A calendar by Olga

Hello all!

Here is my project for Christmas Challenge 2014. This is a calendar which actually can be used for many years as the printed calendar can be changed each year.You can even put there a photo and this will become a photo frame.

The products I used:

Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit (Powder Blue & Teal)

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 4PK - Holiday Greens (658759)

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 9PK - Winter Borders & Rosette

 

Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 54PK - Calendar Months

Have a nice day!

Snow Princess

At Christmas we observe all those time honoured traditions and clichés which is one of the many things I love about the season.  

I love to cook and fiddle about with recipes and ingredients, my kitchen can resemble a mad scientists lab at times and some experiments are more successful than others as I'm sure my long-suffering family will confirm. Christmas day however, is not a time to go messing about with a successful formula although I'm still striving to create the perfect roast potato (any hints/tips are welcome!).

The Christmas gift is another part of the season steeped in tradition..... socks for Dad, smellies and deodorant for the teenage boys, school photo for Mum/Gran etc.

One tradition which I started myself (and as my birthday falls on Christmas day I have special dispensation to do as I please!) is to create an embellished photo frame for my Mum featuring a photo of my daughter Poppy. This year will be no exception so I'm using this blog to work through a couple of ideas.

I wanted to use a slightly less predictable colour palette than the usual Christmas/winter combinations and I threw in a little mustard (the colour not the condiment....that would just be silly!)

The dies I used are listed below, click on each one to bring up a link for more information.

• Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 5PK - Paper Snowflakes by Tim Holtz
• Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 4PK - Holiday Greens
• Sizzix Bigz Die - Flowers 3-D

I also used a little gesso and Distress Glitter, a combination which I am trying to wean myself off but it just seems to work so well with the current Christmas collections.

I started by choosing my photo and colour palette assembling a collection of plain and pattern card and paper from my ever growing stash. I die-cut two pieces of the foliage and applied a thin layer of gesso to subdue the colour intensity, using gesso in this way helps everything blend together in the final piece. 

I die-cut two snowflakes giving them the same gesso treatment before die-cutting the 3D flowers. I used a sanding pad on the edges of the flower die-cuts to give a little distressed contrast although I used a light brown Distress Ink (Old Paper) on the ivory flower. Next, I assembled the flowers and matted the snowflakes together adding an adhesive gem to the snowflakes' centre. I also added a little Distress Glitter to the tips of the foliage and snowflakes.

I chose my photograph and printed three copies in black and white. I carefully cut around two of the figures and used one as a mask which I placed directly over the main photo before applying spray glue. After removing the mask I sprinkled the photo with Distress Glitter giving the entire background a magical frosting. It's quite hard to pick up in the images but it is quite spectacular (Honest!!!). Next I attached the other pre-cut figure in place using adhesive foam pads this gives a wonderful sense of dimension, especially when combined with the contrasting frosty background.

I took a wood effect picture frame and lightly distressed the edges using a fine sanding block  before inserting the spotty background and the assembled photo. Next I attached the foliage die-cuts together with some assorted flower stamen.

All that remains is to attach the snowflakes with adhesive foam pads before applying the flowers with my trusty glue gun.

Hopefully this will turn into a nice little collection of as the years go by, I have even bigger ideas for the final gift which sadly I can't share just now as my Mum reads this blog from time to time!

Why not start a creative Christmas tradition of your own.... you have my permission!

Jams for Christmas

This 4th and last week of the Christmas Challenge 2014 brings you different ideas for homemade Christmas presents. I love giving and receiving homemade goods and this year I've made quite a lot of different jams and I think they make for great little presents.

While the main attraction of course is the jam itself, it never hurts to dress things up a little. First of all I used the largest scallopped square from Framelits Die Set 6PK - Squares, Scallop to cut out the fabric that covers the top of each jar. Then I used a die from Thinlits Die Set 12PK - Ornate Labels to create tags for each jam jar. On these I've stamped the name of the jams and as a final little touch I've added a heart made using my favorite heart die from Thinlits Die Set 10PK - Phrase Cards.

