Holiday Stitching

~ photo heavy, long post ~

Howdy.  Whew, what a crazy, busy weekend.  But busy in a great way!  I had a very successful holiday arts & crafts fair, this past Saturday!  Very exciting, and very enjoyable!  It was sweet to meet so many wonderful folks.  And I had a chance to chat with everyone!  Who wouldn't love that? {smile} 

I started off this week, at getting back to the gym and running.  Yes, it's never ending.  But I love it.  The gym gives me a chance to work out some aggression.  If you work in corporate america, you know exactly what I mean.  And running, gives me a chance for me.  It's just me, my music, and the road.  Some quality time for me to sort my thoughts, and get some clean, fresh, mountain air, and take a break from corporate america.  {smile}

I wanted to share a few of my favorite things I crafted (and sold) from last weekend.  So, I will post today, most likely tomorrow, and maybe another day this week.  It all depends on my energy level. 

I am entering my large gift card holder in the Word Art Wednesday : Anything Goes challenge!
*my large gift card holder was selected as a 'Top Three'!  Thank You Word Art Wednesday.
I am also entering my large gift card holder in the Retro Sketches challenge.  it's a sketch!

I love fabric (along with paper).  But, I don't sew garments.  I don't sew toys.  I sew on paper.  And I know a lot of folks who make wearables.  Not me.  But I understand the thrill of finding a gorgeous print.  Or the perfect shade of pink (or any other color) to finish a project.  

I collected some pattern papers from Carta Bella, the Sew Lovely and So Noted.  I wanted to make something sweet, pretty, and practical.  

a sweet gift tote (to hold fabric, or supplies):

a covered notepad (to jot down sketches, supplies, etc):

and finally, a large gift card holder (it holds a pre-packaged gift card):

I just loved how the green stripe and the blue ruler pattern papers looked together.  Not really christmas-y, but simply pretty!  And if you craft (any kind) you know if you find something that works really well together, you don't 'un-do' it.  

I used a variety of stuff from my stashes, so it would be ridiculous to name everything.  But, I'll list a few.  And as always, if you have a question about a particular product, please just ask.

The blue-ish solid card stock used for everything is Mint Macaroon by Stampin' Up!  The cream cotton embroidered trim is from an internet purchase.  The stamping for the gift card holder is from Paper trey Ink (no peeking: holiday friendship jar.  homespun: love lives here holiday).  I stamped in Mint Macaroon and Basic Black classic inks by Stampin' Up!  The pink seam binding is from Stampin' Up!.  However, it is retired: Pink Pirouette.  The sewing theme fabric brads are from LemonCraft.  (LemonCraft is an eastern european company)  The silver scissor 'charm' is an internet purchase.  The large snowflake is a die from PaperTrey Ink, and the glitter paper is from Stampin' Up!.  The green check pattern fabric strips are from an internet purchase as well.  It was listed as fabric ribbon.  And as always (ok, almost always, always) I did machine stitching on my projects.  I think it adds a 'homespun' touch! {smile}

Well, thank you for stopping by!  now, I am off to finish some holiday shopping, and to get a few items out in the mail!  I hope you have been inspired, or at least the creative wheel is turning!

Thankful for You Card

Howdy.  The holiday crafting continues.  But, I took a break from Christmas trees, and wrapped presents, and made a card for a customer {smile}.  I knew that I wanted to use some of my 'Sewing' themed pattern paper, and a mini post card.  I just needed a little direction.  So, I headed over to Mojo Monday to take a look at their current sketch, and yeah, I made it work {smile}.

and here is what I made:

Before I get to the recipe of my card, I just have to say, that I am still trying to hang of this new and improved photo editing program.  Today's edit went a lot smoother.  But, I don't feel like I am truly proficient at it, yet.  {smile}

Recipe:  I started with Blush Blossom card stock, by Stampin' Up!.  This solid card stock has been retired for almost a decade.  So, I hoard it like gold!  It's a soft, and creamy pale pink color.  Not quite pink, and not quite peach.  And I love the heavy weight of it!

The yard stick,  the pink polka dots, and the scissor pattern papers are from Carta Bella, their Sew Lovely collection.  The yard stick pattern paper is 4" x 5 1/4".  I sponged the edges with crumb cake classic ink.  The pink polka dot and scissor pattern papers are 3 1/2" x 2 1/2".  I adhered them together with a small overlap, so that their finished size is 3 1/2" x 4 3/4".  I added a double border with my sewing machine.  (I just love this look.)

I layered a scrap piece of cream embroidered trim and a mauve pink scallop trim, at the top of the card.  I secured these two trims to the card front with my sewing machine, too.  I tied a small piece of pink sequin trim to a white button with gold bakers twine.  I adhered the button to the card front with my hot glue gun.

I cut my mini post card down, and sponged the edges with crumb cake classic ink.  I hand-stamped my sentiment directly on the mini post card.  I used baked brown sugar classic ink.  I wanted my sentiment to look faded and vintage.  I adhered it to the card front with foam tape.  And viola!

I am pretty happy with how my card came out.  Thank you for visiting!  And I hope you have been inspired to play along with this super talented group over @ Mojo Monday.   {smile}

Mint Sew Pretty; Card

Howdy.  And welcome.  I took out some vintage silk fabric the other day, and wanted to craft something pretty with it, and so I decided to make another fabric strip banner.  And the color combination was just so beautiful and inspirational: mint green, black, and cream! These colors really spoke to me, so I also crafted a card.  (I'll share the banner soon.)

