A few more all occasion cards with mosaic inches, star brads and gold foil labels

 I found these pressing when I was getting other cards ready to go!!!  They are part of the set of cards I made earlier using smaller envelopes.  

#1  I chose a blue green card and added a handmade background on the first card then added for mosaic looking inches to a blue cardstock strip and then layered it to a light yellow textured paper.  I added brad stars to each of the inches and then mounted it to my card.  

#2  For the card below it, I chose the same blue green card and the added twelve little mosaic inches.  I added wiggly lines in between with a gold gel pen.  Added a few more between the first and second row.  I watercoloured the fussy cut light bulb and mounted it to my card after it was dry!!

#3  For the card to the right - I started with a blue card and added two pieces of decorative paper and then overlapped where they join with a blue strip to which I had added faux stitching.  I added a gold foil label to a die cut circle of serendipity and then added a butterfly sticker.  I added this focal element to my card using 3D foam tape.  They are going into my stash!!    Therese

Birthday card featuring some balloons, corrugated cardboard and a colourful greeting

I have been working on cards for special occasions in my family.  

This was a fun one!!  I glued strips of corrugated cardboard I found in my stash to each other with tape on the back.  Next, I carefully die cut some circles from it using my circle die (SX) and being really careful where I put my cutting pad on the Big Shot to only cut one circle at a time.  Worked reasonably well.  I cut four holes and then added colourful foil on the back.  I noticed when I rubbed the back that the foil stretched enough to allow me to put back the circle.  After a bit of handling I wish I had put the circles back in backwards because my balloons have taken on the texture of the circles which distracts a bit from them being balloons!!  I tied double knots in some black crochet thread and glued the knots just below the balloons to make them look like they are floating in the air.  I watercoloured the greeting to coordinate with the balloons and then mounted it on the front of my background.  I mounted this large element to the front of a large navy card!!  

Therese
 

All occasion cards - a few more with bits and pieces, butterfly stickers and backgrounds

While I had all the supplies out I decided to make a few more cards!!!  I will certainly be making more of these impromptu cards with ad hoc supplies.  I have a few more stickers so those will show up in cards soon too!! Had a lot of fun making these up!!  

#1 - warm blue card, blue label (SU), ribbon, layered circles and a glittery butterfly sticker

#2 - brown card, pieced background with embossed strip, layered circles with a butterfly sticker

#3 - brown card, decorative paper, circle die cut backed with embossed vellum, paper flowers with brads, glittery butterfly sticker

#4 - plum card, hand decorated paper with coloured wax, strip with rose eyelets, layered circles, butterfly sticker

#5 - plum card, collaged paper background, ribbon, paper doily, embossed layered circles, glittery butterfly sticker

#6 - plum card, pieced background, layered flower die cuts with a yellow center, silver leaves, butterfly sticker

#7 - plum card, pieced background, paper doily, embossed layered circles, butterfly sticker. Therese

 

All occasion note cards with bits & pieces to create backgrounds and focal elements

 I am making up a few notecards to give as a gift.  I used some smaller envelopes from my stash and cut cards that fit inside.  

#1 - brown card, split background with an embossed strip, watercoloured coffee cup

#2 - pink card, pink and gray background, strip with three pewter eyelets, layered stamped butterfly (SU)

#3 - blue card, collage background, layered watercoloured dragonfly (SU)

#4 - aqua card,

torn hand decorated background, layered floral element

#5 - rose card, decorative paper background, strip with ribbon & eyelets, layered circular watercoloured flowers

#6 - rose card, pieced & embossed background, ribbon, embossed flag with a rose (CLKER). 

#7 - pink card, pink polka dot paper, punched border with butterfly

sticker

#8 - pink card, 4 decorative paper panels, strip with dragonfly sticker

#9 - rose card, collaged background, layered circles with watercoloured fussy cut flower

#10 - rose card, decorative paper split, four inches 2 rose, 2 turquoise

#11 - blue card, split polka dot paper, 

layered circles with a watercoloured fussy cut flower

#12 - blue card, bright background with a green strip, layered circles with a butterfly sticker. 

Lots of fun - just creating cards with elements I have at hand!!!

