Paint Swatch Christmas Cards

This is a great one to do with the kids, especially when they are school age and need to take loads in for their friends / teachers!!

What you need

• Paint swatches (I picked mine up from Homebase but most DIY/paint stores have them)
• Blank cards or sheets of card folded
• Christmas Text 
• Buttons
• Sequins
• PVA glue

Instructions

Step 1 - Select your swatches

I walked into Homebase and had so much choice that my Christmas trees were almost purple but in the end I stuck with green and brown. However, if you want to be more adventurous and give everyone a different coloured tree, then go for it!

If you can't get your hands on any then coloured card will do the same job.

Step 2 - Cut out your tree

Cut a triangle from your swatch. I ended up having to cut this tree in half as it was too long for my card but you can adjust this to whatever works for you. I like a range of different sizes so they don't all look the same.

Step 3 - Plant your tree

With a few dabs of glue on the back of your tree, stick it to the front of your card. I used a ready made pack of blank cards I already had in the house but you can just buy sheets of card and fold/cut them to the size of your choice.

I also cut a small piece of the brown paint swatch to use as the base of the tree, also gluing it onto the card.

Step 4 - Add sparkle

For some reason I also had a tub of sequins in the flat that had snowflakes and stars (as well as some dinosaurs and cats mixed in - don't ask) so I was able to glue a few of these around the tree to add a bit of sparkle. Circle sequins or sticky gold stars will have the same effect though.

Step 5 - Add your Christmas Message

Print out your Christmas message. I've attached a sheet full of Merry Christmas labels for you to use but feel free to come up with your own.

Glue this onto the bottom of your card and then a button on either side or use more sequins / stars to finish it off.

I'll be back,

Easy Halloween Lantern

This lantern is super quick and easy to do
Perfect for those who need some last minute Halloween decorations

I opened my Cricut Craft Room today to find I had a new free cartridge - 3D lanterns and I love to try out anything new so I set to work straight away

Now I think this is how you are mean to use these images but my way is even quicker and lets you use real candles, rather than fake ones

Taken from Becky Baugh on Pinterest

What you will need:

Jam Jar

Black Card

Tissue Paper

Sellotape or Glue

Cricut with 3D lantern cartridge

Step 1:

Measure the circumference & height of your jam jar. Then take one of the lantern images and expand it in Cricut Craft Room until it is slightly larger than your jar (as you want it to overlap a little)

Step 2:

Take your black card and cut out the lantern image using your Cricut

Step 3:

Cut out a piece of tissue paper that is slightly smaller than the size of your cut of black card and stick it to the back so the tissue shines through

Step 4:

Wrap the card round the jar so the black card is on the outside and the tissue is against the jar, then tape the overlapping edges of black card together so that it forms a cylinder around the jar.

Step 5:

Drop your tea light inside and light it - making sure you keep the flame away from the paper!!!!

Easy peasy and super effective for any Halloween household!

I'll be back,