Leather leaf embellishment from reused leather

I have been collecting leather to make die cuts for cardmaking and recently I finally cut the pieces up and die cut as many leaves and acorns as I could out of them.  They were both dark brown - a tanned leather wallet and a pair of suede slippers both beyond being used any more.  I got a whole bucket full and I am looking forward to creating with them.
For this card, I started with the leather leaf and created a background for it from light brown cardstock which I embossed (TH-SX) and colour washed around the edges.  I added a small piece of double sided tape to keep it in place and then used my sewing machine to stitch it in place all the while giving it veining detail!! I tied a small piece of twine to the stem.   Next, I went looking for a background in my stash and found this piece of paste paper in dark brown which I made years ago which really worked with my leaf.  I trimmed a piece and layered it onto green. I glued my leaf embellishment into place then added two brown mini brads - top and bottom. Next, I glued this large element to a black card front and to finish it off I added a colour washed Decorative Label (SU) greeting punchie!!  Very happy with how this one turned out and I look forward to more with my little stash of leather embellishements.       Therese

Art Quiltie with a locket and key with hidden quotes

I am participating in an Art Quiltie swap on my fabric postcard group!!  I have really enjoyed creating these little works of art and this one was no exception!!
I started with the folded fabric points which I found in my fabric stash after I moved a few years ago. I do not recall exactly which project I was working on at the time of their creation but I have a little baggie of them.
I chose 8 of them - 4 blue, 4 red and then found a 4" x 4" precut floral square in a coordinating yellow which I used for the front of my quiltie.  I positioned the points around the edge and stitched them in place with a line of machine stitching very close to the outside edge.  I thought I was being very careful in laying them out but I see that they are all off a bit at the points which I did not notice until much later in the process.  I could not undo at that point so it is how it is. I cut a piece of batting and stitch it to the front by folding back the points and stitching as close to the first seam as I could.  On hindsight it might have been better to do that seam first but I did not have that vision before I started.  I hand lettered some quotes onto fusible fabric label tape and adhered them below the points.  I stitched one of  my fabric collage into the center, finished adding the quote in fabric label and stitched on a small locket and key charms.  Next, I chose a yellow tiny gingham fabric square (4.5") for the back of my quiltie.  I added fusible webbing to the edges, positioned my quiltie to the wrong side, folded the edges over the front and fused them in place.  That finished off the edges very neatly.  Wanting to add a bit of hand stitching I did blanket stitch all the way around using dark blue crochet thread.  Once finished I thought a few beads would be nice as well so I added yellow, red and blue beads (seed & longer ones) all the way around using light weight yellow crochet thread.  That finished it off nicely and gives it a handmade look!!  It is off to my partner as we speak!!  I hope my partner will find the quotes on the inside front below the petals!!  A bit of creative fun!!