Another small flannel quilt

I have finished up one of the flannel quilt tops I made up this past weekend!!  I filled it with layer of cotton fabric and backed it with a cotton/polyester floral fabric in coordinating pastel colours.  Really happy with how it worked out.  It measures 36" x 46.5" and is fairly light in weight because of the lightweight batting and backing.  I stitched up and down the columns beginning in the middle and moving to the edges rotating the quilt as I went to keep the quilt evenly quilted and not pulling in one direction because of the quilting seams.  I did a self binding by leaving about 1.5" of the backing fabric all the way around the quilt and then double folding it and stitching it down.  I used white thread to sew the top together and it worked very well for the quilting and binding seams as well.  I have added it to the little bright coloured one I made a while back.             Therese

All occasion card featuring a butterfly, sanded background and ribbon

Love how this one turned out!  I printed the butterfly digital from CLKER onto white cardstock and trimmed it out of the letter sized sheet.  I created the background by taping four pieces of cardstock with white/coloured cores together, embossing them with a swirly embossing folder (SX) and then sanding to reveal the texture.  I added a rainbow organza ribbon with a tiny white one overlaid and adhered their ends to the inside of the card using double sided tape.  I mounted it to a green card front. I watercoloured the laser printed butterfly in colours that coordinated with the background.  I distressed the edges, layered it with a gold/green metallic paper and then mounted it to my card front using 3D foam tape.           Therese

All occasion card featuring a beautiful butterfly, an embossed background and an embellished border

For this card I started with the butterfly image which I downloaded from Pixabay.  Once trimmed from the letter sized sheet of white cardstock I distressed its edges and then added a line of paper piercing using my pattern tracing wheel.  To highlight the yellow in the wings I layered it onto a light yellow piece of cardstock leaving a bit extra on the bottom for embellishing.  I punched it with the scallop border punch (SU), punched 1/16" holes in each one and then added two lines of embossing using my scoring tool  I really like all the texture on this piece.  I embossed a weathered brown cardstock with a swirly background, added a small strip of aqua over it and mounted this large element to an aqua card.  I mounted the large butterfly element over the strip using 3D foam tape to finish off my card.  Love the colours of this one!!  Appropriate for sympathy, get well, thinking of you or just as a note card to a friend!             Therese

Crumb quilting and two small flannel quilt tops

I have been working on cutting and piecing my flannel scraps and managed in the last couple of weeks to create two small quilt tops.  I originally had a top that was too long for its width so I removed one bright column and trimmed what I had left to 45.5" which gave me a top 36" x 45.5".  I trimmed the edge of my leftover and used scraps to fill in a couple of columns. I needed to add some length so I created a panel of crumb quilting with some of my pastel scraps - totally fun!!  I still needed some width so I stitched together three bright pieces - orange, bright stripes and aqua.  I stitched this strip to my original piece and then added my panel of crumb quilting.  Next, I added the bright strip which I originally removed to the top and bottom.  This gave me a quilt top 36" x 44".  So, I now have two small quilt tops which need batting and backers which I will work on next weekend.  I really enjoyed creating the crumb quilting panel and it was satisfying to use up even the little scraps!!      Therese

Birthday card featuring a loon, a torn background, washi tape and a layered greeting

For this card I started with the loon image (CLKER) which I laser printed on white cardstock and trimmed out of a letter sized sheet.  I watercoloured the water and once it was dry I masked and sponged in a horizon and landscape beyond.  I added a row of paper piercing using my pattern tracing wheel on all four edges.  I tore a piece from the inside of an used bank envelope to create my background.  I glued it in place on my black card and then secured it with this fun washi tape which my son gave me for Christmas!!  The pattern is a subtle background with hashed lines in gray.  I mounted the loon image over the background and added the little layered greeting using 3D foam tape.    Therese

Slow Stitching - Tree #11

I have finished my eleventh square!! I have added running stitch in horizontal lines and some in a chevron pattern in three different colours.  I am liking this pattern of stitching.  I added my stab stitch star which is working reasonably well.

