Christmas...Advent... calendars... day 3

Hi, 
Back with Neil today and another advent calendar.
Remember those little voting boxes at the end of each post? Well, I bet Neil is going to get a lot of "wow" on this one. It sure "wowed" me not only for the amount of work that was put in that advent wreath, but also because I find it so original and unusual. Don't you agree? 
Neil used one of the Sizzix dies Bird #3 as well as the metal wreath and the latest Tim Holtz snowflakes dies to create this beautiful piece. (click on the pictures below to find them online)

Birds - Cut 25 large birds and the accompanying bits. Colour the beaks with Mustard Seed Distress marker and use the Wild Honey marker to add a beak line. Use black Archival ink to colour the pupil of the eye .

Use Fired Brick Distress ink and the blending tool to add red to the breast area of the bird and Frayed Burlap to the rest of the body.

Use the music stamp from the Christmas set to stamp the body in Walnut stain Distress ink. (Tip - cut an extra bird and use that as a mask over the red are to keep it clear.) Colour the wings with Walnut stain and stamp randomly with the Joyful Christmas sentiment. Assemble the birds using Matte Multi Medium and put to one side.

Leaves - Stamp 25 holly leaves using Olive Archival ink and cut out. Edge with Pine Needles Distress ink.

Snowflakes - cut 4 large and medium and 5 small snowflakes. Use tissue tape on the rear to strengthen and colour the front in combinations of the Distress Stains; then spritz with the Perfect Pearl mists. Allow to dry and assemble as instructed on the die using hot glue. Use Gold gilding flakes on the snowflake centres; use Fired Brick and Walnut stain Distress ink to fill any gaps in the gilding and add to the snowflakes

Die cut the numbers out of gold card.

Putting everything together - 

Start by wrapping the wreath with thin tinsel (it is Christmas after all!) Then start putting the birds onto the wreath in an arrangement that works for you. I found it best to hang it up and work that way. You can move the leaves and get everything nicely placed. Once you are happy with them then begin to attach the holly leaves to each branch that has a bird on it using wire, When that is done use Liquid Pearls to add berries and attach the numbers 1 to 25 with Multi Medium.

Attach the snowflakes to the remaining leaves using Glue Dots. Cut the fifth small snowflake in half and glue onto the bird in the 25th slot. 

Before the birds are on the wreath looks like this 

Neil used

metal wreath

Sizzix Birds # 3 die

Alterations snowflake (both) and Inside Out strip dies

Wire

Glue gun

Gilding flakes - gold

Perfect Pearl Misters - Sunflower Sparkle and Perfect Copper

Tim Holtz Season's silhouettes and Joyful Christmas stamps

Distress stains - Forest Moss, Walnut Stain and Fired Brick

Distress inks - Frayed Burlap, Fired Brick, Pine Needles and Walnut stain

Distress Markers - Mustard Seed and Wild Honey

Archival ink - Olive and black

Glue dots

White card

Gold card

Liquid Pearls - Red

Studio Multi medium matte

 Our special offer this week

Order any advent calendar from our site, 

nd get a Tando mini advent calendar number set free

It will be added to your parcel.

See you tomorrow