Christmas gift - a "Love is..." calendar

Calendars are such perfect Christmas gifts - they last all year, are useful and everyone can find a place for one!!
I created this one this week for a special person on my gift list.  I did create one like it last year so it was fairly quick to get it made up because all the work had already been done.  I laser printed the images onto heavyweight paper and trimmed them to size.  I glued them to the top sections of six 8.5"x 5.5"pieces of red cardstock.  I printed a calendar which I downloaded from on line and trimmed out the months and glued them below the images.  There is a month on each side of six pieces of cardstock which are held together with a little red bull clip.
Easy to hang or can be positioned with a magnet and it is a simple matter of flipping the pages as the new months arrive.
This image is of my hands holding coffee beans!!  I love it!!  The other photos were downloaded from The Morgue File.  
I will be planning on making calendars this coming year for giving next Christmas!!

Therese

A few more all occasion cards

These were created from card kits I had left over from this cardmaking class.  It is fun to play with images and card orientations to make different looking cards.  These feature a full background, a layered focal image and ribbon.  The one on the left features a full circle greeting/image combination from Birds Cards and the large oak tree is from Arthur's Clipart.  In both cases, I watercoloured the laser printed digital image before layering it onto the scalloped circle.  I added a greeting on the right hand one using a word window (SU) layered over a Modern label punchie  (SU).  

Therese

Elegant cards with scroll works embossing folder

I am in the process of finishing off a few of the card kits I had leftover after my cardmaking class.  These are created using the scroll works embossing folder.  I laser printed digital images centered on a quarter sheet of white cardstock, embossed them and then trimmed them to the edge of the embossed design.  The bride is from Graphics Fairy, the graphic flowers, the dress, the tree and the loon are from CLKER.  The old car is from Arthur's Clipart and the Celebrate is from Melonheadz Illustrating.   I used a hand cut oval stencil to sponge ink around the images.  I did add a bit of pearl paint to the bride and the dress to give them a bit of sparkle.  Love this classic design.

Therese

More scroll work Christmas cards!

I made yet more Christmas cards today!!  I chose to use colour printed images to reduce the time of putting them together.  All four images are from CLKER.  I printed the digital images four to a letter sized sheet of white cardstock and colour printed them.  I trimmed the images apart and embossed each of them with the  scroll works embossing folder (CB).  Afterwards, I used a hand cut stencil to sponge the area around the image. I used blue on the two bottom ones and silver gray on the two top ones.

I layered these onto coloured card fronts and added folded inserts!!
I have made quite a few cards this year with this design.  You can check out some of the others cards I have made here, here, here and here.
I am happy to have these cards done and will be making a few more of this design if I run short!!

Therese

Christmas fabric postcard

I have finally finished my December fabric post card.  I started it a month ago and thought I would have it finished in no time but things got busy.  I managed to finish off the border on my car trip this weekend.  I started with a white on white fabric (4" x 6") backed with a bit of batting and I stitched across in wavy lines to cover the whole thing.  Next, I cut a red cotton circle using my Nestibilities and stitched on a white snowflake using white embroidery thread.  I backed it with fusible webbing and ironed it into place on my postcard base.  I added very tiny buttonhole stitch using red embroidery thread all the way around to nicely finish the edge.  I stitched a hanging string in black and added a black cotton thread bow.  I cut a strip of white cotton which I stamped with the words in black ink using my magnetic alphabet stamps.  I then stitched it to my postcard at the top and bottom using my sewing machine.  Afterwards, I stitched on red snowflakes between the words.  I like that little detail.  It still needed a bit of something so I added some white stitched snowflakes randomly over the whole background.  I was tempted to add beads on the ornament and the background but somehow could not convince myself to do it.  I added a pellon layer and the backing fabric (4.5" x 6.5") and pressed the extra over to the front and intended to just finish it with blanket stitch in white.  As I was preparing this I spied a length of this beaded trim which I thought might do very nicely on the edge so I decided to incorporate it in the process of doing the blanket stitching.  It took a few inches for me to get the hang of getting the spacing right for the beading to sit properly on the edge.  I had sort of eyeballed the beading to see if it would be long enough to go all the way around and it certainly seemed that it would.  When I finally finished the stitching all the way around it was unfortunate that the beads did not quite come together - I was short one!!  I undid about two inches of the beginning to get the extra bead I needed to make the beaded border ends come together on the the corner.  I was able to do that because I had sewn the beads to close together at the beginning which caused them to buckle a bit.  I am glad I was able to undo and redo to get a beautiful finish on this postcard.  The beaded trim is not too glittery for the rest of the elements on my postcard yet adds a bit of pizzazz to it.  On hindsight, I would have been much better off to start my beaded trim in the middle of one side.  It would have made the beads line up better.  As it was I have glued the two corner beads to each other to make the border complete.  

