You will need two co-ordinating cardstock weighted paper for this project.  The My Minds Eye papers from January’s Full Tart is perfect for this.  It also uses one of my favourite stamps called “Beep Beep I love you” by Whiff of Joy which I coloured using my new Lyra Watercolour Crayons. 

Cut Sheet A 15cm x 23cm
Cut Sheet B 15cm x 13cm

Score sheet B 2.5cm in from each edge
Cut in from the edge to the score line where shown.
Use a bonefolder to crease along each score line.
Add doublesided tape to the ‘tabs’ at either end and bend up to form a box base.

Score sheet A at 2.5cm, 10.5 cm, 13cm and 21cm.
Use a bone folder to crease all the score lines.
Place double sided tape on one edge as shown and then fold up to form your box sleeve.

Optional Extra:  Use a punch to cut a semicircle from your box base, allowing the recipient to insert their finger and slide the box out easier.

Decorate your finished box as desired. You can add a belly band around the box outside if you want to guarantee that nothing will fall out.   I also added Distress Ink to to all edges of the box sleeve and base.  Fill with goodies such as a massage or movie voucher, chocolates or just a love note. Guaranteed brownie points for going to that extra effort

You can alter the size of your box too.  This second example I’ve made uses a slightly longer middle, simply by adjusting a few measurements. 

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I’ve just had a few photos from our Christmas holiday developed, and the colours in this range of papers suited the photos of my boys and their dad having a swim!

It’s no secret that deep red is a colour we associate with Valentines Day and seeing it’s really only just around the corner, I’ve also used this fun range to create a little project for my husband I can only show you sneek peeks of this one because it will be up soon as a Step By Step!

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Philippa asked me to have a bit of a play with them and I was more than happy to oblige.  I’ve never used watercolour crayons before.  I usually use water based inks and the occasional watercolour paint in a plastic set like you would buy a toddler to paint with.  So this was a new experience for me. 

I’m thrilled to say that these are now a HUGE favourite of mine. 

1. Portability – one tin provides a huge range of colours, everything you need!  Pack a tin, a brush and some stamped images for when you have a trip away and you’ve got hours of fun without taking up too much suitcase space!
2. Less is more – how simple is it that all you need is a bit of water and a brush.  I ordered aqua pens a while back through Philippa and these are the best investment.  You simply need to keep your pen filled with water, which lasts forever anyway, and a piece of papertowel to wipe off excess colour when you need to.   Of course you can also use a glass of water and a brush of your choosing instead. 
3. Vibrancy – these crayons give you a terrific vibrant colour if you want it, or wash them out with plenty of water and you get beautiful and very opaque colourings. 
4. Variety – you get sooo many colours, 48 in a tin!  BUT in addition, each colour varies in vibrancy and so the amount of different shades of each colour means that you can end up with 100s of colour options.    This makes a set this big great value.

Of course anything new takes a bit of getting used to.  Using a thin brush means you need to get in a bit of time working out how to control the bristles to stay inside lines.  I’m getting better at it now   There are a few ways to use the crayons and some neat little techniques that come along with watercolouring, some of which I’ll squeeze into other posts soon.

The crayon sets are an excellent addition to any crafters collection.  They are available here.

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This card is very simple and makes for a lovely Christmas card.

Start with a card folded to make a taller skinny card.  I cut mine 6 x 3.5 inches (so a little skinnier than a standard card).

Cut out some leaves from the same cardstock that you made the card base from.  I’ve used the EK Success punch seen in this photo.  Ink the edges of the leaves with a similar colour.

Then cut cardstock in a paler colour to 5.75 x 2.25 inches

Cut a second piece in the same lighter colour slightly smaller than your larger piece of paler colour and  then cut into 4 pieces, the 2 top ones obviously are more square in shape.  When you place these back onto the pale background, they should have a border around each piece.

You now want to simulate the panelling on a door. Ink the edges of these four pieces and then add them to the same coloured card using pop dots.

To make it easier to get a nice looking wreath, stamp a circle onto the front of the card where you want your wreath to be. 

 Add some liquid glue to the circle and adhere your inked leaf punches.

Adhere the door panel to the front of your card.  Fussy cut some mini poinsetta flowers from your Christmas papers and add these to the wreath in the bottom centre section.  Add a pearl to simulate a door knob.

Finally use some sentiment stickers or stamps to the front and you are done.  You may also like to add some little rhinestones to look like holly or perhaps some little beads. 

I’d like to say a big Merry Christmas to everyone and wish you all a safe and Happy New Year.  School is finished for us today which means time at home with my kids and no more running off to work for a while. 

Rach xxxx

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