December winners and January 3T's ...

I will be announcing our December winners shortly but first I would like to introduce you to our very first edition of Tips, Tricks and Techniques for 2016.


Christmas Boxes made with Christmas Cards 

or

Present Boxes made with Birthday Cards
by Jane Howden

We all have them - old cards kept from last Christmas (and the Christmas before that and the one before that and .... well you get the idea) or we have a stockpile of Birthday cards from too many years to acknowledge!  Sometimes we figure we will cut them up to make other cards or hand over to the kids to use for craft activities but if you are anything like me ... well they sit there for years!

So grab one out ...  I have used a Christmas card for demonstration purposes but this works just as well with any type of card.

Cut the card apart (back from front) and draw diagonal lines from corner to corner on the inside of the card.

Now fold the top edge of the card into the center so it touches the X. Crease the fold with a a creasing tool or ruler.  Do this for the bottom and then both sides. 

Cut each corner from the edge of the card along the crease until it intersects with the horizontal fold.

Fold the two wing pieces in and secure with tape.  Then fold the longer piece over them and secure.  I used tape runner.

Now repeat this process with the back of the Christmas card taking care when you fold in the sides to go slightly past the centre X (2mm) when you fold so the bottom becomes a little smaller and you can fit the top of the box over it.

Place some tissue into the base of the box (or alternatively you could cut a square of patterned paper and line the bottom) and use it for small items such as jewellery, ornaments, toiletries, sweets and chocolates.  Decorate with ribbon, lace, twine (whatever you like) and add a gift card and hey presto one little gift box.

**Remember the bigger the card you use, the larger the box when completed and vice versa.

and now onto our December winners .....

Thank you everyone for playing along with us last month especially when it is such a busy time of year for most of us - we had some really wonderful entries. 

We were working from this beautiful painting called Merry Christmas by Alice Ju, and the Criteria was the use of GOLD.

Paivi is our winner of the prize pack from Flourish with a Bling.

Christel is our winner of the prize pack from Mystical Scrapbooks.

Our random draw winner of a lovely prize donated by myself is #19 Amanda.

Congratulations ladies.

Could the winners please contact me on jjjustjane@bigpond.com with their postal details.  You have until the announcement of the winners for next  month to do so. Don't forget to grab our winners badge from the sidebar.  Could I just remind everyone that while we welcome you combining with other challenges our limit is two - so ours plus two others only and this includes items you may have done as part of a DT.

Our Creative Team highlight from last month is Jo.  She will receive a little surprise something from me.

Don't forget to enter this month's ARTastic challenge.  All the details are in the left sidebar. Remember you have until the end of the month to submit your entry.

Please pop back on the 15th when we will have more delightful team inspiration to show you.