All occasion card featuring a floral panel, ribbon and a teal flower embellishment

 This card inspired me to use the most colours I have probably ever used on any one card.  I started with the focal element - decorative paper on a burgundy layer.  I found the peach paper next and added a little strip of yellow on the bottom (it coordinates better than it appears on this photo) which I cut with deckle decorative scissors and then paper pierced with my pattern tracing wheel.  I added the burgundy ribbon next and adhered my background to my green card.  I auditioned my focal element and was inspired to add an aqua flower with a silver brad and then two hand cut green leaves.  That was enough, I adhered my layered focal element to my card front using 3D foam tape.  It is much easier to combine colours if you have something in your design to guide you as in the piece of decorative paper for this card.  It is similar to decorating a room using a piece of art - if the piece of art works so will the room!! Therese

All occasion card in red, white and black, a bit of ribbon and a fussy cut gift

It has been fun making large cards again.  I am making half sheet cards for my sister who has a stash of large envelopes.  

I started with a red card and then cut two pieces of coordinating red and white papers to create my background which I adhered to my card. I embossed a black strip with large polka dots (CB), added a length of red ribbon before adhering it to my card front.  I tied another short piece of ribbon to the one on the strip with a single knot to simulate a bow.  I watercoloured the fussy cut gift (Artful Stamper) to coordinate.  I added it to my card using 3D foam tape.  

Therese
 

All occasion card featuirng a few little bluebirds, some embossed flagged strips and ribbon

 Little birds on all occasion card allow a person to quote "A little bird told me...." in the beginning of their greetings inside.  These little birds (Pixabay) are colour printed and trimmed to size.  I chose a green card that coordinated with the subtle colours in the image and found a background that worked the same way.  I trimmed out to strips of cardsock that coordinated, embossed them and then flagged their ends.  I added the ribbon after adhering the background and element so I used double side tape on the ends and trimmed them to the edge of the card.  I tied a short length of the same ribbon to the one on the card to simulate a bow.  To finish off my card I adhered my focal element to my card using 3D foam tape.  I really like this image and have used it many times - the joy of digital stamps and images.  Therese

All occasion card featuring a leather leaf, an orange paper pierced frame and some fun fabric paper

Another all occasion card for my nephew's birthday.  He has had a bit of a go with his health and I wanted him to know we have been thinking of him.  He is back to work feeling better now.  

I started with a beige card and added the very autumnal fabric paper to it using white glue in a fne tip applicator.  I trimmed out a frame (Nestibilities) and then used Deckle decorative scissors to give some detail to the outside edge.  Next, I added some paper piercing using my pattern tracing wheel.  I used my wood burning tool to add details to the leather leaf (TH), added a short piece of twine to the stem and then adhered it inside the frame using double sided tape.  

It is on its way tomorrow!!

Therese

 

All occasion card featuring die cut wild flowers, a torn strip of paper and ribbon

Another card using some wildflower die cuts (TH)!  The pink one was in my stash and I die cut the other two from some hand decorated paper with a very subtle pattern.  I trimmed my background to size, added a torn strip of green paper and then a pink ribbon.  I adhered this to a tan card.  The wild flower stems were tucked under the strip/ribbon and adhered in place with white glue applied with a fine tip applicator.  I like the subtle contrast and the bit of texture provided by the die cuts.  

Therese
 

All occasion card with pink, yellow and orange paper, black strips embellished with rhinestones and lots of bling

Another card for my sister.  I love this bright decorative paper with pink, yellow and orange!  Works so well for this card.  I made a half sheet card in deep rose red and cut three pieces of coordinating paper which I pieced for my background.  I covered the joints in the papers with black strips of cardstock and then embellished them with a row of clear rhinestones.  The gift (Artful Stamper) was stamped a while back when I was making these cards.  I fussy cut the image and then watercoloured it to coordinate with my background.  

