Shutter Card, Gift Tags and Xmas Decorations using the Sparkling Trees Stamp Set from Chocolate Baroque

The Sparkling Trees stamp set is so versatile, with both scene building and decorative elements it can be used for so many different types and styles of project, for making cards, gift tags and for decorations. My favourite stamp has to be the cute prancing reindeer.

I have created a shutter card to display cute scenes with the trees and reindeer stamps. I have used the Christmas tree and snowflakes to create decorative elements, matching gift tags and tree decorations. This is not a quick project but I had so much fun creating this one – I hope that you like it.

Wrap your gifts in simple brown paper and add luxury with stamped tags to co-ordinate with your card.

The Christmas decorations would be a fun project to make with the children. If they are too young for heat embossing use dye inks on pale coloured card, or opaque pigment inks, and plenty of glitter.

Materials:

• Sparkling Trees and Christmas Candlelight stamp sets
• Smooth red and white card for stamping, white textured card for base
• Copy paper for masking
• PVA glue, 3D gel glue
• Inkpads: Versamark, Versafine (Black Onyx), dye based (red)
• Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils – white, grey, light & dark red
• Fine tipped markers (red and black) ,  glitter pen (red),  gel pen (white)
• WOW Embossing powder (Superfine White)
• Glitter glue (clear and silver)
• Glossy Accents (Ranger)

Additional Materials for the Decorations:

• Waterlily Mandala set (optional for creating filigree top on baubles)
• Brown wrapping paper
• Alcohol ink pen (dark grey) , metallic marker (silver)
• Embossing powder (metallic silver, glitter in white base)
• Heat resistant acetate
• Small die cut snowflakes
• Xmas bauble dies
• Bits & pieces: Needle & thread, red florist ribbon, fine white ribbon, red satin ribbon, black satin bow, recycled earring with red bead drop and small scrap wire (approx. 0.6mm thick)

How to make the shutter card:

• Cut the card base to 12” X 8” (or 30 X 20cm), then cut, score and fold as shown in the template diagram. If using metric measurements substitute 5cm for the 2” score and cut lines. Width measurements must be accurate or the shutter card will not fold flat.

 

• This gives a card with three 4” (10cm) square panels across the middle, two 2” X 4” panels (5 X 10cm) and eight 2” (5cm) small square panels across the top & bottom. Cut mats from red card to fit all the panels leaving a small white border (i.e. slightly smaller). Also cut three panels from white card which are slightly smaller again, to fit onto the red mats across the centre.
• Randomly stamp snowflakes with Versamark onto four of the small square panels and onto the two 2” X 4” panels. Heat emboss with white powder and draw faux stitching around the borders with black pen. Stick all the base mats onto the card as shown in the layout.

 

• Stamp the reindeer and stars onto copy paper, cut out to use as masks. Using Versafine stamp the reindeer twice onto spare white card and cut out, then onto the white card scene panels. In addition stamp the sentiment onto spare white card, colour the lettering with red pen and cut out.
• With red ink stamp the stars and red snowflake. Masking the reindeer and circle of stars stamp the scene trees across the three panels with Versafine. Now draw and connect up the ‘landscape’ using black pen and create the faux stitching around the edges of each panel and around the stars in the middle panel.

• Using grey pencil add shading to the reindeer and snowy scenes. Colour the sky areas with light red pencil, then add shading to give the effect of more distant trees with dark red pencil. Mount the scene panels.
• Using red ink stamp the fir tree branch, cut out, mount onto the card with glue gel. Take care not to overhang the right hand valley fold or the card won’t shut.
• Stamp the large snowflakes 6 times onto white card with red ink. Cut out as hexagons (just roughly follow the points as a guide). Add faux stitching with black pen and mount onto the card with glue gel.

• Next stamp the large snowflake on red card with Versamark and emboss with white powder. Lightly draw around the shape to create a hexagon and use as a guide for aligning the tree stamp. Again use Versamark and white embossing powder. Cut around the tree and the hexagonal base. Lightly ink around all the edges and add faux stitching with black pen. Colour the baubles with red glitter pen, white pencil and white gel marker to make them look 3D. Add Glossy Accents to make them shine. Finally dot with silver glitter glue.
• Glue the tree, sentiment and reindeer onto the card. Take care to glue the tree only to the centre and bottom left panels, and ensure that the reindeers legs do not protrude beyond the bottom edge of the top panel, or the card will not open and shut.
• Finally add more clear glitter glue onto the snowy scenes, fir branch and snowflakes – got to be BLING for Christmas!

 

How to make the decorations:

• You can make a matching gift tag using the tree stamp and colouring to match the card. Make a small hole in the tip, thread with ribbon and add a die cut snowflake.

• The tree gift tags are quite symmetrical in shape so it is also easy to glue 2 back to back and make a more robust double sided decoration for your Christmas tree.
• Make simple gift tags by randomly stamping snowflakes onto small red tags with Versamark and embossing with white, metallic or glitter powder. Enhance by drawing faux stitches around the edge with a fine tipped black marker, adding die cut snowflakes and glitter. If you don’t have snowflake dies then stamp and emboss snowflakes onto heat resistant acetate, cut them out and layer onto your tags. The reindeer also looks lovely when stamped, coloured, cut out and layered onto tags and gift parcels.

• The baubles are created by stamping and embossing snowflakes onto bauble die cuts – 6 needed for each complete 3D bauble. Circles would also work well but they need to be accurately cut, so die cuts will work best. On the small round bauble I coloured the top with a silver marker to give a metallic effect. On the larger bauble I stamped and embossed the top with metallic silver and the small mandala stamp (Waterlily Mandala set) to give a filigree effect. To create the 3D bauble score and accurately fold each in half, then glue together. Before gluing the last section add a ribbon loop and a wire or thread loop at the bottom if you want to add dangles. Once dry add more sparkle with glitter glue.