Therese

All occasion cards featuring large butterflies, red wavy frames over decorative paper backgrounds

 I started with large grey cards and then a cool background paper.  I tore the second on in two and then glued them to my card fronts.  I added the red embossed wavy frames which have added embossed vellum layers behind the opening to soften the look of the backgrounds.  I found the butterfly parts in my stash.  I adhered them to little pieces of cardstock so I could add a body.  The first one had silver cording tied between the wings to make the body and antennae.  The second one has a little black die cut body and antennae which I glued over the wings.  I added a flight path with glitter on the first one and one with black and glitter dots on the second one.  One of these will be for a family who has lost a loved one in our community.  Therese

Sewing - three sets of potholders with some fun doggie fabric

I finished these off on the weekend.  The fronts had been cut with battings the same size.  I used the remaining red fabric to finish off these three sets of potholders.  They are 7" so just a little bit smaller than I usually make but that works anyway!!  I had already set aside some doggie fabric for the loops for one of the sets so the others just got red ones!!  Too easy!!  Another unfinished project out of the bin!!!  Will add these to my stash of potholders!!  Therese
 

Slow Stitching - cards with embroidered flower embellishments

I have been working on these for a while.  They are finally finished and I am please with how they worked out.  The embroidered flowers were cut from some fancy fabric that was being recycled while we were sorting for the Gramma Link Africa fabric sale.  I trimmed them out of the fabric,  layered them onto a woven fabric interfacing and then stitched them into place.  I layered them onto embossed brown cardstock and then onto off white cards.  They make really nice cards!! 

Therese
 

Sewing - blue star casserole carrier with a checkered inside

I was on a roll and found in my stash from my Mom this star square.  I added a checkered blue fabric all the way around to make it 22".  I added a batting I made from scraps from by Mom then stitched all the way around the star square to keep them together.  I added a checkered red fabric for the inside and stitched them together leaving a gap so I could turn it inside out.   I added two rows of stitching to the edge once I pushed out the corners.  I then stitched just inside the star in red thread and then added a row of decorative stitching all the way around the star square. Next, I  added a red handle (22") and two loops (6") to the inside.  Works well with outside as well and is perfect for the inside.  It is nice to be finishing some of my Mom's projects!!  Therese

 

Sewing - casserole carrier with coordinating potholders with a quilted panel

I have had some of this on hand for a while.  The panel was two bears paws with checked design in between and I expected to incorporate it into a quilt at some point.  On the weekend I decided to turn it into a casserole carrier.  I had to change the orientation of one of the bears paw and then I cut it down the middle which gave the the 22"' that I needed.  I dug through precut scraps and found enough to make a small border to go between then to make it 22" going the other way.  Perfect!!  I added a batting I made up from my Mom's scraps and a nice warm checkered fabric for the inside.  Stitched them together leaving an opening and then turned it inside out.  Stitched all the way around twice for a nice finish.  Added dark red handles (22") and loops (6") and I was good to go.  Had some spare squares sitting there which will become a different project but decided to convert two of them into coordinating potholders!!!  Therese

 

Quilting - a bright little quilt from a flimsy

 I finished up this quilt top (40" x 54") yesterday!!  It has been sitting since December of last year and I have been really trying to not have too many unfinished projects in my stash.  I added a layer of cotton as batting and then this white and yellow checkered cotton on the back.  I stitched the cotton to the backing and then I added the quilt top and stitched rows of fancy stitching in white thread about 8" apart to quilt the sandwich together.  I trimmed the backing with enough extra to bind my quilt with it.  Worked out really well and I love the nice bright colours!!!  Therese

Fire starters made with rings, newsprint, pine cones and wax

I have had some wax sitting under my craft table for a while now and decided on the weekend to make some fire starters with it.  I collected some toilet paper rolls and newsprint.  I cut the toilet paper rolls into four and then filled them with newsprint.  I filled a 4" square with smaller pieces to make sort of a nest.  I collected small pine cones from the bush outside and dried them in the oven while I was preparing the nests.  I dipped the pine cones into the melted wax several times dripping the wax into the nest and then added the pine cone.  It was a bit messy but I did get a whole lot of fire starters made!!!!!   

