Thinking of you card with a bright yellow and pink background, three glittery daisies and a layered greeting

For this stash card I started with a bright yellow and pink background which I created using ink leftover in my inkjet printer cartridge.  I found the greeting in my stash and trimmed it to size.  It is from Beccy's Place.   I watercoloured the rose and then trimmed a strip of coordinating pink cardstock and punched it with the Decorative Label Punch (SU) to make decorative edges.  I mounted the greeting to my background using two tiny black brads and then mounted this large element to a yellow card.  I added the three sparkly daisy embellishments with 3D foam tape.  

Therese
 

Graduation card featuring lots of gold - stars, background paper, embossed greeting and brads

My next graduation card was created with lots of gold elements.  I started with a brown card.  I chose a shimmery gold background paper with broad stripes.  I added the gold embossed greeting and then trimmed the strip to the same width as the background and adhered it with two gold brads - one large star and one regular sized one then mounted it to my card front.  I added three star die cuts (SX) cut from gold cardstock.  I sponged their edges before mounting them with 3D foam tape to my card.  

Therese

 

Father's Day card with a stitched fabric paper background, stitched green leather leaf and fun round greeting

This card has the same fabric paper which I used on my last card.  It has all over stitching in a variety of thread colours.  I trimmed it to size using my wavy cutter on the top and bottom.  I adhered this large background to my large ivory card which I created to fit in a large envelope from my stash.  I die cut a large tag, colour washed it with coordinating colours, adhered several pieces of torn dictionary pages and then embossed with my Scripty (SU) embossing folder.  I added some dark green ink to highlight the edges and the embossing.  I added yellow stitching to my green leather leaf (SX) and then adhered it to my tag using double sided tape.  I added a red ribbon to finish the tag before mounting it to my card using 3D foam tape.  I found this round greeting in my stash - it combines a round greeting with  a leaf and acorn image (Meljens Designs).  I watercoloured the image, layered it onto a coordinating red die cut circle and mounted it overlapping my tag on the lower right hand corner.  I tied a little piece of kraft twine to the stem of my leaf to finish off my card.

Therese
 

Exchange cards with fabric vases and flowers, ribbon and a daisy punched border

 I worked on my exchange cards this afternoon - in my basement craft room which was very pleasant compared to the heat outside.  The heat will really help things grow and with garden in it is good!

I started with two panels 4.25" x 5.5" which seemed reasonably sized to fit in some envelope and card combinations I found in a drawer when I was looking for something else in the past week.  The panels were ivory cardstock with some inclusions so I thought I would have another go at cards with fabric accents.  I trimmed two little vases from some fabric scraps, stitched on smaller scraps with white thread  and then handcut two little flowers from pink fabric and two centers from blue fabric.  I stitched the centers to the flowers with the same white thread.  I positioned my vases on the cardstock panels and stitched them on with navy blue thread all the way around twice and then drew a line and made the stem and went around the flower center a few times and them back down the stem to finish off. They are very cute!!  I embossed the opposite side with a leafy floral embossing folder border - one embossed, the other debossed.  I added a little length of pink ribbon and tied on a little length of blue picot ribbon to create some texture and interest.  I added a blue half daisy border below my images and then used an unthreaded needle to stitch all the way around both of them.  The border punch is a "new to me" one I bought at a garage sale last weekend for $2 - works very well.  I trimmed out some dark rose paper backgrounds for my ivory cards and adhered my stitched panels to them.  Having fun making cards with little fabric accents.    These are off to my partners in tomorrow's mail.  

Therese

Thank you card featuring a fabric paper background, a peach image, ribbon and a little greeting

 A card for my stash!!  I started with a brown card and trimmed a piece of fabric paper with my wavy cutter to fit with a small border all the way around.  I added a row of stitching with my sewing machine using rust thread.  I trimmed the peach image from a panel from a used card and added the flagged gold ribbon before mounting it to my background and then I adhered this large element to my card.  I colour washed a little font greeting to blend and mounted it to my card front with 3D foam tape.  

