Beccy's Place Day 28 - CAS Design - Holly Days 1

I'm playing along with the
Tenth Annual
Month of Holiday Cards Challenge

at Beccy's Place

FULL details about how it works are HERE

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Day 28 - CAS Design

(Beccy's post with "CAS Design" definition and elegant

candy cane card to inspire are HERE)

I confess, I love CAS cards and was thrilled to make some for today's prompt.

My "CAS Design" cards use "Holly Branch 1", a pre-coloured image from the Holly Days digital stamp set from the Beccy's Place Store.

I opened the Holly Branch 1 image in Silhouette Studio as it is a great tool for designing cards and printing panels, it's not just for cutting.  I sized the image to fit nicely on a 5" x 7" panel and added a sentiment.  I flipped the image to make another card and added the same sentiment, so even though there are two cards using the same image, they're still one-of-a-kind.  I added a thin black line to the panel, printed then manually cut down to size before adhering the image panels to the card bases.  I used some heavy (300gsm) smooth white cardstock to the make card bases ... I've made so many cards that I ran out of my pre-scored supply, a good problem to have as it means I've been more productive than I thought I could ever be.  

   

*** INGREDIENTS ***

Holly Branch 1 - pre-coloured image from the Holly Days digital stamp set

textured cardstock - to print the image panel

300gsm smooth cardstock - to make card bases

stainless steel ruler and craft knife to cut cardstock to size

scoreboard and bone folder - to form the card bases

Helmar 450 Quick Dry - to adhere image panels to card bases

Beccy's Place Day 29 - Z is for . . .

 I'm playing along with the

Tenth Annual
Month of Holiday Cards Challenge

at Beccy's Place

FULL details about how it works are HERE

~~~*~~~*~~~

Day 29 - Z

(Beccy's post with "Z" inspiration words and

beautiful Z-fold card to inspire are HERE)

My "Z" project is Zig Zag.

The garland on my Christmas Tree is a single piece that

Zigs and Zags across the Christmas Tree treat box.

While making our 2022 Christmas cards, I'm also trying to prepare some Christmas craft activities for kids in our neighbourhood too.  Today I'm preparing a sample and kits for making Christmas Tree treat boxes.  I thought that little hands might enjoy decorating their very own treat box and getting it filled with tasty treats when it was finished.

These fun treat boxes were made using a cut file (see details and link in ingredients).  The Zig Zag garland piece was a bit fiddly to adhere in place, so I decided that it would be too messy and challenging for little hands, so I adhered them on all the bases.

   

In case you were wondering,

these Zippy Christmas Tree treat boxes hold a LOT

... there are eleven Twix, yes, 11, inside this one

... and I could probably tuck in another couple if I tried.

Why eleven you may well ask, well that's a full packet...

Little hands can decorate these treat boxes in any way they want, using assorted rhinestones, sequins, glitter glue etc.  I bought a bundle of little tubes of glitter glue, so that they can be included with each kit and any leftovers used for another project.

*** INGREDIENTS ***

Silhouette Design Store - Design ID #309404

Christmas Tree Box - cut file by Studio Ilustrado

Silhouette Cameo - to cut the pieces

textured cardstock

liquid adhesive

Helmar 450 Quick dry for larger panels / layers

Helmar Acid Free Professional for the smaller pieces / flaps

assorted rhinestones / sequins - for decorating

assorted glitter glue

Beccy's Place Day 26 - X is for . .

I'm playing along with the
Tenth Annual
Month of Holiday Cards Challenge

at Beccy's Place

FULL details about how it works are HERE

~~~*~~~*~~~

Day 26 - X

(Beccy's post with "X" inspiration words and pretty cardinal

on X-Press It blending card to inspire are HERE)

My "X" project uses X-treme scraps to make a

Christmas Tree topped with a double-X star.

While making our 2022 Christmas cards, I'm also trying to prepare some Christmas craft activities for kids in our neighbourhood too.  Today I'm preparing samples and kits for making Christmas Trees using cardstock scraps and wooden craft sticks (inspired by THIS project I found in cyberland).

I've been using lots of green cardstock, some trimmed manually from 12" x 12" sheets, others cut into fancy shapes using my Silhouette Cameo.  I decided to trim thin strips from my "leftovers" before sending anything to the recycle bin.  Needless to say, I have a lot of different shades of green and lots of strips in different widths and lengths, you could say they're X-treme scraps.  To make a tree, take a craft stick and start adhering green strips across the stick, leaving space at the bottom to form the trunk.  Start with the longest strips, using shorter strips as you go upwards to make form the tree shape.  It is easier to trim the strips to size before adhering them in place.  You can leave it with a rustic look or it can be trimmed to form straight edged "triangle" shape.

