Paper Blooms Merry Christmas Card & Gift Bag - 52 {C}CT March Stash Challenge

We have a stash challenge for you this week at 52 {C}CT, Patricia, our March challenge hostess is asking for paper flowers to be used.  You can use store-bought paper flowers (such as Primas) or you can create flowers with punches, dies, or an electronic die-cutting machine.  Using floral patterned paper doesn't count for this challenge unless you find a way to lift those flowers off the card!  Stamping or using a digital image of a Christmassy flower only works if you then cut it out and give it some dimension.

 

Following a trip to the Glitter Pot I now own some 'Big Bloomers' - fab name LOL!  I saw these gorgeous Oyster Blush 'Big Bloomers' paper flowers from PaperMania.  They have a lovely pearly sheen and are really thick and sturdy.  I know they're not specifically Christmassy but I thought I'd get away with using them if I added some red paper flowers and a Christmas brad!  I made a 5 3/4" square card plus a gift bag.

For the card I attached the stacked blooms together with a 'Merry Christmas' brad and layered onto Garden Green and Cherry Cobbler CS mats.  I added two die cut ivy corners and two die cut photo corners.  I added a Candy Dot to each ivy shape and I punched snowflakes to go on the photo corners.  I added gems to the snowflake centres. 

Here's a closer look at the flower element.  The 'Big Bloomers' are so luxurious and elegant! 

Here's the inside of the card and the envelope front.

I love the 'Big Bloomers' so I thought I'd make a gift bag so I could use more of the flowers!  I made the gift bag from SU! Garden Green textured CS using my new We R Memory Keepers Gift Bag Punch Board - it's a fab tool!  Each gift bag made on the board will have a depth of 2", you can choose from 3 widths of bag and select the height of the bag.  The instructions are great, very clear (the pictures help!) and I found the bag came together quickly and easily.  My bag is 3 3/4" wide and just a tad shy of 6 3/4" tall.  I used a holly brad to go in the centre of my stacked flowers.  I popped the flower up onto the sentiment flag banner and then popped that up on the front of the bag.  I punched two holes at the top of the bag with my Crop-a-Dile and threaded a length of white ribbon through the holes and tied a bow to keep the bag closed. 

Here's a side view of the bag.

So now it's over to you to rootle through your stash and find those paper flowers - or, like me, you can take the opportunity to add some new paper flowers to your stash!  Create a card with your paper flowers and link up to our 52 {C}CT challenge this week, I'm looking forward to seeing your creations!

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampendous 'Christmas Cheer', SU! 'Seasonal Wishes' set
CS: Centura Pearl Snow White Hint of Silver CS, SU! Garden Green & Cherry Cobbler, SU! Garden Green 12" x 12" textured CS
Ink: SU! Garden Green & Cherry Cobbler
Tools: 'Ivy Corner' Joanna Sheen Signature Die, MFT 'Photo Corner' & 'Fishtail Flags Stax' Die-namics dies, Spellbinders Grommet Tags dies, Fiskars snowflake punch, We R Memory Keepers Gift Bag Punch Board, Crop-a-Dile
Embellishments & accessories: PaperMania Oyster Blush 'Big Bloomers' paper flowers, Dovecraft red Paper Blossoms, Dovecraft Christmas brads, SU! Garden Green & Cherry Cobbler Candy Dots, SU! Whisper White stitched ribbon,SU! Dimensionals