Christmas Preparations at Frilly and Funkie

Hi everyone and thank you so much for joining me. If you are reading this before Saturday 23rd I will be knee deep in preparations for a two Christmas craft fair at Barton Marina, Staffordshire. Hopefully it will remain fine and be really busy as there are loads of stalls attending. If you're in the area it would be great to see you there. Back to today where it's the second week the current challenge at Frilly and Funkie - Christmas preparations! - and our host, Sue, wants to see projects which can grace either your table or tree during the festive season. So...

...it's a tree table decoration!! (12" tall to give you a sense of it's scale). I've definitely taken the 'shabby chic' route with this and there's not an ounce of black in sight.

When I first saw the theme for this challenge it had me a little stumped for ideas. The MDF man came to my rescue, providing the perfect sturdy base which got an initial coat of white acrylic paint.

I went to town with the Maja Design 'It's Christmas Time' collection papers, tearing strips and applying them randomly to the base after it was assembled.

Next came die cut garland/bow strips, coloured with Distress Markers and highlighted with Clear Rock Candy Distress Glitter. Then Venise Lace (a must if you are creating anything shabby chic).

Never one to make things easy for myself, it was at this point I reached for the embossing paste. It's a mark of how forgiving this stuff is that it layered over the lace beautifully, and then provided the perfect base for the star at the top. Wendy Vecchi's tip of adding Rock Candy Glitter to the wet paste worked perfectly too. It looks like frosted icing!

Brass filigree metal stars then worked really well over the top (and are relatively easy to bend into shape too considering the bends were at right angles).

In order to successfully complete the central floral arrangements I had to 'channel' my favourite paper florist, Jennie Atkinson. Lots of tattered florals, ink and Antique Linen Distress Glitter needed to be employed to fashion 32 flowers, 16 mini rosettes and various bit of foliage.

Having done all this, the tree only really came together when the stamping was added; not much I grant you, but it was amazing what a difference it made. And so, I will be entering this into the following challenges;

Fashionable Stamping Challenges - Shabby Chic Christmas

PanPastel UK Challenge - Embellishments

Vintage Stamping Challenges - Traditional Christmas Time

The Artistic Stamper Creative Team - Christmas

I hope you feel inspired to make your own festive decorations. Please pop over to the Frilly and Funkie Challenge blog to see the beautiful projects created by the rest of the team, and if you would like to join in we'd be thrilled to see your entries.

For now take care of yourselves, Jenny xxx

Maja Design 6x6" Scrapbook Paper Pad - It′s Christmas Time	Ranger Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber - Snow Cap White	Sizzix Alterations Decorative Strip Tim Holtz Holly, Beaded & Snowflake Garland	Sizzix Alterations Decorative Strip Tim Holtz Tattered Flowers Die	Sizzix Alterations Decorative Strip Tim Holtz Festive Greenery Die	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Victorian Velvet	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Peeled Paint
Tim Holtz Distress Glitter Antique Linen	Tim Holtz Distress Glitter Clear Rock Candy	Snowflake Filigree Metals	Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste - White	Dyan Reaveley′s Dylusions Stencil - Leaf Flourish (5x8)	Venise Lace Trim - 1/2 inch wide	Venise Lace Trim - 11/16"
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Aged Mahogany