Holiday Jumpstart!
September 11, 2009
Are you ready for some holiday fun? I've been playing around with lots of fun new Papertrey Christmas stamps and I gotta tell you....I'm really getting in the mood for Christmas. I'm longing for shorter days and longer evenings, snuggled inside our warm home...putting up the tree, hanging the lights, sipping hot chocolate. All the wonderful, warm and comforting things that come with the holidays. And to me, nothing says holiday warmth and comfort like the age-old classic color combo of red and cream. It's classic...it's time-worn...it's simple...it's beautiful.
I created this little table-top quilt back when I used to do a lot of sewing...probably 5 or 6 Christmases ago. It's always been one of my favorites. I hand-drew the pinecone design, then stitched it in red thread and pieced a red and cream border to frame it.
Nichole asked the DT to share some holiday gift-giving ideas with you for our group post this month. This little quilt was the inspiration piece for my holiday gift set. I created a stamped dishtowel and coordinating gift box and card. This set uses the new Tree Trimming Trio set. The towel was purchased for $1 at the dollar store and besides a little ink and a few buttons, all you need is two sheets of cardstock (acutally 1 sheet plus a little more for the band!), a little fabric and Heat 'n Bond (if you want to add the fabric applique) and some ribbon. Super easy and inexpensive...great for teacher or neighbor gifts! The total comes in at around $3.00 per set!
The towel features a large tree from the new Tree Trimming Trio set. I love the little blank spaces that are left for ornaments. Although there are lots of little circle stamps that can go there, I chose buttons for my towel.
That pretty frame was cut using the Home Decor Cricut cartridge. If you want to try cutting fabric, it's really simple. Just iron your fabric onto Ultra Heat 'n Bond (make sure it's the Ultra!), let it cool and then peel away the paper backing. The fabric will have a plastic-like coating on the back which will stick nicely to your Cricut mat. Then just cut away, just like you were cutting through paper. No special blade or tools needed. I then stamped a pretty flourish on either side of the frame using Fancy Flourishes. Before I stamped my towel I tea-dyed it for a vintage look. Gotta love the red and cream...or in this case, Pure Poppy, Vintage Cream and Kraft.
To create the gift box, I used the base of the Captured Card Case and enlarged it a bit so it used and entire 8 1/2" x 11" piece of cardstock. The towel folded to fit inside perfectly. Then I just made a cardstock band and stamped it with a sentiment from the new Tree Trimming Trio set. I used the little circle ornament pieces as an accent to my sentiment.
And last but not least, the matching card. That pretty diecut frame was used once again around my sentiment. I cut it from fabric for the card as well. Since the fabric was already coated with the Heat 'n Bond, I used my iron to adhere it directly to the cardstock. I also stamped a quilt block from the Quilter's Sampler Additions set to add to the rustic feel. A little vintage sheet music finishes the look.
Stamps: Tree Trimming Trio, Fancy Flourishes, Quilter's Sampler Additions
Ink: Pure Poppy, Creamy Brown Chalk
Cardstock: Pure Poppy, Vintage Cream, Kraft
Other: Pure Poppy and Rustic buttons, Vintage Cream Saddle Stitch ribbon, Rustic Cream button twine, Cricut Home Decor cartridge, red fabric, Ultra Heat 'n Bond, pinking shears, Captured Card Case template
For lots more great gift giving ideas, be sure to visit the other Papertrey girls!