All Wrapped Up {with LPC Stamps by Alison Bomber}

Hello all, Alison (butterfly) here from Words and Pictures. I'm delighted to be back with a PaperArtsy project to share with you.  And - in a first for me - I've started getting ready for Christmas even though it's only November!

Most of my Christmas creations seem to end up in the neutrals zone, and I also think it's a good idea to keep things simple, given all the pressures in the run up to the festive season. 
I used stamps from the Lynne Perrella Christmas sets LP 017, LP 018 and LP 020 to create some simple handmade gift wrap.  When the stamps are this amazing, sometimes you really don't need to do much else.

Once I'd selected my stamps, I put each one on its own stamp block so that I could just stamp away without having to keep swapping them around.

LPC017

LPC018

They're stamped in Coffee Archival onto a large roll of plain drawing paper (available for peanuts in the children's section of a renowned Swedish furniture store).  Make sure you've got a firm stamping surface underneath... I used a paper pad so that I had a reasonably large stamping surface, but even so I had to make sure to move it when necessary.  You don't want to mess an image up once you're halfway across the paper!

I worked in columns, alternating which way up the stamps were, so that however the parcels end up tumbled under the tree there should be something the right way up!

I created co-ordinating tags using the fabulous tiny Manila Tags - some in Size 1 and one in Size 2 - simply inked with Coffee Archival, blended on with a blending too, and then choosing partial images from each of my large featured stamps to go on the front.

 LPC020

On the back I can write the "To: From:" details.  I have to say it's completely unheard of for me to be ready to wrap Christmas gifts this early.  I'm usually doing it at midnight on Christmas Eve!  But by happy chance I had some bits and pieces ready for wrapping, so I can show you the finished look.  

Once wrapped, I blended some more Coffee Archival on to the edges and corners to warm up the look.  And some simple dark brown twine finishes them off, leaving the stamps to take centre stage.  So there they are, ready to go under the tree - I can hardly believe it!  I hope the recipient likes them, and I hope you do too!

Thanks for stopping by, and I'll see you again soon.

Alison xx

A huge thankyou to Alison from all at PaperArtsy HQ. This wrapping paper is gorgeous, truly vintage and heartwarming. So elegant compared to some of those gaudy shop papers. This is classy! The Lynne Perrella images are perfect, especially on  those matching tags. 

We would love you to join in with our monthly challenge. If you are inspired by any of this month's guests who have blogged between Nov 1st 2014 and Nov 30th 2014 then join in and link up your creativity HERE. You will go in the draw to win a voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. You need to add your link by 19:00 (London time) Nov 30th 2014