Christmas Countdown

We are celebrating Hanukkah but many of my Christian friends will be celebrating Christmas in less than a month! Here's a fun and easy project to help you count down the days for this jolly holiday.

 

This Christmas countdown calendar is really simple to make. Start by creating the booklet of numbers counting from 24 to 1 and bind it with a wire. I used my Bind it All.

Then add the numbers to the pages and embellish them with as much holiday embellishments, colors and bling that you can, so it'll be bright and jolly! Create a special page for the final day when Christmas finally arrives!

Build the stand from pieces of chipboard and cover them with paper. Adhere the booklet to the stand and add more embellishments. For complete step by step tutorial check out the video tutorial!

Have fun creating!
Einat

8 Dayz of Light

We'll be celebrating Hanukkah in just a few days so I thought I would share with you a mixed media layout you can create with your holiday photos.

In this layout I used a few easy but really cool techniques to create the festive light effect I wanted. I started with creating a corrugated paper. I had a piece od corrugated paper I got from IKEA but it was covered only on one side. So I covered it with a 12X12 patterned paper to create the cover. Then I tore it to create a layered effect.

I created dripage with acrylic paint to mimic the melting wax of the candles.
I added more layers of paper all in orange and yellow colors like the colors of a candle's flame. I also embossed some of the papers with a Spellbinders embossing folder.
I finished my page with hand made candles I created from rolled pieces of paper and layers of flowers in matching colors.



 

 



If you were looking at this page and asking yourself "what exactly is Hanukkah anyway, why 8 candles?" Here's the Hanukkah story in a nut shell...

* In 175 BCE, Antiochus Epiphanes, invaded Judea (ancient Israel).

* The Temple in Jerusalem was looted and services stopped, Judaism was outlawed. 

* Antiochus ordered an altar to Zeus erected in the Temple. He banned circumcision and ordered pigs to be sacrificed at the altar of the temple.

* Antiochus's actions provoked a large-scale revolt. By 165 BCE the Jewish revolt was successful.

* The Temple was liberated and rededicated, it was cleansed, a new altar was built in place of the polluted one and new holy vessels were made. 

* Olive oil was needed for the menorah in the Temple, which was required to burn throughout the night every night.

* The story goes that there was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An eight-day festival was declared to commemorate this miracle - Hanukkah!

You can easily create the same layout for Christmas simply by changing the color scheme and using green, gold and red.

Have fun creating!
Einat

"Our photos" mini album in a camera box

It's fun to be a Basically Bare Design Team member because you get to play with cute chipboards like these camera chipboards from the Paparazzi set. When I saw these cameras I just knew they will be a mini album! To add to the fun I also created a cute camera box to house the mini album.

I created the pages by tracing the camera chipboard onto thin chipboard and papers and then adhering them. Then I embellished the pages with photo theme embellishments such as stickers, cogwheels and film strip and stamps. I created flaps and pockets to allow more room for journaling and photos.

I created the box from chipboard parts and covered it with patterned paper. For full instructions on how to create the mini album and build the box check out the video tutorial.

This was so much fun! I got to combine two of my greatest passions in crafts: mini albums and paper engineering! You should try it too!

Have fun creating!
Einat

Happy Hannukah card with Spellbinders

Hanukkah is just around the corner! In two weeks we'll light the first candle and start the eight days holiday which is one of my favorite holidays.

Here's the first card I created for the holiday, first of many I still need to do...

This card tells the story of Hanukkah through it's bright yellow and red colors which mimic the colors of the candle's fire. It will also look great next to the Menorah because it can stand on its own.

For this card I used papers from the amazing Sunset collection by Prima. I created the front of the card with one of my Spellbinders embossing folder Numbers and letters. This embossing folder I so easy to use and has such an amazing effect! I cut strips of paper to create the candles and added flames I cut from the same paper. To finish the card I added a big 8 and a title.

Don't wait until the last minute to make your holiday cards like me...

Have fun creating!
Einat

Photo Transfer Mixed Media Art Journal

I've already shared with you my love for art journaling. This is such a great way to inspire yourself and others and play with new techniques and materials. I rarely design with my own photo but this time I couldn't resist. I really wanted to play with this fun photo transfer technique and share it with all of you.

I also want to share some easy Gelatos techniques that will result in some beautiful background effects. All you need for that is Gelatos and water and you can create magic!

 

The combination of these techniques in one project will not only give you hours of fun but will also give you a chance to create inspiring art journal pages. I created this art journal page to remind myself to never stop dreaming and always follow my dreams!

Have fun creating!
Einat

Conversation - mixed media layout

A while ago I caught my grandfather and son on camera while they were completely immersed in a live conversation.  These two can talk for hours about science, machines and philosophy. There is something magical going on between this 90 year old man and his 11 year old great grandson that I wanted to capture on a layout.

 

In order to create a conversation theme I wanted to use letters and text. I started by layering three patterned papers with text pattern on them after tearing them into the desired shape. Then I added letter stickers and a lot of them. I wanted to created a waterfall of letters symbolizing a flowing conversation.

 

I added a little mixed media magic with glimmer mist spraying and stenciling with gesso and distress ink. I finished the page with flowers and chipboard embellishments. You can watch the video for a step by step tutorial on how I created this page.

This was such a special layout to create and it's going to be a wonderful souvenir for both of them.

Have fun creating!
Einat