Glue two thin strips of sparkling gold cardstock to make a little "X", glue another two strips to make a second "X" then layer the X's together to make the star to top the tree.

Glue the star to the top of the tree.

Glue a loop of thin ribbon or twine to the back of the tree to finish off the

X-tremely Scrappy Christmas Tree ornament

topped with a double-X star.

   

Little hands can also decorate the tree with assorted rhinestones / sequins / enamel dots.  I have left my sample with just the double-X star because I like seeing the different shades of green together with the touch of sparkle shining through.

*** INGREDIENTS ***

assorted craft sticks

adhesive

double-sided tape / liquid glue / glue dots

assorted strips of green scrap cardstock

strips of gold cardstock - to make star

scissors to trim strips to shape the tree

assorted rhinestones / sequins / enamel dots - to decorate tree

inspired by THIS project I found in cyberland

Beccy's Place Day 24 - V is for . . .

I'm playing along with the
Tenth Annual
Month of Holiday Cards Challenge

at Beccy's Place

FULL details about how it works are HERE

~~~*~~~*~~~

Day 24 - V

(Beccy's post with "V" inspiration words and delightful

snowman card with vellum snowflakes to inspire are HERE)

My "V" project is also Vellum.

I used vellum to add a delicate background to the Merry Christmas sentiment.

I lashed out with the sparkle and used a sheet of sparkling green cardstock to make the cardbase.  The offcut was used to make the front panel.  I matted the front panel with white cardstock, trimmed to 1/16" border and adhered it to the sparkling cardbase.

   

  The sentiment was die cut from the same white cardstock and the background layer die cut from vellum.  I used tiny dots of liquid adhesive to secure the sentiment on the vellum then to secure the layered sentiment on to the front panel of the card.

*** INGREDIENTS ***

Sparkling green cardstock

white cardstock

vellum

Merry Christmas - decorative dies - Kaisercraft

Sizzix Big Shot

adhesive - Tombow Mono Multi - to adhere sentiment and vellum

adhesive - 450 Quick Dry - to adhere matting layers

Perfect Layers Ruler - to trim white matting layer to 1/16"

Beccy's Place Day 6 - F is for . . . Fuzzy Felt

I'm playing along with the
Tenth Annual
Month of Holiday Cards Challenge

at Beccy's Place

FULL details about how it works are HERE

~~~*~~~*~~~

Day 6 - F

(Beccy's post with "F" inspiration words and super cute card made

using the FREE Stanley digital stamp to inspire are HERE)

This "F" project is Fuzzy Felt,

a Forest of Fuzzy Felt trees.

This is my second "F" project created for this Beccy's Place event.

While making our 2022 Christmas cards, I'm also trying to prepare some Christmas craft activities for kids in our neighbourhood too.  Today I'm preparing samples and kits for making Ombre Christmas Trees (inspired by THIS tutorial I found in cyberland) using Fuzzy Felt and wooden pegs.

As most of the little hands that come to craft on our front lawn are not "Scissor Accredited", I decided to cut the felt panels in advance.  This will make the activity safer, easier and faster for them to do some mixing 'n matching to create their own forest of fuzzy felt trees.  I have sharp scissors listed in the ingredients but have to confess that I used my rotary cutter to cut 3" strips of felt, then cut it down into triangles.  I used sharp scissors to cut the triangles down into three sections.  I have kept all the little offcuts, you never know, those little strips could come in handy for another project.

To assemble each tree, take a wooden peg and three fuzzy felt panels and glue them in place, with the smallest piece at the bottom of the peg (you know, the bit that opens up and is used to hold the washing on the clothesline), lining up the piece so that you can't see the edges at the end.  Allowing a small space, glue the next panel in place and finish off with the largest panel, ensuring there is "trunk" left at the end.

   

These trees can be turned into ornaments to hang on the Christmas Tree by making a loop of thin ribbon or twine, opening the peg, inserting the peg into the loop and either close with the top of the peg holding it in place, or having it sit loosely in the "hole" of the peg that is usually used to peg clothes in place on the clothesline.

   

Taking it up a level, a Forest of Fuzzy Felt trees can be made and used to create a garland.  To do this, thread some pom poms on some twine/ribbon/string and "peg" the trees in between each one then hang up on display.  You can even get pom poms with a hole, which makes it much easier to thread them.

