Cards - Donation - Teacher Appreciation

This top card is a reused card front from a card I made long ago.  

It is another piece of marbled paper with added frame with metallic gel pen mounted on a grey paper. I trimmed the card front so I could clean up the edges and mount it onto another card. 

I chose a Stampin Up Blushing Bride card base.

I have beautiful origami paper pack brought back by a friend who when to visit her daughter in Japan. 

I chose an Old Olive card base then added a piece of Night of Navy seam binding knotted on the front and adhered it all to the card front.

 

This floral motif marbled paper just needed a focal point so I added a daisy punchie in Pacific Point with a gold sequin and blue tiny brad.

I added a narrow strip of the same blue card stock along the left hand side on card front then adhered the marbled paper layer on top.

These again have white quarter sheet inserts and envelopes.

Slow Stitching - No. 031 - Shisha and Kutch Area in India

I have caught up on my slow stitching.  This piece is for week 31 of K3N Cloth Tales Slow Stitching Challenge.

The shisha are the small decorative mirrors on Indian clothing.  I chose a plastic sequin since I anticipate this piece being put into a possible quilt. This is washable.

I decided to use a piece of salmon colored linen on a cotton foundation cloth.  I also decided to make a paisley pattern with the shisha at the round end.  I traced with a white marker.

I managed the stitching on the shisha. The proceeded with satin stitch.  I had a really hard time when I  stitched through a single strand.  

I added the a blanket stitch around the outer edge of the paisley then closed it with a row of back stitch. After my problems with the satin stitch I took the easy way out.

I used 3 strand embroidery thread in several colors. I made several circles around the shisha.  Then I followed the inside edge of the with a couple of rows of satin stitch. Then I added the daisy flower and filled the field around it with satin stitch.  I used gold, teal, purple, yellow, and pink thread in various places.

I put a border in blue at the bottom and an upper in gold. 

Cards - All Occasion - Block Print Paper

I found this Indian Block Print Handmade Paper at the ReUse Center recently and loved it.  I knew that it would work with Stampin Up cardstock colors wonderfully.  The piece was about 9x12 inches so just a few cards.

I chose Baja Breeze and Ruby Red for the card bases in the A2 quarter sheet size.

I cut the decorative paper to leave just a small border.  

I chose a strip of matching card stock to go across the card and then a white scallop circle, with a grey coordinating smooth circle, a bird accent made with the Stampin Up Bird Builder Punch. I added a bit of black which helps to ground the design. A bit stitching around the circle with a fine black marker.

Quarter sheet insert and a white envelope and it is ready to go.

The next layout I used a daisy flower punch which I did one in each color. Then a smaller one in black.  A large white sequin and a coordinating mini brad to hold things together.

I added a strip of white card stock across the landscape card and glued it to the decorative paper leaving the ends hang over. 

I used a push pin to create a hole in each of the layers and mounted the flower accent through to the decorative paper.  Then adhered the whole layer to the card front.

I added black stitching to the white strip with a fine tip marker.

Added a quarter sheet insert and a white envelope.

This card has a Ruby Red card base with a layer of decorative paper adhered with double sided tape.

I created the bird accent with the above mentioned punch in the 3 colors.

With a marker I added the eye and lines to the beak and the stitching around the grey circle.

The accent was then adhered to the card front with double sided tape. 

A white quarter sheet insert and white envelope to finish things off.

Another flower accent card with the alternate color combo from the first one.

The daisy punch accent was assembled the same way with a coordinating warm red mini brad.

A fine black marker for the stitching and the flower adhered to the decorative paper.

This entire layer was then adhered to the landscape card front.

White insert and envelope.  These are now pressing under books overnight to allowing the glue to take a good hold.

I am almost ready to liquidate my designer paper as I very rarely use it and I could use the space for something else. 

Christmas Cards - Joyeux Noel - Blue

 

Another set of French Christmas cards. These feature blue paste paper my sister and I made years ago.

I chose Stampin Up Brocade Blue card stock for this set.  I cut a layer of Whisper White to leave a small border all the way around.

I cut the paste paper 3.5 inches wide and 4.75 inches tall. I aligned the Memory Box Grand Joyeux Noel thinlit along the top edge top edge up and cut with magnetic platform. The cutting has created many little pieces that I had to make sure to collect.  I adhered the die cut to the white layer with tape and quick dry adhesive around the Noel word to keep it stuck down. I then had to find the right piece for the noel O and E and stick those on with quick dry adhesive. 