Therese

 

Baby card featuring a polka dot background, some ribbon and a watercoloured horse

The polka dot background on this card is a piece of packaging!!   I am always inspired to save pieces of paper to incorporate into my cards.  It is fun and sometimes not even much of a challenge as in this case.  I trimmed the polka dot piece to size and added a yellow ribbon and then adhered it to a white card.  I found this little horse (Beccy's Place) in my stash and watercoloured it to coordinate with my background. I punched the left hand side with a scallop border punch (SU) and then added an embossed line with my score tool.  I layered it with another piece of aqua cardstock (CB - Swiss Dot) to help cover the printing and tied on a short length of the same ribbon to the one on my card to finish it off.  A great baby card or one for a young child!!

Therese
 

All occasion card featuring a triad of leaves on a plaid background with a bit of twine

For this card I started with the background which is a panel reused from a larger card.  I trimmed it to size, distressed its edges and then for yet more texture I ran my pattern tracing wheel around all four edges.  I punched two small holes near the top edge and threaded some twine into them and tied the ends off on the front.  I added some lines of texture to my leather leaf die cut (TH) with a wood burning tool.  I love how well that works!!  I layered it over two other die cut leaves (TH) - a brown textured brown one and a smooth navy blue one.  I adhered the blue leaf to the brown one and then added some white glue in the area that would be hidden by the leather leaf and put it in place.  I adhered this trio to the background tucking the stems under the twine.  To finish off my card I adhered this large layer to the front of a brown card.  

Therese
 

Slow Stitching - Cat squares - Q2, Row 4, Squares 1-5

My fourth row of cat squares for Quilt 2

 

All occasion card with decorative paper, an embossed strip and a watercoloured gift

I made a few more cards for my sister from the supplies she left here a few years ago.  

I created a blue half sheet card and cut a striped  decorative paper background.  I cut a strip off the side of my background, flipped it and used regular tape on the back to attach them back together.  I embossed a strip of gray cardstock with a polka dot (CB) embossing folder and highlighted the dots with silver ink then touched the sides with black.  I adhered the strip over where the papers joined.  I fussy cut the gift (Artful Stamper) and watercoloured it to coordinate with my background.  I had stamped a few of these when I was creating cards a few weeks ago.  You can check one of them out here.  

I have a few more to show you over the next few days so come back and check them out.  

Therese

 

All occasion card featuring a lace panel, some vellum and a layered butterfly

I started with the butterfly sticker when creating this card.  I adhered it to a silver die cut butterfly adding 3D foam tape below its wings to give it some dimension.  Next, I chose this piece of green lacy fabric and adhered the butterfly to its center.  I chose a blue card to coordinate with the butterfly's wings and eventually found this chevron paper which had several colours in common with the butterfly.  I added a layer of torn vellum over the background before adding my focal element.  I have two other pieces of this fabric so I look forward to experimenting with them as I created cards with them.  I will have to find some papers with this green - it is somewhat unusual!!

Therese
 

Anniversary card featuring a cute little house with a green spring and a gold and red heart

This card is for my son's second anniversary!!  Their daughter is coming up to a year old.  She is very curious and is interested in everything.  We are fortunate to get a lot of photos and videos so we feel like we know her though due to restrictions we have yet to travel to see her!!  This too will pass!!

I started with the red and gold heart.  I die cut two - red and gold  - and interchanged the pieces.  I used regular tape on the back to keep them together.  I die cut the little house (TH) from tan cardstock and embossed it with the Distressed embossing folder (CB) and then sponged on several colours of brown ink to highlight the texture.  I added the brown strips to create the roof.  I used a greenery die to cut the sprig for the front. I was able to add a bit of a curve when I glued it into place which gave me just the perfect place for my little heart.  I used a dark brown scrapbook paper for my background, embossed it with leaves (CB) and then sanded the embossing to highlight the texure.  The contrast was a bit to stark so I sponged on a little green ink to tone it down a bit.  Finally, I added several tracks of paper piercing using my pattern tracing wheel and then adhered it to my red card.  I added the little house to the left and it was done!!  Therese
 