Therese

Graduation card featuring a fabric paper background with added fibers and a greeting with a watercoloured background

 I was on a roll and made a few more graduation cards!!  Here is the next one I made.  I started with a rust card and trimmed a background to fit using my wavy cutter.  I added several fibers to it before adhering it to my background.  The greeting (Desert Diva) was laser printed, trimmed to size and then the ends were trimmed with the Decorative Label punch (SU).  I watercoloured to to coordinate with the background and adhered it with a couple of tiny brads before adhering this large element to my card front.  

Therese

Father's Day card featuring stitched fabric paper background and stitched leather leaf

 I have been working on Father's Day cards.  I need an extra this year because I son became a Dad late last year!!  For this one, I started with a large ivory card that fit in a large envelope from my stash.  I trimmed a piece of stitched fabric paper which I made a while back.  The beige strip is some kraft paper twine which I unwound and glued in place folding the ends to the back.  I added yellow stitching to the leather leaf using my sewing machine and used double sided taper to adhere it to my background.   I adhered this large element to my card front.  I colour washed my font greeting after I trimmed it to size and passed my pattern tracing wheel along all four edges before adhering it to my card using 3D foam tape.  

Therese

Graduation cards featuring red embossed stars, a barnboard background and a stamped greeting

Another graduation card to add to the mix.  I started with a black card and added a trimmed piece of barn board decorative paper.  It is a digital (Morgue File) which I colour printed.  Next I die cut four red stars (SX) and embossed them with D'vine Swirl embossing folder (CB).  The greeting was stamped on white cardstock.  I trimmed it to the proper width and then inserted the ends into the Decorative Label punch (SU) to give them a decorative edge.  I added lines of paper piercing with my pattern tracing tool to the top and bottom.  I positioned my greeting and secured it with tiny brads.  They were originally white and I coloured them with Sharpie markers.  I arranged my embossed stars around the greeting and adhered them to my card front.  

Therese

 

Praying for you card with a collage background, a die cut image of a tomato plant and a little layered greeting

 I am making up a few cards for my stash and started with this Praying for you card.  I found the background in my stash and adhered it to a dark green card.  The tomato plant image was die cut from a panel from a used card and I layered it with a soft green die cut cirdle.  I mounted this focal element to my card just overlapping the lace using 3D foam tape.  I colour washed my little font greeting (Word Window - SU) to help it blend and then mounted it to a dark green label punchie (Modern Label punch - SU) which I also mounted with 3D foam tape.  

Therese

Graduation card featuring an embossed panel and a digital graduation greeting with a cap and tassel

I had an inquiry about graduation cards so I have decided to make up a few.  It certainly is the season for those events. 

I started with a rust card and added the rust and aqua decorative paper which left a small margin all the way around.  I added an aqua flagged panel embossed with Scripty (SU) and then worked on my greeting.  The greeting was sized, laser printed and trimmed to size.  I watercoloured the cap and added a tassel.  I trimmed the bottom edge with scallop decorative scissors and then pierce each scallop with a push pin. Next, I added an embossed line with my score tool.  For a little more texture I ran my pattern tracing tool on the three remaining sides.  I trimmed a rust layer for it and then mounted them onto my card front with 3D foam tape.  

Therese
 

All occasion card with a white fabric collage background and stitched flower

I made this card with another piece which I trimmed from my large piece of fabric collage I made a while back.  I die cut a large flower from yellow fabric and a smaller one from dark blue fabric and then die cut a yellow circle from yet another yellow fabric. I stitched them onto my background using coordinating threads.  It gives a different look than contrasting thread.  I like both of them but they really give a different feel so which I use would depend on the look I am going for.  I did all over stitching on the center which gives it a lot of texture.  Like it!!  I hand cut two leaves from green fabric and then stitched them on each side of the stem which I had created with a few lines of stitching in the same coloured thread.  I stitched this large element to a piece of scrapbook paper with a bit of a rainbow in the corner which really made it feel like the outdoors.  I mounted this to a large off white card which I had created to fit in a large yellow envelope from my stash.  It has already been mailed to a friend who needs some cheering!!  

