Xmas lantern ornaments

Pajama party/crafting party with my GF resulted in some pretty fun stuff!  I had so much fun, but now I am exhausted.  LOL  I started off making placement names tags for my table via inspiration from Nicole @ Canadian Nickel Scrap'n but loved the red colors that, Thatcrazychick did for her lantern.  My house is in reds and so is my Christmas tree, so RED was justing singing to me.  So, while I waited for my guest to arrive for our full day and night of scrapping bliss, I got started cutting and cutting and cutting and cutting some more to get all my pieces ready to go for assembly.  OMG... so much cutting!!! 

I cut out scrolls and inked the edges and added a sentiment, those were ready. 

I cut out a ton of pinecones (in brown card stock) and branches (in 2 different tones of green cardstock), and then inked my branches.  OMG, if I have to roll another pinecone this year it might be too soon!  Wow... Love the look after the fact, but have to honestly say, they weren't the most fun to roll up.  LOL 

  

Next up, all the lanterns.  I cut out a dozen from grundge paper, to make 6 name tags.  Once they were cut I took and heat embossed them with first, a Recollection Red glitter embossing powder.  I rub some of it off and in the exposed areas I inked with Walnut stain ink and then re-embossed with Distress walnut stain embossing powder to give that rustic look to it in those exposed areas.  It turned out soooooo good!  I took the light globe and Distress painted the inner part with Scattered Straw and the outside rim in Antique linen.  I let it dry and then repainted the same overtop for a second coat.  Once dry I crackled the globes with clear rock candy crackle.  I distress embossed in Walnut ink the little knob. 

 

 

Now, I found that the grunge paper warped from the heat gun and it wasn't as sturdy as I would have liked so I grabbed a pile of plastic packaging I had and cut out sheets so that I could diecut 12 more lanterns out of the plastic to adhere to the back of the grunge paper lantern to add a bit more stability.  It worked really well.  :)  I adhered the plastic lantern to the back using my tape runner.  :) 

 

Next up!  Add some Aleene's True Snow to the pinecones for a wintery look.  I used a fine paint brush and brushed the snow around the edges of the leaves. 

 

 

Next up, time to start assembling all my pieces.  I used liquid glass to glue down the branches and the scroll at the top.  I added some amber colored rhinestones up top too for some bling.  I hot glued the pinecones into place and added a pretty gold fabric flower to each tag as well.  I found the flowers at a little fabric store.  :)  I've had them for years and never found a use for them until now.  It was like they were meant to be on this lantern.  ;)

                                               
 

As I'm assembling my pieces, my girlfriend suggested instead of just having 6 name tags that I won't be able to use except for a Xmas dinner party, to keep them individual and make tree ornaments from them!  Now I have 12!  Brilliant!  OK.  I needed some heavy gauge wire for the hanger so off we went to Michael's this afternoon to purchase some and I cut and attached the wire to look like a traditional wire handle/hanger for my lanterns. 

 





  

I think they turned out fabulous!  I am so pleased with them.  They took so many hours to make, a full day and half to cut, emboss, ink, roll, stamp, snow, paint, crackle.... ohhhhh the steps,  but in the end so worth it.    Here are all my tree ornaments and a few in my tree.  :)

 

  

 

I want to THANK my gf Sherry for giving me some Xmas spirit this year and spending the last day and half with me doing crafts and laughing and talking and enjoying some yummy wine and allowing me to treat her because she does so much for me.  :)  It's been a great weekend.  :)   Hope you all enjoy my ornaments.  I know I sure do and my tree looks fab with them.    Thanks Canadian Nickel Scrap'n and Thatcrazychick for the inspiration.  :)  Merry Hohoho.... 

 

PS... sorry about the watermark photo in the middle of the blog.  I have no idea how that got there or how to get rid of it, so it's there.... :(   What's a girl to do when she's technically challenged.  LOL