Wednesday 2 December 2015

2015 #22 Xmas Giftwrap Masterplan {by Alison Bomber}

 2015 Topic 22: Masterboards

Hello all, it's Alison here from Words and Pictures to share my Christmas masterboard master plan. I'm a masterboard first timer.  When I saw the theme I thought I'd challenge myself to something new and sign up for it.

There are any number of ways to build the layers of a masterboard - so I decided to stick to my favourite things.  No, not raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, but certainly brown paper packages tied up with strings.  That's been my Christmas habit for a couple of decades now... brown parcel paper zhuzhed up in a variety of ways (different decoration for each recipient so I can tell which parcel is for whom).  This time around, I'm zhuzhing for one recipient with a masterboard.


And since we're on my favourite things, I built my layers with some more of them - crackle, book pages, the colours blue and brown, stencilling, wrinkle-free-distress technique, heat embossing, white spatter and of course stamping, stamping, stamping.


In another first, I've yielded to the need for collage photos to give you a quick rundown of the layers:

i) strips of book page, whitewashed with a wash of Snowflake Fresco Finish paint

ii) rough areas of Blueberry applied with a wide brush, and Crackle Glaze added to the Blueberry bits with a palette knife

iii) rough coat of Snowflake over the Crackle Glaze; stencilling holly with Blueberry
iv) wrinkle free distress technique using Chipped Sapphire and Pumice Stone, followed by stamping the checkered tree from Hot Picks Xmas 08 (HPXM08) in the same two colours

v) stencilling the holly again, this time in Snowflake; stamping the swirly tree from the same set in Coffee Archival and clear-embossing it

vi) stamping the swirly tree in Versamark and embossing with Vanilla White; stencilling Harlequins in Pumice Stone


The final two layers - stamping the lovely greetings stamp (same set again, HPXM08) in Potting Soil Archival and then plenty of spatter in a mixture of Snowflake and Chalk.


For once I have the perfect excuse for as much spatter as I like... it's snowing of course!  I love that wherever you look you have so many different things going on.


Once I had the masterboard done, then the rest happened very quickly.  I always knew I wanted to cut some pillow boxes.  I did them two ways, masterboard with a kraft label, and kraft with masterboard labels.  The additional decoration comes in the form of pine cones, tiny wooden stars and some thick white twine.


I had a few other gifts ready for wrapping (I'm not usually this organised, I promise!), so I did my usual brown parcel paper and then cut wide strips of the masterboard to decorate each parcel.  Again the pine cones and white twine finish off the look.


I'm not ready with all my Christmas shopping for this person yet, but I still have two sheets of the masterboard left to play with, so I'm sure it will run the course.  I've already cut some tiny tabs and tags as you saw, and it occurred to me as I photographed them that those round and oval ones in the foreground would make great baubles on a simple Christmas card too. 


I really enjoyed myself with the masterboard - and I just love how the ideas come bubbling up once you have the thing ready for cutting and playing with.  If you've never done it before then why not give it a go?  Do as I did... grab some of your favourite things and layer, layer, layer.  With luck, you end up with some really stylish co-ordinated gift wrapping (and cards!).

Thanks so much for stopping by today - it's always fantastic to hear what you think, and I hope you'll be able to drop in again soon both here and over at Words and Pictures.

Alison x

Ho Ho Ho ..... Wow are you looking on top of things thing Christmas Alison! Adore how you have pulled this all together so perfectly! Cunning masterplan indeed! Love your very competent collage photos (impressive) showing so magnificently the steps! And brilliant how the kraft, twine, pine cones and masterboard wrap into a whole lot of pretty parcels! And I've hummed that Julie Andrews song the whole way through your post! LOL ~Leandra

We would love you to join in with challenge #22: Masterboards If you are inspired by any of our guests who blog with us over the fortnight, then please join in and link up your creativity HERE

All links go in the draw to win a voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. The Masterboards link will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, Dec 6th winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

32 comments:

Helen said...

Alison, this is stunning -great use of the masterboard, no-one would think it was your first attempt - but for someone who loves layers, this is perfect for you. Lucky person with all those gifts to open!

pearshapedcrafting said...

Wow! These would look great under any tree! I love your master board - no one would ever know that you are new to this! Chrisx

Lauren Hatwell said...

Lovely to see your gorgeous masterboards come together. They flow so beautifully and your gifts all look fabulous. I do love those little pine cones. What a lovely touch to bring in something from nature. Lx

sally said...

