So...

...what else did I get up to this weekend.

Apart from climbing all over my desk setting up a new printer...

I took myself off to one of Andy's workshops over at Pinnacle Crafts. The workshop was "Finishing Touches" - getting ready for Christmas.

We started by making crackers/table gifts using the Tonic Studio large cracker die...

...we each cut 6 from 225gsm white CS. It is at times like this that I wish I had a bigger format die cutting machine - just so I would be able to use some of the super A4 dies that are about. However, my trusty Big Shot is a fabulous sturdy machine that meets most of my needs and I really couldn't justify getting another machine. These crackers are so easy to put together...

...a bit of folding and some Red-line DST on the tabs that cut as part of the die-cut and there were soon piles of completed crackers sitting on the tables...

 ...which then had some ribbon tied around the ends.. I went with a lovely golden cream colour as I wanted them to match in with my brown/gold/copper/cream colour scheme.
Then the die cutting started in earnest...

 ...6 crackers meant 18 decorative panels (the bottom of the crackers wasn't decorated), 12 poinsettias and some 'greenery'. The decorative panels were cut using a Tonic insert die, the poinsettias were cut using the Spellbinders Layered Poinsettia and the greenery was cut using the new Sizzix "Holiday greens". I used white CS, Espresso Glimmer CS (from The Paper Company) and Kraft CS. There were also 18 backing panels to cut...

 ...just look at how the light catches the Glimmer CS and the different colours that can be seen.
The Glimmer panels were attached to the crackers with DST and then the decorative panels were attached using 3D foam...

...some 'greenery', a couple of poinsettias and some gold baubles...

 ...and the crackers were coming together...

 ...I am really loving this colour combination.
Then we made 6 cutlery holders...

 ...the white CS was embossed with an 8x8 embossing folder before being scored & punched to create the envelope shapes. A Kraft CS band and some decoration and all was done.
These will look lovely at each place setting...

 ...on the Christmas table...

 ...I love how the crackers have turned out...

...and I do love this envelope idea for holding the cutlery.

Another busy workshop with lots of cutting and assembly but well worth the effort - thank you Andy for a wonderful day of crafting.

Andy's workshops are always fun and he comes up with some fabulous ideas but then lets you run with your own colour schemes and/or ways of decorating so that everyone goes away with some thing that will suit them. If you would like to see some more of Andy's work, hop on over to his blog here. You can also find him over on the Creative Expressions blog as he has recently joined their DT - look out for Andy Pearson over there on a Wednesday as that seems to be the day when the boys on the DT show what they've been making.

I've another of Andy's workshops to look forward to in two weeks time but that will be it until after Christmas. I wonder what he will have lined up for the new year.......................................................