I decided that it would be a nice idea to not only have the jam be the present but also the recipe for making more of each jam. This led me to writing up and printing each of the recipes and then diecutting them using a die from Framelits Die Set 12PK - Fancy Cards. Once again I stamped the names of the jams and decorated the recipe cards with red hearts.

 

Supply list:

Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit (Powder Blue & Teal)
Sizzix Accessory - Magnetic Platform for Wafer-Thin Dies

Framelits Die Set 6PK - Squares, Scallop

Framelits Die Set 12PK - Fancy Cards

Thinlits Die Set 12PK - Ornate Labels

Thinlits Die Set 10PK - Phrase Cards

Cardstock

Baker's twine

Gold thread (DMC)

Fabric

Wink of Stella

Glossy Accent (Ranger)

---o---

Denne fjerde og sidste uge af Christmas Challenge 2014 byder på hjemmelavede julegaver. Jeg holder af at give og modtage hjemmelavede gaver, og da jeg i år har syltet ganske meget, har jeg også givet en del syltetøj væk som gaver.

Selvom syltetøjet naturligvis er den primære gave, så sker der bestemt ikke noget ved at gøre lidt ud af indpakningen. Jeg startede med at bruge den største die fra Framelits Die Set 6PK - Squares, Scallop til at udstanse det stof, der dækker toppen af hvert af glassene. Derefter lavede jeg tags til glassene med en die fra Thinlits Die Set 12PK - Ornate Labels. På disse tags stemplede jeg navnene på syltetøjerne, og så brugte jeg min favorit die fra Thinlits Die Set 10PK - Phrase Cards til at udstanse små hjerter som dekoration.

Jeg syntes, at det ville være hyggeligt at give modtageren muligheden for selv at lave mere syltetøj, så jeg besluttede at give opskriften med også. Jeg printede hver opskrift, og derefter brugte jeg en die fra Framelits Die Set 12PK - Fancy Cards til at udstanse dem. Igen stemplede jeg navnene og dekorerede med små røde hjerter.

Ingredienser:

Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit (Powder Blue & Teal)
Sizzix Accessory - Magnetic Platform for Wafer-Thin Dies

Framelits Die Set 12PK - Fancy Cards

Thinlits Die Set 12PK - Ornate Labels

Thinlits Die Set 10PK - Phrase Cards

Karton

Baker's twine

Guldtråd (DMC)

Stof

Wink of Stella

Glossy Accent (Ranger)

Christmas week 4: Gift wrapping idea with Lilith

Welcome to the last week of the Sizzix Christmas Challenge. This week is all about gift ideas. These last years my family has tried to cut down on the gifts. I love just spending time together and not getting into a spending frenzy and just buying things that don't get used. We do make each other gifts or give each other vouchers. Now just giving an envelope isn't that exciting so I decided to reuse some chique black boxes.

 I grabbed a gold and a white doily and then cut out some snowflakes using the Sizzix Bigz Die - Snowflakes #3 . I sewed the snowflakes together and then adhered them to th doilies. 
A bit of ribbon to hold the box together and I have a pretty box to put under the tree. I just added a tiny tag so that I can add a name to it. 
Easy and it instantly makes the gift so much more fun. 

 
Supplies:
Sizzix Bigz Die - Snowflakes #3   , Big Shot Starter Kit, Other: Gold and white doily, Studio Calico star, American Crafts premium ribbon, twine.  

Home made food gift ideas with Sizzix

Hi everybody! and welcome to the Sizzix Christmas Challenge 2014 week 4. In this week, my fellow Sizzix Bloggers and myself are giving you some ideas for your las minute gifts.

Who doesn't like some home made food? I love to gift and receive some delicious jam or cookies, so today I want to show you two ideas to make cute food gifts.

The first one is a decorated jar of jam. You need one jar of home made jam, some ribbon, gold card, some pearls and, of course your Big Shot with the Christmas Trims die set by Deby Potter. So easy, quick and festive. You can put it in a beautiful basket with some fresh bred and coffee and make an awesome "breakfast" gift to someone.

The second idea is a cookie recipe. Put the ingredients of your favorite cookie recipe in a beautiful jar and make a little card with the instructions of the recipe. In this case you need the Flowers Intrincate die set by Paula Pascual, some card, ribbon and ink.

