Large Christmas Bows ~ More Makes from my stash

Christmas Makes for Home or Craft Fairs 

Large Bows 

Over the years I have purchased many items in the January sale particularly Small decorations and rolls of gorgeous ribbon for crafting. 

I also own several bow makers which are great for the smaller bows and medium size that you want to add to parcels or cards. But this year as I have been going through my stash, trying to use what I have I thought large bows for decorating in the home, adding to Santa Stop here signs, and/ or gift boxes would be a good item for Craft Fairs. 

I am not doing any this year, due to family illness, but I still like to think about all my craft making in terms of:

what would be fun to make

What makes are suitable for Craft Fairs

What makes would be good for demonstrations or classes

I think the large bows would definitely be something I want to try at a Craft Fair and will make a few different samples to try.

The first one is for childrens rooms or parcels, I think it would be perfect for the bedroom door 

It measures 10” across and in height and takes up a standard Christmas reel of approx 3yds 

To make this styled bow you will need

3yds of chosen ribbon

Some cotton to tie off, (or you could use a plastic tie and cut it)

A good pair of scissors

I have used a wire edged ribbon  

Fold around the ribbon so the end is in the middle until you have the desired size bow.

Then around a couple more times so you have 3 layers and cut off 

Cut another piece of ribbon 20” long 

The odd piece left tie a soft knot in the middle

With the Bow pieces, squeeze the sides into the middle at the centre and tie around with cotton

Using the 20” piece for the tail, fold in half so that the right sides are showing both halves and pinch together at the top lay the the back of the bow.

Then use the soft knotted piece to tie the three pieces together securing tightly at the back and trimming the ends to sit within the bow.

Once everything is together  pull the bow sections out and shape nicely.

If you need to see this on a video there are several on YouTube but I found the following the easiest to follow but I used cotton instead of ties 

https://youtu.be/kOuonUcnHTs

I made 3 bows of various sizes, but if I was going to take these to a Craft Show I would probably stick with a 6” and 10” bow 

To display them I would use an A5 or A6 sheet of card and lay the bow on the card stitching it down just under the centre knot.

So I have gone ahead and done a couple to show you .

Once attached to the card they will stand up easily in a basket 

This was the 10” bow on an A4 card

Below is the 6” bow on an A5 card ~ stitched on the same way.

As they take a lot of ribbon I would sell the large for £2.50 and the medium for£1.50, although if you used more expensive ribbon you would need to charge more, but a selection of prints and ribbon, sizes and price offer the buyer a good variation. 

Back soon with some Christmas Stars that really stand out

Dee

Gift Bag for my Luxury Cards

 Luxury Card Gift Bag 

Presenting your crafts

Although I have finished my Christmas Stash posts, I thought I would share a gift bag I made to put the luxury cards I made and shared in my last post.

I could have made a box but having watched a video on YouTube from Sam Caldcotta, showing how to make her slimline envelope gift bag , to present  her special cards, I decided to adapt it for my luxury cards.

I used 2 pieces of A4 white card 

A piece of acetate

A couple of pieces of silver card to go over the the top 

And silver ribbon that matches the cards. 

I cut the A4 card down to 11” x 8..25 and then scored the 2 sides and base of the A4 on both pieces at 1.5” . Fold and bUrnish the score lines.

On one piece I cut a section out in the centre of the scored area and added acetate to the back of the card (this is the front of the bag)

As you can see I added the lurex ribbon around the edges to finish it neatly and decorated the corners.

On the front piece I cut out the bottom right and left square 

On the back piece I just cut up the score line on the bottom and left and right square until it reached the score line.

Place the two bottom flaps together and glue and then fold in the corner flaps and glue down

Next glue down the side panels making your gift bag

The silver tops I cut at just under 8” long so they fit the top of the bag, and 1” to 1.25” wide

Score at 1/2”. Cut two and add them to either side of your bag

When they have dried mark 2” in from both sides and in the centre of the silver strip and punch a small hole ( I used my crop a file but you can use any hole punch you have). DO this both sides and you have the holes to add your handles. I used the other style of ribbon used on the card and cut 2 pieces approx 11” long. 

This bags neatly displays your pretty cards and offers an opportunity to gift your cards as well as give them to individuals. 

I then added a tag giving the contents of the bag and attached it with matching ribbon.

If you want to see a video on how to construct this bag here is the link to Sam’s video and while you are there why not check out her latest videos which includes her newest die and stamp set for a great pop-up card 

https://youtu.be/Mi4Uee1Dr5s

Happy Crafting

Dee

Using up your Christmas Stash

 Last pick from the Christmas Box 

Project 4 ~ Luxury Cards 

Well here we are with the last delve into the Christmas Box to find something to use for the final project this month ~ using up your Christmas stash.

