ENVELOPE PUNCH BOARD - CHRISTMAS CRACKERS -

Christmas Crackers are such an integral part of a British Christmas. I know when I lived in Houston, Texas I couldn't find them anywhere!  They are so easy to make and although they won't pop, at least you can decide what to put in them to suit whoever they are for.  You can also co-ordinate your Christmas table with colours to match your scheme - and gift favour bags to match - but that's another video for another day.

Here are a few samples using the Presents and Pinecones Designer Series Paper.  Some of our papers are on special offer at the moment, buy 3 get 1 free and this set was part of the offer.

 The Scroll and the Ho Ho Ho sentiment comes from Greetings From Santa set.

The Cracker below is the one I chose to do in the YouTube video.  This one uses the Heres to Cheers stamp set and the Merry Tag Framelits.  Dazzling Diamonds were added to the bauble for a touch of glitter.  Some Candy Cane Baker's Twine and Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine completes the cracker.

Here are the sizes

 DSP - 6.5" x 10"  (16.5 cm x 25 cm)
On the LONG side score at 1" (2.5cm) either side

On the SHORT Side score at 1" (2.5cm), 2" (5 cm) 3" (7.5) 4"(10cm), 5" (12.5 cm) and 6" (15 cm)

Burnish the folds and using the EPB punch at 2" (5cm) on both sides all the way down the paper.

Now score at both ends at 1.5" (3.5cm) 2" (5cm) and 2.5" (6 cm) - this is actually just before the punch, in the middle and just after.

I hope you enjoy making these crackers.  If you would like to purchase any of the supplies through me I'd be happy to help you.  Just click HERE to be taken to  my online store.

Don't forget to use the Hostess Code for October ~(shown on the right hand side of my blog) if your order is under £150 to get free product. If your order is over £150 you do not need to use the Hostess Code as you will automatically get free goodies.

If you are in the Hampshire area - do get in touch - I hold lots of classes both day times, evenings and weekends.  


 

POOTLERS BLOG HOP - NEW CATALOGUE

 Welcome to the Pootler's Blog Hop - I hope you are ready to see some wonderful Christmas inspiration.

In case you hadn't heard our new Winter Catalogue went live on 1st September.  Full of lots of Hallowe'en , Christmas and New Year goodies and also some lovely autumn stamp sets too.

I absolutely love making Christmas cards and what better job than to be able to make them in August/September!


For my card today I am sharing this lovely card made with a few of our new sets and some adorable accessories.

I started out with a card base made from Smoky Slate.  I used a new Versamark pad to stamp some of the sentiments and a lovely accessory stamp from the Banners For Christmas set.  Regular readers to my blog will have seen the state of my Versamark pads.  And whilst they still work when they are covered in ink - its no good if you want to do tone on tone so I had to bite the bullet and buy another one!

I then added some of our Warmth and Cheer Designer Washi Tape - this then gives such a versatile card base for lots of different ideas.

 I'm a traditional girl at heart - so Christmas to me is reds and greens and traditional style stamps - so I adored this stamp set Christmas Magic when I saw it.

One of my favourite Christmas films of recent times is Polar Express.  May I bore you with a little story about this film.  We used to live in Houston, Texas when the children were small.  Our first Christmas out there was spent in very warm weather and on Christmas Eve we decided to go to the local cinema to see the new film Polar Express.  Imagine our surprise and delight when we came out of the Cinema to see it was snowing.  The first time in Texas in 50 years - it was so magical and everyone was out calling out Merry Christmas - which is unusual in America as its normally Happy Holidays.  A very special memory and all evoked by this little train stamp!

 I've coloured just parts of the train using a Blender Pen and Garden Green and Cherry Cobbler.  A touch of Wink of Stella on the steam makes it shimmer slightly.  I've used some of our lovely Candy Cake Lane Baker's Twine with the added sparkle and wrapped it round the card and added some of the lovely Mini Jingle Bells.

Well, there's another tale.  Attempting to thread the bells with the twine.  An Eureka moment when I used a touch of Washi Tape around the end of the twine which helped to thread them a lot easier, as shown below.

 A touch of dimensionals to pop the train onto the card base and that's my card done.

 I hope you like it and it gives you some inspiration for your own Christmas cards.
 

 Now pop along on the blog to Jillian's fab blog to see what she has for you..

or pop back to our fabulous Sam Hammond to see her project

And don't forget - if you would like to get your hands on any of the goodies shown above just click on the image of the new catalogue at the side of this post.