56 days remaining! - the Crafty Countdown

All the dogs!!  Christmas starts with landing at my mums with my 3 dogs, and mum and Neils 3 dogs!  It's a complete house full.  At the moment it's all calm - no grumpy dogs (touch wood).  Caz is left holding the fort back in Peterborough - I bet it feels really quiet. I didn't bring loads of craft stuff up with me, so I set about raiding my mums craft stash.  

I found a box making kit that I actually bought my mum a while ago (I think it's Anna Griffin) - she has used some of them, but there's plenty left for me to play with.  I popped out the elements to make my first box.  Things like this are brilliant to trace round to keep as a template for future use.

They are dead easy to put together.  They're pre-scored, and just need a bit of tape to hold them together.  The lid still opens as well, which I like, as they are great for little Christmas treats.

The only part I really hate, are the little paper pips.  They really get on my nerves.  I went around the edges with my red pen to hide them a little bit.

I threaded my ribbon through the top of the ribbon buckle

And then I looped the ribbon and threaded each end back through the buckle.  I kept a large loop which will be used to hang the box on the tree

I glued it in place, making sure there was plenty of glue to hold the ribbon and buckle in place

Urgh, more pips!!

However, round the edge with the green pen, and viola, it looks much better doesn't it :)

This panel was glued to the front of the box, and I drew round the edge with a quickie glue pen, and then added a little glitter - this is handy if you have got any of those stubborn pips to cover 

Next I made a pretty ribbon, using satin, organza and curling ribbon.  I wanted something that made quite an impact

I glued it onto the front of the box, which I think looks really pretty

I then added some flowers from the kit, with some stick on gems in the centre

And also one at the top

I managed to find a little bit of space on mums tree to squeeze the box on.  Don't worry though, I have taken it back off, so it's ready to send out to the winner when I decide how I'm going to give away my Crafty Countdown makes.