Sitting on a tray in the box were 6 decorations purchased in the January sale a couple of years ago. I love to pick up bargains and add them to my stash when they are a great price and these were less than half price at the time of purchasing. I also have lurex ribbon that I buy each Christmas from Hobby Craft as they have all the classic Christmas colours for a £1 a roll .

So i gathered the items onto my craft desk and thought about how to use them. 

I decided to make luxury cards. 

To make the 6 cards I used:

9 cards and 6 envelopes 5” x 7” from Card Craft 

12 foot of ribbon; in the end I used 6 foot of the lurex and 6ft of the soft silver organza with a smart edge. 

The 6  wire and pearl tree decorations

I also used my Tim Holtz stamping pad and Papermania embossing powder in silver.

Hot Glue gun 

Embossing heat gun

First I used the 3 spare cards to cut down and make the layers to add the decorations

For this I cut them in half and then cut 2cm off the top edge and one side edge

Next i wrapped the ribbon around one of the cards to get the placing for my greeting. The ribbon is secured with sellotape on the back 

I placed the 6 layering pieces onto the Stamping platform one at a time and stamped with embossing ink, (one at a time) and then added the embossing powder. When I hade them all stamped I used my heat gun to emboss the greeting.

Then I added the ribbon to each pieces 

When this was all done I added the trees using my hot glue gun. The glue was placed down the centre trunk area and an extra amount on the bucket at the base. 

One of the decorations had lost its bucket and rather than leave a piece of metal that could catch, I made a little cover with folded ribbon and hot-glued it over the end.

With the topper complete I added each one to a base card with dimensional stickers to lift them a little off the base card. 

The end result is this rather luxurious classic silver and white card that can be used for anyone. I will line the inside for a quality finish. I am really pleased with the cards and these will probably go in my Etsy shop, as I will be adding a few items for Christmas this year. 

These cards really did use up some of my Christmas Stash (still lots available) and have given me a little nudge towards Christmas crafting. 

November I will be sharing some of my Christmas makes so be sure to pop by every now and then and check them out. 

Happy Crafting 

Dee

Christmas Origami Decoration using your stash

 Number three Christmas Craft Using your Stash

Origami Decoration

This decoration is quite simple folds and can be put together quickly. It is made with 2 squares of paper and the most difficult part is putting the two pieces together as it uses no glue.

It is a great way of using up your 6 x6 Christmas paper pads and any beads and threads that will help add a great finish. If you are struggling to follow my written instructions you can follow a video by going to:

http://www.all-about-origami.com/origami-ornament.html

I have used 12 x 12 oddments from my Christmas box as well as some 6 x6 pieces from the Sara’s Signature “‘twas the night before Christmas” pad.

Take 2 pieces of square paper, for all of the above I used 6”squares, and I like a contrasting top and bottom, but that is a personal choice you can use print or colour for both. 

Fold each piece in half, unfold and fold in half the other way. Unfold again and turn over before folding diagonally.

Fold in so it makes a smaller square.

Next bring up one of the closed edged sections, so that you have a triangle facing up make sure it is central and place a pencil or something into the triangle up to the corner tip carefully, before pushing the centre fold down evenly lining up the centre sections.

Do this on all the folds, and finish leaving the same amount of folds on each side.

Do this with both pieces 

Unfold and put a small hole in the middle where you can thread a piece of cord or ribbon through the to hang the ornament add a bead to decorate and hot glue the ribbon down on the inside of the top piece

Make a hole the same in the bottom section and add a tassel or beads to decorate.

Now you are ready to put your lantern together .

Fold the two sides back up and lay flat on your craft mat. 

Where there is a long tail slip it under the half fold of the other piece , pinch together and continue round to the next section until all the sections are slotted together . When you get to the last one it will lock in and form the complete lantern. 

I hope you enjoy these decoration and are inspired to have a go yourself.

Dee

Christmas Stash Makes

 Crafting with your Stash

Project 2

For my next Christmas Project with items from the box I decided to make some table favours.

I checked out a few on YouTube and Pinterest and in the end decided not to use dies to cut hem out as although they were pretty boxes with intricate cut-outs, you were limited to the size of the die. Instead I decided to go back to a favourite style, the self - closing pouch box. I had templates using 12 x 12 papers and then had to adjust the sizing for the small size I required.

This was a very useful exercise as not only did I learn that the basis of this box required a square centre panel to make it work but that instead of making the box with 2 sheets of card I could in fact work it out to are from one sheet.

As well as the  3” favour box I am showing, I can make cute little 2.5”, 3.5” , in fact any size up to 5” as this fits onto a sheet of A4 or 12 x 12 card.

