Christmas 4Completed by Pamela Horton The whispering Platypus

I have a friend who decorates in the purple and gold theme every Christmas and this design, Christmas 4, is a perfect choice to make and have ready for giving this next festive season.

The main card is purple cut at 30 x 13cm and scored and folded at 13cm in from the left hand side so that the card front will measure 13 cm square.

I covered the card front with a pale purple print cut a 12.5cm wide x 12cm high and then used my craft knife and tiny scissors to cut out the 11cm high x 9.5cm wide window.

I have used an acetate snow flake embossed sheet cut at 12.5cm high x 11cm wide to attach using 2mm wide red power tape to the inside of the front of the card.

I have used a glitter gold peel off strip as an embellishment.

I have made an extra card to use as the insert by using a bright yellow card cut at 25 x 12.75cm and scored and folded it in half before attaching the same print to the insert card front.

I have then attached this to the inside back of the main purple card, 2mm from the centre fold using red power tape.

I then used the copy of the sheet provided to cut out all the elements provided.

Before attaching the smaller elements, using the step numbering method provided, I made 2 backing sheets, a gold 10.75x 9.5cm and a bright light green 11.25 x 10cm and attached the main full image using D.S. tape.

I attached a gold glitter ribbon and a purple peel off strip vertically at the centre of the largest of the small elements and I used padded D.S. tape to complete the decoupage.

I attached this to the main image and backing sheets and secured the ribbon at the back of the green backing sheet.

I also attached a gold decorative string to the back of the largest bauble and secured this string and the ribbons to the back of the backing sheet, before attaching the main image and backing sheets together and then onto this insert card front.

I have added the gold glitter peel off as embellishments. When the main card front with the window is closed the image is clearly visible. I printed a Christmas verse, from the free verse list for friends, then cut this to fit the right hand inside of the card.

I used a blank white sheet to repeat this on the left hand side. I then used strips of the pale purple print to form a frame around each of the inserts on the open page.

I have used peel off gold baubles to back with the same print. attached them and a sentiment to complete the open section of the extra insert.

I have used a very fine brush and glitter effect gold dust as extra embellishments ery sparingly on all the purple surfaces and on the verse page.

This is a beautiful Christmas image with universal appeal, with easy step by step instructions for a quick easy finish for a Chistmas greeting card.

Pamela Horton. The Whispering Platypus.