How to make a Father Christmas/ Santa Bag

Every year, I gift my Nieces items for their Christmas Eve boxes, it is normally Reindeer Food and Hot Chocolate or Christmas related Chocolate. Last year I gave them Father Christmas/Santa Bags made from the gorgeous bag die from the All Dressed Up Dies. I first saw this bag on Facebook/ Instagram by the amazing Stacey Marsh. It is really simple to make and can contain Christmas Chocolates and Hot Chocolate.

I used Poppy Parade to make the bag, of course you could use any Red card that you may have, I think of Poppy Parade and Father Christmas because of the Christmas Papers from a few years ago, (Signs of Santa, it was super, super cute.) You need two of the main bag die in Red, two of the straps in red, one of the strap die in black, two black buttons. The smallest sentiment die in Basic White and the buckle in Gold Mirri/ Gold Foil.

Tips and Tricks

• use a bone folder to ensure the fold lines are burnished

• using wet glue for the seems helps manoeuvre the pieces in to place

• I used a tape pen to add the buttons and belt to make it easier to add and less likely to get glue everywhere.

I love these little bags. I definitely think that I will be making these next year as well. Which colour did you make yours out of?

Delicate Baubles Splatter Card

I have been trying to tidy up my craft room as my stash is overwhelming and I keep having avalanches as my piles of items fall. Whilst tidying I found my Cosmic Shimmer Metallic Gilding Polish, which I bought a few months ago to use like gilding wax to use on my Christmas Cards. I had forgotten that I had these. I recently watched a fabulous Facebook live by the fabulous Stacey Marsh which used the Delicate Bauble dies which I have CASEd (copied and selectively edited). I knew I wanted to use the dies but was wandering if I could use the gilding polish to make splatters (and you can you just need to add water and flick with a brush!) I also wanted to add some sparkle without adding foil or mirri card. So I added the gilding polish on to the bauble die cuts as well.

The dies were originally part of a bundle with the Bright Baubles stamps, the stamps have now sold out and have been discontinued. I think that the dies work gorgeously on their own, whilst it is a bonus to be able to colour in the baubles, I don’t think that the stamp set is essential to be able to utilise the dies.

Measurements

My Metric

10.5 cm x 14.5cm (10.5 by full length scored at 14.5cm)

Inside Panel – 10cm x 14cm

Metric

10.5 cm x 14.8 cm (10.5 by full length scored at 14.8cm)

Inside Panel – 10cm x 14.3cm

Imperial

4 1/8" x  5 7/8" (4 1/8” by full length scored at 5 7/8)

Inside Panel – 3 7/8” x 5 5/8”

Tips and tricks

• Use adhesive sheets to make sticking down easier

• The sheet lifts well with a take your pick tool

• The bits will come out, but may need help with the take your pick tool or die brush

• I used the end of a paintbrush to move the gilding polish on to block, which I used as a paint palette

• Use the spritzer to add water to the gilding polish and stir well so will splatter without lumps

• Use different scrap papers for ink blending and splatters (Once finished move the card to prevent the back being covered in splatter)

• Tap off the excess ink from the ink blending brush before using them

• Evening Evergreen darkens Night of Navy

• If cutting a mask ensure the ‘sticky’ side is at top (otherwise the wording is upside down

The video below shows how to create the card.

I am not sure if the splatter technique will work with all gilding polish but it works very well with the Cosmic Shimmer Metallic Gilding Polish. I love the Shaded Spruce and Highland Heather examples, which is your favourite?

Birthday Card Using Christmas Items

Todays card shows that Christmas items are not just for Christmas but can be used through the year. I am using a few of my most used items from the July to December catalogue, that can be used in different ways. I think that the happy from the Christmas Cheer Dies, is a very versatile die (I am yet to use it in the way it was designed, but I do need to design some cards.)

I have used some non-Christmasy designs from the Peaceful Place DSP and my favourite sequins.

Measurements:

My Metric

10.5 cm x 14.5 cm (14.5cm by 21cm scored at 10.5cm)

DSP and White Layer - 10cm x 14cm

Metric

10.5 cm x 14.8 cm (14.8cm by 21cm scored at 10.5cm)

DSP and White Layer - 10cm x 14.3cm

Imperial

4 1/8 " x 5 ¾" (5.75” x 8 ¼ scored at 4 1/8)

DSP and White Layer – 3 3/4” x 5 1/2”

Tips and Tricks:

• use a Stampin’ Write marker to only add ink to the part of the stamp required

• if you are not confident cutting out a shape - use a punch

• Cut down the piece of card and foam to fit the die

• if you do not have foam, you can stack layers of die cuts together

I hope this has inspired you to use your Christmas dies and papers in a different way. I may need to hide the sequins so that they do not end up on every card. Do you have an item that you need to put away?

How I prepare my co-ordinating dies

Although in my last post I stated that I prefer clean and simple cards, to overly complicated ones, I adore punches. But I must confess that I have a number of dies. I mainly use layering dies, however, I have a number of stamp sets that have co-ordinating dies. I feel I don’t use them enough, so have challenged myself to use them more. To inspire myself and check they are all present and working, I complete a number of actions.

I first check that all the dies are present and correct and that they are the dies I am expecting ( I am not aware that a different die set has appeared in an envelope but it is good to check). I then take a picture, some people scan or photocopy the dies to show their position or alternatively they draw round the dies to show where they go.

I then carefully remove the dies, from the backing sheet as the double sided tape used is very sticky. I usually add a piece of magnetic sheeting to the card to add the dies to. The magnetic sheet I used in the video below came from Pink Frog Crafts. I then count to ensure that I still have all the dies (some little dies can disappear, I have a magnetic wand to find the pesky things.)

I had already stamped the Hand-Penned Petals stamps in Basic Gray, I then use my die cutting machine to die cut the items, I used my Mini Stampin’ Cut and Emboss, which I call Dinky. I cut each die cut for the co-ordinating stamps and then each die in Basic Black. For layering dies, I use Basic Black for the base and then Basic Gray for the layers. I add all the die cuts to pieces of Basic white.

I love having the inspiration for card sketches in a format that I can take it with me. The inspiration could be kept in a stamp case or a notebook.