Tonic Decorative Star Box Christmas Advent Calendar

Hello Peeps!  I've been wanting to do this Christmas Advent Calendar project from the moment I got my Tonic Studios Star Box Die.  Then, serendipity, on a trip to Ikea to pick up some materials for future blog post, I saw these new SNÖMYS Decoration stands, absolutely perfect  from which to hang my Advent Stars.

Project Recipe:
Tools: Tonic Studios Decorative Star Die Set, Grand Calibur, Silhouette Cameo
Paper and Card: K and Co, DCWV, Stardream
Embellishments: Double satin ribbon rope, glitter

I used 4 different styles of patterned paper to make my stars (so 6 boxes of each pattern), but all backed in the same colour of aqua stardream cardstock. 

I cut my numbers from the same aqua stardream cardstock on my Cameo Silhouette.  I also used the trace facility on the Cameo to cut our the central mat, which fits the embossed centre of the star box perfectly.



Once I had assembled all 24 star boxes, I carefully measured out lengths of ribbon rope in 3 different lengths to achieve the cascading shape.  I had some double satin ribbon rope in stash and used this, as I thought it would be sturdier.  However, in retrospect, I think a lighter ribbon would have hung better.

This is not a quick project, as you need to die-cut 48 star shapes and then assemble 24 boxes, but if you have some of Santa's Little Helpers, it would be a fun project to do together.  However, with the sweet little door in the back of each box, I will be able to put it away and use it year-after-year.  Here are my tips for this project:

1. All-in-all, this took about a day in total to complete, so plan the amount of time it will take if you want to have this ready for 1^st December.
2. I used 4 different styles of patterned card to make my stars (so 6 boxes of each pattern), but all backed in the same colour of aqua stardream cardstock. You should be able to cut 9 star shapes from a sheet of 12" card.  You will need 24 patterned fronts and 24 plain backs.
3. Do include the little door on the back die cuts, it very much helps when you are assembling your star boxes, especially for the final tabs on each box, as well as being the way to pop a tasty treat into each day's star.  Use low tack tape to tape the door die to the star die so that it is in the same place on each box.
4. Use Glue to stick the boxes, double-sided tape or tape runners will not give a long-lasting result, I use Tonic Studios Craft Tacky Glue.
5. I worked on making two boxes contemporaneously, this allows a little drying time for the glue between each stage which gives a better result. So, I'd score both boxes, stick the first two tabs on box 1, then move onto doing the same on box 2, then move back to box 1 for the next step and so on.

Finally, don't forget, I have a full star box step-by-step picture tutorial here (with downloadable PDF instructions) so please take a look if it's the first time you've used your Star Die Set. 
Apologies for the poor photography, the light here is terrible and I had to use flash, which gives such a harsh result. 

Hope you all have a great weekend and are starting on your Christmas projects too!

Pin It Now!

Extending the Tonic Studios Christmas Cracker Die

When Tonic Studios launched their Christmas Cracker Dies, I had several questions on whether it was possible to make the crackers slightly bigger, so I've photographed a step-by-step tutorial on how I've extended the die to make a longer cracker.  First here's the finished project, which also uses the Christmas Star Box Die.


So how did I extend the die?  Well, it involves letting the part of the die that you don't want to cut hang off the end of the cutting mat.  So first of all, I line up the die at the base of a sheet of A4 cardstock, positioned with low tack tape and then placed onto the cutting mat so that the top third of the die hangs off the edge of the mat.  As you can see, I've used a Grand Calibur but you can also do this with a Big Shot machine, you would just need to trim the card width before starting.  As a picture paints a thousand words, take a look at the photos I've taken of this stage below.

Once you've run through the die cutter, you then need to position the die again for a second cut.  Move the cut cardstock up and off the edge of the cutting mat and align the die over the centre section.  Tape in place to make sure that the die doesn't move.  

Again, the pictures to the left should make it clearer as to how I did this.

If you want a really long cracker, at this second step, you'd actually move the die right to the bottom card, making sure that you keep the edges lined up.  You would then need to use your craft knife to cut out the middle section.







So here you can see, by doing this, I've created twice the width of the middle section compared to a standard cut.

I then assembled the cracker in the normal way.

Here's one last look at how I decorated the finished cracker.  Pop over to my blogpost Vintage Lace Christmas Cracker Place Setting, to see how I did this decoration.

You can also download a PDF of this Extending the Tonic Studios Christmas Cracker Die Tutorial.

Pin It Now!

