12 Days of Christmas Mini Album...

Hi folks, as promised in last week’s Creative Expressions Design Team post

here's the completed Mini Album to go inside the 12 Days of Christmas box..

It nestles quite comfortably inside, and I have learnt from my "many" mistakes to make it fit!!!

The book itself has been made from scratch using Grey Board covered in Grey coloured card stock and

decorated using the 12 Days of Christmas Paper Pad designed by John Lockwood for Creative Expression..
Again, I won’t bore you with measurements at the moment as I have a lesson planned on the 10th October to make something similar, but hopefully I will get around to it eventually!!

Now all's to do is wait for Chrimbo 2015 to come around to fill it with all of this years snaps....
Thanks for checking us out, see you soon
Andy.

12 Days Of Christmas Box....

Hi folks... A little bit of a change for today’s Creative Expressions Design Team project..

If you've been in the shop recently you'll know I'm somewhat obsessed with boxes at the moment. Not for any particular reason, I just enjoy their construction, keeps to old grey matter ticking over don't you know!...

So, that's what I've decided to do with some of this Month’s Design Team products.

I've used John Lockwood's 12 Days of Christmas Paper Pad again,

it’s a Pad that just seems to keep on giving and giving cos there is sooo much in it!

Initially, chopping up

and matt and layering some of the images onto Red Mirror card and then putting them to one side whilst I made the box...
Now, I could bore you with facts and figures, measurements galore (in both imperial and metric of course!), but on this occasion I won't.

Needless to say you will need several sheets of Grey Board

even more sheets of your chosen paper to cover them

Copious amounts of Creative Expressions Cosmic Shimmer Glue

and a little time and patience as you see the box come together.

Or, you could just join me for my box making lesson (subject to availability) on the 03rd of October where we'll be making something very similar!

Many of my "oversized" projects have no practical use what so ever! Mainly, they display a technique!

This box however is an exception to the rule.. I've made it to house a Mini Album... And I'll be sharing that with you next time...
Thanks for checking us out.
See you soon.
Andy.

Poinsettia Easel....

Hi folks... A little bit of an "OTT" project for today’s Creative Expressions Design Team post. But, whilst the creative juices are flowing I'm ganna ride the wave...

I think I've put to good use some of the Design Team stamps I was sent, and if you fancy giving this, or something similar a go, then here’s a little step by step.

To start off with I took a piece of Black card stock and applied my Anti Static Bag to it. This is because I planned to add some Mica Powder and the Anti Static Bag will dry out the card stock and hopefully prevent the Mica Powder from sticking to areas you don't want it to, I.E sticky finger prints etc... You can also use the Anti Static Bag if you are using Embossing Powders.

Next, Ink Up your chosen Stamp with either Perfect Medium or VersaMark and stamp the image onto the Black card stock.

If you weren't going to apply any Mica Powder or Embossing Powder then this image will always stay there. It will of course dry, but not disappear, so would make a good "subtle" background technique with any of your Stamps.
Anyhoo, as I said, my plan was to use Mica Powder, and seeing as Phill Martins new "Frosty" colours (Aqua, Blossom, Jade, Mink, Sky, & Heather) have now arrived I thought I's put them through their paces...

Starting off with Frosty Jade..

Unfortunately my photography skills don't show off the subtle Green tinge to the image, but I'm sure you get the jist?!

Don't forget to seal your image with Spray and Shine or a generic Hairspray to stop the Mica from rubbing off.. One coat is sufficient to protect the Mica,

but I like to give it 3 coats to not only protect it but to give it a nice shine too.. "Personal preference really"!!

Repeat the process with all of your chosen images..

Once dry, matt and layer the images with your choice of card stock, again I have chosen to round the edges using an "Inverted" Corner Rounder Punch..

Adding the images to an Easel Card I had prepared.
Obviously it was going to need a little bit of "tarting" up,

so I prepared a few Poinsettia bunches using the Sue Wilson Classic Poinsettia and Holly Sprays Dies. The Poinsettias have been sprayed with some Crafter's Companion Spray and Sparkle, just to give them some of that good old Christmas Sparkle. The Holly Sprays which were cut out on Black Card Stock and have had a little Autumn Bronze, Chic Pumpkin and Enchanted Gold Gilding Wax applied to them before adding some Cosmic Shimmer Berry Sparkle Glue for the Berries..