The accents were cut with the Martha Stewart large snowflake punch and the Stampin Up Ornament punch. I used a tiny navy star brad for the dot on the J and a blue round sequin in the middle of the snowflake. I adhered a blue star confetti in the middle of the ornament with a Bling Zot. I drew a line to the top with a fine blue marker. A tiny blue sequin was placed for the dot on top of the J. 

Christmas Cards - Joyeux Noel - Purple

I made some French cards for my aunts and uncles who are still with us.  Joyeux Noel means Merry Christmas.

I started with the purple paste paper my sister and I made many years ago.  It has been paper that I though too special to use just willy nilly and so it has not been used.  I have to get out of the scarcity mentality and use stuff I think beautiful knowing that more will come when it needs to.

I cut the paste paper to 3.5 inches wide and about 4.75 inches tall.  The die is a thinlit by Memory Box.  I used my magnetic spacer to keep the die in place while cutting.  I cut the paste paper then pulled it off the paper. This requires gentleness because those letters up top are very delicate. I did mark the die with an up this way arrow this time because I did lay it upside down and of course had the greeting the wrong way.

I chose Stampin Up Lavender Lace for the card bases for these cards.  I added a layer of Whisper White cut to leave a small border all the way around. I used double sided tape on the bottom and side and Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive around the noel letters. The bottle has a very fine tip so it was easy to put just where I wanted it.  

Once that was adhered to the white layer, I added my accent pieces. The tree is by Hampton Art and cut from Elegant Eggplant. I added decorations with my white opaque marker. I added silver star and sequin on the top of the J. The snowflake is a large Martha Stewart punch. I adhered to the layer with a dusty purple mini brad and a silver sequin and a tiny sequin on the J. 

2020 Cardmaking - CH - Class 1

I am back to doing card making session at Compassion House.

I have availed myself of a couple of stack kits but I needed a few more kits because I have more than average number of ladies registered.

I started with designer paper by Fancy Pants Designs - Sidewalk.  I cut it to 4.00 x 5.25 inches then cut again at 3.5 inches.  Flipped the small piece over and taped the pieces back together.

Added an aqua grosgrain ribbon across the join  of the designer paper and taped the ends to the back.  This layer was adhered to the front of a pink card.

I added am accent made with a white silk flower, an aqua handmade paper flower, a white sequin and an aqua brad.  I created a hole in through the card front with a push pin and push the prongs through and spread the prongs apart on the inside of the card.

I added a full half sheet blank insert.  The paper with it's great colors allowed for a variety of card base colors.

The card on the right uses designer paper by My Mind's Eye - Kate & Co - Cambridge Court - Medallion Paper.

This one was paired with hot pink grosgrain ribbon and a medium teal card base.

The same flower accent.  With no greeting makes an all occasion card.

Card Exchange Cards

I started with a Pea Green card base. I placed a piece of organza ribbon across a strip of designer paper, taped the ends to the back then attached it to the front of the card.

I used a coordinating desinger paper which I cut square, adhered to a pink paper from the same set cut just a bit bigger.  These were adhered together then I added 2 iridescent snowflakes with pink brads.  This was adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

I added a Stampin Up Word Window greeting on the left with 3D foam tape.

I started with a olive green card base.

I assembled my trees by cutting the black strips and adding one to each tree with a tiny brad. The trees are adhered to the card front with double sided tape.

I used a Zot to adhere the silver stars above the tree to the card front.

Ripped a white card stock to create a snowbank.  Adhere to card front then trim it to the card edge if necessary.

Layer the white circle greeting onto the black larger circle. Add the 3D foam tape to the back and adhere to card front as shown.  

These are headed to my card exchange friends today.

"Save the Bees" Textile Project

This is the project I am submitting to the AAC "Uncommon Threads" show.   I am delivering it today.  It is a piece which speaks to the need to save our bees.  We would have nothing to eat if we did not have bees as pollinators.

Plant Flowers

Provide Water

Build Beehouses

Save the Bees

It took me over 2 weeks in January to make it.  The background is handpainted, the flowers are all hand stitched and the layers are held together with a blanket stitch edge. 