Had a total blast getting this postcard made and enjoyed the challenges it presented!  It will be off to my partner this week!!

Therese

Dad's birthday card has a wooden focal element

I made this card for my Dad's birthday this year.  He is a retired woodworker/carpenter so I enjoy adding wood to his cards.  I am fortunate to have a DH that is also a wood worker so he regularly comes in from the shop with slim slices of wood that came off his most recent project.  For this card I used this small piece, stamped it with a covered bridge in dark brown and coloured in the details with watercolour.  I like the subtle look with the details of the wood still visible through the image.  I layered my wood slice over the piece of dark brown seam binding which I had added to my ivory card front.  I used regular glue stick and pressed the whole thing until it was dry.  I had added a bit of stippling and sponging to my card front before I added the wood focal point. Afterwards, I added a single short piece of seam binding tied to the the length on the front using a single knot and stamped my greeting (SU) in dark brown ink.
Love the simplicity of the design and that it really features the wood very nicely.

Therese

Christmas ornaments with wooden angels

I made up over a dozen of these Christmas ornaments for a bazaar in my community!  I had a few backgrounds left over from this project last Christmas so decided to finish them off in the same manner to create ornaments. I added little handmade paper Christmas trees to the back which I embellished with iridescent glitter glue and a small gold sequin star along with finishing off the edge by adding glitter glue to each scallop.  For this project I used the little wooden angels with the horns and gifts.

Pretty happy with how these turned out!!

Therese

Peace Christmas cards

I made up a set of these cards to donate as a prize for a silent auction at a bazaar in my community.   The central image was digitally designed by my sister, Sylvia, and colour printed onto off white cardstock.  I trimmed the images, glued them to maroon card fronts and added appropriate inserts.

Therese

Quick and easy with the Scrollwork oval embossing folder

 I always make the last card we make quick and easy.  It is a nice way to finish of the evening and every one appreciates quick and easy!!  I printed digital images in the center of quarter sheets of neutral cardstock then embossed them using the Scroll works embossing folder (CB). For one of my previous classes I had cut oval stencils that coordinated with this embossing folder so we used those to sponge colour around those central images.  The images were coloured and then this layer was glued to a coloured card front.  The coneflower  - no credit available, the little snow man is by Torico/ Birdie Brown and the Christmas tree is from Melonheadz.  This sketch works so well for so many cards and makes Christmas cards quick and easy.  I added a small snowflake sticker to the snowman ones and small rhinestones to the Christmas tree ones.  If I need any extra Christmas card by the end of the week I will be make more of these two designs.
Thrifty tip:
Buy clear rhinestones and colour them with Sharpie markers to coordinate with your project.

So I hope you have your Christmas cards ready to go.  It not, this is a very quick and easy design that will get them done in very short order.

Therese

Some tall images for these cards!

For our second card we made a few of these.  The background is made by taping a piece of 2" x 5.25" decorative paper to a coordinating piece of cardstock the same size.  The image has been sized and printed to fit as a layer on the cardstock piece.  I love this little twiggy tree from Popnstick!!  I created a special insert for it that mentions that Christmas is not about what is under the tree.  I do not have a credit for the cone flowers.  Both images were watercoloured and layered onto their respective backgrounds.  I added a piece of seam binding to each of them using double sided tape on the front right next to the joint where the papers are butted to each other on the decorative paper and taping the the other end to the back.  I tied a short piece to the front to simulate a bow.  I created a border using an eyelet punch (SU) from a strip of neutral cardstock, sponged it a bit and adhered it over the end of the seam binding to hide the tape.  This sketch requires a tall slim image but I did find several in my collection that worked well.

