Big Wooly Jumpers

You can't help thinking of them when the topic of the "Lands of Ice and Snow" comes up, can you? 

It's Fran's turn to set the challenge for the Daring Cardmakers this week and she's chosen a fabulous  

           Nordic Christmas

theme.  She's provided this fab photo just in case some extra inspiration was needed

Every time I turn the TV or radio on there seems to be someone talking about "The Killing" - or more precisely the craze for thick knitted sweaters in the Scandinavian style that the series has inspired.  I think that's why I had a pattern of rows of motifs in my head when I was thinking about what to do for my card this week

I actually made the dangly tree ornament a week or two ago when we heard what Fran's dare was to be, but it's been sitting on my desk since then waiting for an idea to present itself as to how to use it.

My Grandma used to knit "Fair Isle" pattern jumpers - those where there seemed to be hundreds of different coloured balls of wool attached to her knitting.  As I was a great disappointment to her on the knitting front I remain in awe and not a little bamboozled as to how it all works and how you can possibly know what you're doing with these patterns.

So my pattern is a simple red and white one....and it's in paper, not wool of course!  It looked a bit dull so I've added a wrap of fine gold thread to the base card, then lengths of various white, red and gold trims to brighten the basic border design

I started off by using the "shapes" options in my graphics program (Greetings Card Factory)  to make the motifs, repeating and aligning them until I had a pattern I liked.  I saved and then converted it to cut on Craft Robo (there's a surprise!) in red Bazzill then matted it on to some white card and a Kraft card blank

 Materials:

Kraft 15cm square card blank

Bazziill (red, white), Red Glitter card. Gold card

Red satin ribbon, red/white patterned braid, white plaited braid, gold lurex crochet thread, fine gold thread, red gems, KandCo glittery snowflakes, Crystal Ice Stickles

Tools:

Craft Robo (Nordic Border Design, Bauble "hanger")

Memory Box Bauble base and Bauble upper dies

If you have a Craft Robo or Silhouette and would like the GSD file for this Nordic Border design, please email me and I will send a copy to you.

I'm now thinking that I can use this border design for some fairly quick and easy Christmas cards - especially for those I don't need to put through the post so can make as "fat" as I want without worrying about the mean old Royal Mails 5cm thickness allowance for regular postal prices.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Here's another card using that fab little Santa image from Funky Hand's "Twelve Days of Christmas" CD.  He's so darned cute!

Materials:

Simple Stories Christmas 6x6 pad, 

Funky Hand (Twelve Days of Christmas) Father Christmas image converted for cutting on Craft Robo

Lettering; Craft Robo, Red twine, Crystal Ice Stickles

Bazzill card; Red, Black, White, Yellow

If you've not already visited the Daring Cardmakers BLOG, then please go and check out all the Super-Fabulous cards the team have made this week - what a treat for the eyes!
That's all for now, hope you enjoyed your visit and will come again soon