I have decided to change the scope of this project as I have discovered more and more that the blue precut squares I chose for the backgrounds of these trees are not of a consistent size which will make assembling them into a column for a quilt difficult.  I have been pondering this issue for several days now.  I decided today that I will be stitching these squares to larger squares which I will cut to 6" in a variety of colours which means that I have already stitched enough little trees to make up the column I need for a quilt.  So I dug into my stash and found some squares which are cut larger than 6" which I will use as backgrounds for these squares.  I will be stitching these little squares to them and then they will be assembled into a column for a quilt.  I am not sure how much stitching yet but for sure a row all the way around to secure it to the background.  I am inclined to add a bit more but I am not sure exactly what manner that will be.  Will invent it when I get there!  I feel good about this new direction.  It will make the squares more interesting as the little trees will be framed with colour.  I will be getting started tomorrow! Looking forward to it!!            Therese

Birthday card featuring a puffin, an hand embossed layer and a tiny greeting

For this card I started with this puffin image from CLKER which I laser printed onto white cardstock and trimmed to size.  I watercoloured it, mounted it to a hand embossed orange layer inserting a tiny laser printed font greeting in between before pressing everything down.  I left some an extra border of orange on the right hand side and the bottom which nicely highlights the puffin's beak and feet!!  I adhered this large layered element to a black card front and thinking it still needed something I added dots and dashes around the edges of the image.  That was much better!!

Therese

Slow Stitching - Tree #10

With a bit more time on my hands because were are choosing to stay home to avoid contact with Covid 19 and all of our outside activities and commitments have been cancelled I have spent more time stitching on my little trees than the bit of time I usually commit to in the morning.  So I have finished another one!!  This is my tenth one!!  I did blanket stitch around the edge of this one in light green crochet thread and couched a heavyweight red thread with orange floss over all.  I really enjoyed the  ability to shape the red thread any way I wanted so I will be doing this technique again!!  I added french knots in blue afterwards to punch up the colour a bit and add some interest and texture. I add the star in yellow using small stab stitches.   Therese

Birthday card featuring a cute little cat, a font greeting and some fiber

I am still making cards for my stash!!  This one features a cute little cat (CLKER) which I usually colour orange but today I thought I would change it up and coloured it gray!  I like it!!  I used some red fiber and a large needled and gave him a scarf!!  I simply poked two holes on each side of his neck and inserted the fiber using the needle.  It adds some colour and texture to this little guy.  After watercolouring him, I used my tracing wheel to add a row of paper piercing to all the edges.  I mounted the cat to a piece of red cardstock and trimmed it to an even margin.  I adhered this layer to a speckled navy card and then added a row of paper piercing to each side of the focal image with my pattern tracing wheel.  I like the echo of the paper piercing - works well.     Therese

Slow Stitching - Tree #9

Here is my ninth tree for my slow stitching project!!  I started with a modified blanket stitch on the bottom edge and could not get it done consistently so I switched to just regular stab stitched for the rest.  I created blue rectangles over all of the tree and then added yellow french knots in the middle of all of them.  I added the star at the top using small stab stitches which seems to work out the best.  I remember to put them one on the right to help balance the collection!!     Therese

Thank you card featuring a framed floral collage, a stamped greeting and some embossed elements

For this card I used a framed floral collage which I downloaded from Pixabay.  Once trimmed from the sheet of white cardstock, I distressed its edges and stamped the little greeting in black.  The greeting is from Taylored Expressions.  It was a freebie when I order my Bethlehem and Nativity dies last year.  It stamps very nicely!!!  I found a coordinating pink card and added gray randomly cut scraps which I embossed with coordinating embossing folders and then sponged with a bit of black ink to highlight the design.  I mounted the scraps to my pink card and then added the floral image.  Thinking it still needed a bit of something I added some faux stitching with a sharpie all the way around the edge.  That was better!!!!!!!          Therese

Any occasion card featuring a beautiful red poppy with several layers and some ribbon

I found this image in my stash and thought it would make a perfect all occasion card!!  It is from Calico Collage.  After trimming, I layered it onto black cardstock and then added a silver metallic layer behind it.  I added two pieces of ribbon to a red card front - one black satin overlaid over a white gros-grain one.  Their ends are flagged and the other are adhered to the inside of my card using double sided tape.  It will work wonderfully as a birthday, sympathy or thinking of you card!! 

