Christmas Newsletter 2017

Written and Created by PaperCraftCentral Susan

Welcome to your Christmas Newsletter 2017, only for Subscribers to Paper Twists!

It's time to show you faithful subscribers the Christmas Newsletter 2017!

It is almost the end of the year and so many things are winding up for the year, though for many it is just the beginning of lots of celebrations with family and friends. With the start of holidays comes a social rush for quite a few of us. Then there's the shopping, organising, present wrapping etc...so I thought I would help you with the Christmas Newsletter 2017 ✨

In my experience, one of the things we seem to want to do a lot of at this time of the year is craft. We create handmade greeting cards, decorations, table ware, and home decor. It can all be so overwhelming at times. Where do you get ideas for that next project? Do you really have time to complete everything you have written on your 'to do' list?

Something else that happens is that people often travel in this period. How can you take your craft room with you?

Stampin' Up! to the rescue in all these cases!

There are so many lovely kits for making cards, decorations, tags, home decor and more now available, more this year than in any other. They provide all the supplies you need, or close to it! Often you only need a particular stamp set and adhesive to complete the whole thing.

Need Bulk Christmas Cards in a Hurry?

I whipped up 15 cards with the 'Watercolour Christmas Project Kit', for example. Not only does the kit have everything cut and ready, it provides visual instructions for making three kinds of cards. Of course, you can always tweak the design if you want to, but all I bought was the coordinating stamp set to finish my cards. They were super easy and super cute to make. Here are the three designs I made:

There are other card kits available. This time of year, they may even be on special! No promises, but why not check?

How About Tips for Mailing My Cards?

It's all about simplicity! And a bit of bling, of course, but keep the bling to a minimum as it often goes through the envelope in the sorting process. To get around this I turn my bling cards inside out before slipping them into their envelope. That seems ot help a lot with protecting the card front and envelope.

Want easy to mail cards with fewer layers? Stamp directly onto designer series paper. Here I used the Wise Men From Afar stamp set to create simple but effective cards that were almost flat. Talk about a quick project. I made ten of these in an hour or two.

If you need ideas in a hurry for card layouts, remember to browse your Stampin' Up! Ideas Book and Catalogue and the Seasonal Catalogue. Even if you don't have the exact stamp sets or colours used in there, copy some ideas from the projects the people at Stampin' Up! have created. I love to do this! No thinking required!

What about Traveling Crafters?

I wanted to have a project to take with me in the caravan as well for Christmas. We are on the road for a whole year! I couldn't bring my craft room with me, but I could bring a kit. I chose the 'Be Merry' tags kit and made it up this week, only I didn't make the 12 medallions into tags. Oh no. They became a lovely banner for our main window that you can see above. Coupled with a string of lights, it sure is beautiful. I love how the coloured lights catch the glittered pieces of the tags and make them sparkle at night. In the day, the gold foil pieces shine in the normal light. The kit had everything but a hot glue gun in it, which I remembered to throw into the van before we left. It was fun and quick to make, too. Here are closer pictures of the individual medallions:

If you make this rosette tag kit, I suggest you separate all the little pieces of netting for each rosette before you start. The netting is very fine and you need nine for each rosette. I had more than enough to finish so will use the leftover pieces on cards.

Yes, this is my caravan craft space. Lol!

Gift Wrapping?

Gift wrapping is easy now too. I choose a stamp set, some plain cardstock or stationery, and stamp images on it. This becomes hand made wrapping paper for my smaller gifts.

You can also make bags, boxes and tags for your presents, choosing the recipient's favourite colours and symbols to personalise their gift even more. Did you know, Stampin' Up! has ready-made boxes and bags, and coordinating colours in ribbon and other embellishments, making the creation of a special wrapping easier than ever?

Make quick and easy tags with punched shapes and thread Baker's Twine through a punched hole in the shape, ready to tie on to your gift.

Home Decor?

Home decor is fun to make too. I usually make us a new wreath every year but this year I made the banner you see above instead. You can use a paper punch to make shapes for your wreath really easily. I spent time in front of the TV with hubby, punching away, last year, till I had a big enough stockpile for my wreath.

Other quick ideas for home decor are handmade Christmas decorations for the tree (stamp and punch two shapes, glue them together back-to-back with looped ribbon in the middle for hanging), making a scene to place inside a shadow box using die cut shapes, cutting out stars or trees and tacking them to your walls with children's names on them, or adding foil and/or glittered shapes to your windows to catch the light day or night.

Tableware can be easy too. I made a serviette ring with my die cut wreaths, for example. You can cut these out very fast with your dies and Big Shot machine. Or choose a table centrepiece bowl or dish, then you can add paper flowers, ribbon, lace, sparkly rhinestones, and natural things like small pinecones to your table centrepiece.  

A few paper shapes can go a long way!

But Susan, how to I get all those Kits and Supplies?

If you live in Australia, you can purchase your papercraft supplies from my SusanSalutations shop. If you live in Stampin' Up! countries elsewhere in the world, be sure to search for a Demonstrator in your area and s/he will be delighted to help you with supplies and projects.

I hope in my Christmas Newsletter 2017  I have given you some ideas for quick and easy ways to use your craft supplies to enhance the holiday season.

Merry Christmas from all of us at PaperCraftCentral!

Susan

PaperCraftCentral home page | Special Occasion Cards | 3d Papercraft Projects