T'was the night before Christmas...

I hope you're ready for the big day tomorrow! Our house is very excited! We're all prepared and ready for the festivities to begin!

For my final project this year I have made a chunky ATC Santa. If you're unfamiliar with ATCs they are sort of playing card size - 2.5 x 3.5 inches. Chunky ATCs are usually made from a piece of wood with the side measuring 1.5 x 3.5 inches. They are incredibly versatile and can be used in a huge variety of ways. I started by painting the ATC in white paint. When it was dry I sanded it back, especially at the edges. The wood had a few imperfections and sanding revealed these - I quite like these imperfections but if you don't then you can leave out the sanding bit! Then I went to town stamping lots of images onto tissue paper. My Santa is to live on a very thin shelf so the images need to be pretty flat and tissue paper is just perfect! I painted the reverse of some of the images using just red and white paint to add continuity as you look round the block. To adhere the tissue paper to the block I used Multi Matte Medium. I love this glue as it dries very well. As a final touch I added brown Distress Ink to all of the edges.

For the baubles I drew the string on so they hang from the word 'Peace'.

This Mini stamp from PaperArtsy fits perfectly!

The feet of my Santa are Pulley Wheels - I have a few sets of these that I've never used... I am so pleased with my Santa that I think I'll be making a few more next year!

The top is some leaves with a faucet as a flower. The top couldn't be too tall as there's a lip on the shelf and I want it to fit! This is my Chunky ATC in situ!

I hope you like my Santa and all that remains is for me to wish you and yours a very, very happy Christmas... I thought I might leave you with a festive photo of my dog Molly fondly known as SWEA (She Who Eats Art!) Gabrielle x

  by 3 (64 mm × 89 mm)¹⁄₂by 3¹⁄₂ inches (64 mm × 89 mm)

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