Two Non Card Christmas Projects - Lantern Tag & Owl Frame

Today I'm sharing two projects I made before Christmas - a gift tag and a decorated frame.  I was in my LSS looking at dies and I fell in love with the lantern die as soon as I clapped eyes on it.  I just knew I wanted it - maybe because I have rather a thing for candles, tealights, lanterns and so forth.   My friend Lesley was with me and she liked it too but said "but what would you do with it?"  The first thing that came into my head was gift tags and when I said that there was an "ooooooh" between us and two pairs of hands reached for the lantern dies!  I rang Lesley later that day to excitedly report that I'd made a lantern tag and she replied "so have I!"  So often we buy crafty stuff and wait ages to use it but us two that day could NOT wait to get busy with that die!

I started off by cutting one black shape and then cut a piece of  Very Vanilla CS to fit behind the lantern.  I sponged Scattered Straw and Wild Honey Distress Inks onto the vanilla CS, die cut another black lantern and sandwiched the sponged panel between the two black lanterns.  I punched a holly branch and added some red nailheads for berries.  I punched a small hole at the top of the lantern and threaded some sparkly gold thread through.  I bought a bright red gift bag to put Owen's presents into and I tied this tag to one of the handles - it looked lovely against the red bag!   

I stamped and sponged a panel to go on the back so I could write a message.

The idea for this next project started when I picked up the cream frame in a charity shop and I thought it would be great to decorate with Christmassy patterned papers.  I handed the frame to Owen to hang onto until I was ready to pay and he gave me a look - I said "I've got plans for that!" and his response was a very sarcastic "yeah, right!"  OK, so yes, I do have a collection of things I've bought or kept 'cos I have plans for them and no, a lot of the time it doesn't happen!  Anyway, that response obviously stung me into action 'cos a few days later I had hung this frame up as part of our Christmas decor!

I chose the lovely SU! Snow Festival DSP papers and first cut out three squares to go behind the apertures.  I then covered the top, bottom, front and sides of the frame with patterned paper pieces I'd cut to size - I even mitred the corners!  I then applied clear gloss varnish over the patterned paper to keep the frame durable.  I dressed the frame up with some Gumball Green ribbon.  Finally I added a rhinestone to the snowflake on the owl's belly and a dome sparkle sticker to the hat - on the outside of the glass.

Here's a close up of the owl. 

Owen was very surprised when he saw it - probably amazed that I'd actually done something with the frame I'd bought!  We both really like our new Christmas frame, it certainly added a bit of Christmas cheer and it was a very happy project to work on!

Supplies for lantern tag:
Stamps: Penny Black 'Beautiful Season'
CS: SU! Basic Black, Old Olive & Very Vanilla
Ink: Scattered Straw & Wild Honey Distress Inks, Memento Tuxedo Black
Tools: Marianne Creatables Lantern die, Martha Stewart Holly Branch punch, small circle punch, sponges
Embellishments & accessories: red nailheads, gold thread


Supplies for owl frame:
Patterned paper  SU! Snow Festival DSP
Embellishments & accessories: 3 aperture photo frame, SU! Gumball Green stitched satin ribbon, glitter dome sticker, rhinestone jewel, clear gloss varnish