Five minute card...

Here's a five minute card.  

Stamp the wordle style background (Woodware) onto the card front and from a matching colour card, die cut a christmas tree.  Stick the tree to the card face with foam pads.  Use wet glue to 'draw' the tinsel onto the tree, then pour over the Shaved Ice. Gently knock off excess and complete the card by stamping the tag, scuff ink directly from the inkpad around the tag, stick it flat onto the card face and add a sparkly button as the tag anchor and tree topper.  Simples. This is how I presented this to the Workshopeers at Kraft Crazy's All Day Christmas workshops last week. And I was right.

works in lots of colours too, this pink glitter card is my current favourite

And here's how you make it a five minute card:

Stamp the wordle image in every shade of pink inkpad that you own.  Just as you're about to give up and go to green ink and green cardstock, think about trying one last ink pad - Rocket RED Gold.  Yep, the best match for this Diva pink glitter card was a shade of Red. Doh.

Next, fiddle about with the only tree die you own until you realise that it just isn't going to work.  Even reveal your weakness to Shopkeeper Gal and realise that you were right to think it was wrong, just from the look on her face! Ergh, it's so wrong!

Cave in and buy the die you've had your eye on for a while.  It'll feel good, I promise.

Now you know you've got the right die, the card is a certainty. So buy some more of the glitter card and get on with it woman.

A sparkly pink button is required.  Hmm,take these lovely plain pastel buttons (Baker Ross) and cover each carefully with Glossy Accents. Sprinkle Glamour Dust over them and leave them overnight to dry.  Can't recommend enough that you place them on wax paper. Then the Glossy Accents that leaks through the little holes won't cause them to stick like limpets to the surface you're working on.  Yep, I'm experienced. 

Now you must consider the pot of 'Shaved Ice' that you want to use as tinsel.  Tipping it out of the pot (in which it is relatively condensed) over the tree image and getting excess back into the pot in a warm room with 8 people using it...hmm, actually very messy. Sparkly yes, but VERY messy. 

Decant the lot into a large zip lock bag so that the card can be put in the bag and the 'ice' can be chucked over it in the dome of the bag.  Genius. Probably not originally my idea then. 
Now die cut 22 trees. Dig out 22 tags.  Put the now sparkly buttons in a suitable receptacle. Count out 22 white C6 cards and matching envelopes.  Put the stamps, ink pads, glue, foam pads, acrylic blocks and bag of Shaved Ice into a basket for sharing and that gentle reader, is how to make a five minute card.
More recipes to come in this fascinating series.  Parts of that sentence may have been a fib.