Christmas Stamping

I haven't had too much chance to play with some of my new stamps but I have had a project out on the table since I got them.  Usually when I get new stamps I'll take just a fews minutes to stamp a few out and see what they look like.  This is just a single stamp from the Waltzing Mouse Nordic Winter set and I stamped it up in a Christmas red colour until an entire A4 kraft colour sheet of card stock was covered.

 

A couple of days later and I decided to take a few more minutes and make up the 'easiest box you'll ever make' (one of my tutorials here on my blog from way back).  I started by making up the lid from my stamped card stock.

 

Next up I assembled the lid and then trimmed a further piece of card stock and created the base.

 

Then it was a few days later that I picked up the stamp set and hand another play.  This time I stamped the long decorative stamp in green on strips of card stock.  I had in mind to decorate the box as though it was a wrapped gift but actually the entire lid would lift off in one.

 

 

I also knew I wanted my bow to be offset in one corner and for the bow to make quite a statement.

 

I used my envelope punch board to create a bow with the stamped card stock strips but it wasn't quite grand enough and looked a bit plain as a single bow.  I decided to create two further tails and had to punch the notches slightly offset on either side to get the angles right.  I did this by offering up the tail to my bow, twisting it in one direction and then placing a pencil dot just about where I needed the notches to be.  For the third tail I simple offered it up and twisted in the opposite direction and then repeated the process. Hopefully that makes sense?

 

Anyhow here is the finished bow which makes a much greater statement than the original bow.  I could've added a double loop as well but I didn't want to go overboard at this point.

 

And then I added a few things inside my box and set it aside for several days.  I will reveal the finished box later this week as I'm popping it into the post right today.  It's off to someone special to bring a little Christmas joy.

 

And real quick cos I'm headed out to visit my mother this evening and have to get ready I wanted to share the cracker box I am toying with next.  This is made using the envelope punch board as well and after it had sat for a couple of days I stamped it up all over so I could see what some of the other stamps in the Nordic Winter set looked like.  I still have to finish it with ribbon ties and a tag so like the box it's sitting out waiting for me to have a spare few minutes to pick it up and play.

 

It's surprising how much of my crafting these days is done on the go here and there.  It means it takes a bit longer to finish a project but I'm not in any kinda hurry.  I have been working on Christmas cards too as I sit and watch the telly on an occasional evening - I don't watch too much telly.  I'll post a picture of those later this week as well hopefully.

 

Blessings

 

Suezie