Tunnel card featuing glittery dragonfly stickers, white silk flowers adhered with brads and an embossed and glittered label

For my seventh tunnel card I used this nice floral pink sheet that was a coordinating plain pink on the other side.  I chose a diamond pattern in light pink for the tunnel.  You can check out my first card here. I did not have an oval die big enough to cut an opening for my tunnel so I traced my largest Nestibilities and cut it out by hand.  I stamped the greeting on the inside and embossed it with silver embossing powder.  I did the same with a simple daisy and a flourish (Sugarloaf). I chalked the daisies in blue which turned them a bit of a purple which was just perfect to coordinate with the butterfly stitckers I had chosen.   I adhered the flaps of my tunnel to the inside of my card and added the butterfly stickers.  These stickers have been around for a while and required a bit of double sided tape to get them to stay in place.   For the front of my card I die cut a label from dark pink cardstock and embossed it with the D'Vine swirl embossing folder (CB) and then added embossing ink and clear embossing powder with glitter in it to give it some sparkle.  I die cut a new oval from the one I trimmed from the tunnel so it would fit inside my embossed label.  I glittered its edges as well then adhered another dragofly to the center of it.  I found this pink paper in my stash, trimmed it to size, added silk flowers in all four corner using silver brads and then adhered it at a bit of an angle on my card front.  I mounted my label focal element to it using 3D foam tape to finish off my card.  I see that I could have echoed the yellow from my dragonflies in my layout - maybe a layer of yellow behind the pink would have been sufficient.  Next time!!  Therese

 

Tunnel card featuring a large greeting on a tag, some ribbon and an embossed circle

For my sixth card I went with this wonderful brown paper that has rust on the back and dark brown for my tunnel.  You can check out my first card here.  Once I trimmed my card and tunnel I cut a large circle opening on the center fold of my tunnel to echo the circles and dots on the front.  I stamped my greeting (SU) on the inside of my card in black and then found a dotted circle frame (SU) which I stamped generationally on both the inside of my card and the outside of my tunnel.  I embossed the circle I had cut from the tunnel with a birthday embossing folder (CB) then cut it in half.  I decided on this large greeting from my stash (Desert Diva).  I toned down the white with an ivory stamp pad, added two little gold corners and then mounted it to a layer of embossed brown cardstock (Scripty - SU) which I had torn across the bottom.  The ivory tag is from my desk from when I was making these school bus cards).  I stamped it with some little circles in two different brown inks, added a bit of water to get the colours to bleed and then used the pads on the edges as well.  I mounted my greeting to the tag using 3D foam tape and then added a glittery brad which I toned down in colour using a dark brown Sharpie marker.  I added a length of ivory gros grain ribbon to the left hand side of my card using double sided tape.  I mounted the embossed half circles to the tag then mounted this large element to my card front so the brad would overlap the ribbon.  Worked out very well!!       Therese

 

Tunnel card featuring musical paper and an embossed birthday cake

For my fifth tunnel card I used this wonderful musical decorative paper!!!  I used an orangy paper on the inside for the tunnel which contrasted very nicely with the cards patterned inside.  You can check out my first card here.  I drew a birthday cake on the center fold of my tunnel and cut it out by hand.  I stamped my greeting (SU) on the inside of my card in black and then traced the shape of the cake on the patterned inside and watercoloured the flowers in yellow and oranges.  I could have used a larger bolder greeting considering the busy pattern I was stamping it onto.  I stamped a dotted circle (SU) in orange around my candle flame and then some flourishes (Sugarloaf) on the layers of the cake.  I used the cake to decorate the front of my card. Iembossed it with a musical embossing folder (CB) then cut off the candle and replaced it with an embossed (CB) blue cardstock one and then glued the paper candle to the back of it.  I used glitter gel pens to add colour and detail to the flame.  I added a blue strip to the bottom of the cake which I had trimmed with scallop decorative scissors.  I found this wonderful marbled paper that coordinated and used that as my background for the cake!!  I added the cake using 3D foam tape and then adhered this large element to my card front.   I used the same glittery gel pens to add some glow to my candle.  Really happy with how this one turned out.  I cannot make lots of card exactly the same hence the heart and the cake as openings for these last two cards.  It is really nice to use the "special" papers!!         Therese

 

Tunnel card featuring a large heart, an embossed strip and a little fussy cut heart