Tonic Studio Christmas Star Box Tutorial & Fancy Folded Star

I love using the Tonic Studio's Christmas Star Box Die, both as it was originally intended to make a 3D box, but also as a 2D embellishment on cards and other projects.  When you first get your die, it can be a bit tricky working out the best way to assemble it, so I've put together a step-by-step picture guide, to help if you are struggling.  At the end of this tutorial, you'll find a pdf to download.

Step 1 - start by cutting 2 shapes using the die.  I've used single-sided pearlescent card as it makes it easier to see which sides you need to glue together.  Using a bone folder, crisply fold and score along each of the perforated lines.

Step 2 - I would always recommend using wet glue for assembling boxes, and I've used the excellent Tonic Craft Tacky Glue for this project.  Apply a thin layer of glue to the back of one of the top tabs, then stick to two tabs together. Wait a few seconds for the glue to grab and hold.  Apply a small amount of glue to the first outermost tab, tuck it into the box and press together.

Step 3 - It doesn't matter whether you first started working anti-clockwise or clockwise, but whichever you choose, you will now carry on working in that direction all the way round the box until you reach the top again around the other side.  Keep glueing and tucking in each to the outermost tabs.  You may need to hold the two sides together for a few seconds for the glue to grab hold.  When you reach the last tab, partially tuck it in before applying the glue (this will stop you getting into a sticky mess) then again, hold the glued sides together for a few seconds.

  

This is what your completed Christmas Star Box will look like when it is assembled.

For ideas on how to decorate these boxes, have a look at my post Tonic Studios Star Box and Christmas Cracker Dies for more information.

The above shows how to use the die as intended as a 3D Box, however, I've also used it several times to make 2D folded star shapes to use as toppers on cards, such as this Christmas Star Wreath Card.  

To make a star topper, start as previously with a die cut shape from the Christmas Star Box Die.  I've used pearlescent card again as it shows the scoring so well, but for a card topper, you can use a patterned paper instead of cardstock, in fact, I think a good quality designer paper works better than cardstock.

Step 1 - using a metal ruler and a craft knife, align the ruler edger against the perforated edge of the first side-tab on the die cut and cut through it to remove the side-tab leaving the star point cleanly cut (but don't start with the star point at the top of the die cut with the additional round tab).

Step 2 - Carry on around the star, cutting away the side-tabs.  When you reach the star point that also has the round tab, you are going to need to cut both sides of that star point, to remove the round tab and leave a perfectly shaped star point.  You can see in the first picture below the two cuts you need to make, I've marked them in pencil for the purposes of this step-by-step guide.  The last picture shows what the die cut looks like when you've fully trimmed it.

Step 3 - Using a Scoreboard and a scoring tool, you will need to score all the way through the each point of the star from top to bottom.  Again, I've marked the score line in pencil in the first picture to demonstrate where the score needs to be.  Repeat for each of the five points, then use a bone folder to crisply crease each scored line.

Step 4 - Once you've completed this folding a scoring, your star will already start to take on dimension.  Finish off by pinching together adjoining star points (this will help create the valley folds on the shorter scored lines).  Once you have done this for each point, you will have a fully dimensional star topper.

I like to decorate my star shapes with a glitter edge and maybe, top off with a button or other adornment.

And here's a PDF of this Tonic Studio Christmas Star Box Tutorial and Fancy Folded Star, please do use this tutorial to create your own projects but please also credit this blogpost if you then blog them.

Hope this step-by-step guide has been of use, please do leave a comment if it has so I know I'm not just speaking to myself!

Pin It Now!

Vintage Lace Christmas Cracker Place Settings

It's Christmas in July over here at DipsDesigns and this week's blog uses the fabulous Tonic Christmas Cracker Die to make Vintage Lace Christmas Cracker Place Settings.  This it the sort of project that you can start now, and then come Christmas Day, everyone will think you are a SuperStar with your gorgeous, bespoke Christmas table settings!

Project Recipe:

Stamp: Crafter's Companion

Colouring Mediums: Promarker & Flexmarker Pens, Fluid Chalk Ink, Memento Ink

Paper & Card: Glitter Card, PaperCraft4You, Neenah Stamping Card
Tools: Tonic Studios Christmas Cracker Die, Star Box Die, Butterflies Beautiful Dies, Crafts-Too Embossing Folder, Martha Stewart Score Board, Grand Calibur

Embellishments: Rhinestone crystals, glitter, double satin ribbon, lace

I used my Tonic Studios to make the cracker but I extended the die to make a longer cracker - you can see how I did this on my blog for Tonic Studios here. 

