Santa's Hat Box

Hello, Crafters.

I hope you've enjoyed your weekend. I'm starting the week with a touch of  silly humour! 

Yesterday, I didn't have a clue what stamp set to use to make today's card with. Having seen quite a few great cards that crafters have made using Santa's Suit, I thought I'd give it a go, but my mind was a blank!

The problem with a stamp set like this, it requires thinking outside the box otherwise you're left with Santa's clothes on a washing line! I decided to have a look at Pinterest to see if I could see anything that would get me thinking outside the box.

It worked and I thought I'd make a window box and put the washing line around the outside and hang the washing on it. 

I die cut two parts of the Window Box using Sahara Sand Cardstock (CS), and then stamped HO HO HO from the Oh, What Fun Stamp Set, randomly over both pieces, tone on tone. Then I assembled the boxes as per the instructions. 

Using Basic Black Archival Ink, Real Red Ink and Whisper White CS,  I stamped, coloured and die cut three pairs of trousers, three jackets, three hats and three pairs of boots. 

This is a two step stamp set and I really struggled to get the hats stamped in red completely. On nearly every hat, I had to stamp the colour twice to get the job done properly. It was when I was fixing the washing line to the box that the idea of a hat box came to my mind!

I collected all the die cuts together, excluding the hats, and the one "santa" I had assembled, and put them in a little cup I had on my desk - ready for another project. 

I stamped, coloured and die cut seven more hats, and I also stamped, coloured and die cut some pegs. I took some thick Baker's Twine in Soft Suede - now retired - and adhered it with Tombow on each edge of the hexagon-shaped box.

Yesterday was one of those rare occasions when I useed my computer to help me with a project, and printed the label Santa's Hat Box! The label was die cut with the Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies, square no. 2 die. 

I layered this onto a scalloped square from the Layering Square Framelits Dies, and adhered it to the front of the box using Dimensionals so I could hide the ends of the washing line! 

I adhered the completed "Santa" to the lid of the box and left a gap where his hat should be. I thought it looked a bit odd, so I added the question mark as if to say "where's the hat"!

While I've been sitting here writing, I decided to add some Wink of Stella Clear Glitter to all the white cuff areas. It makes such a difference. I'll try and remember to show a photograph with the glitter tomorrow!

Before I go, I must tell you about two creations I saw on Pinterest last night that gave me a giggle. 

One of them was from the This Little Piggy stamp Set, and featured the upright piggy with santa's boots and hat but minus the flower! It was so comical!

The very best one had a die cut sleigh from the Santa's Sleigh and co-ordinating Santa's Sleigh Thinlits Dies, which had crashed into a lamppost from the Brightly Lit Christmas Stamp Set and co-ordinating Christmas Lamppost Thinlits Dies, and sent Santa flying through the air closely followed by his boots, and his hat leading the way! I thought it was absolutely hilarious!

I've managed to do a copy and paste, so see the card above. It was created by Jackie Aitken - jaxxcraftycreations.blogspot.com. 
(If you see this post Jackie - congratulations, your creation is absolutely fabulous!)

That's it from me today. Until tomorrow, happy crafting.

JanB.