Therese

"You are awesome" card featuring a unicorn, an embossed background, ribbon and some clear glitter

This card features another unicorn image from Pixabay.  I love his magical body!!  I sized it, added one of the greetings I created with fonts and then printed it on white cardstock. After trimming out the image I added clear glitter with a gel pen to the stars on its rump and added a border all the way around the edge.  I added three little pieces of flagged ribbon securing them with double sided tape on the back of the image.  I found this weathered brown cardstock in my stash and decided it would work with this little unicorn.  I embossed it with a swirly background (D"vine Swirl - CB) and mounted it to a light aqua card.  I mounted my unicorn image over the embossed background using 3D foam tape to finish off my card.             Therese

Slow Stitching - Tree #8

Here is my eighth little square in my Slow Stitching project!!  I made chain stitches all the way around and then filled in with running stitches in  coordinating thread all through the middle section.  Added the little star using yellow thread.  I laid them all out and I see that most of them are lefties so I will have to make a few righties to balance out the collection.              Therese

Slow Stitching - tree #7

Here is the tree I have been working on for a few days.  I used fern stitching in green to anchor the tree to the background and generally to contain the edges from fraying.  It was fun to be able to make the stitch curve and have motion though the tree is not big enough to really highlight that ability.  I might try again on a different one knowing how easy it is to get a curvy line with this stitch.  The stitches could also be executed a bit smaller which would allow more options for moving a line.  I will consider as well drawing a line or following the black lines in the fabric for a guide.  This star worked out better though I am using the same technique of building it using single running stitches. 

Therese

Christmas card featuring a reused card front featuring a white dove with an olive branch

This one was quick and easy!! I trimmed the dove image from a used card to 4" x 5.25", ran the pattern tracing wheel on all four edges and adhered it to a red card front.  I like reusing beautiful cards and giving them one more life!! 


Therese

" You are Awesome" card featuring a cute little unicorn, a custom font greeting, some ribbon and a sanded white core background

I was creating card components this week and I managed to create two different "You are Awesome" greetings by combining fonts.  This one features a font with open lettering which for this card I coloured in with a light pink and then added clear glitter using a gel pen.  I am really happy with both of my greetings and I will be making more using these fonts.  The unicorn was downloaded from Pixabay.  I sized the image, added the fun greeting and colour printed it onto white cardstock.  Once trimmed from the letter sized sheet, I coloured the open letters and added a border of clear glitter.  I created an embossed and sanded background using three different scraps of white core card stock.  I embossed them with three different polka dot backgrounds, sanded them and mounted them to a lavendar card front.  I added coordinating ribbon to my unicorn image before mounting it to my card using 3D foam tape.  I love that he is winking!!!

Therese

Christmas card featuring a handmade tag, decorative paper and ribbon

This card was part of my day of making cards.  I have had this tag with my Christmas ornaments because it was made by a friend out east for our yearly Gift Tag Exchange.  Unfortunately, I have had to cull ornaments from by boxes as the Christmas trees are getting smaller so I decided that I would feature it on a card instead.  I combined it with this very neutral scrapbook paper which I was gifted with a while back.  The pattern is in the paper and works very well to highlight the tag.  I trimmed the paper to size, adhered it to a red card front and then added the handmade tag which features a snowbank, birch trees and a little cardinal - all die cuts.  I had to shorten the ribbon a little so it would fit on the card.  It brings back good memories of all of us making cards together in those days!!

