Xmas tree . . Oh Xmas tree

Yes I've really got into the xmas spirit now, making xmas cards, tree decorations, last weeks sleigh full of tiny parcels that needed creating and now finally here is my Xmas Tree.  This awesome MDF tree stands just 8" (20cm) high and is part of this weeks blog hop at Imagine if . .  . The second half of the design team are revealing these trees and the remainder are coming up with something else (its a surprise, so follow the links and see what they've come up with).
Here's what I have come up with:

 

Once the tree was assembled as below it was decorated with lots of Imagine if . .  

chipboard pieces (also listed below).  These were mostly painted, then finished with various coats of stickles, glossy accents, sharpie pen, glitter or ribbon.

 

This is what I started with:

 

 

Then I hot glued jisaw pieces all over





 

Once dried it got a good coat of gesso then several coats of green paint, finally the top coat is a Lumiere Metallic Acrylic paint - Metallic Olive Green, this is soooo luxurious and so much nicer in person.

 



 

It was fun putting all the decorations on, practice time for the real thing.  Follow my links here to continue on the blog hop.  Please leave comments at all sites, we love to hear what you think of our work.  You would have visited Carol's tree before coming here, next person on the list is the lovely Tash who has come up with a real gem for you today.

 

Imagine if . .   products used here are:  MDF tree

                                                               stockings

                                                               candles

                                                               stars

                                                               bows

                                                               gingerbread men & candy canes

                                                               jandals

                                                               santas hat

 

All products are proudly NZ made, and are available online or at the shop in Morrinsville.  Please support our homegrown products.

Life's a Beach

For this week's blog hop with Imagine if . .  Jo has asked half the team to show the fab new MDF xmas trees, and the 2nd half to show off more of the oversized tags.  I got to do the tags, which allows me to get a sneak look at the xmas trees before I have to do mine for next week.

I am trying hard to make all these projects useable, so decided to attach a spine between 2 tags and create a functional notebook.

 

First I had to attach the spin with some adhesive backed canvas, then all surfaces were covered with this gorgeous paper from Prima 'Seashore' collection, all edges were then inked with TH Distress Ink 'Frayed Burlap'.  A burlap trim was attached to the outside of the spine to cover the rough edges.

 



 

Then the fun began in earnest.  These gorgeous vintage beach prints are on a 'Paper Arts' paper available at Imagine if . .  , bling, sea creatures and a few flowers finish the fun vintage look.

 

 

 Inside the photos have been place under a chipboard film strip.  The jotter pad was cut to fit then slipped into a slit on the back page for easy replacement.

Products available at  Imagine if . . are:           Tags
                                                                Seahorse family
                                                                Sea shells
                                                                Film Strip
                                                                Paper Arts papers
                                                                mini roses
                                                                TH Distress Inks

 Follow the links to check out all the other tags and xmas trees that the girls have created this week.  Before me you would seen Carol's tag and as I'm last on the list go back to the beginning and check out Katrina's xmas tree.
                                                    

CAS Xmas cards

Everyone's starting to think about xmas, with many competitions and challenges to be entered.  Here I've made some 'clean and simple' xmas cards to enter into a challenge with Artfull Crafts where they allow 3 entries.

 

 

I've made several different colour variations of the same card.  All 3 cards have been made using the same scraps from Kaisercraft Santa's List & G45 Twelve Days of Christmas collections.   I love the origami xmas tree which was folded following simple instructions I found here .

 

Thank you for visiting, I hope this sends a little Christmas spirit your way.

Watch out here comes Santa

The blog hop this week for Imagine if . .   is more xmas fun, with the 2nd half of the DT (including me) showing you our sleighs, while the other girls have had fun making xmas cards.

I assembled the MDF pieces firstly, then painted everything black.  Once that was dry I gave it a good coat of my new favourite product Crackle Medium, then followed with the red paint.

 

I just love the effect of this crackle medium.  

 

The reindeer are xmas tree decorations, who are doing a stellar job 'pulling' the sleigh.

 Presents galore, again some are just xmas tree decorations, while others are Imagine if . .  chipboard pieces, painted and coloured.

 

Thanks for visiting, if you are following the blog correctly you would have come here after visiting Carol's sleigh and to keep on track keep going to visit Tash with her amazing sleigh.

 

Let us know what you think by leaving a comment, we've all had fun making these, why don't you try.  These and lots of other xmas goodies (MDF, chipboard & felt) are all available from Imagine if . .  and all are proudly NZ made.

Meeting Santa

Oh dear everyone is now starting to talk about Christmas . . . . I am not even in that mind set yet.  So when I received my latest pack of goodies from Jo at Imagine if .    I had to quickly put my denial aside, grab the bit between my teeth and embrace the fact that there's only 2 months left till the end of yet another year.  Jo has sent us all lots of xmas goodies to show you all, so get ready to be 'wowwed'.

I've started off with a xmas layout using a lovely photo from last xmas, showcasing the awesome chipboard 'Santa's sleigh and reindeer' pieces.

 

I started with a Kaisercraft Christmas Basecoat paper, then layered on lots of gorgeous G45 Twelve Days of Christmas papers, following this sketch which was the October LO sketch challenge at Artfull Crafts  (which I entered AND won)

 

 

As I am no artist I simply gave the chipboard a weathered, aged look using a fab new product I've come across 'Ceramcoat' Crackle medium - I LOVE IT, and its so easy to use.  Watch out you will be seeing a lot more of it in the future.

 

This flower stalk is a gorgeous Prima product which I beheaded, then painted to suit.  The little cones I found on the roadside, have been painted, then finished with a bit of gold stickles which sadly is not showing well in this photo.  The large flower is from BoBunny.  All the different layers were hand stitched as well.

If you are following this blog hop correctly you should have come to me from Carols awesome xmassy layout and next follow this link to visit Tash with her gorgeous creation