Therese
 

Fabric collage for making cards and for using in quilting and other projects

 I while back I created a panel of fabric collage using a white polyester fabric substrate, fabric scraps from my stash and thinned white glue.  

I have used this piece of fabric collage to make a few cards.  After cutting it into several pieces I added fabric pieces to create my focal elements and stitched them into place using my sewing machine.  Once they were finished I stitched them to a piece of paper and then adhered them to my large cards.  I am very happy with how that process worked out.  The last piece I am testings to see if it is possible to incorporate this fabric collage in my quilting by stitching them to squares.  

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Here is the piece of fabric collage which I tested for quilting.  I stitched on a large fabric butterfly die cut adding a little piece of dark fabric for its body.  I added the antennea in the process of stitching the elements into place.  I stitched this to a piece of fabric to simulate adding it to a quilt square and laundered it along with a load.  I faired much better than I expected.  The fabric collage has held together and has very little fraying to its components.  The butterfly has very little fraying around the edges and the body is beautifully fuzzy around its edges!!  You can see from the back that there seemed to be a bit of shrinkage of the collage which once ironed was not too serious but considering that a quilt does not get ironed this technique may cause a bit of puckering in the squares to which they are stitched in a quilt.  

So in the end I have discovered that:

*solid single colour fabric collage with thinned white glue creates beautiful backgrounds to which it is very easy to stitch fabric focal elements!!

*  solid single colour fabric collage with thinned white glue creates very decent backgrounds for adding to squares which would be incorporated into quilt tops if you are willing to accept a little bit of puckering in the square.  Stitching focal elements to these backgrounds works reasonably well and only allows very little fraying of the edges of the elements.  Considering that most quilts are not likely to be washing more than once or two a year makes this technique something to consider.  The fabric collage has become softer and more pliable with being laundered which would seem to indicate that at least some of the glue has been washed out.  

Some things to consider:

*it would be worth experimenting with adding the focal elements in the process of creating the collage which would allow simply cutting apart for creating embellishments for cards.

* would it be worth washing the fabric collage before adding any embellishment to avoid the bit of shrinkage that happens.  Machine stitching of the fabric elements is much quicker than hand stitching so makes the option viable if you have a short time line.

I have been brainstorming some projects that would benefit from stiffened fabric that need not be laundered and will be experimenting with a few of those.  

Therese

Prayer flags - fabric rectangles embellished with wax crayons

I have been wanting to make prayer flags for the yard since last year and have over the winter been doing research on line to find a way ahead.  There are all kinds out there from the Tibetan ones which hang on mountain tops to the quilted ones made by those who are looking for something special for their backyards or gardens.  I have decided to follow my instincts and use fabric rectangles embellished with wax crayons.  The fabric pieces were ones that my Mom passed on to my sister and I absconded with.  I would guess that Mom received them already cut into rectangles in a a box of fabric that was donated to her and were probably a set of curtains that had been upcycled for quilting.  They would be perfect for my project.  I decided to use them as they were and therefore did not hem them.  I will fold them over and stitch them to paracord once I have enough made for the length I have available to me.  I measured my cord today and I have enough for several different locations in the yard.  That will come later.  Prayer flags are generally put up and left until they started to disintegrate.  Once taken down, the remains should be burned as they are vessels that have held good wishes and blessings and need to be treated with respect.

