Presents!

One of the best parts of Christmas is all the presents! Well, as a kid it is *laugh* Candy canes and reindeer are pretty good, too, but who doesn't like seeing a wrapped package with your name on it. This glittery, sparkly card in traditional Christmas colours captures the gift giving side of Christmas.

Challenges

Impression Obsession: Quick Christmas
52 Christmas Card Throwdown: Glitter
Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps: Ribbon, Lace, and/or Twine
Scor-Pal More than One Score: Anything Goes
Dies R Us: Christmas

Supplies

InLinkz.com

Putting It Together

For this card, I wanted to use a birthday die to capture an element of Christmas. I love the Silk Microfine glitter "inlay" effect so decided to use it, too.

To give more definition to the card, I wanted to have a subtle visual divider or grid for the present inlays. First Iput a sheet of adhesive over my panel, keeping the release paper on. Since I wanted raised lines on the card, I flipped it over and scored the 'grid'. I also added score lines close to the edge all the way around.

With the release paper off of the panel, you can easily see the scoring.

When the card is done, the scoring is far easier to see in person than the photos, unless you zoom in. But, the subtle detail really gives the card a bit of "pop". Without the scoring, the panel would be flat and dimensionless.

To make the inlay, I die cut the release paper (and kept the bits that fell out). To help orient the die, I made a Sharpie mark at the top of the circle and used the magnetic platform to keep the die in place.

I put the release sheet back on the panel and fit in the small squares of the presents. One of the squares disappeared on my desk so I used scissors to cut a square of the backing release paper. Only the area around the presents in the circle has the adhesive exposed. I carefully used the rest of the backing sheet to burnish down the release sheet to ensure it was fully adhered. For the Elizabeth Craft Designs adhesive sheets, the top release sheet is release on both sides, the backing paper is only release on one side. Just make sure the backing paper doesn't flip while you're burnishing.

To minimize mess (and the glitter sticking to everything effect), I lined a cheap aluminum pan with a Swiffer cloth. I also used a paper coffee filter to contain the glitter over flow. I dumped the first Silk Microfine Glitter, Green, over each of the circles.

I lifted the card and let the excess glitter cascade down to the filter.

Using a cheap fluffy makeup brush (Dollar store for the win!), I brushed off more excess glitter. The microfine glitter sticks wonderfully to the adhesive sheet and wipes off the release paper. I dumped the excess glitter back into the jar to use another day.

Using a finger, I burnished each of the glittered areas. It's not as easy to see in the picture, but the glitter goes from dull to shiny as you burnish it. It's very easy to see where you have done and not done. The microfine glitter has a soft feel to it as you burnish. If you try this technique with a larger chunkier glitter, you have to be much more careful with the burnishing and the glitter doesn't always stick as easily.

After burnishing, to make sure all the excess glitter is gone before adding another colour, I used a piece of a Swiffer cloth and wiped the panel. I also wipe off my paper filter to minimise cross-contamination with the next colour.

First colour done. Panel clean and ready for the next.

I removed the small squares from the packages and dumped on True Red. I used the same steps as with the green.

Using a paper coffee filter while adding glitter or embossing powder or other similar substances makes it rather easy to deal with the excess and clean up. The paper of the coffee filter is designed to be low static so the powdery stuff doesn't stick to it as much as to cardstock. Coffee filters are also incredible cheap so you feel very little pain tossing out one that's mussy. The coffee filter also curves easily to make a funnel to pour the powdery stuff back into the bottle or jar.

Dry Swiffer sheets (for dusting or hard floors) captures and holds dust or powdery stuff and doesn't smear it around. Using it as a mat under a powder or glitter pour helps to contain the stray bits of mess. You can cut a big sheet into smaller pieces and use it to wipe paper, filters, the table, your arm, or any place else that stray glitter or powdery stuff ends up.

These two items from the grocery store are invaluable in the craft room.

After finishing the red, I lifted the rest of the release paper off and finished, using the same steps, with the white Warm Diamond. You want to use the lightest color last. Cascade the glitter into the coffee filter but don't brush it off before you pour the excess back in the bottle. No matter how carefully you brush, burnish, and wipe with the Swiffer, the previous colours might still have a stray that could brush off and contaminate your light colour. Brushing off after you've put the excess in the jar does mean you lose a little more to throw away, but it's sucha small amount.

As you can see, the release paper wasn't 100% covering the edges of the panel when I poured the green and red. So...

... I trimmed the panel. I had intentionally put the outside scoring a bit deeper in than I wanted in the end so I had space to trim. You can see here, too, how the scoring I did at first gives a nice embossed definition.

The presents all wrapped with care, I turned to the sentiment. I die cut a foiled cardstock with its own texture. The texture in the cardstock gives the die cutting more character. I used a heavy cardstock so it could stand well on its own.

I cut small (and tiny) slivers of foam mounting tape to put on the back of the sentiment and reindeers. I wanted them popped-up from the background but without excessive heaviness. I could have die cut either multiple card or foam, but with the thin swoops of the lettering, it might not have been easy to stack attractively. The heavy cardstock holds on is own with only the supports of the pieces of the foam mounting tape.

The gold die cuts in place also cover up a few of the flaws in the background. (It can be tough to keep every little bit of detritus from accidentally getting on the adhesive.

For the outside trim on the card, I used a candy cane ribbon. The shiny look of the ribbon works perfectly with the glittery panel and the ribbon has a slight texture, too. I cut 4 pieces.

I glued the 4 pieces of ribbon to the outside esge of the front of the card base. I didn't get too fussy and mitre the ribbon.

I used more foam mounting tape on the back of the glitter panel. I cut the thinest foam tape in half for the eges and added a few stray bits in the center to support the middle. (I always forget to take pictures of mounting until I have at least half of the release paper off *laugh*)

I put the glitter panel oer the ribbon and Ta-Da! I also added a short length of ribbon inside the card but didn't have a sentiment that I felt fit. My camera decided it wanted new batteries before I could take a picture of the inside and I was running short on time this morning so, no inside picture.