Cards for a gift - embossed leaves and dragonflies with ribbon and decorative paper

I made these four cards as a gift.  I took inspiration from the last set of cards I made and used a large element on a layered decorative paper background.  I added either a strip of cardstock or a ribbon over where the papers join.  I used ivory card bases for all the cards.  The leaf and dragonfly stamps are from Magenta and were gold embossed, fussy cut and then watercoloured to coordinate with the backgrounds. It helps to have a sketch when making a set of cards. They look like them belong to each other even when the colours and papers are very different.  I have really rediscovered some of my stamps of late and am enjoying using them again.  

Therese

Slow Stitching - Cat Squares - Q2, Row 3, Squares 1-5

My third row in Quilt 2.  Therese

 

Another set of cards featuring butterflies

I have made these note cards as a gift for our new pastor.  I decided to use some butterfly stickers from my stash and chose to make them all in a similar design - two decorative papers, a strip of cardstock and the butterflies layered onto a scallop circle.  I chose the papers from my stash of scraps to coordinate with the butterflies so it gave a good variety of colours for this set of cards.  If he is not one to send cards then he will have a gift for someone who does.  

Therese

 

Welcome card

 We have a new pastor in our community and I made this card to welcome him!!  The little houses are fussy to assemble but look so very cute!!  I backed the openings with little tiny pieces of cardstock or vellum and then mounted them to little tags of a different colour to provide some contrast and definition to the structures.  I created my background using a strip of embossed blue cardstock for the sky, an embossed strip of green for the landscape below and a combinations of green strips for the front for grass.  I tucked the houses just a tiny bit behind the bottom strips and then punched the letters from black cardstock and used white glue in a fine tip applicator to add them to the card front. We have to count our blessings everyday!!  Therese

All occasion card with a layered collage butterfly, embossed vellum and a floral decorative paper

Another card to add to the stack I am amalgamating for my friend.  I started with a light blue card, added a coordinating floral background, and then a piece of embossed vellum.  For my focal element I chose a butterfly I stamped a few days ago while I was creating another set of cards which coordinated nicely.  After fussy cutting it I distressed the edges.  I found a scrap of green cardstock that worked well and trimmed a piece with a little extra room to the right hand side.  I punched the edge with a scallopy border punch and then embossed a line with my score tool.  After layering them I mounted this butterfly element to my card using 3D foam tape.  It is a message that we all can find comfort in as we face the challenges in our lives.  

Therese
 

Slow Stitching - Cat squares - Q2 - Row 2, Squares 1-5

This is the second row for Quilt 2.  Therese

 

All occasion card featuring diecut wild flowers (TH), ribbon and three dots

The colour combination for this card was inspired by the polka dot red and pink paper from which I cut some of the wildflowers (TH).  It has a shade of blue green on the back of it so I decided to layer some hexagonal blue green paper onto red for this card.  After trimming a piece to size I added a length of ivory gros grain ribbon near the bottom securing the ends to the back using double sided tape before adhering it to my card.  Next, I die cut several of the same wildflower (TH) from some of the scrapbook paper and three different red cardstocks from my stash.  To get the change in direction in the flowers I used the back of the die cut.  They have a bit of a different texture and the edges are less rounded - it provides a bit of variety.  I simply tucked them behind the ribbon and used white glue applied using a fine tip applicator to adhere them to the background.  I added three little red circle punchies to the ribbon to finish off my card.  Therese
 

All Occasion card featuring a silver embossed gift, embossed vellum and ribbon

I had stamped two of these while I was at it and decided to make this one with a different colour scheme.  I started with a blue card and found this colourful paper that coordinated nicely.  I added a strip of embossed vellum and then a silver gray ribbon before adhering the background to my card front.  I watercoloured the gift (Artful Stamper) to coordinate.  This stamp has lanquished in my stash for quite a while and it was fun to make use of it again!!  

