Crafting With Craig: Stix2 Create your own cracker

Well i thought i better get my skates on and get blogging again. lots i'm wanting to get blogged for you all to see but iv just carried away creating and kept putting off blogging.

I will be blogging crackers over 3 blogs posts. I have 5 different styles of crackers (& a blooper) i want to blog as well as some wee hints and tips so ill blog these over 3 posts to keep the posts to a minimum.

These crackers are simply awesome I have made crackers similar to these from different companies. The other were useless. Whats great about these ones is they roll very easily, the quality of the card stock is exceptional. The 2nd great thing is once you have rolled them, inserting the flaps into the other side, well it just slides right in with ease. No need for glue or tape to attach the panels.

I would say to any one who are thinking about making their own crackers then please try these, these are a must. I have kept a silver set for myself and my families Christmas table - which i will blog also when complete. They come in 4 colours - Gold S57246, Silver S57247, Red S57250, White S57249 and Stone S57248.

Below are 2 different styles of crackers i have made.

CRACKER ONE

With this cracker i have kept it very simple, before rolling it, I have taken one of my verso dies (without the outer edge) and die cut the center. I placed a piece of green card behind the die cut image and attached with red liner tape and placed dots of pva glue beind the small holly leave elements. By doing this it does make the center of the cracker slightly thinker to roll so it just takes a wee bit of patience.

Stix2 products used;

Gold crackers - S57246.

PVA glue with metal tip - S56890.

Low tack stencil tape - S56994.

3mm red liner tape - S57089.

Hot glue gun - S57234.

Hot glue gun sticks - S57235.

A4 die cut release sheet - S57316.

Non stick craft sheet - S57132.

Additional products used;

Christmas insert keepsake 2 dies (verso) - Tonic Studios.

Dark green text card - Bazzill Basics.

15mm Organza green with Gold stripes ribbon - American Crafts.

TIP

If you find it difficult to roll your cracker, take a round object such as a kitchen rolling pin and roll your cracker around that.

CRACKER TWO

With this cracker, i stepped up a gear. Not everyone is after this style of cracker for their tree or their dinner table but its nice to have a play and use all your own tools and stash and just go mad and have fun, that's what its all about. Crackers can look smart, even leaving them natural but use your border punches or border die to create a fancy edge for your crackers. It just makes them a tad bit more funky for Christmas.

Stix2 products used;

Gold crackers - S57246.

3mm red liner tape - S57089.

6mm red liner tape - S57090.

Hot melt glue gun - S57234.

Hot melt glue sticks - S57235.

Non stick craft sheet - S57132.

Additional products used;

Border punch - Tonic Studios.

6mm wire edge red & gold organza ribbon - Own stash.

13mm wine satin ribbon - American crafts.

10mm Gross grain polkadots ribbon - American crafts.

Bow maker - Embellishment attic.

TIP's

These are tips that i personally find makes making the crackers slightly easier.

Using my Ultimate Pro board from Crafters Comapnion, i possition my cracker to left against the butt of the edge ensuring the tab of the cracker is pointing up as you can just seen in the above picture (Top Left). I then score to the left and right of the diamond cut outs at 2 7/8 (two and seven eighths) and then again at 4 7/8 (four and seven eighths).

Once scored on both sides of your cracker, it will look like this (ABOVE)

Once you have rolled your cracker and attached it together your cracker should help itself take shape of a cracker. Insert your snapper and then take your ribbon, twine, raffia etc and tie your edges. Remembering to keep one end open until you have placed any gifts etc in, should you wish to do this.

once my cracker is complete and the snapper is inside, I add a dot of hot glue inside the end of the cracker and secure the ends of the snapper. Doing this ensures that the snapper stays attached to your cracker while its being pulled.

PLEASE DO NOT PLACE YOUR HOT GLUE GUN/HOT GLUE NEAR THE CENTER OF THE SNAPPER AS ITS STILL CLASSED AS AN EXPLOSIVE. Not that an explosion should happen, just a very big bang will. Stay safe and don't chance it.

I will blog part 2 tomorrow.

Craig x

www.stix2.co.uk

sales@stix2.co.uk