I put foil on my griddle and set it to 200F.  I found it difficult to paint the fabric as it was quite soft.  I therefore used two bull clips to attach the top of the rectangle to the edge of my griddle which was much better for keeping the fabric in place and provided some stability for the addition of the wax.  I used wax crayons that have been stripped of their paper.  I did pick some up this past week in our Trash to Treasure program here in town.  Someone online was suggesting that soaking them in water helped release the paper from the crayons.  It worked for about half of them.  It was a bit messier to remove the paper once it was wet but the others simply slipped off which was great.  It did shortened the time required to remove the paper.  Not sure why it worked for some and not others as they were mostly all Crayola crayons.   I started by outlining the hearts and then filling them in using several crayons in the same colour family.  Then I worked on the outside edges and added colour all the way to the cut edges.  I tried to remember to leave a bit more space at the top to allow for the folding over and stitching to the paracord.  Once they were finished I carefully lifted them off the foil and placed them on brown paper to cool.  I managed to get ten of them made today.  They were well saturated with wax and therefore quite stiff  so I decided to iron them between layers of brown paper to remove some of the wax in hopes they would be a little more supple.  They are somewhat better so it may take a little while outside before they are flapping in the breeze the way they should to send the blessings infused in them out into the world on the wind.  I have stored them away for today and will revisit them when I have time to make a few more to see if anything further can be done for more suppleness.  I will be using the brown paper for making a few more fire starters for my 365 Project as they are already on their way to being properly waxed for them.  I love that the hearts show on them as well.   

I am very happy with how the flags turned out and how vivid the colours are.  It was a complete bonus that the fabric with its colour variations and printing provided some resistance to the wax and created wonderful texture in both the hearts and the backgrounds!!!!!!!  Better than I could have hoped for!!  

For now I will keep creating until I have enough to fill the length of my cord.               Therese

 

Fabric collage with diluted white glue

I have been playing with fabric.  I have read somewhere on line that diluted white glue can be used to prevent fabric from fraying when you are creating.  I should have taken better note when I read it because now I can no longer locate the location of the information I read.  I cannot remember if it was in relation to sewing/quilting or in the making of an art piece.  Anyway, without a way ahead except that it was diluted white glue I decided to go ahead and try to create a piece of fabric collage that will not fray when I used it as a background for cards or quilting.  I covered my work surface with plastic and spread out a long piece of polyester fabric I had on hand.  I diluted some white glue to about 50-50 and applied some of it at one end of my fabric.  I then laid small pieces of white fabric over it and covered them with my glue solution and then overlapped more over them and covered them with my solution.  I continued this process for about a couple of feet ensuring that everything was well saturated with my glue solution.  It was very wet so I knew it would take quite a while to dry so I put it outside in the sun to hasten the process.  After it was dry, I checked it out and found that some of the edges were not secure so I decided to add some machine stitching to ensure that my piece would remain intact when I used it.  I used a shimmery thread on the top and regular white thread in my bobbin.  I worked very well and I am very happy with the result.  I have been brainstorming some ways to use it.  I expect it will be perfect as a background for some cards and I will certainly try at least one piece as a background for a quilt square and do some applique and then wash it to see if it holds up to washing.  I am not sure if white glue will wash out after it has been dried into a surface.  We shall see!!                Therese

Birthday card featuring a cute cat walking in the rain, some embossed velllum and a beautiful background with a rainbow

I found this fun image of a little kitten with a beautiful umbrella on Pixabay and thought it would make a great birthday card for my niece.  I laser printed it, trimmed it with scallop decorative scissors and then used a push pin to pierce each scallop.  I embossed a strip of vellum using a Sizzix embossing folder and mounted it to a beautiful background with a rainbow!!!  Worked so well.  After adhering the vellum to the background I mounted my image with four silver brads.  To finish my card I mounted this large element to my large card.  I created the card to fit in a large envelope from my stash.  

Therese

 

Birthday card with a handmade paper background, a little stitched sail boat on a wavy sea

I committed to getting this card out a while back and it did not make it to my daytimer and I just remembered today for a tomorrow birthday!!  Hence, the belated that I added by hand!!  I was on a roll with stitching fabric to handmade paper and thought I would try a different subject matter.  I did a bit of research for sail boat quilts which led me to this pattern which was easy enough to trim the pieces by hand.  I found blue tulle and rick rack which simulated water quite nicely.  I cut the boat from brown and the sails from blue and red fabrics.  I stitched the tulle first, then my boat and then I added the rick rack.  I like that you can see the boat below the rick rack - like it is just behind a wave.  I used blue thread to stitch the sails in place and then dark brown to stitch the mast in between.  I used the end of a pencil to add the dark brown ball on the end because with just the stitching it looked a little lost.  I ran my pattern tracing wheel on top and bottom of my greeting and then stitched both sides in brown over my boat.  The tulle worked out really well and it was fun to try something new with this technique.  It will be off in tomorrow's mail and hopefully won't be more than a few days late.  Therese
 

A little card of encouragement

One of my grandson did a good job of his online learning last week I thought I would make him a little panel card to let him know that he did good and with a continued effort will get to where he sets his sights.  

