Santa's Sleigh by Sandy Trefger

Hello everyone! Sandy here with a fun December project for you using Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Santa's Sleigh. This is really quick and easy to assemble and decorate so let's get started!

Step 1: Layout all your chipboard pieces from the kit and use a damp cloth or baby wipe to remove the black residue from all the edges.  Mark all the pieces with a pencil so you'll know what should be the inside of your sleigh.

Stepe 2:  Dry fit your sleigh pieces together fitting the notches into the slots. Do not glue at this time.

Step 3:  Measure for the paper dimensions that you need to cut for each piece. Tip: Write the measurements on each chipboard piece.  Play close attention to the direction of your patterned paper and whether it is to go on the inside or outside of the sleigh.

Step 4:  Paint the runners of the sleigh with gold paint.

You only need to paint one side of the decorative runner trim as shown below. Just make sure to paint one for each side of the sleigh.

Step 5:  Use the solid template that comes with the kit and a pencil to trace the papers you want to cover the inside and outside of the sides of the sleigh.  Cut out with scissors.  You can cut the papers for the bottom and ends of the sleigh with a trimmer.  Use the measurements you wrote down on the chipboard pieces earlier.

Step 6:  Go ahead and glue the sleigh together fitting the notches into the slots and use glue to hold it together.  Then add patterned paper to the inside and outside of the sleigh as shown. Note: You may have to trim the bottom edges of the side papers for the inside of the sleigh.  Dry fit first, cut and then glue into the sleigh.

Step 7:  Glue the patterned papers to the outer sides of the sleigh as shown.

Step 8:  If desired, fussy cut out paper images of flowers to glue to the sides of your sleigh.  Attach with glue.

Step 9:  Use assorted ribbons and tie a bow for one side of the sleigh.  Glue on felt Snowflake twine trim and assorted pieces of greenery on to the sleigh. Cut apart some of the felt snowflakes from the twine and glue to the runners of the sleigh.  Glue small gold jingle bells to the center of each snowflake.

Step 10:  Insert mini packages and a Santa bag created from some canvas fabric and twine into the sleigh.

Step 11:  On the front add a large snowflake sticker and  flat back pearl.  If desired, you can cut and add contrasting paper trim to the top edge of the sleigh.  If you do not have a large snowflake sticker, you can paint and glitter a large chipboard snowflake from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts.  I did use a sticker on mine.

Your sleigh is finished and ready to be placed on the table or mantel as a decorative piece!

Supplies Used:

• Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Santa's Sleigh  D151A
• Gold Paint
• Assorted Ribbons
• Felt Snowflakes on Twine Trim
• Small Gold Jingle Bell  
• Patterned Paper of Your Choice--I used Graphic 45 Winter Wonderland 8x8 pad
• Greenery foliage
• Glue
• Canvas Fabric & Twine for Santa's Bag
• Miniature Gift Boxes
• Large Snowflake Sticker
• White Flatback Pearl

I hope you've enjoyed this Santa's Sleigh tutorial!  I will be back on December 20th with a winter project.

Happy Crafting!

~Sandy

P.S. Be sure to check out my blog/website for more of my crafting projects at www.sandytrefger.blogspot.com

Fall Canvas by Sandy Trefger

Hi everyone, Sandy here with a Fall Canvas project that I created for Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts.  I love how it turned out and have it displayed on my fireplace mantel in the living room.  

It's so easy to create a seasonal canvas.  I did this one in an afternoon and you can too!  Below are the supply list and steps:

Supply List:

• Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Layered Frame Aria C7D (I used the top layer only)
• Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Fall Shape Set D85A
• 8x10 flat canvas
• Canvas Fabric
• Embossing  Ink Dabber
• Assorted Gold Embossing Powders and Textures
• Assorted Fall Silk Foliage and Flowers
• Assorted Fall Color Ribbons and Gold Twine
• Glue
• Hot Glue
• 3-in-1 Glue
• Glossy Accents
• Light Brown Distress Ink
• Black Distress Ink
• White Gesso
• Decorative Metal Corners

Step 1:  Lay out your chipboard pieces that you wish to use on your canvas.  I placed mine on some paper towels for quicker clean up!

Step 2:  Apply Embossing Ink (I use a dabber) on your chipboard pieces.  Do one piece at a time and sprinkle each piece with different gold embossing powders.  I think I used 3 or 4 different ones.  Heat emboss to completely cover the chipboard pieces.

In the photo above of the acorns, you can see that I used two different golds with more texture to the gold on the top of the acorns.

Use different gold powders and some with texture like what I used on the pumpkins above.

For the crow, I used gold powder that had a bit of blue in it.