For my fourth tunnel card I started with some cool decorative paper in red and ivory.  You can check out my first card here. I trimmed the card and then the tunnel from a diamond patterned paper that coordinated nicely.  I hand drew a heart on the fold of the tunnel and cut it out my hand.  I stamped the greeting (SU) in red on the inside of the card and watercoloured it to coordinate.  I stamped some little flourishes (Sugarloaf) all around it. I adhered the flaps of my tunnel to the inside.  To decorate the outside I used the heart I had cut from the tunnel.  I folded it in half and cut another heart out of it.  I embossed (CB) a pink piece of cardstock and long strip of red cardstock (SX) then assembled my large element.  I ran the strip from the back to the front through the large heart and then captured it with the pink embossed layer.  I trimmed a fish tail on one end of the strip and then adhered this element to my card front then trimming the other end of the strip to the edge of my card.  I fussy cut a little heart with a bow (digital - Melonheadz), watercoloured the bow in pinks and the heart with a shimmery champagne colour.  I mounted this little heart to my card front using 3D foam tape.  Therese

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Tunnel card featuring decorative paper, doily, label die cut and a layered heart with ribbon bow

My third tunnel card is an anniversary one.  You can check out my first one here.  I trimmed my card and tunnel, folded them and then I die cut a label (SX) opening from the center of the tunnel.  I stamped my greeting (SU) on the inside in red and then added some stamped hearts all around it (Magenta).  I adhered the flaps of the tunnel to the inside of my card and then added some coordinating heart punchies (SU) to them. For the front of my card I added a large white paper doily and then adhered the label I cut from the tunnel to it.  I die cut a small oval from pink vellum, embossed it with the Swiss Dots (CB) embossing folder and adhered it to my label.  I found a coordinating heart in my stash which I adhered tot he vellum and then added a little pink bow.  I did add some faux stitching to the label because it still needed a "bit of something".  That was better!!       Therese

 

Tunnel card featuring decorative paper, seam binding, die cuts and layered hearts

For this tunnel card I used a nice floral heavy weight paper for the card and a coordinating light weight paper for the tunnel.  You can see my first tunnel card here. After folding the tunnel I die cut the label opening and then used an eyelet border punch (SU) on the flaps.  I created an inner greeting layer the width of the space inside the card between the two flaps using a tag from Calico Collage with a font greeting and laser printed it.  Trimmed it to size, folded it in half and adhered it on the fold inside my card.  Next, I adhered my tunnel to the inside.  I used the label die cut from the tunnel on the front of my card.  I embossed it wih a distress embossing folder and sponged the edges with green.  I added two lengths of lace adhering the ends to the back with double sided tape.  I layered four hearts ( punchies and die cuts) from my stash for my focal element and added a small red confetti heart.  I mounted it to my card front using 3D foam tape. Thinking it still needed a "bit of something" I added two lengths of red seambinding (MS) to the corners.  That really was much better.  I tucked the one end inside under the tunnel edge and the other is simply adhered to the back with double sided tape.  FUN!  Therese

 

Tunnel card featuring decorative paper, label die cut, coffee vellum, fiber and a layered coffee cup

For my September family special occasion cards I decided to make tunnel cards.  I checked out several tutorials and decided to use heavy weight decorative paper (12" x12") for the outside and light weight decorative paper (12"x12") for the inside tunnel.  I made them all large cards to fit in envelopes from my stash.  

For this card I started by trimming my heavy weight paper to 11" x 8.25" or so.  The light weight paper was trimmed to 8" x 8".  The scraps will make A2 background very nicely.  I folded the inside in half and then scored 1.5" from each edge to create the tunnel.  I die cut a label shaped (SX) opening in the center fold which allows the recipient to see the greeting on the inside of the card.  I stamped the greeting on the inside of the card and watercoloured all around it in coordinating colours.  Once dry, I stamped several flowers around the greeting to be visible through the tunnel.  I stamped several extra on scrap paper to add to the tunnel edges.  I glued the two 1.5" flaps to the inside of my card laying it flat and lining up the center fold of the tunnel with the center fold of the card.  I fussy cut the extra flowers I had stamped and added them to the side flaps of the tunnel.  I used the piece I had cut from the inside to decorate the front of my card.   I cut a smaller opening in my label and then stamped it with dark brown ink to distress it.  I crumpled some coffee vellum and tore its edges to be just a bit larger than my label die cut.  I tied a coordinating piece of fiber to the die cut and glued it to my vellum and then glued this large element to my card front placing the double sided tape behind the die cut.  I watercoloured a small coffee cup (CLKER) in coordinating colours, punched it with a circle punch (SU) and then added a brown circle behind it.  I added this small element to the opening in my label using 3D foam tape.  

