Project 13 - Number of sleeps 'til Christmas!

Today's embellishment is a greeting cut from the Vintage Christmas backing paper and the edges inked in Olive Green. This was mounted on a larger peice of chipboard, covered in some torn backing paper and a piece of vintage map. The embellishments today were a chipboard heart inked in green and then coated in glossy accents and a smooth button, a small amount of daisy d's rub on stitching completes the item.

This project is based on a small 6x4 photograph frame from a cheap shop for 99p the cost of the blackboard paint is probably 10x that!!!! So if you can find a small childs chalkboard or similar you may cut your costs, but I decided I would make several other things with the paint too!

The gingerbread man shape template is here. I have seen a few of these around, but bought my blackboard paint back in August!!!!! The frame I bought was quite slippery for the paint and ended up with a crackle paint effect by accident, which I quite like!!

1. Using a small 6x4 picture frame, remove the backing chipboard, hanger and glass from the frame, to start to prepare it. Sand lightly and then coat the frame with a coat of PVA glue. Leave to dry.

2. Using the chipboard from the backing of the frame, paint the surface with a coat of Blackboard paint and leave to dry for several hours. My tin of paint suggested a second coat, but actually I think one would have been enough.
3. using and acrylic paint dauber or acrylic paint and a brush, apply a thick coat of paint to the frame, including the inside rim where the glass would sit. Leave to dry.
4. If you wish you can apply a second coat. Once dry apply some dark brown shadows to each corner using a chalk eye ink pad. At this point you can seal the frame using a second coat of PVA glue.
5. For the decoration, draw around the gingerbread man downloaded template and cut out in blank chipboard.6. Using a 'butterscotch' paint dauber, coat the gingerbread man all over in paint and leave a few minutes to dry. Using a medium brown ink pad ink all the edges of the template to add depth.
7. Choose your button decorations, two brown eyes and three small red buttons. Apply buttons with silicone glue.Run a narrow band of silicone around the wrists and the ankles of the gingerbread man and apply some white ric-rac ribbon and fold on to the back and secure. Add a gingham ribbon bow at the neck. Leave to dry.
8. For the title block on the other side I used one of my many saved clothing tags!!! I have a collection!!!

I chose this one!I used a gluestick to cover the surface, then stuck it to some Basic Grey Fruitcake backing paper and cut around it with a craft knife. You could use a die cut tag shape. Ink the edges with dark brown.Using some alphabet stickers make the title "Sleeps 'til Christmas!" (I used American crafts remarks stickers.) Punch a hole in the top of the ta with a cropadile and tie a ribbon through the top.9. Place the blackboard wood, back inside the frame and then attach the hanging clip to the piece of glass by sliding it over the edge and centralising it. Place the glass in the BACK of the frame behind the wood to keep the blackboard in position and secure with the frame metal clips in position.10. Finally, using silicone glue, glue the gingerbread man in the top right hand corner and the title tag in the bottom left hand corner. Hopefully this will help any little cherub count down to Christmas!! Chalk provided of course!

Drop by tomorrow for another craft project. Happy Crafting! TFLx