I know, it’s the C-word again, but in the crafting world, Christmas is in July. I think it is so that all the kit can be bought, put somewhere safe, searched for and then, in a final frantic rush, used. In my case, it’s because I have an idea or find inspiration that I have to do something with. It also helps that I am well prepared for a table at a local craft fair at the beginning of November.

This week’s offerings summarise a few hours work over the last month or so, featuring original artwork inspired by Pinterest browsing or from my own creativity.

Making notes

The gingerbread men are cut from cork sheet, with Liquid Pearls for detail. The tree stands 18″ tall and has 30mm baubles on it. The coasters are made from 4mm thick acrylic felt – not ideal as it isn’t as absorbent as perhaps wool felt would be, but it’s cheaper and easier to clean. The snowflake bauble is cut from 1.5mm birch and had a high attrition rate when cutting due to the fine detail – I must remember to take account of kerf in my designs. Next up, the log slices for a rustic Christmas look. Some greetings on pegs are designed to close gift bags for an environmentally wiser present wrapping. The tea light holders were cut from MDF that had been primed with dark brown acrylic paint before a liberal coating with crackle paint. The char from the cutting had a pleasing shadow effect, so I enhanced it in places with Vintage Photo distress ink before sealing everything with spray matt varnish. Finally, the Christmas wreath is sprayed gold before adding distress glitter in contemporary colours.

It was fun designing all the pieces, adapting ideas to fit the bounds of the cutting table and (just about) the restrictions of the materials I chose to cut from. I’m getting better – which I would hope to be after having the machine for almost 18 months now!