Friday 18 September 2015

Upcycling for Christmas

Out of the 'shop bought' Christmas cards we've received in recent years, I've kept quite a few that seemed to have potential for upcycling. There was one square card which I kept looking at - a plain black background with a pretty printed wreath of holly, white flowers and some red glitter - with a lovely die cut 'Noel' sitting in the centre, popped up on a dimensional sticky pad.

However, for ages I really couldn't think of how to upcycle the card other than slapping the whole square front onto a slightly larger square card - which wasn't gonna be true upcycling IMHO. Then, when I spotted Hazel's Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge this week was to use festive trees or greenery on a card (a little or a lot), out came said box of cards to upcycle and once again I pondered over that black square card. Bingo! Sudden thought and off I went - and this was the end result - a rocker card:
I used:

- the card front, after I'd carefully removed the 'Noel' with its sticky pad backing and put it to one side - because I was going to use the Cuttlebug on the card front and didn't want to squish it

- out came the set of Tonic Studio's 'Circle Layering' dies - more about those wonderful dies below this 'how I made the card burble'

- selected a circle die just the right size for cutting out the wreath from the upcycled card, plus the next two sizes up - so three dies in total

- die cut the wreath and set it aside

- using the next size up, die cut a red satin mirri card circle and also a circle of 300gsm white card stock - set those aside

- using the largest die, cut a circle from the 300gsm white card stock - and left it in the die. This was because I was using this largest circle of card for the rocker base and, yet another great thing with these Tonic Studio dies, they have a little notch at each 'quarter hour' of the die for precision. So, I marked the card at opposite sides using a pencil, removed the piece of card from the die - then lined the pencil lines up on my Hougie board and scored down from one mark to another. rubbed out the pencil marks and (with heart in mouth) folded down the score line to form a half circle. Result! A perfectly lined up rocker base - yay!

- so then it was just a matter of assembling the whole card (using Collall glue for some 'wiggle' time) by sticking the circular wreath to the red die cut circle. Then backed that red circle with the piece of white card I'd cut at the same time - this was so that the back of the card looked matched to the rocker part 'cos the reverse of the red satin mirri wasn't a crisp white

- lined up and stuck the complete card front to the folded rocker

- added the word 'Noel' back into the centre of the wreath, using a fresh strip of sticky pad

Back to the Tonic Studio's set of circular dies, it's absolutely brilliant! As the name suggests, it consists of circular dies - but the fabulous part is that there are 14 dies in the set ranging from 14cm down to 2.5cm and they come on a magnetic sheet within a hole punched pouch (ideal for popping in the front of my 'frame dies' file). I just looked online and there's a great offer over at Amazon.co.uk at £14.72 with free delivery, a saving of 36% (I know I paid much more than that price for the set I bought a while back). The largest die still fits my Cuttlebug fine yet is big enough to cut a circular card - and although the blurb says the dies will cut up to 240gsm card stock, I used 300gsm white card stock and it cut with no problem at all. One of my all time favourite everyday die sets for sure - even though I already had a Spellbinder Nestabilities set.

So, this card is for Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge 246, where it's 'Festive trees or greenery,' and also Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra for September - where it's always 'Anything goes'.

Di
x

22 comments:

  1. What a fabulous card, Di. That wreath was meant to be cut into a circle! It looks lovely with the red border. xx

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  2. This card is upcycled genius! I just LOVE the colors and beautiful wreath! Well done Di!

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  3. What brilliant up cycling Di. Such a pretty card. Thanks for the tonic info they sound fabulous and that's a very good price. Hugs Jxx

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  4. A fabulous card Di - I also have that old Christmas card in my upcyling box!
    Kath x

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  5. Lovely card, really fun idea and a good way to use that card. I might need to go shopping for this set!
    I hope you are feeling rather better and are able to craft at least, even if you're not up to ironing. :)

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  6. Oh this is a fab rocker card, and some inspired upcycling! Love it! x

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  7. Absolutely fabulous Christmas rocker card there Di. Hmm . . . I have Spellbinders set of circles . . . but you're making me wonder if I NEED the Tonic ones now . . . naughty girl! Off to investigate!

    Hugs, Sarn xxx

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  8. Oooo what a fabulous bit of upcycling and a great rocker card too, Luv Sam x

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  9. Fantastic up-cycling Pixie. It's a really pretty card. Barbxx

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  10. This is a really pretty bit of upcycling Di and the Tonic dies are obviously great as they are such large sets which give lots of options and this rocker card is delightful. x

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  11. Wonderful new card with the upcycling of an old one!! Love it' it's gorgous!

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  12. What a great idea, such a pretty festive card.
    hugs Jacee
    Simply Paper Card Design

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  13. SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!! Love this.
    Lynn

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  14. Fabulous upcycled card, the red satin card makes a super frame for the pretty wreath.
    Jean x

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  15. Brilliant idea Di and looks fabulous.

    Kath x

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  16. That is so very, very beautiful Di! Love it, love how you've upcycled it and love everything about it, I have a few cards I hung onto but I doubt I can make anything this beautiful or this good Karen x

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  17. Very pretty :)
    Sometimes staring pays off :)
    I bet whoever gets given this will be very happy.

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  18. What a great idea - ooh I want to copy it! Your upcycled cards is fab.
    I wanted to say that I would like to be considered for prefect duties - just let me know when you need me.
    Linbyx

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  19. Wow, this is a great recycled card. The wreath is beautiful and I love the colors. Fantastic idea to use the circles to mat the image and it came out so well.

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  20. Absolutely genius to turn that square card into a round rocker card! You took that design and made it even more beautiful!

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  21. This rocker card is so beautiful. What a great idea to make it a rocker...perfect for this wreath image!

    Ilike the wound of those tonic dies...especially the part about the marking notches!

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  22. A great card - thanks for joining us at Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra.

    Helen x

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