and Glues are discounted by 20%. It's a great time to grab a bargain and start making your Christmas cards and gifts! It includes Stickles (restocked in the shop this week), Glimmer Mists, Diamond Dust, Dimensional magic and more.
PLUS
10% off Days til Christmas Tree and Advent Calendar pre-order!
There has been a real rush on these products this week. We have 10 days until the December countdown begins and we are doing our LAST reorder of these 2 items on Monday. If you want to pre-order them at a 10% discount, then please pop them in your cart and process the order by Monday 21st November (tomorrow). The stock will arrive within 7 days (or earlier hopefully!)



Click here if you want to order the Advent Calendar.
Click here if you want to order the Days til Christmas Tree


Weekly Round-Up
What a great week of inspiration we have had from the Design Team again! Look at these wonderful cards and projects they shared with us. You can see their posts here: Betsy, Lisa, Christine, Sandy and Lowri.


We are going to be sharing some ideas this week for homemade gifts. This covers SUCH a wide variety of ideas - it will be great to see what the Design Team and YOU can come up with!

For some additional inspiration - here are a couple of projects created by the DT last year.

Album by Tina Connolly - heaps more ideas here

Gift by Joanne Care - Details here

Album by Clarissa Hardy - Details here

Gift by Shirl Towan - details here

Gift by Betsy Clark - Details here

Gift by Betsy Clark - Details here

Challenges
Week Four Challenge
You can WIN yourself a Kaisercraft Christmas Journal and a set of Making Memories Twinkle Papers by entering YOUR Homemade Gift into the Week Four challenge by Saturday 3rd December.
Email us a picture of your project and PLEASE name the file you send with your full name as this makes it a lot easier for us to administer the competition! Send your entry to entries@artfullcrafts.co.nz

Week Three Challenge
You can WIN yourself the Teeresa Collins "Christmas Home" and Jenni Bowlin "Holiday 2011" papers by entering YOUR "Impress your Friends" Christmas Cards into last week's challenge by Saturday 26th November.
Email us a picture of your project and PLEASE name the file you send with your full name as this makes it a lot easier for us to administer the competition! Send your entry to entries@artfullcrafts.co.nz

Week Two Challenge
The entries and winner of the Week Two Challenge can be seen below!

Amanda

Anne

Carol

Erin

Stacey

Tania

Tanya

Tina

AND the random winner of the Kaisercraft Advent Calender is: Erin Hennessy!
Congrats Erin and thanks for joining in the fun! Please email info@artfullcrafts.co.nz with your delivery details.

Hi, Louise here with a few cards to share that may impress your non-crafty friends as they look harder to make than what they are.

First up we have a Waterfall Card, you can find tutorial for this on splitcoast stampers , but I found it REALLY hard to follow and suggest follow this easy to follow video on YouTube.......





Cool huh???? And pretty simple to make once you get the score lines figured out.  I have used papers from MM Twinkle 8x8 paper pack,  I love the colours in this collection, bright but traditional.  I have also used "December 25" clear stamps by KaiserCraft  for my images.

Next up is a simple Gate fold card........


 I didn't get a photo of the inside which is all decorated as the batteries went flat in my camera.  I have used a precoloured image on this card which makes things even easier.  I have then added highlights with my faithfull  stickles, I don't think I can make a card without using these little lovelies.

And last but certainly not least we have a kickstand card....



I have used the MM Twinkle papers again for this one and added a die cut doily which was cut with THIS Cheery Lynn die.  I have used the December 25 clear stamps again along with some flowers in the corner blinged up a bit with stickles.  The precoloured image has been cut out with a label die in my cuttlebug.

So that is a wrap for me for this time, hope there is something here to inspire you a little.

Good morning everyone - Betsy here today, as it appears to be my turn to update the blog.
Well, the excitement is sure mounting at Artfull Crafts, as Christmas is fast approaching, what with all the lovely new stock and of course, all the fabulous ideas etc. that have been floating around. Liz and girls are in their element!
Now for some cards.



