Cherie’s Christmas Page from New Zealand

Koa Kirihimete from Aotearoa,

Morning fellow scrappers.  I hope your Christmas planing went well and you are all ready for the big day of making merry with your whanau.  Have a wonderful day today.

The page I am sharing today is my take on this month’s mood board – the paper series is: My Minds Eye – Lost and Found Christmas. The flowers were made from another sheet in the series – but you could use a plain cardstock if you prefer.  I love Christmas and it’s a special time for my family where we try to get together for a meal and to just enjoy being together.  Of late that has been harder to achieve as we are spread far and wide around the world and New Zealand. 

I started by making the photo mat. I used a piece of box –carton which I had taken the top layer of paper off to expose the card ridging.  I used an A5 piece of paper as a measure to shape the mat. Tear across the bottom so it is shaped, I tore some of the top layer to add texture.

Next paint the cardboard mat with white gesso and let dry. Then I used a brown ink pad and sponged lightly across the top of the mat – mainly around the outside edge as the middle will be covered by the photo.  Then use the red pad to rough ink the whole outside edge.  Finally use a sponge to ink the edge – which will get into the groves.

Using the photo mat for placement place two doilies – paper or as I have used an old tablecloth cut up.  Glue them down and let dry.

Make two flowers for the bottom corner of the layout.  The extra-large punch cuts out a flower 7.5cm across and the large punch cuts out a flower 5 cm across.  I like to ink all edges before I glue and fold the flowers but that is your choice.  Pinch each petal together between your thumb and forefinger – facing up.  Glue two extra-large flowers on top of each other – as shown in the middle photo.  Then do the same again with two of the large flowers. Finally glue two large on top of the extra-large flowers and put a button in the middle.

Double mat your 5 by 7 photo as shown – I used cream and black mats.  Then assemble the page from the photo mat up.  I found a title and three pieces of holly leaf chipboard in my stash – which I inked lightly and added some rhinestones for the berries. However, you could use die-cuts or scrolls or bling – whatever pleases your eye.  Finally add some journaling if you want – I use a couple of smalls tags and a note edge for the date.

Happy scrapping fellow scrappy friends

May you and your family have a safe and joyous Christmas

Arohanui

Cherie