Wedding Cards.

This is a card I made for a friend recently. I did 3 cards using their choice of colours, being dark blue, grey and pale pink and this was the final choice.  I saw this shaped card on Pinterest and did my version of it.  I cut out rectangles and rounded the corners then used them as a template to  make the card shape.  I did one for the front and one for the back.  I used pearlescent card to cut into the required shapes and put through the Grand Caliber using the swirls embossing folder.  These were then glued on to the front of the card.  The pearl strings were then glued in place.  The flowers are punched out of pearlescent paper and paper which has been sprayed with cosmic shimmer sprays. Sticking on the flowers and pearls was great fun.  The leaves are a Sizziz die and the cherubs and hearts are punched.  These were all glued on as shown.  I scored a horizontal line across the top of the back piece about an inch or so from the top so it will stand up.

These 2 were the others.  This first one is using a Stamp Oasis rubber stamp with black Archival ink on pearlescent card, and with a pink copic for the lips.  This is mounted onto a heart doily.  The background embossed card is also a gorgeous quallity pearlescent card already embossed, the edges of which I have punched out this lacy border.   The sentiment is stamped onto a Spellbinders fancy rectangle die cut, and colour tinted with Spun Sugar Distress Ink.  I sewed a running stitch down the centre of the pink lace to gather and have used a gross-grain ribbon down the middle - I used my copic to colour it grey.  The blue hearts are shimmery but you can't see that here.  The card itself is a soft grey hammered finish card.

The pink is hard to see in this photo - its a wedding stamp set by Amuse Stamps.  The basic design for this was on Pinterest and I have adapted it slightly.  I used an 8 x 8 card blank and cut strips of card out of an A4 sheet that I stamped with the wedding set using Spun Sugar again.  The borders are die cuts using my Spellbinder border dies.  The blue was done using Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink direct to paper.  The ribbon was coloured as before using copics and the sentiment was an Elusive Images stamp.

This might have been better using the blue on the images and the pink on the ribbon or border.  Anyway, thanks for looking and comments always appreciated :)

Warmest Christmas Wishes

I love making Christmas cards after I don't actually need any more because then I can just enjoy the process with no pressure.  This card uses pretty Christmas papers I bought last year from Create and Craft and they were an amazing bargain price.  They are gorgeous colours and the set includes printed vellum and die cuts, plus they are still available in their sale.
I used a Craftwork Cards 6 x 6 blank and distressed the edges of the papers using my distressing tool from Making Memories, but you can just use scissors.  I added a piece of translucent vellum from my stash and sewed it on with my sewing machine using a zig zag stitch .  I also sewed the stripy strip using a straight stitch.

The image is a Pink Petticoat digi from last year coloured with pencils.  I used distress ink around the edge whilst it was still in the spellbinders die.  This is mounted onto a nestie scalloped circle in one of the background papers.  The snowflake is a Marianne die and the buttons were clear ones that I coloured to match using copics.  The ribbon is from a local haberdashers and is tied along with the buttons with crochet cotton.  I added some fluffy stuff on the main image to finish it off.

Thanks for coming by and any comments very welcome and appreciated :).

Secret Santa Stocking and a step by step on fabric flowers

Hi bloggers, this is a stocking I made for a secret santa swap in a group I belong to.  You can't see the lace on the side views as it's covered with the flowers!  I didn't take any shots of the front view unfortunately.  The step by step below shows the method of making the flowers, which are virtually the same as the ones I made for the Shabby Chic Bags (previous post).  I have to thank Fiona Jennings (jennings644 on youtube) for the idea for the flowers as she made some organza (i think it was organza) ones using this technique and I have shamelessly copied it for these cotton and lace ones.

1.  Cut out circles of different fabrics, I drew round a mug on paper and used it as a pattern.  I made some slightly smaller.

2. Fold in half then half again,and half again, so you have a cone shape.  Trim the top edges so you have a rounded end.

 3. Open out and you should have a rough flower shape.

 4. Do some in different fabrics

 5. They don't have to be perfect!

6.  Fold in half and sew a running stitch in the middle of each one.

7.  This is to give an uneven look when they are opened out and sewn together.

 8.  I have used a doily centre for the final piece - you don't need to sew this one at this stage.

 9.  Open out and stack together in whatever combination pleases you.  There are about 4 layers in these ones.  It helps to pin them together.

10.  Sew through the middle using strong thread (or double ordinary thread) you only need 6 stitches or so and then finish with a button or bling.  You could use a glue gun if you prefer not to sew and if you don't plan to wash them in the future.

I hope you give this a try, thanks for looking, and any comments very appreciated :) 

Shabby Chic Chambray Bags

I made these three bags as part of a swap and I must admit they took absolutely ages to make!  I think perhaps one would have been enough.  I am pleased with the way they turned out and would have like to have kept them!  However, that was not to be but I can always make more ( I always say that but  never do!).

The central motif on all 3 bags are fabric and  I used iron on adhesive backing to stick them to the cotton fabric.  I sewed lace trim around the edges of all 3 then cut the chambray pieces for the backs.  This material was a shirt which used to belong to my son (that he hardly ever wore) and I had kept it as I loved the softness and different patterns in the faded blue colour.  After sewing them into bags I made the casings for the drawstrings and then trimmed with more lace (this was the frilled edge of some lace curtains).

'Kitchen' front view

'Kitchen' back view

'Kitchen' charm, made out of an earring.

Lace flower on 'Kitchen'

'Kitchen' another front view showing buttons.

'Kitchen' chambray and lace flower.

'Kitchen'  lace trim flower with satin ribbon flower centre.

 

'Coffee' front view.

'Coffee' close up.

'Coffee' back view

 

'Coffee' flower close up

'Apples' front view

 'Apples' flower close up

'Apples' back view.

'Apples' charm close up.

I decided to  make some flowers out of chambray, broderie anglais, lace curtain and doilies.  I have a step by step tutorial which I will post separately.  After sewing the flowers on I added some buttons here and there.  I threaded the ribbon through and thought I was finished.  I had a quick look at the requirements of the swap and it said you had to have a charm so I made a charm for each bag.  I added the charms to the drawstrings because I thought it would be too much on the bag.  I had a lot of fun making the one with the beads and ended up buying a load of supplies to I can make some more!  Another hobby???  Cards, beads,  painting, sewing, altering, making flowers - no time left for housework obviously!

Thanks for looking and any comments very appreciated.

Anne :)