All is Calm Festive makes …

Please forgive my absence of late …. it's been a bonkers time here at the Pig Pen, as I prepared for the last run of Festive Classes, a one off Wreath Class for a large group of ladies and our Son's Nativity … amongst many other things.

It's all been about wreaths this month and the Curly Paper Wreath seemed to be a hit with my ladies as the perfect project to end the year on and a great way to use up any patterned papers that you might have. 

When I say it's all been about Wreaths … I assisted in no less than 48 wreaths being made in the past 10 days!

Prior to this our Festive makes were mass produced cards and a few special cards that some of you may have seen on my Classes and Events page, but for those of you who live further away, who may not frequent that page, here are a few of the Festive cards, gift cards and such like that we have made on the build up to Christmas 2014. 

The Festival of Trees was a class that focused on mass produced cards and as such we made no less than 8 cards, 2 each of 4 designs. 

Here we simply tore some paper and sponged some Soft Sky Ink to create a snow scene, before adding one tree, that we stamped off to create the background trees … so simple, yet so effective.

In this card we used an element of the tinsel image to create some swags from the star and used the 'kissing' technique to mirror the bird to the opposite side. 

Washi Tape is a sure winner in the making of a quick and simple card and this, along with a stamped and punched out tree, a sentiment and a few Rhinestones created this quick and simple card.

Finally a card that was inspired by one seen in the Autumn/Winter Seasonal Catalogue … a scrap of card stock that was dry embossed to create texture and simply embellished.

I followed this class with a Gift wallet full of Gift Tags using the Festival of Trees stamp set and punch bundle again.

Don't you just love these beautiful Snowflake Embellishments?!

This wallet could be used for a multitude of things, but here it took 12 gift tags of a real variety.

Another stamp set is ideal for mass produced Christmas cards with Endless Wishes with these beautiful snowflake flurries and a variety of sentiments. 

A Christmas Bauble card made using Circle Framelits and the Tag Topper Punch … just something a little different. 

You can use the set quite simply, or jazz it up with a resist emboss sponging technique as I did in this next card on some shimmer card stock. 

I received a swap quite some time ago now at a Stampin' Up! event, that had a layout similar to this card that I loved. I really liked the way it wasn't symmetrical for a change. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I really liked how it took your eye off. 

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a Cracker or two … We made these cute little Cracker favours using the Envelope Punch Board. I soooo love that tool, it's so versatile and quick to use and clearly not just for Envelopes, but you can create crackers, envelope liners, boxes and bows to name but a few. 

I can't believe that I didn't get round to sharing these with you following the classes, but still, it's never too late to share inspiration.

Mikaela x