Therese
 

Slow Stitching - Cat squares Q2, Row1, Squares1-5

 

This is my first row of squares for Quilt 2.  Therese

A set of cards as a gift with decorative paper backgrounds and coordinating butterflies

I made this set of cards as a gift.  I used white card bases, added a variety of backgrounds using decorative papers and then stamped this butterfly image in a coordinating colour on white as the focal element.    The first one has a full size purple background with a sanded purple stripe of white core paper. I mounted the butterfly image (SU) which I fussy cut after it was dry to my card using 3D foam tape.  The second one has three layers of this fun green paper with a little stripe of blue in between on a white card basse.  The butterfly was stamped in Ochre, fussy cut and mounted with 3D foam tape.  The third one is very much the same except in purple!!  The next one has a piece background with the butterfly layered onto yellow.  I embossed a line with my score tool, used the scallop border punch (SU) next and then used a 1/16" punch to punch holes in the scallops. Mounted it to my card with 3D foam tape.  The next one has a full background of green with white polka dots to which I added a length of white vintag seam binding and then tied on a short length to simulate a bow.  After adhering the background to the card I added the butterfly using 3D foam tape. For my last card I trimmed a piece of decorative paper a bit smaller than my card into four and adhered them neatly spaced on my white card front.  I stamped the butterfly, fussy cut its edges and then adhered it to a yellow layer which had distressed edges.  This element was adhered to my card front using 3D foam tape.  Happy with how all of these turned out.  It was quick and easy to choose one set of design elements and then change up the colours and embellishments to make them all unique.  Therese

 

All occasion card featuring a large fussy cut gift, embossed vellum and brad embellishments

Another pink and green card!!  I really love this one!!  I trimmed the swirly pink background, added a swirly embossed (CB) strip of torn vellum across the middle and then the three silver brads before mounting it to my green card front.  The gift (Artful Stamper) was silver embossed and fussy cut.  I watercoloured it to coordinate with the rest of the card!!  

Therese

Slow Stitching - cat squares

 I started this slow stitching project earlier this year.  The cat fabric was donated to me and I thought they were so cute it seems overkill to put them all in the same place.  I cut all the cats out  - they were randomly distributed on black with gray cat paws in between.  After cutting them all out I decided to apply them to black squares which I would then assemble into a quilt.  Turns out there were enough with some sashing to make two quilts.  I took the time to arrange them all so that like ones were not touching and to distribute colours as best as I could.  I think there are 7 different cats and they were not in even numbers so it took a little to get a good layout in each quilt.  I layered and marked them as to which quilt (1,2), which row (1-8), and then their place in the row (1-5).  I then cut some black squares of fabric (6.5") to stitch the cats to.  Very quickly, it became apparent that all the time I spend organizing these cats could easily be lost by mixing up the squares as a stitched.  I decided to pin the cats to the squares and then mark the back to show their place in the row.  I kept my original markers for which quilt and the row number ( to the left in the photo).  Once I actually started stitching I found that it was difficult to keep the fabrics well aligned as a stitched so I decided to stitch the cats to the squares using black thread and my sewing machine.  This ensured that none of them got mixed up and that they remained flat to each other as I stitched.  Glad I did!!  I have been using embroidery thread in colours from the cat images to stitch them to the squares using a variety of stitches.  It has been fun to experiment with colour combinations and different stitches.  The funky edges were created as I cut out the cats without wasting any fabric.  

You can see that in some I rounded the corners a bit because it worked better for the stitching I was doing.  So they will all be different and I am hoping will end up making nice quilts.  I am not sure I will be able to wait to include 40 of these into one quilt.  I am already thinking of putting one row into a quilt using some bright fabric scraps in much the same way I have been working my other quilt - a row with hand stitching as a focal point and rows of stitched scraps and lengths to make up the rest.  We shall see!!  Therese 

NOTE:  Detailed photos of each square will show up in following posts a row at a time!

