Cardmaking - handmade paper and layered fabric flowers in pink

 Another one in my current series of cards which features layered pink flowers and green leaves which are stitched with coordinating thread.  The flower layers were hand cut from scraps as were the yellow centers and green leaves.  I added a border of dark pink thread.  I watercoloured the edge of my white card to coordinate before adhering the large element to the card front.  Therese

Crafting - new Sizzix multipurpose platform

 I have pretty much worn out my platform which came with my Sizzix Big Shot when I bought it.  I am not sure how long it has been but it may be twenty years ago!!  It has certainly been used extensively during that time and has held up very well.  My older platform still works but the individual layers are delaminating and no longer very neat.  I was able to buy this one from Amazon.ca as they are no longer available at Michaels.  Looking forward to using it soon!!  Therese

Crafting - slow stitching - final bunch of card holders

I managed to finish up all the cardholders that I had kitted up a while back.  It has been fun but a bit tedious to get these all done but they are now ready for Christmas so I have stashed them away and will be digging them out when the time comes.  It has been fun to see all the bright fabrics and to find buttons coordinate with them.  I think I have just over 50 which I hope will be enough.  Theres

 

Cardmaking - fabric triangles stitched to handmade paper to create a forest

 For this card I used little triangles to create a forest!!!  These little triangles are ones trimmed from the darts made in the bowl cozies I have been making.  I simply removed the stitching and then stitched them to the handmade paper using yellow thread. I did cut a larger tree from a scrap to give the composition a focal element.  I watercoloured the edge of my white card to coordinate with this large composition.  

Totally having fun with this process!!  Therese

Crafting - buttons for card holders using decorative butterflies

 

I have been making card holders for Christmas and thought I would see if I could find some colourful buttons at our local thrift or dollar stores.  Unfortunately, not much was available.  I did find some colourful wood ones but with such bright and busy fabrics they would probably blend in too much.  Maybe it doesn't matter if they blend in???  I will think on that!!  They were $2 for less than a dozen buttons.  So I kept looking to see if I could find any sort of resource with which I could make buttons.  I was successful in finding these plastic butterflies at Dollarama.  There are about 50 in a package for just under $2 with tax.  I brought them home and thought they would make great buttons and fit quite well on the card holders so I made them into buttons.  I used a 5/64" bit in the drill press and made a hole on each side of the body just about where the wings meet.  Worked out really well and they look great on the the card holders.  I put regular buttons on the other side.  So I will be looking for other options in this vein to make buttons with.  In the meantime I bought a few more packages and will make them into buttons and add them to my stash and use them where they work the best.  Therese

Slow stitching - another batch of card holders for Christmas

 I have been busy making up card holders with the kits I prepared a little while back.  It is fun to repurpose unused CDs along with some fabric scraps and buttons to make a functional and useful tool for anyone who has trouble managing lots of cards when playing card games.  I have been raiding my stash of buttons so will be on the look out for a few more for the next batch!!!

Therese

Cardmaking - lots of fun candles made from decorative paper strips, marker wicks and bird wing flames

Another card for a family occasion!!  Lots of candles - paper strips trimmed diagonally and adhered to the long card front.  I added wicks with a black fine tipped marker and then embellished some "flames" punched with the wing of the SU bird punch to more realistic and added clear glitter to give them a bit of shine.  I adhered them to the card front over the wicks to finish my card.  It will be a fun card for a birthday!!  Therese

 

Cardmaking - handmade paper and fabric scraps to make a kite

For this card I used two triangles to create a square and them trimmed the two sides to create the kite shape.  I stitched it to the handmade paper all the way around, added stitching to make the cross in the middle and then stitched the tail by using a very narrow zigzag with very short stitches and added little navy bits as I went.  Worked really well!!!!!  I added the navy border of stitching, coloured my white card base with watercolour and adhered the large piece to the card front.  Really enjoying the process!!

Therese
 

Cardmaking - handmade paper and fabric scrap hearts with ribbon

Another card I created recently which follows the same format as the candles ones I made.  This one features two hand trimmed hearts cut from a red/yellow batik scrap.  I added a strip of white dryer sheet fabric and overlaid a gold ribbon and them stitched them down with yellow thread.   I added the two hearts and stitched them with red along with the outside border of stitching.  You can check out my first two cards here.  

Therese
 

Hand stitching - a few more card holders in some fun fabrics

 A few more card holders ready to go!!!  I have a good bunch of precut and kitted card holders which I made up a while back so I did manage to make a few more this week!!  I will add them to the stash - several will be prizes at our family reunion in July and others are ready for Christmas!!

Therese

Cardmaking - white card with watercoloured edges, handmade paper with stitched candles and a stitched border

 Wanting to change up my cards this week I decided to create large cards using handmade paper (I have a large stash) and fabric scraps (I have a large stash).  I trimmed the candles and the flames from fabric scraps.  I embellished the flames with Derwent Inktense watercolours and then dried them between sheets of white paper using the iron.  I used a bit of glue stick to keep them in place and then stitched all the way around using my sewing machine with a slim needle (#11) and thread that I did not have enough on the spool to really sew anything else.  I added a border with the navy thread and then used watercolour to paint the edges of a white card to coordinate.  I made another one with different colours which I have added below.  Worked really well and will be making more of these!!

Therese

Crafting with fabric - three more card holders with fun fabrics

 I have made up quite a few "kits" for card holders (fabric circles, batting circles, CDs, buttons) that are now in line to get made up when I have a bit of time.  I managed to get three of these done this week and I will keep working the system until they are all done.  I did manage to get some free CDs during our last session of Trash to Treasure which was really good!!  Therese