It's the INKlings "Christmas in July" Blog Hop!!

Welcome to The INKlings’ Team’s Christmas in July blog hop. You may have arrived here from Carol Dunstan's blog or just be visiting my blog, whichever way once you’ve checked out my creations you can continue the hop through the link at the end of this post to the next team member.

The year is flying by, and it's time to start thinking about your Christmas cards and projects! The INKlings team has been busy getting some inspiring projects together to get you off to a flying start, so we're hosting a Christmas in July blog hop. You'll find lots of great ideas as you hop through the chain of 17 different team members’ fantastic blogs.  Why not add my blog to your "follow" list, or subscribe to my newsletter for info about my upcoming Christmas Stamp-a-stack classes.

Want to win some Blog Candy? Simply leave a comment on each blog and then email Christie Wallace and let her know you’ve done so and you’ll be in the running for a fantastic prize of handmade cards plus other goodies from each of the 17 participants.

(Sorry Blog Candy prize not available to SU! demonstrators but you're more than welcome to leave us a comment! )

My projects use the new Stampin' Up! exclusive design cutting die for the BigShot, the Pennant Die. At first glance at the catalogue line-art, you'd be thinking "what on earth would I need that for??" Pretty much my first reaction too, until I saw a few different projects using various components of the die. Once I had it in my hot little hands, I immediately saw the potential for making the small and large Christmas trees below.

They are both made in the same way, by cutting folded cardstock placed onto the die base and run through the BigShot machine.  I made several of each size in both Riding Hood Red cardstock and Designer Series Prints paper and Kiwi Kiss cardstock and Designer Series Prints paper.  I stamped the several of the snowflake images from the "Snow Swirled" set in matching ink all over the plain cardstock, and sponged the edges.  I alternated the colours, and stitched the layers together at the 'spine' with a piercing tool, needle and thread.  The bases are made from a Scallop circle cut from the Bigz Bigshot die (small tree), and from a circle cut using the Circle Scissor (large tree).  The small tree has been sprinkled with Supernova glitter using a 2way glue pen, and 1/2" circle punchies were glittered up to make some baubles for the large tree.  The stars were made from the small and large star punches, folded and glued together.

Now, as you can see from the die line-art, there are also some large scalloped circles - so I applied the same principle to make a paper bauble.

The circles are pre-scored, so all you need to do is to fold in the centre and join them in alternating colours using Sticky Strip tape.  You can make them as full as you like, mine has 8 folded circles.  To decorate, I threaded some Pretties Kit beads, punched and Felt Fusion flowers onto some fine nylon thread, passing it through the centre hole of the bauble. A tie of Kiwi Kiss satin ribbon and a loop of Riding Hood Red taffeta is the finishing touch.

And, there's more!  I also found a great tutorial by Arielle Gordon using this die to make a cute little box!  I've made one here in matching colours to the trees, and I think it would make a nice table place favour.  This one uses four small pennants, and makes a box about 3 inches square.  I plan to have a go at making a larger box with the large pennant.  It is constructed using Sticky Strip, and decorated with some of the spare scallop circles in Designer Series Paper folded over the corners, and a scallop circle with a monogram stamp in the centre from the Schoolbook Serif alphabet.  A tie of gingham ribbon, some tissue paper and some choccies complete the box.

Well that’s three things you can make with the Pennant Die, and we haven't even touched on actual PENNANTS yet!  Next stop on the INKlings’ Team Blog Hop is Jayne Mercer. Have fun and don't forget to leave a comment on each blog to win some great Blog Candy
In case you should get lost along the way, here is the full list of participants and their blog links.


1. Christie
2. Dani H
3. Carol 
4. Michelle D
5. Jayne
6. Kylie S
7. Kari
8. Dani F
9. Beth
10. Nicky A
11. Clare
12. Amy
13. Fiona
14 . Michelle Frost-Stevenson
15. Fiona Poirier 
16. Divya Rao 
17 Rachel Jackson 
 
Thanks very much for visiting, come back soon for some more Christmas themed projects!