Art Quiltie for October!!

Has been a few months since we swapped Art Quilties but we are once again getting that process started.  It was a No Theme swap so I decided to do a fall theme and used the reverse applique technique. Reverse applique means that instead of applying a shape to a panel. you cut out a shape in the panel and back it with something interesting.  I used fall colour scraps and fused them to a backer until I had a piece big enough to fit behind the leaf pattern I had drawn free hand.  I drew the leaf on the blue panel, positioned the fall coloured layer behind it and then stitched a line with yellow thread over the line I had drawn using my sewing machine.  I used sharp pointy scissors to cut away the blue panel fabric inside the leaf as close as I could to the stitching.  After that, I stitched over the edge of the blue fabric leaf outline using a tight zigzag stitch with the same yellow thread.  Worked out really well!!  I backed this piece with a bit of fiberfill and added the stitching all the way around the leaf.  Next, I cut a piece of dark peach fabric larger than the 4" square of my panel, positioned it on the back, folded over the extra to the front and used blue embroidery thread to do blanket stitch all the way around the edge.  Really happy with how well that finished off the edge.  Next, I hand stitched coloured seed beads all the way around the leaf shape and added some veining inside the leaf shape using shimmery yellow thread.  Next, I added some square sequins and dark orange seed beads along the stitching lines and then some gold/copper seed beads in between where ever it looked good.  I did add some french knots to secure the backing fabric to the whole quiltie and then added my credits using iron on label fabric tape on which I had written using a fine tipped Sharpie!!  My art quiltie  - a fabric chunky book page - is already off to my swap partner!!
Lots of fun and I am happy to be making these again!!

Therese

Birdie Tag Calendar

On one of my groups I have joined a tag calendar swap so I created this calendar for my swap partner!
I have used birdie artwork that I created in 2009 for a 2010 calendar which simply never happened!!  I have been storing this artwork in a file folder since then.

Recently, my sister Sylvia was over and she suggested using them for a 4" x 6" calendar because they were square - they would work perfectly.  She photographed them and created the calendar. It turned out wonderfully!!! You can check it out here.  (third down)  She has been making 4"x 6" photo calendars for several years now with her own photographs.  She has two new ones for 2014 - Garden and Nature. They are the first two on her calendar page.

 I created the little collages after I finished these birdie ATCs.  I started with squares of cardstock, layered on torn papers for the backgrounds adding watercolour and sponging as needed.  Added my little birdies with their wire tails and embellished each appropriately for the twelve months.

With the artwork already created it only took a few days to get this calendar ready to go.  I cut six tags - 8.5" x 4" - from black cardstock, stamped them with background stamps - one definition and the other script (SU) using white pigment ink - one on the fronts, the other on the backs.  I downloaded a 2014 calendar off the internet (12 months on one page), laser printed it and cut apart the months.  

  I glued the calendars on the bottom portion of the tags, added the birdie artwork above them then stitched on a length of white ribbon using black thread on my sewing machine.  I added some little black diamonds (squares) over the stitching, added yellow circles above that and punched holes for hanging the pages.

The tags are double sided with Jan to June on one side and July to August on the other side.  I alternated the backgrounds to create a bit of contrast month to month.

The pages can be stacked and hung on a pin or nail.
 Alternately, they can be clipped together using a small bull clip and hung or attached to a metal surface using a magnet.  They could also be tied together using a loop of string which allows it to be hung.  At the beginning of each month the old month page can simply be flipped to the back along the loop.  This method secures all the pages to each other and avoids losing any!!
I will be creating another set of collages for next year's calendar!  I am considering using houses, hearts, flowers or quotes as my next theme!!  So many possibilities!!


This has be a very fun experience.  It has been really cool to see my art on a 4"x 6" calendar and I am really looking forward to creating some collages for next year!!

Therese

Refurbished cards for donation

 Here are a lot of cards I have refurbished to donate to a local non profit.  I have used card fronts from commercial cards which were donated to me and have also refurbished some handmade cards I received.
It is quite easy to refurbish commercial cards.  Most times it is just a matter of trimming the card and layering it onto a folded card front.  You can easily add a bit of embellishment like a ribbon and/or a greeting.   The hardest thing is to find an envelope that will fit it.  I am fortunate to have some commercial card envelopes that were donated to me so I usually find an envelope that works.
If you don't have envelopes you can certainly make custom ones that will work perfectly.
Here are a few sites that give you instructions to make them:
This one uses a template - letter size and invitation size:
http://frugalliving.about.com/od/makeit/ht/Make-Your-Own-Envelopes.htm

This one uses just paper to make them:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Greeting-Card-Envelope

This one uses a scoring tool and has a formula for making a custom envelope:
http://www.scor-pal.com/envelope/

Here's one that creates a custom envelope by just folding paper around your card:
http://scrapinator.blogspot.ca/2009/03/easy-peasy-3-minute-envelope.html

I encourage you to refurbish cards for donating to a local group that could use them - nursing homes, churches, non profits, etc.  They will be most appreciative and it will give those beautiful cards another life!!

