Isn’t it crazy that this year is almost over? It’s been a whole year since I joined the Design Team at Our Creative Corner and a year of Star Quality projects from everyone who have submitted their talented work have left me awed and inspired by the creative genius.So what a fitting theme Trish, the challenge host has chosen to end off the year with this month’s theme “Wish Upon a Star”.
With Christmas coming up and the rush to find personally meaningful and personal gifts for everyone, I thought it would be a cute idea to deck the stockings hanging in the hall with a set of star themed cards.
I must apologise for my blurry photography in this post – I found it impossible to take a picture on the tiny point and shoot without shaking. Forgive me, this pic was the best I could do!
My family have always kept the tradition of giving useful gifts at Christmas and each year we try to come up with ideas for Christmas presents that the person receiving the gift could use throughout the year. We’re also big on handmade gifts. So with that in mind – what I have created for this month’s challenge is a set of constellation-themed cards in an attempt to create a gift that keeps on giving.
On the front of each card is a Zodiac configuration against a sparkly galaxy type background. The idea is that the receiver of this set of cards would be able to send the appropriate Zodiac Star Constellation card to the person who was born under that Constellation.
I cut out a window from craft cardstock and painted it to look like weathered wood.
I patiently handwrote a star-themed sentiment on each one (this was the hardest part!)and left the inside of the card blank to use for whatever occasion it needs to be used for.
To make the cards look like a gift-pack of stationery that I intended it to be and not like some random cards that forgot to be sent - I cut a strip of vellum to use as a cigar-band sleeve to bundle the cards and co-ordinating envelopes together, and tied a piece of red and white bakers twine around that piece of vellum and finished it off with a Star embellishment.
Here are few more up close and personal crops of the process.
I downloaded constellation maps by searching for it in Google Image search.
I copied the constellation mapping by drawing the map onto black cardstock with a ball head embossing tool.
I did this with an embossing tool so that I wouldn’t have any pencil lines to erase and to give me some sort of guide to
where I would place the stars and rhinestones that I used as the stars.
I drew in the connector lines with a gold or silver metallic gel pen which I sprinkled some Fine Detail Embossing powder onto while still wet and then heat embossed to create some raised dimension.
To create the galaxy background I made some glittery embossing powder. That’s right I made the glitter embossing powder and today’s tutorial is a quick description of how I did that.
You’re going to need different colours of glitter and a bottle to chuck it in. Do that – chuck it in altogether and shake that like Bond likes his Martini.
Next you going to need a 1:1 ratio of glitter mix to Embossing Powder – I used Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel for this purpose. I shook that together so that it distributed evenly as well.
Using the ranger big embossing dauber bottle – I smear this goo all over where I want the galaxy to be.
I sprinkle my awesome glitter embossing powder over it and heat set with a heatgun.
Now you have a twinkle twinkle galaxy!
This ends my how-to for this post. Do be a star and add your “Wish Upon a Star” project to the Our Creative Corner challenge this month. You could be up for some starry delight!
If you haven’t been over there already here are the details and rules of the challenge:
“My challenge to you all this month is a very simple one...Stars!I have a passion for stars. Stars are incorporated into my email addresses, internet log ins, business name and even my tattoos :)I would love for you all to share your creations, full of stars!Star stamps, star die cuts, star embellishments, star shaped backgrounds, it's up to you!Use lots, or just the one, as long as there is a star somewhere, you're good to go!”As always there is a generous prize goodie-bag up for grabs in a draw by our sponsor for this month Tando Creative – you will be eligible to enter the draw by submitting your own “Wish Upon a Star” project – remember that the best thing about Our Creative Corner challenges is that any creative enterprise is allowed.
Remember - Shine like the star you are!
*******Candice(aka Tincan Crafter)*********