Crafter's Companion and Xyron - 30 Days of Gifts

Hello Everyone!!

Welcome to the blog today.  I have a something special to share with you today.  Crafter's Companion and Xyron have teamed up for Xyron's 30 Days of Gifts.  I was pretty excited when heard this good news and super stoked when I received some Xyron goodies in the mail to use.

I decided I would make an ornament, an exploding box to put it in and a card to go along with it.  Want to learn how I did it?

Let's start with the ornament.  I have had this idea in my head for a little while and I'm happy that I finally decided to turn it into a real ornament.   I started with a 3 1/8" clear glass store bought ornament.

I took the metal hanging bit off and set it to the side.  Next I got my Crafter's Companion Spray and Sparkle in Multicolour and my ornament and went outside.  I went outside because you need a well ventilated area to spray your spray and sparkle.  I sprayed the ornament and brought it in to dry.  It dried very quickly.

Next I pulled out a sheet of Transparency Film (or you could use vellum).  My plan was to stamp out a holiday stamp onto the transparency and color it.  I used Stazon - Jet Black ink to stamp out the adorable mouse from my Makey Bakey Christmas stamp set - Trimming the Tree.

After the ink dried I turned it over and colored the image using my Spectrum Noir markers in DG2, DG3, DG4, IG1, IG2, IG8, TN2, TN3, TN4, TN8, GB6, GB10, CR5, CR8 and PP5.  (The colors are much lighter on the transparency so you will probably want to use brighter colors or test your colors out first)

The next step is to cut out the image into a circle.  I used my Martha Stewart circle cutter and cut a 3" circle.

Then you just roll up the circle and insert it into the top hole of the ornament.

Sadly, it doesn't photograph very well. But it is super cute in real life!

I added some Stampendous Shaved Ice to the inside of the ornament to emulate snow.  You could easily use glitter here if you want.  To finish up my ornament I pulled out my Ultimate tool and some wired red ribbon and made a sweet bow to adhere to the top. Top Tip:  If you use transparency film that is printer safe, you could easily print out a family photo to use inside of the ornament instead of using a stamped and colored image

You can't have an ornament for a gift and not have a gift box to put it in can you?!  So I grabbed my Ultimate Tool and got busy making an Exploding Box for my ornament.

I started with a piece of card stock cut to 11 1/2" square.  Using my Boxer scoreboard, I scored all 4 sides at 4".

Next I trimmed out each corner following along the score lines.  It looks like a cross now.  This will be the main body of your box.  Now just set this box piece aside.

To make the lid, I cut a piece of paper to 5" squared and scored it on all 4 sides at 7/8"

Next you trim a "V" at each corner.  And then fold and smooth each scored line.  Then turn over paper.

I added adhesive to each tab with my Xyron Mega Runner and then adhered each sticky tab on the inside to form the box lid.

Here is what it should look like.

Now that the lid is made, you need to follow the same process to make the "ornament holder" for the inside of the box.  I started with a piece of paper cut 4" square and scored it on all 4 side at 5/8".  Fold and smooth score lines and then trim "V's" in each corner.  

For this I decided to use my Xyron High Tack 3/16th" Adhesive Dots to each of the tabs.  Then I folded it  together as I did for the box lid.  These glue dots really worked fabulously for a quick tight hold. 

Now grab the box base that you cut out first and your Xyron Mega Runner.  I know that this looks amazingly like a box lid but if you turn it over it is now the ornament holder that you will adhere to the inside of your exploding box to keep your ornament in place.  

I put adhesive on the bottom of the ornament holder using my Xyron Mega Runner.  (it might be easier to add it to the bottom before you fold it all together)

Then I centered it in the inside of my box base and pressed it down.  Now you just need to decorate the inside and outside of your exploding box.  

I fussy cut some cute little Christmas characters from a sheet of patterned paper and had fun using my Xyron  1 1/2" Create a Sticker.  It is so super easy and fun to use.

After I trimmed out a character I fed it into the top of the sticker maker.

Then I just pulled down on the adhesive tape on the bottom until the character was completely out of the machine.  There is a ridged edge on the bottom to make it easy to trim the adhesive tape.

Then you just rub your finger over the image and peel off the top paper.  You are left with a sticker.  When you peel off the bottom paper you will have adhesive on the back of your character.  I fussy cut 4 different characters and added one to the outside of each panel of my box.  I added a flower to the top of my box lid and layered paper on each inside panel of the box.

I also made 4 floating decorations out of transparency film strips and and snow flakes from my stash.  I adhered each snowflake to acetate with my Xyron High Tack 3/16" Adhesive dots and added some crystal gems to each side of the snowflake using them also.  I colored the gems with my Spectrum Noir pen in DR5. Next I folded the end of the acetate strips a little bit (I didn't measure it) and tucked one under the ornament holder in each corner)

Last thing to do was make my card.  I decided to go pretty clean and simple.  

Using Memento Ink in Rich Cocoa, I stamped out the Reindeer sentiment from the Stamp It Australia Twinkle stamp set - Believe onto Ultra Smooth Premium white cardstock.  I sprinkled on some clear embossing powder and heat set it.  Then I die cut it out and colored it with Spectrum Noir EB1.  All that was left to do was layer it on to my base card with some other papers and finish it with a pretty bow and some Skittles.

Please check out the Xyron - Facebook page and follow along on their 30 Days of Gifts.  There will be prizes given away during this pairing so be sure and leave comments on the Crafter's Companion blog, Crafter's Companion facebook page and on the Crafter's Companion DT blogs (links to all DT blogs are on the sidebar of the Crafter's Companion blog.  You can find more giveaway information on November 15th on the Crafter's Companion blog.  You have until November 18th to leave your comments to try to win.

I will be entering this in:

 Anything Goes with Ribbon Challenge at Crafty Ribbons
Gift Bag or Box Challenge at C.R.A.F.T. Challenge
Glitter It Challenge at Happy Campers Craft Collective
Glitter Challenge at Hanna and Friends
CAS(E) this Sketch #54 at CAS(E) this Sketch
Challenge 71 Anything Goes at Addicted to Stamps
Anything Goes/CAS at Creative Moments

Thanks for stopping by today and looking!  Until next time...happy scrapping!

Stacy