Therese

"You are awesome" card featuring a colour printed cute little bear, rhinestones and thread

I so love this little bear and his balloon!!  It is an image from LaPetiteFemme on Pixabay!  I added the "You are awesome" font greeting I created then colour printed it onto white cardstock, trimmed it out of the letter sized sheet and mounted it to piece of black cardstock.  When trimming,  I left a large margin on the right hand side, punched the edge with the scallop border punch (SU), added clear rhinestones to each scallop and then added white cording between them and the image.  I mounted this large element to a red card front.    Therese

Slow Stitching - tree #6

I have one more finished!!!  I did have a bit of free time a couple of days ago and worked on it several times over the course of one day a few minutes at a time.  This is another tree comprised of two fused halves which I am liking a lot better.  I did a row of verticals and three rows of horizontal running stitches in green at the bottom and decided to repeat the pattern adding one more row of running stitch with each different colour.  I managed to add dark pink, purple, green and orange which brought me to the top.  My yellow star is looking a little mangled.  I made it the same as the others but somehow that is how it worked out.  To finish it off I added white french knots over the whole of it.   I am liking coming up with different patterns and thought up a few more overnight to use on my next trees.  I am enjoying the stitching.  They don't take quite as long as the larger squares but are a little less creative in that they are all trees in the same colour scheme.  Will change that up next time around.   Therese

"You are Awesome" card featuring a kitty digital background, a font greeting and some ribbon and stitching

I am making cards for my stash and started with this one!! I played for a while this week with creating some digital stamps for cardmaking.  This one was created using a cat image from a background I downloaded from Pixabay  After some manipulation I made copies, sized them a bit differently and then copied six rows to make a full background of kittens.  I moved one of them up a bit so it was very noticeable so I would be able to colour it later.  I created the greeting from some fonts and added it to my background.  It was printed on white cardstock and trimmed from the letter sized sheet.  After watercolouring the cute little cat, I added three little ribbon snippets in coordinating colours at the top and used my sewing machine to add brown stitching all the way around.  I mounted this large image to a layer of orange to coordinate with the little cat and then mounted this layer to a brown card.  I will probably redo the background in order to more randomly distribute the cats but I am very happy with how this card turned out!!             Therese

Slow Stitching - tree #5

I found another square in my pile that had not been blogged!!  This one is one that was stitched before I fused the halves together hence the white stitches holding the halves together and to the background.  This little tree was stitched with stab stitches in thread colours that matched the fabric colour.  The black lines had somewhat receded so I stitched them full of french knots which really made them stand out.  I added two rows of alternating running stitch which created a solid line around the perimeter of the tree to help balance the dark lines of french knots. 

Therese

Slow Stitching - tree #4

This is my fourth tree square for my Slow Stitching project.  This one features a tree made of two halves.  I took the time to add fusible webbing to the back of all the trees I had left that were halves.  It was a bit tricky to get the two halves close enough to not have a gap and then to get them not to move when I applied the webbing.  They worked out quite well.  It sure is easier to do the stitching when they are whole trees!!  For this one, I made horizontal stitches in orange and then vertical stitches in between in yellow.  I added a yellow star using 6 short stitches which works a bit better.  I added some purple "ornaments" using satin stitch which I had never done before.  I like the way they turned out!!!!        Therese

