A Country Christmas: G45 Winter Wonderland December Daily and Embellishment Tutorial

Hello, G45’ers!  If you’re like me, you haven’t had the chance to document your holiday memories yet.  This Graphic 45 Winter Wonderland December Daily is such a great way to store all those precious photos and cherished memories.  I’m happy to finally be able to share it with you.

To make memory keeping simple, I broke the album down into 4 weekly sections.   This seems less daunting to me than a daily entry.  It’s such a great place to record my play dates with the Littles, special family times and even favorite recipes, I can just pop a photo into the appropriate week, jot down a quick note and be done.

Graphic 45 Craft Basket Challenge: Mixed Media Album, 12×12 Pad and Washi Tape

As an additional motivation for this project, it’s my turn to play along in the G45 Craft Basket Challenge.  This month, we were asked to create a project with a Staples Mixed Media Album (I chose Ivory) a 12×12 paper collection (I chose Winter Wonderland) and Staples Washi Tape.  I have some fun features built into the pages.  You’ll learn all about them in the YouTube Video tour below.

You will also find a lot of really cute embellishments made with Winter Wonderland Chipboard and Stickers.  There’s a YouTube video tutorial for those, and I think you’ll have lots of fun making them.

Winter Wonderland December Daily: The Cover

Fussy cut flowers, simple paper layers, and a die cut ornament adorn the cover of this 8.25″ x 8.75″ x 2″ album.  Each layer is matted with gold and black to keep the designs from becoming muddled.

I could not resist adding this little bottle brush tree to the cover decor.  Here’s how I did it:

• First, use Glossy Accents to secure the Staples Antique Metal Door Pull to the bottom right hand corner of the cover art.  Note that it is upside down.
• Now, tap a bottle brush tree with Distress Grit Paste and roll in clear Glitter.
• Next, remove the round wood base from the tree and hot glue to the center of the Door Pull.
• Then use hot glue to add Spanish Moss and Red Berries to the arrangement.
• Finally, tap the berries, and door pull with Grit Paste to resemble fallen snow.

To make the ornament:

• Die cut a Spellbinders 2011 Heirloom Ornament Die (retired) from medium weight chipboard.
• Now cut again using the green stripe paper in 12×12 Patterns and Solids. Glue together.
• Create a washi tape belly band.
• Then top with the chipboard element.
• Now tie gold string around the top and add small chipboard tag, jingle bells, berries and ribbon.

Tie ribbon around the spine and decorate with large jingle bells and a mini tree ornament.  The back cover is decorated with 12×12 Patterns and Solids and a washi tape border.

Winter Wonderland December Daily: A Peek Inside

You’ll find a slash pocket filled with Staples Black Standard Tags and a cheery holiday banner inside the album

Use the tags to decorate cookie plates, Christmas gifts or as fun photo mounts.

This waterfall feature is a great place for all your candid holiday photos.  Sew two vellum sheets together on 3 sides to create a large pocket.  Then cut the heavy kraft cardstock pages to fit inside.  These pages can be used for large (5″ x 7″) photos or even recipes.

The tabbed pocket pages are so quick and easy to decorate.  I’ve filled them with 4″ x 6″ images from the cut apart page.  I’ve also added decorated Staples Black Square Tags because they make fabulous photo mounts.  Create a hinge to attach an ATC sized Policy Envelope and tuck another square tag behind it.  This way, you can use the entire page for photos or recipes.

Photo wallets are so much fun to add to pockets, and they make a great place to tuck in a gift card or tickets to a special show.

This Square Black Tag is tucked behind the open side of a 4″ x 6″ photo mount.  Interactive elements always make an album more fun!

You’ll find all the details and lots of tips and tricks in this YouTube Video Tour.

Winter Wonderland December Daily YouTube Video Tour

Winter Wonderland December Daily: Making the Chipboard and Sticker Embellishments

As you saw in the video, the final pocket in this Winter Wonderland December Daily holds a festive banner made with  Staples Red Alpha Tags.  This goes together in about 15 minutes. Here’s how:

• First, mat each tag on gold metallic paper and trim around the edges.
• Next, re-punch the hole at the top of each tag.
• Then thread black and white ribbon through the top.
• Now tie a square knot with another piece of the same ribbon.
• Next, hot glue a flower to the center knot.
• Then, make the chipboard and sticker embellishments following the simple steps in this YouTube Video tutorial.

I’ve used these embellishments throughout the album to dress up tags and decorate pages.  They are super simple to make, and can be adapted for use with any paper collection.

Winter Wonderland December Daily Chipboard and Sticker Embellishments Tutorial on YouTube

I hope I’ve shared some tips, tricks and ideas that you can use in your own holiday crafting.  If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.  Thanks so much for hanging with me for this long post!

Cheerio,

kathy

Winter Wonderland December Daily Supply List

Graphic 45 Products

•   Mixed Media Album Ivory
• Winter Wonderland 12×12 Paper Collection
• 12 x 12 Patterns and Solids – Winter Wonderland
• Winter Wonderland Decorative Stickers/Chipboard
• Staples
  •   Washi Tape Set
  • Antique Metal Drawer Pull
  • Policy Envelopes – ATC Red
  •  Policy Envelopes-Regular Red
  • Alpha Banner-Red
  • Square Tags-Black
  • Regular Tag Album- Black

Other Supplies

• Black and Gold Cardstock for Matting
• Ribbon
  • 1.5” wide Black Gingham Ribbon
  • ⅝” wide Bold Black Check Ribbon
  • Gold Metallic String
  • ¼” black gingham
• Mixed Media
  • Ranger Distress Grit Paste
  • Hot Glue
  • Mini Tinsel Trim
• Embellishments
  • Mini pine cones
  • Red berries
  • Jingle bells
  • Paper Poinsettia
  • Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Hinge Clips
• Tools:
  • Spellbinders 2011 Heirloom Ornaments Die #1
  • Spellbinders Large Oval Nestabilities Die #1
  • Ticket Corner Punch
  • Scoring tool, Scissors, paper trimmer, scissors, ruler