Thursday, December 13, 2018

Braided Christmas Tree - The paper Players # 422 and SUO Challenges #212

This week I am submitting my card to two challenges .

At The Paper Players , the challenge is a colour challenge (Real Red, Shaded Spruce, and another color of my choice). I don't usually participate in colour challenges, but did so in combination with the challenge  at SUO challenges  which was "Anything Christmas"

I used a  technique I have been wanting to try for a while - a braided Christmas tree.



I have made cards with braided edges, but never cards where the braiding forms a pattern such as a Christmas tree.  The braided tree  was made using a template which I made using directions from a You Tube video by "Scrapbooking and Me" here

You will see the template beside my picture of the card above.

Because the template makes a tree that is fairly large, the card dimensions are fairly large as well: 7 1/2 by 4 3/4".  A hand made envelope was made with the envelope maker.

Using the template, the branches of the tree were traced with pencil on the wrong side of a 4 by 6 3/4" piece of Shaded Spruce card stock.  Folding the card in half, the branches were cut using scissors, and then each of them were folded down  to form the tree - with spaces between the branches.


Behind the tree I adhered a 6 by 4" piece of "Under the Mistletoe " DSP.  I love the bits of white showing between the branches.

After the DSP was added behind the tree, small dimensionals were used to adhere the branches down.  Red rhinestones were then added to each branch tip and a red glimmer star to the tree top.

Adhesive strips were used to adhere this Christmas Tree layer to a 4 1/4 by 7" layer of Glimmer Glitter paper, and this in turn was adhered to a Read Red card stock layer. 

I fussy cut some Christmas stockings (only red ones) from the "All is Bright" DSP, sponged the edges with Real Red ink, added some Dazzling diamonds to the tops, and added them to the tree using glue dots.

The sentiment is from Versatile Christmas (retired) and was separated into 2 words, matted with Real Red and Glimmer Glitter paper .

Supplies Used:
Stamp:  Versatile Christmas
Inks:  Black Memento, Real Red
Papers:  Shaded Spruce, Real Red, Whisper White, Glimmer Glitter paper, Under the Mistletoe DSP, All is Bright DSP
Accessories:  Adhesive strips, glue dots, dimensionals, dazzling diamonds, template, Dazzling diamonds, Red rhinestones

5 comments:

ElizStewart said...

Maria... thanks so much for the tutorial on braiding... I love o=your braided tree! What an amazing amount of work... but the end result is fabulous! Thanks so much for joining us at The Paper Players for our last challenge of 2018... we look forward to seeing you next year!

Joanne James - The Crafty Owl said...

I've never seen a braided tree before Maria - how very clever! Like you, I've braided borders and edges, but nothing like this - thanks for the tutorial, you've introduced me to something new! I love the patterned paper behind and the red embellishments too. Thank you for playing along with my colour challenge over at The Paper Players this week!

Tracy Bish said...

Wow Maria, stunning card, a lot of work put into your card, definately for a very special person!

Jane said...

Love the 3-D look .

Cindy Coutts @ Cindy B Designs said...

Oh wow, this is amazing! Definitely trying this and fabulous work! Thank you so much for joining us at SUO Challenges. We have a new challenge today and hope to see you. Merry Christmas!