Care bear quilt top

 I worked most of the day yesterday and managed to get this care bear quilt top finished.  I had only pieces to work with so I made sure all of them were standing up and then added pieces where necessary.  I had one long strip and the goal was to make the  pieces into strips of the same lenght so that no Care Bears had to be sacrificed to the trimming of this top.  I ended up not needing to add to the right hand side row - the pieces as they were cut were long enough so I created some strips of white cotton coated with fusible webbing and joined the pieces as they were.  I found some pink seam binding which was just the right width once opend to cover the front an make the joint secure.  I had two in this piece.  On the left hand one I had to add two strips of yellow to make two of the pieces wide enough and again there was no extra fabric for the seams so I applied the same treatment.    Next, I did up both of the left hand pieces joining the bottom two and then the top two.  I had just enough of the yellow fabric to fill in the middle section of both of these strips so I used the same techinque to join these pieces into two strips.  I used white seam binding because I did not have any more pink.  It trimmed out pretty good. I had measured and sewed carefully to ensure the best results in getting the ends to align.  It is not perfect but no care bears had to be sacrificed!!!  I will be slow stitching some hearts in the yellow strips before adding batting, backing and binding.  Pretty happy with how it worked out.  

Therese

All Occasion card featuring roses, a decorative border and bling

In our family cards are refurbished and used again if possible.  I regularly get little care packages of cards I have sent handed back to be reused.  I decided to reuse this beautiful rose panel from my previous card.  I layerd it onto pink and then added a white punched border on the bottom (MS).  This large element was added to a green card and then I added little clear rhinestones to the middle of the daisies in the border to finish it off.  My favorite colour combination!!

Therese
 

All occasion card featuring lace and ribbon with a die cut flower

This is my next card with no greeting.  I did leave some room so one can be added later.  I started with a soft green card and then added a background which I pieced from a few scraps of beautiful watercolour paper.  I added a piece of ecru lace, a peach ribbon and then three tiny brads on the right hand side.  A nice textural embellishement.  I added some paper pierced texture on the remaining piece using my pattern tracing wheel.  For my focal element I created a flower using a dark brown "stem" which was cut from a die from a greenery set by Tim Holtz.  The flower is layered (CB) with a brown outline with a flower cut from the scrap of the same paper as the background.  It worked out really nice that the flower was a good contrast to the background.  It is fun to find that your tools are versatile!!

Therese
 

All occasion card featuring a border punched decorative background, a watercoloured flower and gold layers

For this card I started with a white card base.  I trimmed this piece of decorative paper from the back of a used card.  I punched the right hand side with a zig zag punch and added a piece of cardstock in behind to really show off the holes in this design.  I added my background to my card and then went looking for an image in my stash.  I found this stamped image of a flower  (Magenta) which was stamped with a black ink that tended towards purple which worked well with my background.  I watercoloured it to coordinate and then layered it with two fancy gold corners which I had paper pierced with my pattern tracing tool.  This element was then mounted to my card front using 3D foam tape.  Using premade elements often forces you to use colours that you don't automatically reach for!  Feels good to try something new!!   Therese
 

All occasion card featuring decorative paper background, ribbon and a leather leaf die cut

I have been working on and off on all occasion cards for my stash.   This one is going to a member of our faith community who is moving to another city.  We most appreciate all he has given to us over the years and are wishing him every good thing as he goes on another adventure.  

This card started with a white card base.  I adhered two pieces of coordinating paper to each other and then a ribbon to create my background.  I tied a little piece of kraft twine to the stem of a leather leaf die cut and then mounted it to my card front using double side tape.  I used a wood burning tool to add details to the leaf.  I added my little stamped greeting which was punched with the Word Window punch (SU) and then sponged on the edges with 3D foam tape to finish off my card.  

Therese