Another flannel quilt featuring blues and reds with a plaid backing

I finished another little quilt today.  It measures 39" x 51 1/2" and features a variety of flannel rectangles which were precut when I acquired them to about 4" x 5.5".  I had quite a few plaid ones so I laid them out first and filled in with the animals ones.  I did have to cut a few extra and then stitch together scraps to make up the last few I needed.  I had to do some swapping as well to ensure that none of the same fabric touched each other or were too close in the same line.  As I was stitching the top together I noticed that there are a few places where I missed ones that were touching or in the same line but that is the way it goes.  I offset the lines which met that if the rectangles were not exactly the same size it would not be glaringly obvious.  It did mean that I had to add some scraps to every second row to ensure they would be long enough to square off.  Once I had the top assembled I washed it as it seemed to me that some had not been washed and I preferred to deal with the shrinkage before it was quilted.  I only shrank 1/2" on width and 1" on the length.  Not too bad.  When I squared it for finishing I had one row that was too short but fortunately one of the scraps which I had cut off was just big enough to fill in the space so I undid a bit of the two seams, stitched on the scrap and redid the two seams.  Perfect!  I had to trim off less than 1/8"!!  I used piece of cotton as the batting and added a plaid backing.  Once I had very thoroughly pinned my sandwich, I stitched in the ditch on all the seams between the columns.  I used the backing to bind the quilt by trimming it about 1.5" larger than the front and folding it over twice and stitching it to the front.  I pressed everything and pinned it very carefully as well.  I stitched all the way around and into the corners as well to ensure they stayed nice and neat.       Worked out really well!!    

Therese

Birthday card featuring plovers in the sand, trimmed ribbon, decorative paper and a layered font greeting

I am back at making cards for family this week!!  The plover image is from CLKER.  I laser printed it onto white cardstock and using masks I sponged the horizon line, the mountains in the background and added some brown for the sand in the foreground.  I watercoloured their bodies a little after the sponging and added eyes with a white gel pen.  I layered the image and the little font greeting with with black.  I cut a tan card to fit in my large envelope, added a layer of decorative paper cut from a larger sheet and then added a purple ribbon which I trimmed with a wavy edges cutter.  I mounted the plovers with 3D foam tape and the greeting with one side 3D foam tape and the other just double sided where it overlaps the image.  To finish it off I added a decorative border using a black permanent marker on the background.  Love how it worked out!!            Therese

Christmas cards featuring glittery pine cone backgrounds (gift wrap), colour printed digital image of a cardinal, ribbon and layered greetings

Another set of Christmas cards for my stash!!  I trimmed the glittery pinecone backgrounds from a large piece of gift wrap that came off of one our gifts this past season.  I was able to trim about 15 or so 4" x 5.25" pieces.  I used six to create these cards.  These cards feature red card bases, the glittery green and white pinecone gift wrap, colour printed image of a cardinal, wide black satin ribbon and layered greetings.  The top set has stamped Merry Christmas greetings in red that are punched with a small oval punch (SU).  All of them are layered onto a larger oval punchie (SU).  Two are layered onto a scalloped oval punchie (SU) as well.  I have pierced the scallops on the large oval  punchies and added faux stitching/dots on the large ovals.  All are mounted with 3D foam tape as are the cardinal images.  

This set has laser printed greetings layered onto red cardstock.   All are sponged a bit on the edges.  I trimmed the middle one with scallop decorative scissors and paper pierced the scallops.  The last one has three little clear rhinestones on the end of the greeting.  

I am happy to be on track for getting my Christmas cards done by the end of the year!!!!  

I will have more cards with this pinecone paper as a background.  Will be inventing a different sketch with different elements!!        Therese

Slow Stitching - tree #3

I have finished another tree in my Slow Stitching project!!  For this one I used black floss and did back stitch on on the black lines in the tree and then filled all the spaces with small seed stitches. Seed stitches are really like running stitches - in and out - but placed randomly instead of a line.  My star looks better this time!  I added several stitches from the points to the mid points which has helped a lot but it is still not really great.  I will keep practicing!!  I added three yellow daisies created with chain stitches which helps the design!!          Therese

Birthday card from a kit featuring an embossed circle, watercoloured funky flowers and a stamped and layered greeting

Still working on getting the final bunch of card kits from the September card making class made up into cards.  For this one I embossed the circle and trimmed off a sliver and mounted it to my card to which I had already adhered my background of scrapbook paper.  I die cut the image of three flowers (Black Berry Jelly) using my Nestibitilities, watercoloured the image and the sponged the edge with blue and green ink.  I mounted this focal element to my card front overlapping the circle.  To continue the theme I created a layered stamped greeting.  I stamped the greeting in green, punched it with a 1.25" punch (SU) and then layered it onto a 1 3/8" turquoise circle punchie.  I added a blue sequin flower using a green  rhinestone brad and mounted this little greeting to my card front using 3D foam tape.  Enjoying the process of using card kits and changing up the sketch.