Therese

Cards, Cards, Cards - Ornaments

These cards feature white core cardstock.  If you have never tried it you should - a really cool effect when sanded.  I embossed the swirly frame on the cardstock and we gently sanded the embossed areas to remove the colour and reveal the white core!  Love this effect!!  You can go here  to see how to make your own using white cardstock and acrylic paint!!  I cut the ornaments with a Sizzix (SX) die using a variety of decorative papers - many of which were not Christmas ones.  Both of these cards feature non Christmas papers but because of the small pattern, limited colour palette and a good colour combination for the card I managed to create great Christmas cards!!  So when creating Christmas cards, dig into your stash to see what you have that might work.  I added an oval punchie embellished with a fiber snowflake, a brad and some tiny dots added with a white gel pen.  Double layered the topper and added a double knotted piece of string to create a hanger which was folded to the back of the layer.  Finally, all of this was glued to a coordinating card front.
Some of the girls offset their snowflake and added swirls instead of dots! Love how each person makes their cards their own!  That is what it is all about!!

Therese

Domino charms!

I am in a charm swap on AFTCM and this month we are using dominoes!! Unfortunately, the dominoes I have on hand are too large to make charms so I decided to use these little balsa wood rectangles (right hand photo) instead which are a much better size

- 5/8" x 1 1/4" or so. I chose papers to cover them then painted the ends to coordinate -white or black (middle). I used modge podge to attach my papers (right) which were all retrieved from my scrap box. After they were dry I embellished each one with a variety of items - dictionary text, confetti, hand drawing and copper foil. I did seal them with modge podge after adding the papers so they will stand up to the wear they will get when they are added to a bracelet. I have uploaded a photo of the front and the back of the charms.

I used a drill press with a small drill bit to make holes at the top for jump rings. The last photo is of them all finished and ready to go!!

These were fun to make and very different because the size is so small. Everyone is going to have a great bracelet by the end of the year!!!

The summer has arrived and I hope you will find some time to be creative, to relax and to spend time with your family and friends!!

Therese

Christmas card challenges

Christmas card challenges for July!! I combined Sylvia's angel challenge with Karen's purple challenge to create these Christmas cards. They also qualify for the "Anything goes" theme over at Year round Christmas cards. I stamped and embossed the angel on glossy cardstock then applied alcohol inks starting with yellows in the halo and wing areas followed by three different purples over the rest of the surface trying to concentrate the eggplant in the dress part. I love the way they turned out. I layered the angel onto white cardstock with a scalloped edge. I had difficulty getting my MS doily border punch to punch my six layers so I substituted my SU eyelet border punch for the last two. I expect it may have been the high humidity that caused problems with the very intricate design of the MS punch. I layered a white cardstock strip accented with purple fiber below the image and added a silver confetti star with 3D foam tape. A simple greeting of "Rejoice" is silver embossed at the bottom of the card.

I am really enjoying these challenges!! I have a few to catch up on which I should be able to do this month. So I add these six to my stash. I have counted my Christmas cards and I have 48!!! It is great that I have this many made already and we are only in July!! Join us!!

I used envelopes from my stash which dictated the different format for these cards.

Therese

Cardmaking - March - scalloped border

More embossing!! Love those embossing folders (CB)! I embossed just the bottom edge of the coloured layer and added a piece of decorative paper to the top. Used the scallop border punch (SU) on one edge of the coloured strip then pricked holes using a push pin and a piece of old mouse pad. Works really well. Added a white embossed strip over that. Glued the ribbon into place and added an embellishment with a glue dot.
The yellow one looks like it could be an Easter card so I brought my "Happy Easter" stamp so anyone who wanted to could add the greeting to the inside of their card. The pink one looks like an anniversary or wedding card with the little silver dove. I like to have variety in my cards - keeps me sane and provides more options for those who participate in cardmaking!!

