Quilting - a bright quilt with slow stitched squares framed with strips log cabin style

 I have finished this fun little quilt (34" x 45") this week!! It started with a dozen little off white wonky squares which were precuts I acquired somewhere along the way and late last year I cut out a colourful little heart for each one and then added slow stitching in a variety of ways to secure them to the squares as a slow stitching activity.  Once they were finished I then added them to a substrate square (from my stash) and stitched on a variety of bright strips all around them in a sort of loose log cabin manner.  This past week I trimmed them to 8.5" square which was the smallest of them and then added royal blue sashing between them.  My daughter had brougth along some fabric when she came a few weeks ago and I thought that this green stripe would work very well for the backing.  I added a single layer of cotton between the top and the back and stitched rainbow thread all around the squares to attach all the layers to each other.  I brought the backing to the the front and bound the edge with it.  I love how it worked out.  It was fun to work on this quilt from the slow stitching to the final step of sewing down the binding.    It is headed to Linus Project!!  Therese

Slow stitching - some red fleece poppies

 The computers have been giving us a bit of grief in the last few weeks since the last windows update and with several "computer" tasks that were a no go I decided to head downstairs and keep my hands busy.  I cut out some circles from this dense red fleece to be used when I am making more card holders.  I just thought that there must be something I can do with the off cuts so I searched for what I could do with scraps of red fleece and found a tutorial on making poppies.  Seemed like something worth doing so I drew up a template and cut some petals - quite a few actually!!  After cutting out all the petals I stitched them together - five at a time using a running stitch on the bottom edge and pulling it tight then tying off the threads.  I found some black fleece and cut some small circles which I added to the centers of each flower.  They turned out better than I had expected and I will now have to find a purpose for them in one of my next projects.  Therese

Cardmaking - beautiful photos with layers over seam binding and decorative paper backgrounds

 Two more cards for the mother's of our grandchildren!!  My daughter loves sunflowers so I made up this card for her using a sunflower photo which I cut off of last year's photo calendar which my sister gave me for Christmas.  I use so many of those phots in my cards!!  I layered the 4" x 4" photo with green and then added it to my card front which features a piece of yellow decorative paper with a length of green bias tape.  I tied a short end to the long one to with a single knot to simulate a bow.  

For my daughter in law I made a similar card with a different photo - tea cup - and coordinating papers and seam binding.  They are ready to go!!

Therese

Cardmaking - a quick and easy card using colour printed image over a layered background

 

This was a last minute card as I had my daughter's birthday card and realized I had not made up my Mother's Day cards yet though it was wise to send them at the same time.  So I made up this small card to fit in the larger birthday card!!!  

A laser printed rose image with paper piercing on all the edges which I layered onto a blue piece of cardstock which I trimmed with scalloped decorative scissors and paper pierced.  I added a green strip to the pink embossed and border punched layer.  I added the layer to a small white card and added the rose with 3D foam tap.  

Therese

Cardmaking - fun collage backgrounds with coloured paper lace and serendipity flower die cuts

After a bit of clearing out of things a while back I found this fun collage paper which I created using old calligraphy newsletters.  It was totally fun and so nice to find the paper again!!!  I highlighted the trimmed backgrounds with coordinating inks to match the flowers I had chosen.  I added a fun little flower embellishment in the center of the top flower which I added over the watercoloured paper lace.  LOVE it!!!  

For my second card I added my layered flower over the watercoloured paper lace using a glue dot.  I added a pink decorative paper before adhering this large layer to my brown card front.  

Therese
 

Cardmaking - a fun anniversary card with a woven background and a butterfly on an embossed background

Another couple!!  The top one has a gold embossed background which I had to tone down with a bit of yellow.  I embossed a strip of brown with a script embossing folder (SU), adhered it to the background and then added two eyelets and tied in some fiber.  I adhered this large element to my brown card and added a die cut butterfly.  It was made from a piece of serendipity paper from a while back. 

An anniversary card for a couple celebrating 50 years!!!  The hearts on a string was just right and I trimmed the top and bottom with a with a wavy line and added some paper piercing.  I added bows to the string with a black marker.  I created a woven background using pink and yellow scraps which is close enough to gold for me.  Worked out so well!!!

Therese  
 

Cardmaking - pieced backgrounds with images layered on embossed layers

 Another couple cards for family!!!  The first one features a couple of pieces of this fun card paper (gift wrap) which I pieced, adhered to my brown card and then added a green strip.  I watercoloured the leaves added some paper piercing and layered them onto a duo coloured embossed layer of cardstock.  I added this focal element to my card front using 3D foam tape.  For the second card, I created a background using strips of all the same paper this time and added some black faux stitching to the pieces.  I added some paper piercing to the wreath and layered it onto an embossed piece of coordinating cardstock.  I added it to my card front using 3D foam tape.  Therese