Hi everyone I am really sorry if I am making your to do lists longer each day with my new projects. I will stop if you want me to? Joanna I got into a lot of trouble for launching our Christmas ribbons in August, if I started a Christmas advent in June I think I would get blacklisted!!!!!! It is bad enough designing Christmas ribbons while the sun is shining let alone dreaming up Christmas projects - tell you what........... these ideas are not for Christmas 2011 but I am way ahead of myself and they are projects for 2012.....there you go, that makes us all feel better, thanks Joanna.
Do you want to see what I have made for today? If I want to keep this for myself, I think I am going to have to keep it under lock and key! I took it into the office yesterday and I nearly had it ripped from my hands.
Rachie suggested I should make a Christmas Cupcake. Will do Rachie..........with lots of fluffy white icing..............and little holly and berries........sound OK?
I have to say so myself, this cupcake is divine. I used 15mm wire edge taffeta ribbon here in Antique White, bling eyelash here in white and then for the holly I used this Holly Cluster ribbon here. The only others items you will need is a polystyrene ball (8cm) and pins.
Gather the ribbon using the wire, (same as the carnation video in the side bar) just gently pull the wire on one edge of the ribbon until it gathers up. Gather loads, this cupcake took about 5mtrs. Once gathered, place the end of the ribbon just below the centre line of the ball and pin the ribbon gathers in place so they circle the ball. Before you start the next layer of gathers, pin the eyelash just above the gathers. Keep pinning the gathers and the eyelash around the ball, you will start to spiral towards the top of the ball. Cut the ends of the ribbon and the eyelash and hide amonsgt the gathers, secure with a few extra pins.
The Holly Cluster ribbon is a very fine sheer ribbon and frays when cut. But Janet (she brought us a yummy chocolate cake this week to keep our spirits up - all gone sorry) showed me a new trick using jigsaw glue. Cover a piece of ribbon with the jigsaw glue, not too much that it is dripping but just enough to make it damp, and hang up to dry. If you do not have any jigsaw glue, we both think that a little watered down PVA glue would do the same job. The glue drys totally clear and makes the ribbon slightly stiff, but the main job is to stick each of the woven fibres together, so when you cut the ribbon it does not fray - wicked. So I managed to cut these little Holly and berry clusters from this..........
Using red glass headed pins I placed the holly clusters around the cupcake. What do you think?
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Judi made these two delightful cards for our Top 5 Christmas ribbon challenge, she confessed she struggled to start with, as the ribbons were slighly wider than she would normally work with.
Judi you passed the challenge, this Santa is unique, I love him. I also know a little girl that will want to take him home. Sydney was helping me tidy my craft room yesterday, well I was cleaning up while Syd was crafting! She spied my little green tree and told me "She would give it a good home" - what could I say. I am in awe of card makers like you Judi that create such wonderful layers - eight layers to Santa, super work and the Ho-ho-ho ribbon works a dream.
My film strip ribbon was a little bit of a "pet" project. I just loved the idea, the concept of photos on a film strip, and Judi you have set it off superbly, what a brilliant idea. Glad you enjoyed the challenge and we took you a little bit out of your comfort zone.
I know it is a busy time of year but I hope you all have a few spare moments this week to create. Cupcake - card or even wrapping presents - have fun.
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