I headed over to one of my favorite international craft sites for a beautiful sketch, and I Love Scrap has a wonderful sketch for you to work with.   Here is their sketch

*Their challenge is two part, use the sketch, or the image requirement, or both.  

Their image requirement is a forrest creature (fox, deer, fairy, etc)

Here is what I made:

I only used the sketch

I only used the sketch for their challenge.  I was originally thinking of a sweet nursery creature that can be found in the forest.  But, like I said earlier, I fell in love with this color combination: mint, cream, and black. {smile}

Recipe:  The card measures: 4 1/4" x 6".  The card base is True Black by Paper Trey Ink.   Love the heavy weight of this card stock.  See how tall and straight my card stands up, even with the large metal embellishment?  Beautifully thick card stock.

I used three pattern papers from Carta Bella, Sew Lovely by Carina Gardner: the mint green yard stick pattern paper, the cream and black scissor pattern paper, and the sewing machine journalling card.

I matted the cream and black scissor pattern paper onto a beautifully black and cream striped pattern paper by Stampin' Up!: Always Elegant.  I love how it makes that pattern paper pop, and brings some 'interest' to the card.  I added a simple machine sewn border to help convey the sewing theme, and give my card that home-spun touch.  {smile}

I adhered the sewing machine journalling card to the front of the card, slightly above center.  I did that to make room for my trims.  

close-up

I made my own sentiment tag with a word document on my computer.  I don't have any sentiment stamps with a sewing theme.  [shocking that I don't have something]  I used three different fonts.  And assembled them creatively.  I used peeking sheers to give the ends of the sentiment piece some interest, and keeping with the sewing theme.  And I added some machine stitching along the ends to replicate a 'label'.      I did a light tea staining on my white seam binding, to help give it a vintage look and feel.  [the white was just too white].  I machine stitched the seam binding and crochet trim to the front of the card.  I tied a multi-loop bow with some of the tea stained seam binding, and tied a button to the bow, and around a pair of faux scissors with cream twine.  The faux scissors are adhered to the card front.  I die cut and stamped a thread card.  I used the Hanging by a Thread stamp set and matching die set, by Paper Trey Ink, to create the thread card.  I stamped the image in Mint Macaroon classic ink onto very vanilla card stock, both by Stampin' Up!.  I wrapped some baker's twine around the thread card.  This baker's twine has cream, black, and silver threads in it.  To complete the thread card, I added a black and silver button by Bo Bunny, and tied the button with silver thread.

Thank you for stopping by.  Stay tuned for the fabric scrap banner I made using the same colors.  Hint: it is in the back-ground of this card.  I'm in love with it!  But, it will be posted in my Etsy shop, as will this card.

Also, don't forget, I have a new segment to my blog: Triple T Tuesday.  I share tips, tricks, and techniques in this segment.  And this Tuesday, I am going to do a water coloring technique, so please come back!

Sew Sweet Treasure Tin

Howdy!  I finished another altered Altoid size tin.  I painted it with two contrasting colors of chalk paint: cotton (white) and mint (pale green).  I used pattern papers from Tilda: Happiness is Homemade.  I just love this collection.

I added some machine stitching and various beautiful embellishments.

This treasure tin, is for sale in my Etsy shop, HERE.  There are also a few more photos of just how beautiful this little tin is!  The tin measures approximate 3 3/4" x 2 1/4".

Thank you for looking.  Remember, if you see anything you love, but want something a bit different, just message me.  Let me know if you want a different color, or theme, and allow me the opportunity to create something unique and beautiful for you {smile}.  I do custom orders at my Etsy shop.  

Inked Rose

I supported a local small business on Saturday.  Yeah, a local scrapbooking store.  I made a paper purchase, because I needed a few sheets to complete a project.  But, while I was there, I found some beautiful pattern paper. {smile}

I took a small break from holiday crafting, and made a Thank You card.  I used pattern paper from three different collections, three different companies.  And I am happy with the outcome!

the card recipe:  The card base is made with Not Quite Navy card stock by Stampin' Up!.  And yeah, it's a retired color.  But I still have a package of card stock.  I love the color.  It's dark blue without being too dark, and with a subtle gray tone.

Ok, the polka dot pattern paper is from Echo Park, Quotes.  This is actually the reverse side of the paper.  I love polka dots!

The text paper is from Carta Bella, their Sew Lovely collection, Lovely Floral.  And yeah, another reverse side of paper.  The paper on the other side, has single blossoms repeated.  But, I love the text. I adhered the text pattern paper onto the polka dot pattern paper, and then ran a simple border stitch with my sewing machine, before I adhered this piece to the card front.  That way, the stitching isn't seen on the inside of the card.

The bold floral pattern paper is from We R, Inked Rose.  The reverse side of this patten paper is stripes in the seafoam green color.

I matted the floral pattern paper onto a scrap piece of NQN card stock.  And then matt this piece onto Rose Red card stock.  

I added a banner piece to the top right corner and the lower left corner.

The upper right corner is a scrap piece of the polka dot pattern paper, matted onto a scrap piece of pool party card stock.  I added a button tied with silver bakers twine.

The sentiment was stamped in NQN classic ink, onto a scrap piece of whisper white card stock.  I created the flag end with scissors.  And stapled this piece.

I will have this card for sale in my Easy shop, HERE.  and if it doesn't sell this week, it will travel to my next craft fair on Saturday!  {smile}

Well, thank you for looking {smile}.  I'll post a few gift card holders I crafted this weekend, later this week.  Hope you come back for a look {smile}