Wondrous Wreath Bokeh Effect ~ Stampin' Up! Artisan Blog Hop

Welcome to the final Artisan Blog Hop for 2014 and hello hello if you've clicked through from our December Facebook showcase. Just so you know, next week the Artisan team takes a break for Christmas. I'm hoping it's a fine day so my family and I can toddle off to the beach!

The bokeh effect has definitely been a huge cardmaking trend this year. If you haven't heard of it, it's defined as... wait, where have you been?! ... Ok bokeh is a Japanese word meaning 'blur' which, in photography, is used to describe the areas of the photo that have soft focus.

Here's a way to do a bokeh effect oh-so-simply with the Wondrous Wreath stamp set. Smudge a few drops of Pool Party and Island Indigo reinkers with your aqua painter on some watercolour paper. When it's mostly dry, stamp the berries from Wondrous Wreath with white craft ink. Stamp several times before re-inking. There you go!

If you try this at home, I'd love to see your creation - please do post me a pic on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stampingsusanwong

Easy bokeh effect with the Wondrous Wreath berries ~ Susan Wong


Supplies:
Inks: Pool Party & Island Indigo reinkers, Whisper White Craft Stampin' Pad, Tuxedo Black Momento Ink Pad
Papers: Whisper White, Island Indigo, Watercolour Paper, Smoky Slate
Stamps: Wondrous Wreath
Accessories/Tools: Gold Baker's Twine, Linen Thread, All is Calm Snowflake Embellishment


And that's a wrap! Wishing you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS with the ones you love. It's a meaningful time of year for us but if you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope at least you get a holiday out of it ;)

If I don't manage any posts between now and January 1st, come back then for our first Artisan Blog Hop of 2015. We'll bring you loads of exciting new project ideas with products from the Occasions Catalogue!! YAY!

I bet Teneale has a stunner for us this week - go check it out!

Hello December Christmas Card with a Twist ~ Stampin' Up! Artisan Blog Hop

At what age is it that you get to pick an age to stay at every year henceforth? Well, I don't know if my husband is quite THAT old yet but it never hurts to be 25... again. We're celebrating his birthday today. He says when I blog this I can say it has his nod of approval for a great masculine card.

Do you have December birthdays in your family? It's fun to think outside the box (literally, I guess, since that's what all my Artisan goodies arrive in) and use a Christmas set for something else. Here you go---

Hello December as a Masculine Christmas AND Birthday Card (detail) ~ Susan Wong

Hello December as a Masculine Christmas AND Birthday Card ~ Susan Wong



Supplies:
Inks: Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Smoky Slate
Papers: Hello December Project Life Accessory Pack, Early Espresso, Smoky Slate, Whisper White
Stamps: Project Life December Wonder, Alphabet Rotary Stamp
Accessories/Tools: Linen Thread, Accessory Pack (as above), Dazzling Details Silver Sparkle, Wisteria Wonder Blendabilities (light), All is Calm Designer Washi Tape

Teneale loves these little one-liners introducing her blog - speaking of her blog - go on, check it out!

Toilet Roll Nativity ~ One for the Kids

This is a Pinterest-inspired project I did with my four year old daughter - lover of all things crafty. My husband insisted I blog it!  

You really can make ALL sorts with these little tubes and whatever you can find around the house. Just the other day my sister posted a pic of a cute Christmas angel. We used a cut out from an egg carton pushed through the tube to shape each head. Twine, stapler, glue, sticky tape and 1 3/8" circle punch all came in handy. The Trim the Tree Designer Paper Stack was the perfect size for the robes. Anyway, here you go...





 They got the gold right. Not sure about the frankincense and myrrh...


Wondrous Wreath Gift Tag ~ Stampin' Up! Artisan Blog Hop

I didn't expect to fall completely in love with the Wondrous Wreath set!! It really is so gorgeous that it speaks for itself - so here you go...

Wondrous Wreath Gift Tag ~ Susan Wong

Wondrous Wreath Gift Tag ~ Susan Wong

This, my friends, is a reusable tag. I wanted something that could easily be stuck on the next present so I just popped one dimensional on under where the staple holds the bow and glimmer paper in place. 

Never used this set before? Have a look and see that all the stamps and coordinating framelits have a tab at the same point in the wreath to help you line things up.

ARGH - Is it really December and so close to Christmas?!?! Have you started wrapping presents?

Supplies:
Inks: Smoky Slate, Basic Grey, Real Red, Old Olive
Papers: Whisper White, Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper
Stamps: Wondrous Wreath, And Many More
Accessories/Tools: Wonderful Wreath Framelits Dies, Handheld Stapler, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine

What will Teneale surprise us with this week? Click below...