Therese

Puffin - thinking of you card

Made this card today for a neighbour who is in hospital.  A card is a double blessing - for me when I make it and for the other person when they receive it!!  I made a Z card with a puffin on it!!!  I downloaded him from CLKER and laser printed him on white cardstock.  I had to look up exactly how to colour him - they have bright orange feet!! So I touched it here and there with a bit of watercolour.  I saw this Z card on my sister's blog earlier and when I needed a card I thought I would give it a try.
You take a regular quarter sheet card and fold the front back to the spine.  I added a piece of decorative paper to that top piece and then added the layered puffin image over that using double sided tape only on the left hand edge where it overlaps the front.  I sponged the edges of a little oval punched greeting and adhered him below the image on the front.  I added a 4" x 5.25" white insert to the back panel where I can write my message.  This is a quick and easy fold to use whenever you are making regular A2 cards.
Therese

November cardmaking - Christmas and all occasion

I had a few girls in for a cardmaking session last night and here a few examples of our first card.  I made quite a few kits so everyone could choose what they wanted to make and I also made all occasion kits as well as Christmas kits. It was fun that these kits are all a bit different because they have different decorative paper as well as images.
I started with layering a piece of decorative paper over my card front and adding a piece of ribbon/seam binding that runs the length of the card with the ends adhered to the inside of the card using double sided tape.  I watercoloured my images (poinsettia & kite - Birds Cards, trees - Black Berry Jelly) except for the first one which is a circle punched from an old greeting card.  The colours were perfect with that background.  I layered my images directly onto a scallop circle for two of them, the other two have several layers of circles before I glued them to the scalloped circle.  I adhered the scallop circle element to my layered card front over the ribbon using 3D foam tape.

You can see that I chose to make one of them landscape instead of portrait - love the versatility of this sketch and kit.  I tied a short piece of ribbon/seambinding to the long length on the front to simulate a bow and then adhered my layered greeting using 3D foam tape.

I am glad to have a few extra kits to make up.  It should give me enough Christmas cards for this year and also a few all occasion cards for gift giving.

Therese

Christmas and all occasion cards from kits

I had kits leftover from my last cardmaking session so I decided to make them up today.  I have a few occasions coming up where I need a gift or prize so I will be making up card packets with some of the cards I made up.  Above are some of the Christmas ones I made.  These feature decorative paper, a sponged border, a layered greeting and a layered watercoloured image (CLKER).  

These all occasion cards were also make up from card kits from the last cardmaking session.  These feature a couple of rectangles of decorative paper, a strip of cardstock cut on both long edges with decorative scissors and large layered colour printed greetings (SU).  

 The are also cards I made from kits.  Kits are wonderful for getting cards made quickly.  Everything is already cut and it is simply a matter of colouring your image is necessary and assembling the pieces as you wish.  As you can see there are a multitude of ways you can assemble the exact same pieces from a kit. These six cards were made with exactly the same elements - a strip of decorative paper, two strips of coordinating carstock, an image with a coordinating layer and a laser printed greeting with a layer.

 The little owl (CLKER) is colour printed and did not require colouring.  That really makes getting a card made much faster!!  The flowers, canoe scene and cat are also from CLKER.  The cupcake is from Beccy's Place and the little penguin is from Blackberry Jelly.

You can check out the cards I made at the session here.   

I am in the process of making card kits for this week's cardmaking session.  I will be including Christmas and all occasion cards so that the participants have a choice.  I made several extra Christmas to help boost my stash as it has been a while since I made some for myself.  I will have to check the box and see how more I need.  

Therese

Crazy quilted tree ornament

                               

On one of my groups I joined a Crazy Quilted ornament swap. We could send as many as five ornaments - I decided to do just one.  I machine quilted a triangle using small scraps adding pieces one at a time around the green polka dot square.  It was fun to add a variety of fabrics and colours.  Once that process was finished I trimmed the edges evenly and started adding hand stitching to each seam using a variety of coloured floss and stitches.  Next,  I cut a triangle a half inch wider in every direction in a dark green fabric.  I laid it on the back of my triangle and folded the edge over twice and stitched over it using blanket stitch in green floss.  I had to iron it before I stitched because it was much too unruly otherwise.  Then, I added embellishments - sequins, beads and buttons.  It still needed a bit of something so I added a tiny rick rack garland which I stitched on with red floss.  Lastly, I added a sequin star at the top.  Oh, yes, I did add a rick rack hanger at the top in the process of doing the blanket stitch around the perimeter.  I did add some random red stitches on the back to better adhere the back to the front and added a shrink plastic tag with my credits on it.  This is my first crazy quilted project. I am happy with it how it turned out.  I hope to learn more stitches and to add lace to my next project.  Looking forward to receiving an ornament in exchange.

Therese

Cards for my exchange group!

