Little fabric collages

Inspired by some online fabric postcards I decided to create some fabric collages that I could cut up to create little shapes for sewing to fabric postcards.  I started with some waist band fusible pellon which I bought at a thrift store.  I trimmed four pieces about 10" x 1.25", laid them one at a time fusible facing up on my ironing board and started applying tiny fabric scraps and tack fusing them into place with the iron.  I just kept adding scraps in a variety of directions and colours until the whole piece was covered with fabric.  Then I really applied the iron over the whole surface to ensure that everything was fused properly.  Repeated the same procedure for the remaing three pieces.  Because I wanted the small pieces I trimmed out of these strips to really be collaged it required very small pieces of fabric - some were as small as 1/8" by 1".

 I am very happy with how that worked out and with the fusible on only the one side of the pellon it worked very well to tack the little pieces into place.  Once I had finished the fusing I thought I would add some interest by stitching all over them with thread.  I used what I had - ends of spools, etc that had colours that coordinating a bit.  I mostly stitched along the length but did a few very wavy lines to add interest.  I pressed them all nicely once the stitching was done.  Stitching has added some stability to the pieces and they cut apart quite nicely to create some very nice little fabric collages.  You can see all the ones I created with my four strips below.  They are approximately 1.25"x 1.25".  I will be using these for at least one or two fabric postcards and I will  have leftovers for other fabric projects - maybe an art quiltie or two!!                  Therese

Scrappy backgrounds for quilted looking cards

 I dug out my scraps the other day and made a whole bunch of backgrounds.  I used straight edged scraps and glued them down to a substrate of paper or cardstock one at a time next to each other until the whole surface had been filled.  I trimmed as I needed to the edges or to make the pieces fit.  I embossed them once they were dry.
Here are some of the cards I made with the backgrounds I created.
The greetings are digital images from Mud Maven Designs.  She has some very cool greetings on her site!!  Worth checking out!!
I trimmed my background to 4" x 5.25", added a two lengths of scallop lace with pink ribbon between them.  I watercoloured the greeting, layered onto dark pink and adhered it to my card over the ribbon.  I layered two silk flowers and adhered them to my card front using a yellow brad.  I love that the greeting has a little graphic!!

 For this card I thought the greeting was most appropriate!!!  I trimmed my background to 4" x 5.25", I glued several short pieces of ribbon to back of the image and then stitched it to the background.  I glued this large element to the front of a black card.  I watercoloured the flowers on the greeting - adds a nice touch to have the graphics included with the greeting.

For this card, I trimmed my background to 4" x 5.25", added a brown gros grain ribbon cross the top portion and glued it to a blue card front.  I watercoloured the greeting, layered it onto a rectangle of green cardstock leaving extra on the right hand side which I punched with a scallop border punch (SU).  I added two lines with a glitter gel pen and then a little drop of blue glitter glue in each of the scallops to finish it off.
I really love the look of these backgrounds and they are super easy to make and use up scraps.  A great activity to do with the kids or with a group of friends when you are wanting to be creative together.               Therese