To make the topper, I stamped the pretty little holly sprig from a great set of A-May-Zing Christmas Stamps from Crafter's Companion twice onto Neenah Stamping Card and coloured with Christmas 2012 Limited Edition Promarkers, before washing the whole tag with Antique White Flexmaker Pen. Finally, I cut out the holly leaves fromone image to decoupage on the other, before adding some sparkling crystals as berries.  To make the cracker into a place setting, from my computer, I printed "Mum" out in a pretty font in pink ink onto a tiny banner die cut, also washed with Antique White Flexmaker Pen.


I used my Tonic Christmas Star Box die, but once again, cut off the tabs and then used my Martha Stewart scoreboard to crease the star so that I could fancy-fold it.  I glittered the edge with a quicky glue pen and Martha Stewart glitters.  Finally, I cut a 3.5cmx30.5cm strip of patterned paper and scored it every 0.5cm, concertina folded it and made a rosette from it before putting all the elements together.

To make the cracker, I cut strips of polka dot patterned paper and embossed them through a Crafts-Too polka dot embossing folder.  I then trimmed the ends with a pretty cotton lace and pink double satin ribbon.

Hope you've enjoyed this little festive post for Christmas in July, Seasons Greetings to all my blog readers - Ho Ho Ho!

Pin It Now!

Another Tonic Sneak Peek - Star Box Die

As soon as I received my Star Box Die, I thought about doing a wreath-style card (I do like this style of card, I made a snowflake wreath card last year).  

Although I wanted to use the die-cuts on a card rather than as a 3D box, I still wanted them to have dimension.  So I trimmed away the flaps that give the box depth (super easy, even if you are scissor-challenged), and scored through each point of the star, folding to give it valleys and hills.

I edged the stars with a glue pen and added some glittery sparkle, and topped each star with a coordinating button.

This pretty Kanban Filigree Bell Ornament Stamp was the perfect partner to my star wreath.  I stamped it in red ink and heat embossed it with red tinsel embossing powder.
















The final finishing touches included a lovely aqua satin ribbon bow and some sequins and rhinestones randomly sprinkled around the wreath.  My wreath-shaped card blank was cut using my Cameo Silhouette with the extra long cutting mat.

Don't forget to tune into Ideal World on Friday at midday and Create and Craft at 7pm and then again on Saturday at 5pm to see these dies and more! More details at Tonic Studios.

Card Recipe: 
Stamp: Kanban
Colouring Mediums: Pigment Ink Pad
Paper & Card: Paper Adventures, Elegance Satin, Stardream
Tools: Tonic Studios Star Box Die Set, Silhouette Cameo, Grand Calibur

Embellishments: Double Satin Ribbon, sequins, buttons, rhinestones

 

Pin It Now!

Sneak Peek - Tonic Studios Star Box & Christmas Cracker Dies!

It may be the hottest week for 9 month's but in Dips' house, it's getting all festive.  Why's that - because I've been having a play with Tonic Studios brand new range of Christmas Dies, want to have a peek?

The Christmas Cracker Die is brilliant, as well as the cracker die, it comes with 3 fabulous Festive phrases dies - so useful for all your Christmas projects, and I've used the Merry Christmas phrase (separated) on the cracker .  I've also teamed this cracker die with two other Tonic Studio products, the obvious one is the new Gothic border punch, but can you guess how I made the base of the bauble topper?  I used the bird cage door from the Bird Cage Die.

I have so many ideas of how to use this three-dimensional Star Box ornament die. The die itself comes with coordinating medallion dies, which can be used with the star box or separately.

Update: I've had several questions on dimensions on this.  The Die cuts a shape that is 18cm long but this is before you concertina-up each end. As you can see, I extended my cracker with the Gothic border.  Without this, my cracker would be about 15.5cm long, and with the borders, about 18.5 cm long.

To make the rosette toppers, I cut a strip of patterned paper and scored it every 5mm on my score board, folded it concertina style and stuck the ends together.  I then pushed this down to form a round and stuck it to either a circle (on the star box) or the bauble that I made (on the cracker).  I then topped it with a cinnamon stick, some evergreen spruce, a satin ribbon bow and a little charm.  The charms were actually silver-tone, but I covered them in versa-mark ink followed by pearl gold embossing powder and heated them, it worked like, well, a charm!

Don't forget to tune into Ideal World on Friday at midday and Create and Craft at 7pm and then again on Saturday at 5pm to see these dies and more! More details at Tonic Studios.

Pin It Now!