Therese

My Art - handmade paper cards

I created these cards with handmade paper pulp - right on the screen!! I had several girls over a few weeks ago and we made paper pulp Christmas cards for the holidays! I love the look and feel of handmade paper and these show off what is possible. We created our shapes first using a small screen, a baster and green pulp with pine needles in it for texture. We started off with cookie cutters but most quickly progressed to creating shapes by hand which are more interesting which we embellished with red dots (thin paper napkin). We then created our sheets from the white pulp with greenery in it for our base card and added our stamped embossed greetings and the shapes we had created!! We couched our paper as usual and let them dry. Once dry, we pressed them under weight if they had become curly and wavy. I added a confetti star to the tree and a red bow to the wreath and used a needle and crochet thread to tie in my insert.
Making cards using handmade paper pulp is fun and uses up your scraps from papercrafting. I really like the natural look of these cards but you can see from my next post that other options are available for a very different look.

Therese

My Art - Dec cardmaking - Thanks

I like to make thank you cards in early December so they are ready to go when I need them over the Christmas season.
This card features a computer generated THANKS - font Comet Negative - which I printed in light grey so it would not overwhelm the colours of the decorative paper I used in the background. I used watercolour to colour my letters but you could use any medium you like - chalks, pencil crayons, markers, etc. Once coloured I cut them apart leaving a white margin all the way around which acts as a frame and makes them stand out a bit. Some at class did not leave a border and it makes quite a visual difference. I mounted them with 3D foam tape to the strip which I trimmed with decorative scissors and embellished with pin pricks.
I made a variety of colours and it is always fun to play with the elements to make it your own.
Pay attention to the blessings you receive over the holidays - gifts, special events, experiences, sharing, fun, etc and be sure to let those who have touched your life know that they are appreciated!!!

Therese

My Art - All Occasion cards - flower & flourish

Christmas is coming!! A friend of mine and her coworkers and friends decided to make their gifts this year so they asked me to put together some all occasion cards to make as gifts!! They will be packaging them in card holders for a great presentation!!

This is the first card we made in class. Lots of embossing on this one - the background, the two nestie flowers and the center!! I usually made them different just to change up the design a bit.

The flower embellishment is created using two nestibilities diecuts. I snipped each of the dips on the scallop to create petals for my flower. Added an embossed center to really give it the look of a flower. I die cut the flourish and mounted it to the back of the flower. The background was trimmed to the embossed edge and glued to the front of the card and the ribbon was added. I saved on ribbon by tying both ends in a double (square) knot and then cutting the ribbon. Glued the ends to the inside of the card with double sided tape. The flower embellishment was mounted to the card front using 3D foam tape. I made the kits different colours to provide a bit of variety in the cards.

Consider giving handmade cards to those hard to buy for people on your list and are always a good choice for teachers and other service providers in your life. Handmade cards bless lots of people - you when you make them, others when you give them as gifts and yet others who will receive them on their special day!!

Therese

My Art - Cardmaking - snowflakes!

Had fun designing these cards! Have seen similar ones on Splitcoast a while back and thought I would give it a try. The base of the card is 3.5"x 4.25". I attached some decorative paper to the front, added a snowflake embossed strip and a multi layered circle greeting to the lower part and a layered embellishment to the top part. The circle embellishment was created using nestabilities scallop circle die cuts and plastic snowflakes!! They fit nicely in the A2 sized envelopes!!

Therese

My Art - Oct cardmaking - glossy card

Here is another card created with the glossy cardstock that I recovered from my presentation folders!! I embossed this one with the harlequin embossing folder (CB), added a couple of strips of cardstock and a round greeting embellishment (SU)!! I used a large metal brad in the center of the embellishement to keep this card looking masculine!!

Check out the Christmas one I made with teal here!!

They were really popular last night and there are no kits left!!

Therese

My Art - mingle page

A mingle page to finish off the year!! I created this snow themed page using a piece of alcohol ink background in blues onto which I stamped the trees from Lovely as a Tree (SU). I layered several white ripped pieces over that and sewed them together. I added a stencil that I altered with ink and stamping which I attached with eyelets. I tied on the snowflake embellishment and then glued this layer to the back layer with the saying and the snowflakes!! As you can see there are two of these so someone will be getting a RAK in their mailbox!!

I bought myself a small craft sewing machine a few weeks ago and was really wanting to try it out. Works very well!!

Wishing all of you peace this Christmas season and may you be blessed with all that is good in the new year!!

Therese

My Art - Christmas cards

This is a quick and easy card!! The bottom layer is gift wrap I bought two years ago at Michaels. Well worth checking out the gift wrap as you shop during this season. Buy a roll or two to make Christmas cards for next year!! I stamped the harlequin (SU) on the top section and then added the decorative paper. I colour printed the words and then ripped both sides before I glued it over the

top edge of the paper. The star is plastic and was part of a garland I bought last year - not sure where $1 or Canadian Tire. I just cut them all apart and used a glue dot to attach it to the card front. Everyone really liked this card!!

Therese