Once they were all dry I packaged them into cardboard boxes I found in my stash.  This way the packaging can also be burned once it is empty.  No garbage!!!!  I had a little bit of wax leftover so I added some sawdust and wrapped little balls of the mixture into some squares of newsprint.  I added another layer to give them a bit of something to light them with.  These ones were not very pretty so they will go into our wood box and will be used to light our fires over the summer.  The others will be given to campers in our entourage of friends and family when we see them over the summer!!!  Therese

Quilting - QAYG quilt incorporating handstitched cat squares with bright borders

I finished up this QAYG cat quilt on the weekend.  I did not do a traditional QAYG using the backer as the piece that wrapped to the front to create a sashing effect.  Instead I made my "front" larger and wrapped it to the back.  The gray squares are 10" and I made the cat squares 12".  You can see that bright colourful border worked out quite well without any fussing about the order of the pieces.  I added a precut 3" square of black and white fabric to the back which allowed me to quilt the batting (one layer of flannel and one of white cotton) to the back all the while stitching the square onto the gray back. 

I had to add a layer of white towards the front of the quilt because some of the poly cotton I used for the borders was quite see through which allowed the flannel pattern to show through.

I laid the colourful cat square over the gray backer squares and then stitched all around the inside edge of the cat squares to provide another layer of quilting.  I used black thread in the bobbin so the stitching adds a bit more interest to the back as well. Check out the  photo below.  Once all the squares were done I laid them out and figured an arrangement for them then started sewing them together.  See the photo below.  There are photos of the front and back of the first row.  I stitched all five rows and then used the same technique to sew my rows to each other.  Finally, to bind the edge you simply fold the outside edge over twice and stitch it in place all the way around like any other quilt binding.  I like the front a lot and the back has a lot more interest!!!  I will likely decorate both the back and the front on my next QAYG quilt as well.  

Therese

Baby cards featuring a little blue zebra and a baby carriage with fun backgrounds

These are my last two cards in this session of making baby cards!!

The pink one has a collaged background using torn scraps of decorative paper and strips of the green and pink all adhered to a green layer.  I trimmed the end of the layer with a scallop border punch (SU) and added clear rhinestones.  I added this to a dark pink card base.  I watercoloured the baby carriage (Cre8tive Hands), added paper piercing for texture and then layered it to a green rectangle.  I added some little ribbon flag before adhering to my card front using 3D foam tape.  

The blue one started with a yellow green card base and I layered some striped paper below the diagonal cut I made in the blue layer.  I trimmed a piece of green cardstock, punched the left hand side (MS), embossed the remainder (CB), added some paper piercing for texture and then tied on some coordinating fiber.  I watercoloured the little zebra to coordinate, adhered him to the strip and then mounted this large element to my card using 3D foam tape.  So much fun!!

Therese
 

All occasion card featuring a piece of cake, an embossed label over a foil background

 For this card, I started with a large gray card and trimmed and adhered on a blue silver foil background.  I trimmed a little piece of cake with a round Nestibilities and watercoloured it to coordinate.  I decided to use a large label (TH) die cut in blue.  The blue was a bit off so I embellished it with water colour to bring it along to the right tone.  I embossed it with the D'vine Swirl embossing folder (CB), punched the two ends with a slot (SU) and then trimmed a gray strip to be inserted into the slots and cover the length of the card.  Once I auditioned it was too bright so I stamped a texture stamp in light gray ink to tone it down. Gave it some nice texture as well - bonus!!  I inserted the strip and trimmed it to the right length, slid the label to where I wanted it and added two cherry red eyelets to keep it in place.  I die cut a silver oval to go between my label and my little piece of cake.  Glued it in place and then distressed the edge of my image before I glued it over the oval.  Therese

All occasion cards featuring assembled flowers over fun backgrounds

Cards 10, 11 and 12!!!  It has been so fun to make up cards using my fussy cut petals and circle!!  

For these three cards I used long slim envelopes from my stash!! Worked really well for the last few flowers I had left. 

The first has an assembled tulip (two petals and a circle).  I hand cut a stem and two leaves.  I trimmed a honeycomb background, added faux stitching and adhered it to my red card.  I glued my flower with to my background and then hand trimmed a bit of grass for the bottom, adhered it to the bottom edge.  The grass has added texture with some paper piercing!!  

