On the 12th day Of Christmas...it's Epiphany Day!

my true love gave to me an...

"Epiphany Card"

On the 12th and LAST Day of Christmas
Epiphany day 
it's being celebrated in many parts of the world...

In México, Argentina and many other latin countries 
for example today it's a big day of celebration 
and all the children receive lots and lots of toys...
in commemoration of the adoration of the magi 
that came to pay respects to the new born king by bringing him gifts!

In Spain and Puerto Rico big parades through the city are being held 
In France and Germany, it's a public holiday where you eat special "king's" baked cakes
and in Russia, in the Orthodox church Today it's Chritsmas...

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as for my card: 

I used the technique called 

"PaperTole and 3D decoupage"... 

Definition: "This is a unique and creative 14^th Century French Craft using 4 or more copies of the same print, (of your choice), then cutting, shaping and layering the identical pieces to create a 3 dimensional piece of art."

I "RECYCLED" commercial Christmas cards and I used them in making "unique" 3D handmade decoupage cards!
After Christmas, it's the perfect time to go and buy boxes of cards on sale...(or use those cards that you get in the mail for free)

Note: the image has to be the same in order to cut out the pieces....and layer them to create the 3D effect...

How to:
Get a box of cards with the image of your choice. I got the Kings...
You need at least 3 cards with the same image. You can use more, to create greater depth...
- Card #1 is the base of the card. Card # 2 and 3 will be cut out..to be used for the different layers.
- Card # 2: cut the dresses/silhouettes of the magi. Mount the silhouettes on the "base" card. This is the 1st layer.
-Card #3: cut two heads and one magi. Place these pieces on top of the 1st layer, this will be your 2nd layer...
You can continue placing layers on top of layers...
in my case I used 3 cards to make one card...3 were enough...

On a Personal Note:
*** This card was made a year ago...
And I am very glad that I did it...because now it was the perfect time to use it on my blog!...
I have to mention as well that for this technique you need to have good cutting skills, eyes and hands in good shape.!!!

I obviously could not have done this card today in the condition that my hand, thumb and tendons are!
Tendinitis takes a long time to heal,  my right hand, it is "healing" but very slowly ...
The thumb hurts a lot and it has lost most of its' strength...so I am glad that I did it back then...This card came to my rescue for Today's post and current condition!!!...
This goes to show that you never know for what you are doing what you are doing...
but somehow everything has a reason, place and time to be!!!...

I  repeat myself this again and again...in order to cope with "this" "temporary" disability that has "appeared in my life" now...
I do not know why and how it came to be but...it must be a reason...that maybe I will discover down the road!
I know today that not being able to use this hand has "slowed" me down quite a bit, which is very frustrating but who knows... maybe I needed this!.....
Exercise the virtue of "Patience", let things "BE"
and learn how to use more the left hand and right hemisphere of my brain, ja ja ja!!!

This being said...

Many thanks for your company during these 12 days of Christmas

and I will see you for more crafting projects!!!

I hope you enjoy this "NEW" or "OLD" technique!

Have a wonderful king's day!

if you would like to see the meaning of the 12 days of Christmas and the song 

go to the post:

"On the 1st day of Christmas" .. 

***Note: visit me at the language blogs (French and Spanish) for Memory Box only this week!
I will be featuring all the NEW winter release...
and do not forget to leave me a comment there for the chance to win a die!!!

Feast of the Epihany

Hello My dear Stamper friends:
Today, I did not make a card to post here at my blog...

BUT I received this "special" card over the holidays from the Principality Of Monaco!!!!
(BTW, Where I used to work for many years) ...

and what a better image for today's post than the "Adoration of the Magi"

Today we are celebrating "Epiphany" day, when Jesus "Manifest" himself to the world and to the gentiles such as these kings who present to him  with their gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense....

This is one of my nativities, a more modern one from USA with the Magi called "Krinkles"
I collect nativities from around the world and today I want to share a few with you...

All over Latin America, many countries in Europe, (France, Spain, Italy, England etc) and eastern Orthodox churches today it is a very special day...
it is the end of Chritsmas time for SOME countries and for the Orthodox Russians today is  even more important than Christmas ...

In Latin america children received gifts
In Spain there are many parades with the Kings procession
In France, as you may know, where I lived and study for many years, on this day we eat the special "kings cake", see my post from last year HERE
This is a traditional French nativity called "Crèche avec des Santons" made out of clay and painted by hand.

In Mexico, all children get a second Christmas and this traditional sweet bread with fruit gelli paste  is eaten..where you will find a trinket in the shape of the baby Jesus. Similar to waht you find inside the "kings cake" eaten over in France...

since I live in California, where the Mexican community is huge I can find this bread at my local pastry shop and every year I look forward to have a bite, although it is huge...I can not eat it all I always get it just to keep with the tradition...this year I gave up the French one :( King's cake/Galette des Rois

this other Nativity is made out of clay and very traditional Mexican

and I leave you with one of my favorite nativities from Florence, Italy carved in wood.
Did you know that "Nativities" (depictions with figurines of the birth of Christ) originated in Italy?

 to view cards made specially for Epiphany day 

click HERE for a Tag #1 

and HERE for tag #2

reminder: 

My "Throwback Thursdays" #TBT challenge will resume on 

Thursday Jan. 15th!!!

Join me and revive an old project,the prizes are gorgeous!

Thank you for the visit and 

Happy day of the Magi!

Feliz día de Reyes!

Bonne Fête des Rois!

Flower Stencil with molding paste and beads!