As I wanted to use my Paper Tree Christmas pad (8 x 8) the 3” box left me enough paper over to make a name plate card, which elevates the project, so I have used papers from the Yuletide Memories pad. 

I started with a 2.5 as a trial. Made with a piece of 6 x 6 glitter card and inlaid with a piece of paper from the scrap box ( it is from a Paper Tree inset paper pack) 

Before making a set using the 8 x 8 papers.

For each favour and card, cut the 8 x 8 sheet down to 6.5”W x 5”H 

This gives you a strip 1.5” which you could make tags to add names if you wish and a 3” strip that I folded in half to make name place cards.

Score the width at 3” and 6”

Turn and score 1.25” at the base of the sheet and again at 4.25” , leaving 0.75” at the top 

This will give you two 3” squares with a strip at the bottom and top and a side strip that allows you to join the front to the back of the box. 

Mark the bottom of the left square in the centre and score up from the bottom edge to the score line and then from the pencil mark to the outside edges of the square at the top 

You will end up with a bottom ledge marked in 4 equal parts and the side seam

Two 3” squares, one with a triangle (upside down) marked in the centre

A top ledge with 2 sections and the side seam

Next cut up the score lines of the 3 bottom sections cutting a slight V notch, cut away the bottom side seam section

Cut the top in the same way on the centre score line and cut away the side seam section you will end up with this 

I usually corner my top ledges by folding in half and using my corner punch 

Fold and burnish all the score lines particularly the triangle 

Put double sided tape or glue the outside of the side seam and fold together.

Fold the bottom four section in as you would when making a box and glue each section down, making sure to line up the sides so there is no overlap. This box can be opened and filled using the top section. 

You will then have your favour box.

Here they are with the place cards alongside. I have put a hole in the centre of the top ledge and threaded some ribbon. And added some holly or start to the front section of the triangle to decorate but you can use name plates or any form of decoration that goes with your Table settings. This size holds approx 3 Lindl chocolates.

I like to add these boxes to the Christmas Tree with little chocolates inside to be given to visitors over the holidays. 

I hope you will enjoy having a go at making them from your stash of card and papers, they do not require any special dies or equipment so anyone can join in. 

Dee 

Starting Christmas - Still Crafting our Stash

 Christmas Craft - From my Stash

Well here we are in October and I am starting to think about Christmas, maybe even a Christmas Fair, not sure if I will manage one this year, but I like to try new things and if I think they will be suitable for a craft fair I make a careful note of the materials and instructions for future use.

I really enjoyed the September theme of smashing a Card Kit and am going to continue the theme of using up your stash for October.

I don’t know what other crafters do, but I keep boxes of Christmas material separate to the other yearly papers and embellishments. I do not have children so unless I am doing a Craft Fair I do not have a lot to make for Christmas except cards gift bags and parcels. I also make some cards for Charity and maybe a craft class or two. With this in mind I pick up pads and embellishments anytime I see them on offer and put them away. This year I have bought a couple of 12 x 12 pads and some 8 x 8 Paper Tree pads to make Gift bags. 

So I started this months crafting by getting out my large box of Christmas items put away at the end of January. There were several bits and pieces, part paper pads, and some unfinished projects. So I am going to start my Christmas crafting by completing these and using up some of my stash to do this. I may end up with a mix up of Christmas crafts and Craft Fair items but they will all be made using my stash, not with new purchases. This months posts will be all the items I make from my stash, with inspiration from the items in the box 

First Out The Box

A pack of Mini Notelets in a matching Mini Folder 

The mini notelets were made for a craft fair and was the last pack of several made using A7 cards and envelopes. I know I had purchased cream and white packs of these A7 cards and  I had a white pack  hardly touched. I was not completely happy with the presentation of the cards and decided to make a box to put them in .It was a simple single piece box made from a sheet of white A4 card. 

You measure the items to go in the box add 1cm to width and length and then measure the depth you need. The depth measurement becomes the measurements for the sides so a box that needs to be 9 x 11 x 2.5cm will require a piece of card 

Width 11cm + 2 x 2.5cm = 16cm 

Length 2.5 + 9 + 2.5 + 9 + 2cm = 25cm  

These measurements become the score lines.

I wanted the cards to be Christmas “Thank you” cards for children to be able to say Thanks for their gifts. So to make the cards I ran the whole card, opened out,  through an embossing folder and then simply added a wooden button in the shape of Santa or Penguin. I finished the card by adding a simple paper lining, There are no greetings as that way the cards can be used as Christmas cards or Thank You cards. 

I decorated the box with some paper from a Christmas Paper pad purchased from The Works. 

This has used up all the A7 cards and envelopes and half the wooden Christmas buttons and made a very very small dent in the big box.

Back soon 

Dee