The Twelve Days of Gift Tutorials: Day 12

Hello G45ers,

We're counting down the days until Christmas with gorgeous ideas for handmade gifts! Welcome to the final day of the Graphic 45 Twelve Days of Gift Tutorials! We've got more festive holiday inspiration that's sure to brighten your day! We'll be sharing another magnificent card by Gloria Stengel. Then Nichola Battilana is going to share a fun tutorial for creating a beautiful Christmas cracker, complete with a decorative holiday crown! You're going to fall in love with today's amazing crafts! Lets get inspired to make this the best holiday ever with Graphic 45!

Just a reminder, G45ers, today is the last day to enter to win this breathtaking prize pack! Just leave us a blog or Facebook comment for your chance to win this fabulous grand prize that includes our 12 Days of Christmas collection as well as fabulous products from Core'dinations, Xyron, Petallo and Scor-Pal! This amazing prize is worth over $135 and its got everything you need to craft a perfect holiday season! Be sure to leave a comment for your chance to win! A random winner will be announced on our blog tomorrow! Stay tuned to see if you've won!

The twelfth day of Christmas celebrates the twelve drummers drumming. This fabulous image comes to life in Gloria's dazzling holiday card featuring our 12 Days of Christmas collection. The holidays are such an enchanting time for getting creative. The magnificent papers and embellishments from 12 Days of Christmas offer endless possibilities for perfect handmade cards and gifts! Let Gloria's wonderfully festive card inspire you to let your imagination run wild! Here are some of Gloria's helpful tips for how she created this vibrant holiday treasure. Take it away, Gloria!

This was the hardest card of the entire set to complete. Perhaps because it was the last one or maybe because I was unsure which image to chose. I am happy with the outcome and love the small details such as the glitter flower centers and my "real wood" drum sticks!

I am happy to have purchased a set of Christmas trinkets and that I hoarded them for just this set of projects. They added just the right vintage touch to the cards! I love the vintage metal paired with the sparkle on the flowers.

I cut the flowers with a poinsettia die and then chalked the veins with white chalk ink to give the flowers more dimension. The drum sticks are actually toothpicks cut to size and "stained" with an alcohol marker!

I decorated the inside of the card a sticker and a strip of paper.

Supplies:

Graphic 45 The Twelve Days of Christmas papers:

Joyeux Noel

Drummers Drumming

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Graphic 45 The Twelve Days of Christmas Cardstock Stickers

Cardstock: WorldWin Papers Original ColorMates Light Totally Tan, Deep Berry Red, Light Berry Red, Elan Metallics Antique Gold, Smooth Deep Spring Green

Trinket: Tim Holtz Idea-ology

Die cut template: Spellbinders Layered Poinsettia

Gems stones: Couture Creations

Ribbon: Stampin' Up!

Toothpicks: grocery store

Brad: unknown

Ink: Clearsnap Colorbox Chalk Alabaster; Copic Markers

Adhesive: Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L 3D Foam Squares; Scotch 3M ATG tape runner; Beacon Fabri-trac; Aleene's Tacky Glue

 

Next we have a beautiful gift tutorial by Nichola that also features our 12 Days of Christmas collection! This is her amazing Christmas cracker! This is such a fun holiday tradition! Have a great time creating these sweet gifts for your holiday dinner guests, friends and family! It's the perfect way to bring even more festive cheer to your Christmas celebration! Take it away, Nichola!

We have a combined Christmas in my household, celebrating both my husbands Italian roots and my British background. One of the Brit traditions we always include is the Christmas Cracker. Just before dinner, guests grasp the ends and pull apart these little treats, a small snap inside ‘CRACKS!’ as it breaks open. Inside is a paper crown to be worn during the feast, a joke or motto, and a small treat, gift or trinket.

 

 

 

 

Supplies:

12 Days of Christmas:

• 12 Days of Christmas

• Joyeux Noel

• 12 Days of Christmas Banners

• 12 Days of Christmas Chipboard Die-cuts 2

• 12 Days of Christmas Stickers

• 12 Days of Christmas 6x6 Patterns & Solids Pad

Cracker snap (I purchased mine from Michaels’s 12 for under $3)

Tissue Paper

Double Sided Tape

Various May Arts Ribbon

Petaloo Flowers

• Botanica Minis in Cranberry/Amber/Orange

• Velvet Hydrangea leaves

Trinkets and treats for inside the cracker.