The second card is very much as the first one.  A decorative paper background that looks like watercolour, the assembled tulip and some grass at the bottom.  I added a different border this time.  I have appreciated this sort of border on other people's cards and thought I would use it on this one.  

The third card features two flowers assembled from the stamped and fussy cut circles I had left. I added yellow centers from my stash of small circles.  They turned out very cute!!!  I trimmed a green card, added a light green layer at the bottom and then  added my flowers.  I drew the border and the stems and leaves with a fine tip Sharpie marker.  I added a little piece of grass over the joint of the two green cardstocks.  I really like these and will be making more of them with some larger circles from that same stamp set!  Therese

Large all occasion card featuring an assembled butterfly, a coordinating frame and ribbons over a hand decorated background

Number 9!!  No wonder the stash never diminishes!!  

For this card I started with a red card and trimmed a background from a hand decorated piece.  I embossed it with the Script embossing folder (SU) and then highlighted the writing with a very light touch of green ink.  I added a faux stitching border with a fine tip Sharpie marker.  I die cut a coordinating frame (SX) and added coordinating ribbons from the frame to the sides of the background tucking the ends in behind.  I added my background to the card and layered my assembled butterfly (fussy cut petals and a black die cut body) over the frame.  

Therese

 

Quilting - borders for cat squares

I worked on sewing bright borders for my cat squares on the weekend.  I had cut the fabric previously from my Mom's stash of poly cotton and just sewed them all together cutting off the long lengths into manageable pieces for the borders.  I am just sewing a length to the top of the cat square and cutting it off.  Again, the same on the bottom and then again on each side.  No planning other that choosing the colours before I started which was pretty much rainbow!!!  Therese

 

All occasion card featuring a large daisy over a hand decorated background with eyelets and string

Number 8!!  I started a series of cards featuring fussy cut flourished petals and circles and have so far made eight different cards!!  This one features a set of six petals adhered to a circle punchie backer with the petals adhered with double sided tape.  I adhered the circle over the center using tape as well.  I found this coordinating hand decorated background in my stash!!  It matched perfectly!!  It was created with acrylic paint and my fingers!!  I trimmed it it to be short by about 3/4" each way and then tore it in both directions to allow the red of the card front to show.  It would have been preferable had I tore the paper just a little more to the left to allow my daisy to sit more centered on my card but as it is it does not overstep the card edge so I was good to go!!  I added pewter eyelets and used red crochet thread to add a textured element on both the lower left and the upper right.  I adhered the pieces to my card and then added my daisy with double sided tape!!  Done!!  Therese
 

All occasion card featuring assembled hearts tied together with string, a piece of linen lace over a pieced background

 #7 in my series of card created with focal elements created with stamped and fussy cut petals!!!  I love how these hearts look - flourishes and all!!!  I used double sided tape to secure to fussy cut petals to each other.  I added two pewter eyelets to each of them and tied a beige cord to the first one and then to the second one leaving the ends free.  I pieced a background and added faux stitching to the little panel on the left.  I added the large piece of linen with lace securing the ends to the back.  I added three little pewter eyelets to each end to echo the ones I put in the hearts.  I mounted my background to a large red card and then mounted the hearts over the ribbon using 3D foam tape!!  Love the little loop that formed between the two hearts!!!  Therese 

All occasion card featuring a collage background and a shimmery heart

I made this card for DH for our anniversary!!!  Similarly to my Father's Day card for him I started with a distressed brown piece of cardstock.  I auditioned paper scraps until I was happy with the layout and then glued them down.  There is music, tools, book & dictionary pages!!!!  Once it was dry I embossed it with a sheet music embossing folder (CB) on both the bottom left and the upper right.  I printed the little heart with an arrow (Wikiclipart) on white cardstock, trimmed it out and then watercoloured it.  I added red shimmer paint over the heart.  I specifically embossed the edges using a checkered embossing folder (TH)  by very carefully inserting only the area I wanted embossed into the folder before running it through my Big Shot.  I sponged the edge with brown ink to highlight the embossing.  I added two little lengths of suede cording and then tied them together with beige twine.  I cut a square of brown cardstock just a bit larger and embossed it with an all over pattern before mounting it to the back.  I adhered this focal element to my background and then the whole to a red card!!  So glad to have this man in my life and to be able to celebrate our time together!!             Therese