I hope you like theese Ideas!

Happy Monday!

Felt Santa Christmas Ornaments

Happy Friday everyone,

It's fun to make your own Christmas Tree Decorations. Here's a super cute and easy to make felt ornament that can be made in just a few minutes.

 
Items used:
Sizzix Big Shot Machine Only (Powder Blue & Teal) (657900)
Sizzix Bigz Die - St. Nick (660051)
felt and fabric
cardstocks
distress ink
lightly stuff
twine white and red
small bell
strass
hot glue
 

 
How to make:

You can do it in your own way, with the best colors and anyway you want.

Cut different parts of the St. Nick by Tim Holtz from different materials: cut out two piece of front from white felt, cut out the hat from fabric or felt, cut out face from cardstock, holly from green felt etc. Distress the edges.

Glue the edges of front above the back, leaving a gap to lightly stuff him, before finishing off.

Embellish and insert some twine to create a loop for hanging.

Voilá! You’re done!

You’ve created a Christmas ornament that will be a treasured keepsake for many years to come. Keep for yourself, give as gifts, or use to decorate presents and packages.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!

Anna

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Buon venerdì a tutti,

Appena ho visto questa fustella Sizzix, ho pensato subito che sarebbe stata perfetta per creare una Decorazione per l'albero di Natale... troppo carina! Ecco così un'idea facile per fare una decorazione in feltro, che può essere realizzata in pochi minuti.

Materiali:
Sizzix Big Shot Machine Only (Powder Blue & Teal) (657900)
Sizzix Bigz Die - St. Nick (660051)
feltro e stoffa
cartoncini
inchiostro distress
imbottitura
spago bianco e rosso
campanellino
strass
colla a caldo
 
Come fare:

Potete fare il Babbo Natale a modo vostro, con i colori che preferite.

Tagliare le diverse parti del St. Nick di Tim Holtz da materiali diversi: tagliare 2 pezzi della sagoma principale dal feltro bianco, tagliare il cappello da feltro o stoffa, ritagliare il viso dal cartoncino, l'agrifoglio dal feltro ecc. Sporcare i bordi con inchiostro distress.

Incollare i bordi del fronte sopra il retro, lasciando un'apertura, dove infilerete l'imbottitura prima di chiudere.

Inserire uno spago per appendere la decorazione.

Aggiungere i dettagli ritagliati e abbellire con strass, campanellini...

Voilà! Il gioco è fatto!

Avrete creato così una decorazione natalizia, che potrà diventare un ricordo prezioso per molti anni a venire. Con questi simpatici Babbetti, potrete anche fare dei piccoli regalini o utilizzarli per decorare i pacchetti.

Grazie della visita, buon fine settimana!

Anna

Christmas tree decorations with Karine

Hello,

This week the whole Sizzix team will propose nice ideas to decorate your Christmas Tree! This year, I chose pastel feminine shades for a merry colourful tree!

Supply List:

Very Merry Kit: entreartistes.fr

Cardstock: American Crafts

Badges: Freckled Fawn

Gold twine

Gold cloth

Golden label: Ephéméria

Dies:

658300 : Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit

659978 : Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 9PK-Winter Borders & Rosette

659994 : Sizzix Bigz Die Snowflakes #3

Have fun cutting loads of rosettes to create your own Christmas decorations! I cut my first shape out of white cardstock; it is glued with double-sided tape. At the back, a little gold thread is glued so that it could be hung to the Christmas tree. The embellishments have to be minimalist and light so as to hang properly.

Instead of using a star at the top of the tree, I cut a large snowflake out of gold cloth. Its center is decorated with a Freckled Fawn badge.

Little golden bows and pink snowflakes will come as a completion.

We only have a week left to wait before decorating the Christmas Tree! I’ll be cutting out die cuts while waiting for this moment :-)

Have a lovely day,

Karine

Bonjour,

Toute l'équipe de Sizzix vous propose cette semaine de jolies idées pour décorer votre arbre de Noël ! Cette année j'ai choisi la couleur, des teintes pastels et féminines pour un sapin acidulé !