Love all those shades brought together with the Kraft!

Sally

craftytrog said...

Wonderful masterboard Alison...seems criminal to unwrap those beautiful parcels! xx

suzyb said...

You are doing what I would love to be able to do! Your colours are wonderful. Very icy and cool. Love your work!!! Little pieces of art.
Can't wait to see what you do next.
Victoria, BC
Canada

Unknown said...

Just such beautiful.... every idea, every package Alison. The colors, the theme - just stunning. Wow. I can just imagine how lovely packages like this would be under a tree. j.

Charne said...

Absolutely love your gorgeous packaging!

CastleKelly Crafts said...

Wow, wow, wow, how fantastic they'd all look under the tree ready to give on Christmas Day. The colour combination is gorgeous and my mind is racing as to how I can incorporate something similar with my wrappings xx

Kirsten said...

Gorgeous masterboard, Alison!! I love the finished projects too.

Craftyfield said...

Love the Kraft and blue colour scheme and the masterboard looks great

Mac Mable said...

Stunning, beautiful and just plain gorgeous. Love the colours, the texture and layering look, Fabulous x

Julie Lee said...

Wow! These parcels look fantastic! I really love the Kraft with MB trim and labels and the pillow boxes look fabulous. I adore all that spatter and it's great that these packages are all about your favourite techniques too! This just makes Christmas so much more fun! A really beautiful project to get us in the Christmas Master Board Spirit!xx

Etsuko said...

What a beautiful the Christmas masterboard and fabulous you way to use! Lovely colours and textures. I love it. xx

craftimamma said...

I would be so pleased just looking at these beautifully wrapped pressies I wouldn't really want to open them! Alison they are gorgeous and what fab ideas you've had for using your masterboards.

Hugs
Lesley Xx

Astrid Maclean said...

The masterboard is gorgeous and I just loved the way you used it. Lucky recipients of these beautifully enhanced brown paper packages wrapped up with string (eek I'll have that song go through my head now all evening....)

Amanda said...

Beautiful and hopefully the first of many.
Love
Amanda x

Margik said...

Alison, I absolutely love these wonderful projects! A beautiful combination of colours, textures and designs!
Mar xx

Deb said...

So many gorgeous layers and individual elements that combine to create this beautiful masterboard Alison and love your gift wrapping with the kraft and white twine! Someone is going to be very lucky this Christmas to receive this multitude of brown paper packages tied up with string! Deb xo

froebelsternchen said...

This is not a normal masterboard - this is an above-average masterboard Alison! Amazing!

Redanne said...

You really have got me in the Christmas spirit now Alison! Your masterboard is gorgeous with all those beautiful layers, stamping and wonderful splatting. The colours are so very 'you' and so perfect for Christmas. The parcels look far too nice to open! Now I have a certain song going through my mind too.... Anne xx

Susan Battensby said...

Love your masterboard, all my favourite colours and it goes so well with the kraft paper and so easy to do.
I've never done this before but am going to have a go at this. Thank you for the inspiration.

Sarah B said...

beautiful Alison - your finished gifts look so pretty and far too nice to open and throw away the packaging - I might have to try this idea for the little table presents I do on Christmas day. xx

Anneke said...

This wil look so pretty under the Christmas tree.
Beautiful Design Alison.

Pamellia said...

Completely genius and totally stunning!! I am so borrowing this idea Alison! You are such a creative inspiration, love them! hugs :)

Jackie PN said...

Beautifully done and those tree stamps are wonderful!!

Julia Aston said...

Love the colors you used - they work wonderfully with the kraft Alison! What lovely gift packaging! Julia xx

Beulah Bee said...

This was an excellent series and Leandra's video was really outstanding. Your Christmas goodies turned out great and I am even more motivated to give it a go. Thanks for the inspiration.

Fliss said...

Asolutely beautiful packaging Alison and I just love the contrast with the blues and kraft - a colour match made in heaven!
Fliss xx

Lucy Edmondson said...

Absolutely gorgeous, Alison! So love your combination of brown and blue!

Lucy x

rachel said...

beautiful masterboard (s) and great makes Alison - love it all - beautiful! Masterboards are definitely a favourite for me xx

Cocofolies said...

So great building process for this masterboard by Alison!!! And I love the final result, every tiny packaging is so beautiful!! Coco xx