Advent Calendar

Just had to make an advent calendar again this year. I so enjoyed last years but I was struggling to come up with something different particularly as the large numbers are so big!

Now its nearly finished I'm really pleased with what I have made. I have used a number of the new punches but many more of the old ones! The circles and scalloped circles are all cut from card and some retired coloured kraft card. Almost everything has been daubed usually with the colour to match the card and occasionally with the white kraft ink. Every thing is a minimum of three layers, dimensionals in between. The majority of the numbers are from an old retired stamp set, they look great, mini muffin tins so useful, well I think so.

 

I just need to add some ribbon to the top to hang it and perhaps something to the bottom to say 'Happy Christmas.'

What do you think?

Baubles

Something a bit different today. I love to play with fabric too. The class making these a week tonight is very popular with half the places already taken. On all my Christmas Baubles I have used retired embellishments, those glitzy shiny ones, I have rather a lot as I loved them so much. I have a box from each of the last 3 years. I know a bit sad but now they are coming into their own.

These are the baubles we have made so far!

       

Here is one that I have used those lovely embellishments on. I have since made another half dozen!

We also have kits with instructions for sale get in contact info@ourcreativeden.co.uk

Tuesday Card Class: - X cards

Every Tuesday afternoon we have card class. Its a lovely relaxed afternoon and every week its something different. Today we made x cards. One Christmas and one birthday. The ladies were really pleased with their makes.

The Christmas card is made with the Cookie cutter stamp set and punch bundle, with the light weight christmas papers.

The foxy birthday card uses the fox builder bundle of stamp set and punch. And the foxy paper stack.

Two very different cards yet very similar.

A good busy table of crafty stuff!

Buy all these items online now

Cookie cutter bundle, stamps and punch here

Christmas paper here

Foxy bundle, stamps and punch here

Foxy paper here

2nd Wednesday of the month club,

We try so many different challenges in the 2nd Wednesday club. On November 9th we are making crackers! And a box to put them in. One of the ladies who comes to this club makes wonderful handmade chocolates and these crackers will be ideal to fill with them. Filled and in the box they this will make a wonderful handmade gift.

If you would like to join us for the afternoon check out Our Creative Den 

Children's Christmas makes

In the afternoon the children will be making christmas items. The first will be a bauble followed by a glittery christmas tree.

Cute little bauble using the Christmas Magic stamp set.

The christmas tree is a lovely origami tree, much easier to make than it looks, then lots of glitter on the folded branches.

Its going to be a busy afternoon!

Halloween curvy keepsake

We have a children's workshop in the Den next week. One of our activities uses the curvy keepsake box but look what has been done to them!

Love this die, so many things you can make with these little box/bags.

Curvy Keepsake die here

Many Marvellous Mice

The Merry Mice and House Mouse stamps have been very popular in my studio this year so I have come up with a whole mice workshop. I have come up with the idea of a 5...4...3....2...1... make.
We will start with 5 mini gift tags, then 4 large gift tags, followed by 3 small gift cards, then 2 standard cards and 1 large flourish fancy fold card. Phew, is that enough???

Thats 24 mice altogether!

Stamp set Merry Mice here

Nearly finished fancy fold

I have a long list of things that I want to try. This morning I have had a bit of fun with this fancy fold/3d make. The designer paper is a retired pattern but I really like the colour. It works well with the delightful dijon and crushed curry so lots of daubing around the edges of the paper and the card.

Tomorrow is the day for making the contents so you will have to come back and see what it is!

  

I need to finish the outside of this box but I am pleased with the way it has turned out. What do you think.

A little showstopper

The workshop with Clare Rowlands in The Den last Saturday was all about lanterns.
The kraft card is such a great material to work with, then add in craft ink, white balls, acetate, ribbon, rusty bells,  and at the end of all that, some colouring.
There is anther one on my desk that is ready for putting together but its very different. I hope to bring it to you next weekend. Meanwhile here are lots of pictures of my kraft/vintage style lantern.

The icicles are a new technique for me using crystal glaze, fine glitter and some waxed paper . I still have two bottles of crystal glaze, one of which is un opened but this is a technique I will use again. So effective.

Shaker Card 3 and the last!

This is my final card. I will not be making any more of these for a while!!!

The hearth and Home die has been in my box for a while and this is the first time I have used it. I have seen so many beautiful cards made with it and I think it will sit on my desk for a while and be used more regularly.

My background in the window of leaves is stamped with the 'Sheltering Tree' set. I have stamped a few leaves too, using the stamps from the 'Perpetual Calendar 'set. There are 12 really lovely little confetti style stamps in this set which are great for backgrounds.

The centiment is also from the Sheltering tree. I have added lots of gold sequins to the shake stuff so this card does have a bit of sparkle, yet once again it could have done with a few more.

If anyone has any tips for putting the shaker cards together they would be most welcome. Back to firmer ground for me tomorrow!

Which of the three did you like best?

Shaker Card 2

Another shaker card but very different. However I still found it a bit of a challenge and I didn't put enough 'shake' stuff in! This time I used some seed beads and sequins, but under the acetate when the beads got onto of the sequins they got wedged. Does everyone else have these sort of problems?

This ballon die is so useful. The whole card could be done in pink, or any other colour you fancy. I have used designer paper Floral Boutique. The card base is  Marina Mist, and the card balloon is Pacific Point.

And tomorrows is a work of Art!