Matériel :

Very Merry Kit :entreartistes.fr

Cardstock : American Crafts

Badges : Freckled Fawn

Ficelle dorée

Tissu or

Etiquette dorée : Ephéméria

Dies utilisés :

658300 : Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit

659978 : Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 9PK-Winter Borders & Rosette

659994 : Sizzix Bigz Die Snowflakes #3

Usez et abusez des rosettes pour fabriquer vos propres décorations de Noël ! J'ai découpé ma première forme dans du cardstock blanc, elle est fixée avec du double face. Au dos un petit lien doré est collé pour pouvoir accrocher ma décoration au sapin. Les embellissements se doivent d'être minimalistes et légers pour tenir.

En guise d'étoile qui sera fixée en haut tout en haut du sapin, j'ai découpé un grand flocon dans du tissu doré. Le centre est décoré avec un badge Freckled Fawn.

Des petits noeuds dorés et des flocons roses viendront compléter ma décoration.

Plus qu'une semaine à attendre et nous ferons le sapin ! En attendant je continue mes découpes :)

Bonne journée

Karine

Owl be home for Christmas!

Oooh! that's a bad pun, even by my standards which are pretty low!

Last week when I was making the Santa/Rudolph gift boxes I mentioned in passing that people are doing some amazing things with owls. Owls seem to be one of the things to hang on your tree this year so I thought why not?

The dies I used are;

• Sizzix Movers & Shapers L Die - Pillow Box w/Labels (658268)
• Sizzix Sizzlits Decorative Strips Die - Mini Paper Rosettes (657177)
• Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 4PK - Holiday Greens (658759)

 I started by die-cutting, folding and gluing my box from heavyweight ivory card. Next I die-cut a selection of festive greenery from the same card before delicately inking the tips using 'Antique Linen' Distress Ink. Next I applied a little glue to the tips with my fingers and added some Distress glitter and a strategic smattering of sand coloured glitter before using them to cover the box as shown below.

I die-cut two of the smaller paper rosettes and inked the edges before assembling each one and placing a large pearl brad in the centre. Next, I used my finger to apply a little PVA glue around the edges before dipping them in Stampendous Glass Glitter.

To make the owl's beak I die-cut a small heart using one of the Framelits Heart dies before inking and applying more glass glitter.

All that was left to do was to attach the eyes and beak with a glue gun before inserting a loop of string through the hole in the top. The beauty of this decoration is that it can also contain a few goodies or a small gift. I hope you enjoyed it, I know I had fun?

Christmas Challenge 2014 - Tree Decorations



Hello to all:) This week we have a theme "Tree Decorations". I like recycling so I used some old pages for this decoration. What a more, this is really quick to do:)

Sizzix products:
Sizzix Big Shot Machine 657900
Sizzix Bigz Die - Heart Pendant 659244



 Take six pages and cut the hearts out using die Sizzix Bigz Die - Heart Pendant 659244 . The pages are so thin that you can cut all the siz at the same time. Emboss all the frame hearts randomly using embossing folder "Snowflake" or other suitable. You can also skip this if yo want:)
After embossing place all the six hearts and frames one on the other and sew them together like in the picture. Finally open the pendant and hang up!

Happy crafting, Minna

*    *    *    *

Moi, tällä viikolla teemana kuusenkoristeet:) Itse tein tällaisen nopeatekoisen koristeen ja koska olen innokas kierrättäjä, käytin vanhan kirjan sivuja tähän.

Sizzix tarvikkeet:
Sizzix Big Shot Machine 657900
Sizzix Bigz Die - Heart Pendant 659244

Ota kuusi sivua kirjasta ja leikkaa sydämet stanssilla Sizzix Bigz Die - Heart Pendant 659244 . Koska sivut ovat ohuita voit leikata kaikki kerralla, nopeuttaa työtä. Embossaa sydänkehykset satunnaisesti kohojauheella "Snowflake" tai jollain muulla sopivalla. Voit myös jättää tämän vaiheen tekemättä. Asettele sydämet päällekkäin ja ompele yhteen kuten kuvassa. Lopuksi taita  ja asettele sivuja auki. Tässä kaikki!

Mukavaa askarteluhetkeä, Minna