The materials are fleece and felt.  Fleece was used for the background.  The flowers and house are felt. I used sequins and e-beads to enhance the flowers.

The thread is embroidery thread split in half and the edge is all six strands.

 

Color Experiments

I spent some time figuring out if I could color the fleece and the felt the way I wanted. 

Some colors were not permanent and others worked really well.   I sprayed a small tab of white fleece with diluted color from each bottle.  They were allowed to dry over night.  I then rinsed each of them to see if the color was permanent.

The Rotring and Dayler Rowney FW Acrylic were permanent.  The Radiant Rain sprays were not permanent though stained the fiber.

 

 

 Colors Chosen and the Process

I chose liquid acrylic ink to color the white fleece background.  The colors are Raw Umber Hue, Sap Green, Olive Green, and Indian Yellow.
Nature has lots of shades so I tried to reproduce that with the colors I had in my stash.

I cut 2 pieces of white fleece larger than the 12x12 piece of chipboard. 

I placed the fleece on a large piece of glass. I used a spray bottle to apply the color.  It allows even color and specific placement of different colors as I needed.

I placed it over rods to allow the most exposure to air to assist in the drying of the fleece.

Again, drying overnight.

Laminating the Layers

I cut the fleece layers down to a generous 12x12 inches with a rotary cutter.

I placed a piece of interfacing in the zigzag stitching to prevent stretching of the fleece.

I stitched the 2 layers of fleece together before I stitched the elements to the front.  I did put a zigzag border all the way around and then I chose to apply organic lines in the center rather than evenly spaced lines.  Most will not show.

I love the color!

Elements

I created the BeeHouse from black felt.  I stitched pieces of wood for the roof along the angled top edges.   I used round donut beads which mimic pieces of bamboo which creates holes for the bees to live in.  These houses provide shelter solitary bees which do not in hives.

The bees on the piece are buttons.  They are a great color and just the right size.

I cut rain drops to which I added blue sequins and beads to represent providing water for the bees. 

The water should be moving or regularly changed.

The flowers were cut with dies.

1) Sizzix Flower Layers & Leaves
2) Flower Layers #10
3) Flower Layers #7

I chose turquoise, purple, pink, grey, yellow, white felt for the flowers. 

Flower sequins in small pink and medium sized in silver.  Round sequins in several colors.  E-Beads in blue, white, pink and black to coordinate. 

The thread was chosen to coordinate with the felt in the flowers.  The flowers were stitched to the background with many stitches to ensure they stayed in place and did not droop.

 

Finishing the Edges & Hanging the Textile Art

I chose a coordinating piece of fabric in purple for the back which covers the knots and stitching done the front (flowers, raindrops, bees, and house).  I cut it 13x13 and folded the edges over. 

I sewed 2 tabs at the top of the piece to allow a skewer to be placed into them which will provide support when the piece is hung. 

I then used green embroidery thread to place a blanket stitch around the edge of the piece. This was very difficult as there was 3 layers of fabric and the interfacing to be punched through.  I used a thimble but my fingers and hand on my right hand were very sore when I was done.

I printed details and the small instructions on a piece of fabric and stitched that to the piece.

I added the instructions card stock hanging below the bee house so they will be visible when on display. I added a turquoise glass bead below the details.

This was an extreme reach from my regular paper crafting experience.  I learned a lot and some of the tools from paper crafting came in handy.  

I hope it strikes a cord with the folks who visit the gallery.

Cardmaking - CH - Class 4

Style 2 - I started with clear embossed double sided designer paper from Imaginisce.

I cut the designer paper at a logical line to ensure I did not cut through a strip of the design.  I turned the top over to reveal the green polka dot pattern. These were taped back together.

I added gold foil ribbon across the join and the ends were taped to the back.

I added an accent of silk flowers.  White and red poinsettias were layered together with a gold sequin onto a gold mini brad.  Using a push pin I created a hole in the designer layer. I pushed the prongs through and spread them apart on the back holding the poinsettia accent in place.

I then adhered the layer to the front of a cranberry card base.

Style 3 - I started with this decorative card stock featuring a colorful ornaments .  The dark areas are gold foil. It was cut to 3 3/8 inches with a Sizzix square thin-lit.

I chose a eggplant purple layer of card stock cut to 3 5/8 inches to highlight some of the colors in the tree.

The next layer is a gold moire texture decorative paper which has been cut to 5.25 x 4 inches. 

