Shining a Light

This is my second post of the day - please scroll down to see my first post

I'm back again - this time it's with the latest challenge from Lexi's Creations and this time Susan is challenging us to Make a Gift / Anything but a Card.

Our wonderful sponsor for this challenge is the superbly talented Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts. The prize that is up for grabs this week is 5 digital images of your choice! With plenty of images in the store, including the quite new releases, you'll be spoilt for choice!

 

Now I've made a couple of "anything but a card" projects in the last few weeks (a door hanger and a bookmark) so I thought I would really challenge myself this time and make something which I have seen done, looks lovely and surely it really can't be as simple as the tutorials would have me believe? Well it really is that simple and here I've turned a plain candle into a gorgeous gift:

My card recipe is as follows:

· Candle - small unscented block candle in white from Ikea

· Image - This stylised tree is called Bauble Spiral Christmas Tree and it is by Lexi at Fairy Dust Crafts. I printed the image first onto some thin card before then carefully taping a piece of white tissue paper over the top of the printed image. I then put this through the printer, keeping my fingers crossed (imagine explaining this one to "Himself" had it all jammed in there!) and then used my Spectrum Noir Pens in the following colours to bring the tree to life:

oTree - CG4, DG3

oBaubles - TB5, CR11, CT4

oWire - BGR1

· Putting the image onto the candle - Once the image was dry, I carefully cut around it and then placed it onto the candle holding it in place with a piece of Greaseproof Paper. I then used my hairdryer (another example of my frugal crafting!) to heat this 'sandwich' up and make the image melt into the candle … just be very careful that you don’t burn yourself at the same time. There is a great tutorial on SplitCoast Stampers with a video showing you how to do this!

I think that small candles like these would make great gifts for Teachers or Classroom Helpers, or even as a quick Hostess Gift if you're invited to a party at short notice. This was such a quick and enjoyable 'make' I can see that I'll be doing more of these in the run up to Christmas :o)

For more great and gorgeous Gifts or Anything But A Card ideas, head on over to Lexi's Creations and see the what my very talented team-mates have made. Don't forget to come back and share your creation with us! You've got until Saturday 29th September 2012 to link your projects up.

I would like to enter this project into the following challenge (with some help from the girls at Feline Playful - thanks girls):

• TSG173 - Everyone Loves Presents at There She Goes (This project is the present!)
• Challenge 125 - Favourite Technique at Speedy Fox and Friends 
• Say It With ... 3D Christmas at Annabelle Stamps
• Challenge 17 - Starting Christmas Early at Stampin' for the Weekend
• Challenge #2 at Let's Create ... Anything but a Card
• Challenge #181 - Less is More at Stamptacular Sunday

Whatever you're doing this week, have fun!

Hugs, Helen x