It was fun to do something different and my other cards will show up over the next few days as I get to blogging them.  I really enjoyed using some of the "special" papers that I have been setting aside for special cards!!             Therese
 

Slow Stitching - Houses quilt top

I have finally finished the quilt top around my Slow Stitching - Houses.  I had set aside the fabric for this quilt top a while back and was pleased to find that when I took out the little pile of fabric it made sense.  I had quite a few strips of fabric - 42" in there and also quite a few that needed to be pieced.  I started by stitching together all the strips that needed stitching including the two with little strips, the long strips, the blue blocks and the triangles.  Once I had the strips finished I worked on the layout.  I framed the houses with six strips of the same fabrics above and below.  I really like how the sky pops against the black strip.  I was fortunate to have enough long strips to be able to place one in between all of the stitched strips.  The stitching of the strips went well and I was very happy to have everything line up reasonably.  I did add two strips to either side of my houses to make sure I did not lose too much when I did the binding.  After the stitching I trimmed it to size - 41.5" x 64".  I will be adding a batting, backing and binding for finish it off.  The fabric for this quilt all came from a grab bag of fabric I purchased from a quilter who was liquidating her scraps.  I sorted them all by colour which allowed me to choose all similar colours for this quilt top.  Some of the stiching had already been done - the little strips were stitched four together and the larger strips were two together and a longer piece which I cut into three and added other strips in between.  It is so nice to have this slow stitched piece in a quilt top.  

Therese

Quilt - Red and blue crumb squares sashed with yellow fabric along with some hand stitched daisies

I have been working on this quilt (48.5" x 59.5") for a while off and on between other activities.  I started by adding yellow sashing between the 12 dark red and blue crumb squares which I made a while back.  I added a large yellow border in the same fabric as the sashing, added a thin cotton batting and a dark blue backer which I wrapped around the edge and used to bind the quilt as well.  I added a row of green stitching between the two red ones on the large border and hand stitched red flowers onto the line.  I had to be careful not to go to deep with my stitches because I added the flowers after the quilt was finished.  I am really happy with how it turned out and how well the little stitched flowers finish it off!!  Therese

 

Christmas cards with fun school bus tags on varied backgrounds

Another set of cards for my sister with school buses on them.  These are all Christmas cards and were created with the same sketch but with a variety of different papers and card bases.  These are large cards - 5.5" x 8.5" because she has a supply of this size of envelopes.  I colour printed three different images of festively decorated buses and started creating!!  I created them one at a time  - a card base, then a background that was appropriate for the image and then a die cut tag which I embellished with coordinating layers and the images.  There is some embossing, tearing, texture created with my tracing wheel, sanding of white core cardstock, etc.  Each tag has a yellow reinforcement and then a coordinating fiber, ribbon or raffia tied to the tag.  It is so much fun to just create and try different things and just keep putting together elements.  I am suprised to see that they seem to fall into three collections as they were not created that way!!         Therese

 

Thank you & sympathy cards featuring decorative paper, musical washi tape, punchies/diecuts and little greetings

 I am working on cards for my stash!!  I like to have a few on hand to give in sets as gifts.  You never know what you will need so I have started with a Thank you and Sympathy card.  I trimmed the diamond paper to fit across my white card base and then trimmed the darker piece to finish off the backgrounds.  I simply interchanged the placement and attached them with musical washi tape.  I added three little coordinating punchie flowers adhered with a tiny black brad to the first card and a little thank you greeting (laser printed font).  To my second card, I added a small piece of pressed dusty miller along with a brown die cut branch (Tim Holtz) and finished that arrangement off with a little raffia bow.  I colour washed the little greeting (laser printed font) and added it to my card with 3D foam tape.  It is a start and I will be making more as time permits.     Therese

Exchange cards featuring embossed images on embellished decorative paper backgrounds