This card is a twisted easel, made with a combination of Kaisercraft, Dec 25th and Graphic 45, Christmas Emporium. The two collections compliment each other - both are very traditional and the colours are lovely.




Card No 2 has been made using Teresa Collins, Christmas Home. I decided on a bow fronted card as I do enjoy making this style and it is a bit different.




Card No 3 is a very simple side step card using Graphic 45, Christmas Emporium. I really love the vintage look of this collection. Would you believe, this card was made using no measuring and with no ruler in sight. For a tutorial go to Card-Making-Magic site - Christina has very explicit instructions, as well as a YouTube.




Lucky last!! For card No 4 I have used the Simple Stories, 25 Days of Christmas. Again very simple. I have made full use of the stickers in this range. Actually, I adhere them to scrap card and cut them out, as it gives more body to them when mounting up.
That's all from me today - do hope you are enjoying these blogs and that they are encouraging you all to make some wonderful cards and pressies etc. Do remember the weekly challenges at Artfull Crafts - we love seeing all your work, and you never know,you could be a winner!

With many blessings to you all - have a great day,

Betsy xx

Hi Everyone. Lisa here. Today I have some cards to share using the beautiful "December 25" range from Kaisercraft. This range is definitely one of my faves this year. I love a traditional range with beautiful warm colours. I have made 3 cards using this range, all three are very different, quite simple yet effective.


First up I made a pop up tag card. I'm not sure of the correct name. I had a sample in my stash. When I went on a search for some more exciting cards I found this one. I thought it would be good as it is quite simple yet very effective. The base is like a box & the tag pops up through the centre. The whole mechanism is collapsible for ease of posting. Decorate as you please, being careful not to decorate like crazy as to not weigh the tag down..(note to self..lol) I used papers from the range and bits & pieces from the 6 1/2 inch paper pad. I didn't have time for a tutorial today so here is a link form You Tube...where I originally got the instructions for this card.


This is the card when collapsed. There is room on the reverse of the tag for your greeting.


For my next card you make what is almost like an open style envelope which is in fact your card. I love this style. I have filled my envelope card with lots of little tags and bits & pieces (as that's my thing) You can write lots of individual messages on each tag. I have seen lots of different ways of using this style of card. A great idea is to use a photo as your card insert so it is peeking out you could even add a tab to the top, to pull the photo out. To make this card you just need to cut 2 rectangles of card stock the same size as each other (no set measurement). Then cut one of the rectangles on the diagonal. Then flip one of the pieces you cut over the other so you have an envelope cross over effect (hope this makes sense) Tape the sides & edges down & decorate.


I punched the 3 layered circle & scallop all from the sheet of squares, this works really well your circle punch just needs to be smaller than the square image. Some string, ribbon, tags & bling & your done. I even used a doily for some extra prettiness.



For my last card for today I cut a larger square of the small squares from the patterned paper - Believe as the base of my card. I then cut out 3 additional squares and placed them over 3 existing squares using foam mounting tape - to add some dimension & interest. This almost creates a patchwork look with out the effort. Some inked edges, string, a bell & bling & your done.

Well that's my post for this week, quite hectic here at the moment starting to get organised for that big day. Lots of catch ups with friends...all fun, but I am so time poor at the moment! (I'm guessing a few you of you are in the same boat at the moment). So, next time your pull out your supplies in the endeavour to make some cards for someone special, consider making one of the ones Ive posted today that still look special but aren't really that difficult or time consuming at all.

Have a great day.

Lisa

Hi there- Christine here with some more Christmas Cards.
I have made some square ones this year - the 6x6 papers make great backgrounds for this size. This time I have used the My Minds Eye, Lost & Found -Christmas.

This card uses the Punch technique with the Layered Arches punch that I showed here .   We had a great class at Artfull Crafts last Saturday using this technique and had a lovely time trying other punches too, was amazing how they turned out. Thanks to the lovely ladies who came!

This last one won the last Challenge at the Southern Girls Blog - Using stripes & Spots. Was so excited to have won! Head over to their Blog and have a go at one of their Challenges.