Hello My dear Stamper Friends:
Today it is the new official 2014 release of all Memory Box products...
Today I am starting with a Stencil!!!

Yes that is right... Memory Box has a new line of stencils and it is gorgeous!!!
I  posted today this project at my French blog: "Un Brin de Créativité" for Memory Box

This is so exciting!!!...I have being working like crazy with all these new products ...
I have 3 classes prepared that I will teach at my local craft store, so check them out if you are in the area...I will post later photos and info on this or go to the store to see the samples (soon)
and lots and lost of samples using dies and of course stencils for all my 3 blogs!!!
so stay tuned!!!

I colored the flower with inks with the stencil in place, added molding paste and added micro glass beads and I let it dry overnight...

(Update: March 5th 2014)

FOR Step by step on this card Click HERE
FOR PDF HERE

in another matter...

Today It is Epiphany Day!

Since I did not made a card to commemorate this day as I usually do,
I will share with you a nativity scene made entirely from trinkets in porcelain. These trinkest are found inside a traditional cake that is eaten in France on this day!

This cake is called the "galette des rois" and is share at homes to celebrate the visit of the Magi (the 3 wise men)  to baby Jesus!

Since this day is not celebrated here in the USA, I wanted to share with you my friend bloggers  this tradition that is so dear in all Latin America and many countries in Europe...

A friend of mine gave to me the trinkets when I was living in France and I decided to make the "creche" to house this splendid collection of biblical figurines that represent the story of the Nativity. Nowadays, we still find the trinkets on the cake, but now they are rarely made out of porcelain! now they come in plastic!...so this nativity is very symbolic of this day and of this tradition of eating this cake on Epiphany day!

here it is the photo (from the internet) of this traditional almond pastry cake called la "Galette des rois"! with the trinkets and that is eaten today in France!

A last view of the card with the supplies..remember leave me a comment at the language blogs for a chance to win this stencil...I will announce the winners at the end of the week (after Jan. 12th)

and remember to come back I will have many projects and prizes to share with you!

Good Luck! 

SUPPLIES:

InLinkz.com

Tim Holtz... inspiration Tag

Isn't Christmas over???!!!...

Hello Dear Stamper Friends,  I am not crazy yet... : )
What I wanted to highlight today with all of you is the Technique used in this tag, which is very nice, and the well-used custom practice among cardmakers of "Casing" cards from other cardmakers...and last but not least I want to recommend a Blog that I found and I believe they are doing a great job in supporting our military personnel!

Let's talk first of all about the Technique. Tim Holtz (as always) has done an incredible job in sharing what he knows. And I have learned a lot from him. He made This Tutorial a while back ago on how to make the background...and I "Case" his tag and technique from the 12 tags of Christmas...

This is the back of my tag...and on the front I did add a transparency/ clear sheet over it, you can not see it much on the photo
Note: it takes time to dry...but the effect is worth while...give it a try! 

I used the "Reindeer Flight" set of Tim's stamps that he graciously autographed for me, the first time that I took a class from him...What a treasure!!!..

Second, I wanted to talk about "Case" (which stands for "Copy And Share Everything"). This is a practice for when you want to emulate the work of another blogger/crafter..and your creativity is  "blocked". Very often we,  crafters find ourselves "stuck" and we do not know what or how to start creating. So, when this happens you can get inspired by other people's work...and you can CASE them! But make sure that you always give credit to the original artwork from that person...link all your sources...it is nice to acknowledge that you admire the work of that particular person and he/ or she inspires you to make your own project and helped you get "unstuck"...
So here it is Tim's tag, his original...where I got my inspiration from...

Talking about giving credit... when researching about specific words for carmaking, I  found this list of "Cardmaking Glossary" in this very useful, informative and inspiring blog, which is called: "Operation Write Home OWH".
To my surprise they are much more than that. They have a ton of ideas on how you can help, and create at the same time. I have heard about them but never gone to their site, so Go and pay them a visit, you will not be disappointed. In this post  you have tutorials and interactive step by step on how to make cards, when your are lacking of creativity.
Their mission is I quote: "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as  "Any Hero" cards of gratitude to encourage them"...How nice is this!!!

Ok I hope you find my post inspiring or at least informative...please leave me a comment and this is it for today...

Supplies:

Epiphany Day!

Hello Dear Stamper Friends:
Today I would like to share this tag that I made to commemorate Epiphany day, which is celebrated  throughout the Christian world usually today on January 6th! 
It observes the visitation of the biblical Magi to the baby Jesus. 

Every year,  I,  usually invite over a few friends to eat the traditional Mexican cake "Rosca de Reyes" (a ring-shaped Epiphany cake) and the French almond pastry cake "Galette des Rois" which both have inside  a trinket (usually a porcelain or plastic figurine) to continue with the tradition. 
In general the person who gets the piece of cake with the trinket becomes "king" for a day but this year, besides this,  I decided to give away as well as a souvenir of this day THIS handmade tag...
The only sad part of this story is that after the party all Christmas decorations are  put away in my house, marking officially the end of the Christmas season :( 

Onto the tag ...
I bend the sentiment to add dimension...

I use a gold string for the tag to be hang...

step by step .... 
sponge and stain all the background

 

Make the embellishments...

*The beaded pin is an inspiration taken from my dear friend Martha, who uses them in her cards. she loves beads... you can check out her blog here;http://scrapbookmartha40.blogspot.com/ 

Punch the leaves...

 
add dots with pearl pen...see the difference...

without dots...on the edge...

with dots with a pearl pen..

Assemble the tag, add ribbon and rhinestones and voila!....
I Hope you will make some.... for next year :)...