I chose a warm blue card base to coordinate with another color in the tree.

The greeting is a Stampin Up Decorative Label in the same color as the card base.  I added a SU Word Window punchie in warm white card stock with coordinating color.   These are adhered together then it is adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

Style 7 - I started with designer paper from the My Mind`s Eye - Holiday Avenue - Sweet Dreams Glittered Holiday Paper pad. It was cut to 5.25 x 4 inches with the embossing placed on the left hand side.

The star element was created with a star die cut and a gold star circle. The die cut was cut from ivory pearl card stock with the the Joy of the Season cartridge on the Cricute Create machine.

The gold star circle was attached to the star with 2 tiny gold brads.  The element was adhered to the card front with ds tape.

Christmas Cards - Extras

There's sometimes extras left after I am done putting together my card kits.  This is an extra from the Bethlehem Stack kit.

This is a white card with a black layer leaving as small border.

I created the blue background and cut it with the Tim Holtz Arch Frame die.  I cut the Bethlehem with the Taylored Expressions Border die which about 6 inches long.  This the other end than the one I used for the kit.

I punched the Stampin Up Modern Label punch from the same sheet to ensure it matched.  I added a greeting from another set I created this week. It is adhered with 3 D foam tape.

The Creative Memories star is attached with a tiny copper star brad.  This element was then adhered to the card front.

This is my first sample for the Christmas Stack kit but decided that an ivory addition on the right would work better.

A commercial card was cut to capture the essential element.  I added a silver strip on the right but since the silver foil elements look black it does not work so well.

I added 3 iridescent sequins with Bling Zots.

These are going into my Christmas Card box.

Christmas Card Challenge - October - White Dove

The challenge for Christmas Cards this month is White Dove. I made several of these.

I chose designer paper from a 12x12 glitter pad by My Mind`s Eye - Sweet Dreams - Holiday Avenue. I cut it to 4 inches tall and 5.25 inches wide and ripped the bottom edge. 

I printed the greeting on white and ripped the bottom edge.

These were layered then adhered to the front of a deep warm blue card.

The dove was cut with the Dee's Distinctively - Dies - Dove Right.  The extra wing was glued to the back of the dove.  Then adhered to the card front on the designer paper.  I added a few sequins to finish off the card.

Card Club Kit - Set 2 - Card 2

I started with the four hand made paper flowers in graduated sizes featuring orange and white.

I color printed the stem layer with the greeting matching the color of the flowers. It was trimmed to 4.00 x 5.25 inches.  I placed the large flower onto the greeting layer and used a push pin to create a hole through the center of the flower into the white layer.

I layered the white sequin, then the 4 flowers onto the teal brad then pushed the prongs through the hole in the greeting layer and press them apart on the back.

This layer was then adhered to the teal card front.

Christmas Card - DSP Split - BoBunny

This card features the designer paper by BoBunny called Rejoice Collection.

I chose a snowflake and strip to create a DSP split.  The stripe was cut to 3.5x4.00 inches and the snowflake at 1.75x4.00. These were taped together and handled as one piece. 
I placed the chocolate & vanilla grosgrain ribbon across the split and taped the ends to the back.  This layer was then adhered to the front of a Christmas green card.
I cut the snowflake with one of the Marianne Design Creatables - Snowflakes Style 1 dies.  I cut it from cream pearl card stock.  
It was placed over the ribbon and a push pin was used to make the hole for the chocolate brad which holds a red round sequin and the snowflake.

Card Club - March - HB Initials

It's time for Card Club again.
This card features a set of large initials. The ivory panel already had the turquoise and grey vine pattern on the left. I repeated these colors with grey in the initials and turquoise in the greeting and printed it onto the right hand side. I adhered the panel to the front of a turquoise card. Then, I have added three handmade paper flowers with each having a turquoise sequin in the center held in place with a blue tiny brad.  I placed them somewhat randomly.

Card Club - Feb - Large Greeting

The starting point for this card was a set of handmade paper flowers.  I had them in several colors.  I have used the aqua and golden yellow ones in these kits.  I've included sympathy greetings as well for the blue card.
There are 3 sizes and patterns on the flowers.  I coordinated the greeting color with the card and the flowers. Once the greeting was adhered to the card front the largest flower is placed in the top left hand corner.  A push pin is used to create a hole in the card front. I placed the white sequin then the smallest flower then the medium then the largest one on the brad.  The prongs of the brad are pushed through the hole and press apart on the inside of the card. The large greeting is my own design.  I can print it any color I need to which works for me.