Step 3:  Ink the canvas with brown tone Distress Inks.  You can leave the center light or not inked as that will be covered up.

Step 4:  Cut and ravel a piece of canvas fabric and glue down onto the canvas.

Step 5:  Start layering and gluing down the chipboard pieces. (I used Beacon 3-in-1 glue)

Step 6:  Next, add ink to the fabric around the chipboard pieces.  Then, select various fall foliage, flowers and a bow  for your canvas piece.  Arrange and glue them to the canvas using hot glue.

Step 7:  Glue three of the chipboard acorns onto the flowers.

Step 9:  Keep adding ink to get the color you want for your fabric and add in bits of embossing ink & powder to get a spattered effect.

I added in some black Distress Ink and then brushed in some white Gesso.  Keep adding until the background is a color that you like.  I would have added in some orange or yellow but did not have those colors in ink nor paint.

Step 10:  Glue on some decorative metal pieces to the corners if desired. I used Glossy Accents to attach these pieces to my main canvas.  Then add splotches of gold embossing powder (added to the main canvas with Embossing Ink Dabber) and heat emboss.

Your Fall Canvas piece is finished and ready to be displayed.

Here's a closer look at it on my worktable...

And on display...

I hope I've inspired you again to order some of the wonderful Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts chipboard sets to create a lovely decor piece for your home.  I'll be back on December 6 with a Christmas project.

Happy Crafting!

~Sandy

 www.sandytrefger.blogspot.com

Bewitching Halloween Card by Sandy Trefger

Hello everyone! Sandy here today with my latest project. It will soon be Halloween and it's time to create some cards for the holiday if you haven't already.  Granted not everyone celebrates Halloween but for those of you who do, you might want to create a fun 6x6 Center Step Card and decorate it with some Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Halloween chippies.

I will be giving you some quick instructions on how to make the center step card but if if seems confusing you can google or search YouTube for some great how-to videos. That's what I did and adjusted the measurements  to the size I wanted.

Let's get started...

Cut black cardstock to one piece 6" x 12".

Place the cardstock piece into your trimmer and line up the 6" side at the 1" mark.  Put the blade at 1" and cut from 1" to the 7" mark.  Flip the piece over and repeat the same for the other side.  You will have a "slit" on both sides of the cardstock with a 1" space on both sides.

Use your scoreboard to create the folds for the card.  Place the 1" section to the left side of your scoreboard and score at 1" to the cut line, at 2" to the cut line and at 7" to the cut line.Your cut lines should run horizontal on the scoreboard as shown below.

Fold up to create the center step card as shown.  Note: you do not score a line for the top fold but let the card fold naturally at the top and then crease and burnish with your bone folder.

Measure and cut patterned paper to cover the different sections of your card.  You will also want to pattern the back side of the card as well as on the inside.

To create a pocket on the front of your card, cut and mat a paper element and attach it to the card with glue along the bottom edge and the sides.  Leave the top open for a tag.

Add patterned paper to the tag and tie on various colors and designs of ribbon.  Insert the tag into the pocket of your card.

Finish your card by decorating with Halloween chippies from the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts store (see supply list and instructions below on how I finished mine for this card.) Below are the chippies after I punched them out and have them ready to be finished.

To finish your chipboard elements, ink one side with Black Soot Distress ink using a foam applicator.

Use an embossing dabber to add embossing ink to the entire inked surface of each chipboard piece.  Sprinkle on Glitter Embossing Powder.  I use black for my pieces.  Emboss each piece with a heat gun.  Use tweezers to help you hold the small pieces while embossing as it gets really hot!

Glue the elements to the front of your card as desired and also add one to the inside where you have added a mat for your message.  Add a sentiment by either stamping or cut from your papers.

Supply List:

• Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Stagger Tags, Small (Use 1 from the set)  D301
• Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Branch D12R
• Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Creepy Corners (Cut off owl) D30A 
• Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Trick or Treaters Border (Cut apart to fit the card) D30L - Contact Store
• Black Cardstock, 12 x12, 1 sheet
• Glue
• Assorted Ribbons
• Tim Holtz Black Soot Distress Ink & Foam Applicator
• Emboss It Dabber
• Wow! Black Glint Embossing Glitter
• Plastic Spider
• Microfine Glitter in Spring Peridot Green Color to match ribbon

Step cards are so much fun to make and look fabulous when you add chippy embellishments.  This card can also be used as a decoration on the mantel or table.

I hope I've inspired you to create a step card using Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Chipboard elements. I'll be back here on the blog on November 15th for my next project.  Please check out my blog/website for more of my crafty creations at:  www.sandytrefger.blogspot.com

Happy Crafting!

Sandy