I feel sort of bad :(

Because now Stampin' Up! decision makers have put some  of the BIGZ XL DIES for The BIG SHOT on  chopping block !  I can only surmise its due to their lower sales value and to follow that line of logic then, we 'demos' didn't do enough to show the   ' p o t e n t i a l '  of these dies, so we share some of the blame.

So - here I am last minute trying to make up for some of that with this project!  

In my last post, I pointed out the fab talent of the designer behind the pop-up dies manufactured by Sizzix, and so I pulled out the POP-UP BIGZ XL DIE - O CHRISTMAS TREE!  and co-ordinating SIZZLIT DIE ' MERRY DETAILS ' which has several tiny decorations for the tree including a bird!

And I also pulled out the BIGZ XL ' PERFECT SETTING ' - which includes the CUPCAKE HOLDER/WRAPPER!

As for cardstock - I've chosen the retiring HOSTESS LEVEL - PATTERNS PAPER STACK which showcases the new IN COLORS of the retiring 2010-2011 IBC.

OK - I'm all set!!!!

I wanted to specifically show how the CHRISTMAS TREE does not have to be limited to the holiday season of December - tho fabulous as that time is!  NAY - this baby can be used in a V-E-R-Y  whimsical way - so YAY !!

1. Chose the Tree's Cardstock - be daring!
To start I decided to have my cardstock in a  fun FOLKSY fashion by combining:
        a) different patterns from the same colour family,
  and b) by combination of a variety of prints according to their size!  

In our Pattern Packs, we have this all ready for us!  Its just a matter of choosing your colour!  The result will sort of look like a quilt project!

2. Decorate the Tree
For the smaller decorations for the tree I'm using the Sizzlit die for the bird, but I also chose to use another retired SU! punch for a small flower.
I put some willingness to throw caution to the wind and choose cardstock that by mere repetition would work on the tree - BUT - you help matters when you are a bit choosy about placement - try to strike a balance because if you rotate the tree you can see all the different angles involved.  I think I did a zig-zag placement of the first couple of flower colours - then I used the " Hearts " to ' FILL IN THE GAPS ' and help the balance overall.   It sounds more complicated than it is - besides I suspect that you can't do much to go wrong, it sort of has a way of working out its own problems if you know what I mean!   HAPPY comes in many forms - and by decorating the tree with whimsical flowers, a pair of love birds - why all that is missing is a rainbow - and I am working on that!!!

3.  Stand your Tree
This is a pop-up die, right?  RIght!  But I decided to let it sit on its own stand made of the CUPCAKE HOLDER!   Its so easy too - just cut and paste the cupcake wrapper/holder so that it can be large enough for the tree's base to plop inside the BOTTOM of the cupcake holder - yep, turn it upside down - and its a base - flower pot or circus stand, you decide~  you can decorate the cardstock before gluing, and you can use all sorts of 3D embellishments when its done - such as brads, butterflies!  What-ever tickles you!

Labels: DIE-CUTTING BIG SHOT, Stampin Up - RETIRED, SU News