 

Here is how to create your very own Traditional English Christmas Cracker.

 

Tutorial:

 

Begin by creating the paper crown. The crown should be quite simple and not heavily embellished as it will be rolled up. Create your own version or use THIS .template

  Download Graphic45_12DaysofChristmas_Cracker_Crown_template

I’ve cut the two pieces from the template from 12 Days of Christmas. **NOTE the template only measures 11” across. Clip or incorporate the extra 1” however you see fit.

Use some double sided tape to adhere the layers together. Take a 28” length of coordinating ribbon and affix it with double sided tape to the crown, adhere the middle of the ribbon with the middle front of the crown. The extra length at the sides will be used to tie the paper crown to your head.

 

 

I lightly embellish with some dots from the 12 Days of Christmas Banners and a festive 12 Days of Christmas Sticker. DO NOT over embellish.

 

Now we move on to creating the actual cracker. Begin by cutting two pieces of coordinating paper into 5” x 6” rectangles.

 

 

I’m going to use the piece from the 12 Days of Christmas 6x6 Patterns & Solids Pad for my inner tube. I place a double width of 2 sided tape down the length of the short edge of the paper. I want this inside tube to be slightly smaller than the outsider one.

 

 

With the inner tube now created, I roll my paper crown tight enough to fit inside. I can also place any other treats, jokes or small items inside at this point. (Psst! If you have trouble keeping them from falling out, you can sneak them in later!)

 

 

Using a small piece of tape (or hot glue, or any other adhesive) tack a snap into place. This will help to keep it in place when it is pulled apart. Do not affix it in the centre, where the snappy bit is.

 

 

By bending the strip like the photo below, you further help the snap to stay in place.

 

 

 

I fold a standard piece of tissue paper in half and tightly roll it around my tube. Don’t worry about the excess width, we’ll need it. Tack in place with a tiny bit of hot glue or double sided tape.

 

 

 

 Try to avoid squishing the ends as you wrap the second piece of 5” x 6” paper around the outside. Align this outer roll with the inside one.

 

 

You should have something that looks like this...

 

 

At this point I usually trim about 1” from either end of the tissue. Making sure the the ends are neat and tidy.

 

To create clean, crisp rolls at the end I make an extra tube that is slightly smaller than my cracker. This doesn’t have to be pretty as it is going to be my rolling tool.

 

 

 

Insert the roll tool inside the end of the cracker. You’ll want to leave about 1-2” of space between the end of the tool and the edge of the crackers tube.

 

 

 

Firmly twist until you have a nice tight seal and a neatly rolled end. Peek inside and you should see the end of the snap poking out of the centre of the twist.

 

 

 

To ensure the twist does not unfurl, tie a small piece of ribbon to hold everything in place.

 

 

 

If you were having trouble keeping your treats inside the cracker, you can now sneak them inside by pushing them in the open end before repeating the same twisting technique to seal the opposite side.

 

The final step is to embellish the exterior. Use coordinating ribbons, and tags, Fussy cut flowers and lords-a-leapin’. I’ve added a decorative brad and some beautiful flowers and leaves from Petaloo.

 

 

When you’re setting your Christmas table, place one cracker on each plate and have guests pull them apart before the feasting begins. And make certain that everyone wears their silly paper hats… they make Christmas merry and jolly indeed!

 

Wasn't that fun?! We've got one more special treat for you G45ers! Here is another gorgeous series of cards that Gloria created with our 12 Days of Christmas collection. You can download the project sheet for these amazing cards as well as a decorative card storage box! Click on the links below to download the project sheet tutorials. Have a wonderful time creating the perfect cards for friends and family! Happy holidays from all of us at Graphic 45!

 

 

Click the link below to download Gloria's card tutorials!

Download Tutorial 12Days-12CardClass

Click the link below to download Gloria's decorative card box tutorial!

Download Tutorial for 12Days-Box

That's all for today's very special blog, G45ers. We had so much fun getting to share this incredible holiday event with you! Be sure to stop by our blog tomorrow when we announce a winner for our amazing grand prize! We will also have a fantastic featured artist and some incredible crafts to inspire your weekend! We can't wait to share the inspiration! Big thanks to Gloria and Nichola for their stunning work today. We also want to thank all of you G45ers for joining us! Have a fantastic day!