I created these two cards for my card exchange group for this month.  I had a few extra images left over from this class sitting on my desk so I used them for these cards.  I love this gift wrap/decorative paper!!!  For the card on the left, I glued my decorative paper to a dark blue card front and added a layered image of fall leaves (Anne's Cards) which was watercoloured and layered onto a coordinating blue cardstock.  I layered an oval watercoloured laser printed greeting over a blue green oval punchie (SU) and adhered it over the bottom edge of the image.  

For the card on the right, I glued the decorative paper to my card front and found that it was just a bit short on the right hand side so I decided to add some bling.  I coloured some clear rhinestones using alcohol ink in Butterscotch and glued them in place once they were dry.  That worked!! I layered my laser printed greeting (SU) to an orange rectangle which I created by butting two cardstock scraps to each other, taping them together and then trimming to size.  I left some space on the right hand side and punched little stars out on that side.  The stars did not show very well so I backed them with a navy scrap before I glued my image to the card front.  I had two little rhinestones leftover from my strip so I coloured them with Sharpies and added them to my greeting.  I then glued my little star punchies to my card front around my greeting.  Adds a bit of texture to the background!!  

These are off to my partners!!

Therese

Birth announcements!

We have a new baby in our family!!  She was born at the end of September and I have just finally finished her birth announcements. Her Mom asked that they be gray and purple so I decided that an little elephant would work perfectly!!  I laser printed it on white cardstock and die cut it with circle Nestibilities.  I layered it onto a purple circle then onto a gray scalloped circle to create the main element for the announcement.  I did sponge the edges of the scallop circle (Nestibilities) so they would be highlighted against the front of the card.  I created the card front by first printing some decorative dots (digital SU) onto gray cardstock and then embossing it with the decorative dots embossing folder (SU).  That created too much contrast so I passed them back through the Big Shot between the cutting plate and the closed embossing folder which softened the dots just enough.  I then trimmed the fronts 1.5" by hand to allow her name which I printed on the insert to show on the front.  I added a folded length of white seam binding to the back of my focal element and glued it to the lower front.  All the pertinent info is below her name on the colour printed insert.  The design is a hybrid of the original design I had created which came about with the feedback from my daughter.  Really happy with how these worked out!!

Therese

Grandson's birthday!!

One of my grandson's has a birthday next week so I prepped this card for him!!  I started with this cool gift wrap which features red balloons on kraft paper which I trimmed and glued to a red card front.  I used a yellow frame which I embossed with stars (SU) to highlight one of the balloons and added his name at the bottom using black die cut letters.  I added yellow star punchies to a laser printed greeting, layered it onto a red rectangle and flagged the ends using my chevron punch (SU). I adhered it to the card front using 3D foam tape.  It still needed a little something so I used a fine tip black sharpie to doodle some dots and a little heart around one of the balloons.  That was better!!!

Therese

Lighthouse Birthday card!

I need a few cards for family birthdays that are coming up, so I started on those today!!
This one features a cool embossed paper frame which I trimmed to fit on a light blue card front. I trimmed out the center squares using an exacto knife and a metal ruler on a cutting board.  I trimmed the light house laser printed image (CLKER) to just fit inside the opening with an even border all the way around and then watercoloured it.  Once I positioned the image in the opening I felt that it would benefit from being framed in a darker colour so I added a piece of darker blue cardstock to the back of the frame.  I added a little ribbon flag to the back of my image using double sided tape and glued it into the opening.  I adhered this element to my card front.  I watercoloured this little fussy cut laser printed greeting (CLKER) to coordinate with my card and adhered it to my card front using 3D foam tape.
I am really enjoying being back in my studio!!  I have been busy with garden clean up and preserving produce for the last month or so and that is finally coming to an end.   I do enjoy gardening and its harvest though it does sometimes lead to full days of preserving when the bounty is ready to be put into the freezer or jars.

Therese

Happy Hallowe'en!

Happy Hallowe'en!!!

A humorous Far Side Get Well card!

I created this card for my grand niece who is recovering from an injury to her leg.  She is a cool teenager and I hope she will appreciate this Far Side cartoon!!  I bought a 365 day calendar years ago and have about 363 more cartoons waiting for the perfect time to be used for some creative project!!!

I simply cut out the cartoon and layered it onto the top portion of a black card front.  I added the little greeting using a stamp and white embossing powder.

So be on the look out for a cool calendar this fall that will provide you with some cool images for cardmaking for the next year!!!

Therese