For my exchange cards for this month I thought I would go bright and different.  I started by stamping two different Chapel Road stamps onto a sheet of bright colour printed background paper (Morgue File) and embossing them with black embossing powder.  I stamped quite a few, fussy cut them and chose the brightest ones for my cards.  I choose two different purple cardstocks to make my large cards.  For the first card, I added  pieces of bright gift wrap and some glittery gold washi tape to the card front.  Next, I embossed strips in yellow, pink and green that coordinated with my three hearts and embossed them with letters.  I added faux stitching with a black marker to the strips which were trimmed to the edges of the background and also around my background.  I added the strips at different angles and mounted my hearts which were reinforced with cardstock on the back using 3D foam tape.  

For my second card I trimmed a letter background (Vintage Feedsacks) with watercolour washes that coordinated with my squares and then used a scribbly stamp to add some dimension to my background.  I added the background to my card front and then layered a black strip of cardstock over yellow and pink strips which were rejects from my first card after I added black highlights.  They worked very nicely for this card!!  I trimmed the strip to the edge of my card and layered my squares on coordinating cardstock and then mounted them to my card using 3D foam tape.  

They are both bright cards but in much different ways! It is always fun to experiment and try new ways of doing things!!  Embellishing decorative papers is a way to make papers that you may not prefer or are a bit boring more exciting, unique and appropriate for the project at hand.   Therese

 

All occasion cards featuring layered backgrounds and a cute little school bus

I made quite a few large cards for my sister early this year and she recently received them through one of my other sisters who lives closer to her.  When I saw her last weekend she thanked me for the cards and I asked her if was still interested in cards.  She was surprised that there were any supplies left.  I ensured her there was plenty and more cards could be forthcoming.  She requested "school bus" cards!!  She owns several school buses and would like to use them for her business.  No problem!!  I downloaded several bus photos -she did not mind some cartoony ones - and printed off six of this one from Klipartz.  After sizing them, I printed off a sheet of six and then fussy cut them leaving a small white border.  Gives them the look of having been die cut!!  Very cool!!  Next, I made some large cards and decorated them with some of the papers from her stash!  It was fun to play and combine different fun papers, add some embossed and embellished strips of cardstock, some brads and even a few places where I punched out some chevrons!!  I have made them all without greetings so she can customize them when she is ready to use them.  I did not plan on having three of each orientation but that is how it worked out.  I will set them aside and print off a few more of a different little bus and get creative with them!!  What fun!!!    Therese

 

Handmade card upcycled into a one of a kind needle case

My daughter gave me this felted wool card a few years ago for my birthday and I have saved it because it was so beautiful and I had been wondering how I could repurpose it.  I found a place on line where a lady was creating a needle case and it dawned on me that I could repurpose this card into a needle case for my slow stitching box.  

It was perfect!!  I removed the paper liner and replaced it with a green felted wool insert layered with a hand cut red felted wool heart.  I stitched them into the spine with ivory thread and I now have a good place to put my needles which in the past have resided in two little quilties.  It fits nicely in my box.  

I am so glad to be able to use it with good purpose and see it regularly when I am stitching.

Therese

Antoher batch of fire starters packaged in upcycled paper bags

 I made up another bunch of fire starters using the papers which I used to reduce the wax in my prayer flags when I was making them. I did augment the wax on these in the same way that I have been making the wax crayon paper.  It has been good to be able to upcycle some of the items that are leftover from other projects.  Once the fire starters were finished I decorated some paper bags ( bananas ) with some of the decorative paper I created with leftover paint when I am working on projects.  I put a dozen fire starters in each bag. They all looked pretty cool!!  I gave them to family members who like to have fires when they are out camping or in their backyards.    Therese

Thinking of you card featuring a large flower die cut, four squares and a layered center

I made this card a while back for a friend who has been healing and I am just getting to blogging it now.  I started with a white card base and added the four lilttle squares that had been trimmed off of a large sheet of decorative paper when I was making a large card.  I added a large orange flower die cut which I had stamped with a homemade stamp in orange and then added faux stitching to the edges using a green marker.  I layered a white five petal punchie (SU) with an aqua six petal one binding them with a silver brad.  I adhered this piece to the center of my flower with 3D foam tape.  I stamped the little greeting below using orange ink.  

I am sure she enjoyed the cute little card when it arrived in her mailbox!!

Therese