Therese

Birthday card from a kit featuring a stamped floral motif with embossed layers, a layered greeting and colour printed background paper

I really modified the components of this card kit which is from my September cardmaking class.  I trimmed out the circle to make a long sort of tag shape.  I trimmed the stamped image and then used the bottom edge of the tag to trace the curve on the back of the image then fussy cut it to coordinate.  Once trimmed I used an embossing folder and manually embossed around the little floral stamped element.  I layered the image onto the tag and punched two holes at the top and used the ribbon to make an innie-outie bow then added a bit of colour with markers and added a bit of glitter using my clear glitter gel pen.   I mounted the colour printed background to my green card, adhered the finished tag to the front on the left and then added the little layered greeting (font greeting with Window Punch - Modern Label Punch  - SU) to the card using 3D foam tape overlapping the tag.  I am really making interesting cards with these kits.  I would not likely think of this sketch if I was starting from scratch to make a card.  It is fun to be stretching my creativity with these card kits!! 

Therese 

Birthday card from a kit featuring a die cut doily, a cake image and a layered greeting

Finishing up the card kits from my September  card making class. I modified some the elements from this kit - I cut a doily (SX) from the circle, die cut the cake image (Black Berry Jelly) using Nestibilities and changed up the greeting and tied on the ribbon.  I mounted the background to my blue card, added the doily using double sided tape in the solid center and then mounted the watercoloured image centered over it using 3D foam tape.  I did add clear glitter for the icing and on the flames of the cake and sponged the edges in blue.  I found this long greeting in my stash, flagged the end, layered it with a coordinating blue cardstock and tied on the green ribbon on the left hand side.  I mounted it with 3D foam tape as well below the doily.

Therese

Birthday card from a kit featuring an embossed circle, a watercoloured heart (digital image) and a font greeting

I am making up the final few card kits from my September cardmaking class.  For this one I embossed the circle and trimmed it.  I adhered the stamped decorative paper onto my aqua card, added a little strip of aqua cardstock from top to bottom and then adhered the trimmed circle to the right hand side of the card.  I trimmed the heart image (Melonheadz) and used a corner punch on all the corners.  I watercoloured the heart to coordinate and then added clear glitter to the dots and in the striped fabric and then sponged the edges with purple ink.  I mounted the heart image over the circle using 3D foam tape.  I tied the purple ribbon to the greeting and mounted it below the image using 3D foam tape.  I did a bit of sponging on the greeting as well to soften the edges so it would blend a little better.

Therese

Birthday day card from a kit featuring a resist background, textured border punched strip and a glittered butterfly

Another card from a kit from my last cardmaking class in January  The resist background is silver embossed and watercoloured.  I changed up quite a few elements for this one - added a textured strip, replaced the oval with a round and removed the vellum layer.  I created the white strip by using the Eyelet punch (SU) on both sides of the strip and then adding embossed lines using my score tool.  I really like the look!!  I trimmed it to size and glued it over the front of my card.  I cut and embossed a circle to replace the oval in the kit.  I added a glittered butterfly to replace the white punchie from the kit.  I found a greeting in my stash, trimmed it to size using my cutter on both ends and scalloped decorative scissors on the top and bottom.  I used a push pin to paper pierced all the scallops and then sponged it with pink ink to help it blend in.  I mounted the circle with glue and the butterfly and greeting with 3D foam tape.  I added four little clear rhinestones to indicate the butterfly's flight path.  Worked out really well!          Therese