The little bear is from Pixabay.  I laser printed it, trimmed to size, ran my pattern tracing wheel on all four edges and mounted it to a brown panel which I embossed with my Subtle Texture embossing folder.  What a wonderful tool!!  Textured cardstock in any colour of cardstock you have on hand!!!  Perfect!!  I stamped and embellished the tag with a star and a brad and a gave it a go with the pattern tracing wheel as well.  

Therese

 

Birthday card with a handmade paper background and a bevy of gifts in red and blue

 I wanted to make my exchange cards using fabric scraps and handmade paper.  It is so easy to stitch the scraps to the paper and I love all the texture that is created in the process of combining the two.  After stitching all the way around the gifts in blue I added two lines of red to simulate ribbon.  I added the bows after I had stitched on all the gifts but on hind sight I could have added them when I did the vertical center red stitching as I simply laid the center of the ribbon/tie over the gift and stitched in place then tied a bow.  I had not figured out how to add the bows when I was stitching the gifts.  I limited myself to red and blue but next time I will be more vibrant with my colours and mix up the ribbons as well.  This one is a little too predictable in its colour scheme which I not how birthday gifts happen in real life.  They are usually very different and more colourful.  It is a celebration after all!!  After all the stitching was done I glued this large layer to the front of a navy card which fit in a large envelope.  I will be mailing it off to my partner this week!!

Therese

Birthday card with a handmade paper background, a stitched fabric cake and some silk flower embellishments

Having really enjoyed making this card for my daughter I thought I would try combining handmade paper and fabric for my exchange cards for this month.  

I started with a large pink card which fit in a large envelope from my stash.  I tore a piece of coordinating handmade paper (which I made myself quite a while back) to fit nicely on the front.  I found some pink and green fabric and trimmed out three pieces in three different sizes to create my cake and then a little one for the candle.  I dug through my little stash of small yellow fabric scraps and trimmed out two candle flames - one large and one small.  I used light green thread in my sewing machine to stitch them in place on my handmade paper starting with my candle and then the small layer it and so on until I had created my cake.  I put yellow thread in my sewing machine and stitched my flames which I overlaid over one another.  I used brown thread to stitch the wick.  Love it!!!!!  Pink and green is my favorite colour combination.  Wanting to add yet a bit more texture I decided to add some little silk flowers which coordinated very nicely.  I added white iridescent sequins to their centers and adhered them to my cake using tiny white brads.  I adhered this large element to my card front and pressed it under weight to ensure that all handmade paper was well attached to my card.  I really like the combination of the handmade paper and the fabric.  Stitching them together went very well and everything has so much texture.  It is off to my partner this week!!            Therese
 

Anniversary card featuring "Love is..." from TLC, some heart punchies and an embossed vellum greeting

My parents are celebrating their 67 years of marriage and I made this this card.  The Love is... image is from TLC.  I colour printed it and used it as my focal image.  I choose a large envelope from my stash and created a coordinating purple card to fit inside.  I went looking for paper that coordinated with my image and found this one.  I did not have too many to choose from and this one worked the best though I might have preferred one with a bit of a softer look.  I dug through my little heart collection and found these three that worked with my other elements.  I embossed the two pink hearts with my Scripty - 3D embossing folder (SU).  Love it!!!!!!!  I trimmed a strip of the same purple cardstock, added the embossed hearts and then my silver embossed vellum greeting (SU) with two silver brads.  I mounted my image to my card then mounted the strip below it.  Worked really well.  We continue to pray for good health for our parents during this challenging time.  

Therese