Happy Holiday Papercrafting!

Your Friends at Graphic 45

Related articles

Deck The Halls With Holiday Tags

The Twelve Days of Gift Tutorials: Day 5

The Twelve Days of Gift Tutorials: Day 4

The Twelve Days of Gift Tutorials: Day 3

Comments

[Michelle Mitchell]

omg lovely stuff, would love to win!

[caroline]

Look at the series of cards!! Wow, what patience they must have taken. They would make such a wonderful gift set!! :)

[Allison Pauls]

Such a nice set! I have enjoyed making the feww projects I have done with it, and I am inspired to make more1 I'd better run down to my LSS and grab some more G45!

[Carrie]

What fun projects! I especially love the popper!

[Heather B.]

Wow- what an amazing collection of holiday crafting yumminess. Beautiful collection. So many choices so little time.

[Barb Leffeler]

These cards are a gift by themselves. Anyone would love to get one.

[Sandy Sellers]

Wow, so much to take in. Glad we can save all this for later!
Sandy

[Chevonne Pannullo]

I haven't been thinking of Christmas because I was sick the last two weeks. But, I really want to make the crackers for each person's place at the table this year! Thank you for the chance to win that amazing package, too! It's wonderful!

[Bernie]

What fun ideas for cards! Thank you for sharing. I love Graphic 45 papers and the vintage look!

[Cebelica]

These projects are amazing! Thanks for the inspiration! Hugs! xx

[Lynne Wagner]

Graphic 45 has my favorite patterned paper- and these projects prove WHY! Who wouldn't love to receive any of these?

[Patty B]

I absolutely love the G45 products and am always inspired by all the great things I see here.

[Francine Tran]

I love the card with the maids / ladies dancing . Thanks for asking

[KellyG]

Gorgeous, love the flowers on that card! Beautiful details!

[Kim S (nerdgrl)]

A great prize, yowza!

[Maggie Fleming]

Fabulous. So pretty

[Kay]

Fabulous projects! Love all the cards together and the cracker!

[Linda Harris]

Your papers can make all projects awesome, Love all of them today as with everyday!!! Thanks for the chance to win some,

[Shelly Holt]

Thank you for posting all of these great projects!

[sandie]

as usual the great things we have come to expect from Graphic 45. all super.

[Gunn-Eirill]

just love it :-)

[Vickie Thornton]

Thank you for the inspiration!

[sherry parent]

Such a beautiful card. Lots of wonderful prizes too.

[Macarena]

I love Christmas time especially when Santa Claus is so generous :-)

[Marchena]

Thank you Graphic45 I was inspired each day by the creations of all the talented and awsome designers.
Today likewise gorgeous can't wait to start playing with these ideas.
Love Nadezhda;)

[Tara P.]

Thank you for all of the amazing inspiration! It's all so beautiful.

[Deborah Herer]

I love the Christmas poppers, well I love it all, but I alway love to make some thing for the table for the kids I usually wrap their favorite candy bars. This year I think I`m going to do both. Poppers and candy bars!

[Aggie Osborne]

Brilliant project ideas for 2014...looking forward to making them...at least this time, I'll finish my Christmas projects early...very early!!!! Ahihihihi xxxx

[Beth W]

It's been a fantastic 12 days. Thank you and your designers for some of the best inspiration around. Hope everyone involved has the merriest and safest Christmas ever.

[Melissa Dunham]

Love your projects and ideas.

[Kim B]

Beautiful!!! Love G45

[Boni Grabusky]

Falalala these Christmas things are awesome

[Jannet]

Merry Christmas

[Michelle Nettleton]

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love (G45) gave to me a chance at the prize package!! Catchy huh?

[Sandra Scott]

Such beautiful designs with so many gorgeous embellishments. I love the amount of work people put into their cards and if I owned them I've have to keep them just to look at. I would loooovve to win the prize, it looks packed full of gooodies.

[Mary Kay Lyons-McDonnell]

Totally cool didn't know you were doing a price thing on the 12 days of christmas. This is a very nice on I love the tutorials I'll have to ooh at the rest!! Hope I win.

[janice brockett]

All I can say is wow

[Tona]

I love todays projects!!!

[Scrappin' Diva - Cindy B]

Beautiful projects! Will have to try the Xmas cracker one!

[Zefyy]

Thanks for all of your stunning ideas...iI especially loved the crown!!