*** INGREDIENTS ***

nimble fingers

wooden pegs (clothespins)

three shades of green felt

I recommend a fairly stiff, heavy felt, mine was a little flimsy

sharp scissors

twine/string and pom poms to make garland

adhesive - to adhere the tree panels in place

(glue dots or liquid adhesive would be good options)

twine/ribbon/string and pom poms to make a garland

reference - THIS tutorial I found in cyberland

Beccy's Place Day 19 - Q is for . . .

I'm playing along with the

Tenth Annual
Month of Holiday Cards Challenge

at Beccy's Place

FULL details about how it works are HERE

~~~*~~~*~~~

Day 19 - Q

(Beccy's post with "Q" inspiration words and Quite delightful

patchwork Quilt cards to inspire are HERE)

Q had me in Quite a Quandary until I remembered Quilling.

Last year our "Q" activity was Quilling with pipe cleaners.

My "Q" project this year uses Quilling paper strips.

While making our 2022 Christmas cards, I'm also trying to prepare some Christmas craft activities for kids in our neighbourhood too.  Today I'm preparing samples and kits for making craft stick Christmas Trees with lots and lots of Quilling paper strips.

These Christmas Trees can be "super quick and easy" for small hands or be

a little more challenging for older kids who have been "Scissor Accredited",

so I have made them in two formats.

*** Super Quick and Easy ***

Gather a bundle of assorted craft sticks.

I have accumulated a big variety of these over the last few Covid years. 

Cut a variety of green triangles to fit each craft stick size.

Adhere green triangles to craft sticks to make the tree base.

Gather Quilling paper strips and tree bases together for assembly.

   

Secure strip of double-sided tape along the middle of the tree, from the base to the

tip.  A thin line of liquid adhesive could be used instead but it can get a bit messy.

Peel cover from the double-sided tape and randomly adhere the assorted green Quilling paper strips across the tree shape.  If more layers are "needed" by creative small hands, another strip of double-sided tape can be applied.  Ensure that there are paper strips covering the adhesive layer.  An alternative to the strip of double-sided tape is to add a small dot of adhesive to the middle of each strip then secure it in place. 

   

 Turn the tree over and trim along the edge of the tree shape.

A star can be glued to the top of the tree (glue dots are super handy for this job).  I have a bundle ready to use, along with some yellow cardstock and a star squeeze punch ... small hands love using my punches.

A small loop of ribbon can be glued to the top back of the tree, turning it into a Christmas Tree ornament that can become part of the annual family Christmas decorations.  A nice touch is to have the creator write their name and the year on the back of their masterpiece.  If several are made, they can be used to make a garland, holding them in place with mini pegs (clothespins).

*** Quick and Easy ***

Adhere a strip of double-sided tape along craft sticks, leaving space at the bottom to be used as the Christmas Tree trunk.  Peel cover from the double-sided tape and randomly adhere the assorted green quilling strips across to create the tree shape, with wider strips at the bottom, tapering to a point at the top.  The strips can be cut to size before being adhered in place or the layers of strips can be secured in place and trimmed later.  If more layers are "needed" by creative small hands, another strip of double-sided tape can be applied.  Ensure that there are strips covering the adhesive layer.  An alternative to the strip of double-sided tape is to add a small amount of adhesive to the middle of each strip then secure it in place.  Once there are "enough" layers in place the tree can be trimmed to suit, the choice is up to the "Scissor Accredited" designer, a straight edge triangle tree can be created, or individual strips trimmed to give a tree shape with a more uneven edge.

As with the Super Quick and Easy version, a star can be glued to the top of the tree (glue dots are super handy for this job).  I have a bundle ready to use, along with some yellow cardstock and a star squeeze punch ... small hands love using my punches.

A small loop of ribbon can be glued to the top back of the tree, turning it into a Christmas Tree ornament that can become part of the annual family Christmas decorations.  A nice touch is to have the creator write their name and the year on the back of their masterpiece.  If several are made, they can be used to make a garland, holding them in place with mini pegs (clothespins).

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NOTE:

Although I am "Scissor Accredited", I struggle with "random",

my need to measure and align is strong, so I can assure you

that little hands will put these together faster than any adult!

~~~*~~~*~~~

*** INGREDIENTS ***

nimble fingers

assorted craft sticks - for different tree shapes & sizes

assorted green quilling strips

green cardstock - to cut into triangles for the Super Quick and Easy version

yellow cardstock - for the star

squeeze punch - for the star

OR you could use a star shaped rhinestone,

I have some that would work for smaller trees

double-sided tape - to adhere the green strips

assorted widths to use with different sized craft sticks

scissors - to trim the tree

glue dots or glue - to adhere the star

fine ribbon or twine - to add a loop for hanging

Reference - these tutorials I found in cyberland HERE, HERE and HERE.