Christmas Ornament - Silver and Gold

I started with the designer paper which had grey/silver and brown/gold ornaments.  It was not metallic paper so there was no shine.  I cut the full 12x12 sheet into 2 inch strips.  I chose ivory and grey card stock for the cards.  I cut the ornaments with the Sizzix Ornaments #4 die from silver and gold metallic card stock and then swapped the pieces to create full ornaments which were taped on together on the back.  I placed the silver ones on the ivory card and the gold on the grey card. I adhered the stripe of designer paper on the left hand side.  Adhered a half in card stock strip over the right hand edge.  The ornament was then aligned on the right hand edge of the strip. I selected 2 snowflake sequins which I placed in the hanger of the ornament, it is held in place with a tiny gold star brad. 

Card - HB Turquoise

I made this card for a dear friend celebrating a milestone birthday this weekend.
I started with a piece of card stock colored during this process. It was one of the first ones I did so it did not have the classic bubble look I wanted for my first project.  I wanted it to be warmer so I spritzed it with turquoise water that I used to dye the ribbon. That was slightly successful.  Once I had ironed the paper dry and as flat as I could I cut it with the Spellbinder A2 Ribbon Thread die. I ran the slightly blue seam binding through the slots and tied it in a knot at the top.  I adhered it to the warm blue card front.  I used a dot background stamp with Tempting Turquoise ink and added some more texture to the die cut.  I chose handmade paper flowers in turquoise to accent the card. I stamped the greeting in the same color on vellum with a small clear stamp then ripped the strip top and bottom. I placed it on the card front and held it in place with 2 turquoise handmade paper flowers, white sequins and tiny white brads.  I added several more flowers.  I added some white sequins held in place with Zots for Bling.

Glittered JOY

I selected a teal card. I applied some double sided tape to the Stampin Up Top Note of vellum.  I pressed the red letters on to adhesive then pressed some Halo Glitter around the letters and brushed off the excess.  I mounted the top note high to allow for the red poinsettia flower in the center below the o in joy.  I added a silver metallic ribbon under the flowers and flagged the ends.  I adhered these layers including a silver flower sequin with a tiny black brad.

Christmas Card Challenge - July - Background

The challenge for July is a technique challenge to create a background.  A few options to create a background are: brayer, sponged, stamped, watercolor, stenciled, spritzed, marbled, spattered, word, ink spot and many more.  Which will you choose?
You will see that I used the decorative paper I made a while ago. This paper is non traditional shades of Christmas colors.  Pink and green was a bit of a challenge to work with.  When searching the web I kept find these old cards from the 40-50's in this color combo with usually silver or sparkles added so I added silver.  I had saved these reflectors from mini lights a while back and it was just the silver foil look I needed.  I layered my decorative paper onto black to tone it down a bit.  I wrapped a piece of silver cording around this layer then adhered it to the card front. I adhered the foil scallop circle then a bright pink snowflake then a pearl white snowflake punched with the MS punch. All held in place with a repeat of the color black and silver in the form of a tiny silver sequin and tiny black brad. I designed the greeting for the Stampin Up Decorative punch and printed it on some of the same pearl white card stock.  It was then punched out and mounted over the silver cord with 3D foam tape.

Here's some inspiration:
Inky Spots Backgrounds
Music Background
Embossed Background

Christmas Stack Class - Poinsettia

I started with the glitter plaid designer paper.  I cut it with the Stampin Up! Top Note die.  I selected a velvet ribbon which was wrapped across the top note and the ends are taped to the back.  I have added a Zot to the back of the ribbon keep the centre stuck to the glitter paper.  I punched the poinsettia with the SU Five Petal punch in red and green.  I added a gold flower sequin to the centre which holds the poinsettia to the card.
The card on the left is a red card with a black greeting printed on the left side.  The top note is adhered to the right hand side.  The poinsettia is real red with old olive card stock with a moss green velvet ribbon.
The card on the right is an ivory card with color printed background in Always Artichoke. The glitter top note is centered on the card.  There is an ivory velvet ribbon with an ivory and always artichoke poinsettia with the same gold sequin.