And there you go.. Yes, very OTT but for those "Special" Christmas card this year I think it's well worth it.. Well, I guess the fact that a family member has already laid claim to it for their card this year, a job "jobbed" me thinks!!
Thanks for checking us out.
See you soon.
Andy.

Sentimentally Yours Stamp - SYCHHB Christmas Holly Background
Creative Expressions Stamp - UMS635 T'was The Night, UMS637 Florentine Background

12 Days of Christmas Advent Boxes...

... Hi Folks.. First things first... It's "Happy Birthday" to Pinnacles most precious members of staff.. I know you all come to visit her primarily, and the goodies in the shop come a very close second!!

Can you believe Holly turns Four Today!! Every day she has been with us has been a true blessing, and I can't imagine a day without her by my side, mostly because she never leaves it!! Everywhere I go, she goes too. I'm sure she sleeps with one eye open just in case!! Anyway, Happy Birthday Baby Girl xxxxx
Right, on with today’s Creative Expressions Design Team project...

A new Month means new goodies have been sent for me to "play" with... and here's what I have come up with for today.

I have used some of the sheets from the new 8"x8" Paper Pad designed by Jonathan Lockwood..

Cutting all of the squares to size and then Matt and Layering them with some Mirror card...
I knew where I was intending on going with this project, namely an Advent Calendar, but I really think I was going around it the loooooooong way, very long to be honest! I was intending on making each box individually!! Which would have probably taken my right up to Christmas to finish..

Step in the voice of reason by way of Toni who pointed out to me the Boxes I made last year using the WeRMemory Keepers Envelope Punch Board...
And before you knew it I was a churning them out, because they really do take no time at all to do..
Here's a step by step guide if you wish to make some of your own..

Take a piece of light weight card or paper and cut it 8 1/2" x 6"

With a score board, place the card width ways (8 1/2" way) and score at 2", 4", 6" & 8"

turn the card around (6" way) and score at 1", 1 1/2", 2" & 4"

Fold all of your score lines one way

and then the other, the important thing being that all of your folds should be "Mountain" folds

apart from the score line at 1 1/2" which should be a "Valley" fold.

Next, cut off the very small tab on the bottom of the piece of card,

and snip between each of the squares next to it. This will create the base of the base of the box.

To allow the neck of the box to "concertina", take your Envelope Punch Board and fold over the small tab at one end of the piece of card, place it under the punch element of the board. You should notice that the "little Blue foot" just rests on the 1" scored line, or you could just place the card at the 1 1/2" marker at the back of the board.

And punch through.

This will create a little "oval" shape which will allow the neck of the box to spring up and down.

Fold the next score line over and repeat,

and again at the next score line,

and once more.

For the last section, there is nothing to fold over, so just place under the punch element and punch through.

Now all's left to do is apply some tape to the little flap at the side to secure the back

and then fold in the bottom flaps, taping them as you go to secure the bottom.

This is how the neck of the box should be, it's important that it’s a "Valley" fold for this reason...
Now for the lid.

Cut a piece of card stock 4 1/16"th x 4 1/16"th

score the piece of card at 1" on all sides.

Snip in on each of the squared edges

and then mitre the corners...

Fold all of the score lines and then add tape to the coloured side of the little triangular area and stick them together..

And there you go!!
Personally, when making these I tend to use a random patterned card stock, or at least one that doesn't matter which way is the right way up.

However, if you do choose to use one with a specific design on it, such as stripes, to get them the right way up, cut the card with the 8 1/2" edge as you wish the box to appear.. I.E as shown here with the RED paper, not the Green...

Cut the way the Red is, the stripes of the box will be vertical as opposed to the Horizontal Green ones, depends what you're after really!

That said, whatever way you cut the lid, you will always get two sides going the right way, and two going the wrong way!! Nature of the beast I'm afraid...

Thanks for checking us out, see you soon.
Andy..

Hoogie Board
WeRMemory Keepers Envelope Punch Board