Flower Frame

We went to a really nice place for lunch yesterday. It's in what used to be the Boiler Room of a old match factory, the factory was built in 1900 and is no longer in use but I'm always so pleased when beautiful old buildings like this are given a new lease on life. Lunch was very tasty too!

The new sketch at Freshly made sketches is

 

 

and

Simon says stamp blog Work it Wednesday has the cue 'something new'. I've never stitched this pattern before.

Here is my card. I made a set of three for an order.



... and open to show that the front topper is slightly smaller than the bottom so that the checked paper shows through.

Supplies:

Pattern: Pintrest

Thread: Grey DMC 317

             All other colours codes and brands unknown

Silver peel off sentiment

Card stock: 160gsm in white

Paper: Free download from Activity village.

 

Adore

CASology have this cue

 

Here is my card

 

 

 

Supplies:

Pattern; New Designs, New Projects for Embroidery on Paper by Erica Fortgens

Thread: Brand and colour codes unknown

Card stock: Red in 200gsm

                   Scraps of white embossed with guinea fowl feathers

Silver ribbon

Circle Punch

Strip of silver peel off

Clear flat backed gems



Silhouette

Simply less is moore. have the cue of Silhouette

 

Here is my card. It was made as a Mother's Day card.

 

 

I made the pattern for the word.

My inspiration

 

 

 

Supplies:

pattern: Sitching cards Free flower bookmark

Thread: DMC Noir

Card Stock: 160gsm in white

Paper: Scrap of scrap booking paper

           Scrap of black   

Pansies

This is the new sketch at CASe this sketch

 

 

Here is my card

 

 

 This was actually quiet a difficulty pattern to stitch as the flowers are depicted totally by lines. it wasn't easy working out where to go and which hole to put the needle into.

I will also be entering it over at Split coast stampers Featured stamper 468 were the stamper is Michelle.
I have chosen to use this card as my inspiration. Once again I CASed the layout and the large image on my card.

 

 

Supply:

pattern: Pintreset

Thread:

Self adhesive decorative strip in mauve

Cardstock: 160gsm in white

Double sided Foam  

 

 

I Heart you

A new card

 

and I will be entering it into three challenges. Over at TGIF challenges which has this sketch

 

 

 Split coast stampers Free 4 all 309 where the challenge is "I heart you" and Simon says stamp Monday challenge where the challenge is "Love is in the air + red"

 

 

Supplies:

Pattern: Prick 'n stitch.flower heart

Thread: Silver: DMC E168

             Purple: DMC 3887

             Other colour codes and brands unknown

Card stock: 160gsm in white

                    200gsm in silver

Button from my stash

Border punch

 

 

Art Nouveau Roses

Freshly made sketches have a new sketch

 

 

Here is my card. I actually love this pattern but haven't stitched it for ages

I will also be entering this over at Time out challenges where the brief is to CASe this beautiful card by Marika

 

I chose to CASe the layout that she used.

 

 

Supplies:

Pattern: Stitching cards Art-nouveau-rose-5

Thread: All colour codes and brands unknown

Card Stock: 160gsm in white

border punch

Bought paper flower

Enamel dot for centre of flower

Paper: Scrap of white and green check.

 

Clear

I got an unexpected parcel in the post yesterday. It was my Christmas present from my sister who lives in New Zealand. Even though it had taken nearly two months to get to me, when it should have taken 10 days, it was rather nice getting the surprise and the gift itself was worth waiting for.

 CASology have a fun challenge this week. It's

 

 

I used clear plastic to make my butterfly 'float' in the centre of the circle.

 

 

 I added a second piece of pink and white card stock to the back of the card topper so that it was neat inside.

 

I tried a variation of this idea here but that time I used very thin fishing line to allow the butterfly to swivel. It was rather tricky to make so hence doing this instead.

 

 

Supplies:

Pattern; Stitching cards Free-butterfly reduced to 70% of original pattern

Thread: Code and brand unknown

Pink glass beads

Card Stock: 160gsm in white

                    200gsm in salmon pink

Clear flat backed gems

Cuttlebug

Sixxizz circle dies
Clear Plastic: A piece of the dome which cover a sushi take away platter.



Butterflies and ink

Butterfly spot challenge. is Butterflies and inks

 

I added ink to these cards by pressing the eraser at the back of a pencil onto the ink pad and then making the dots.

These are small cards, just 7.5cmx6cm

 

 

I saw this technique here.

 

Source: Understanding Blue Blog



Supplies:
Pattern: Stitching cards Free Butterfly reduced to 50%
Thread: Brand and colour code unknown
Black beads
Pencil
Ink: Colorbox in indigo and sky

 

Stretching it

CASe this sketch.  have quiet a difficult sketch for this week and I might really be stretching it with the design I chose to stitch but here goes anyway!!!

This is the sketch

 

 

  and this is my card

 

 

This was made for a friend's birthday.

 

 

Supplies:

Pattern: Darcie floral-hibiscus-flower-embroidery
Thread: DMC in Blanch

Pearl beads

Lace edging: Paper Pizzazz lace edgers

Paper: Gold in 80gsm

card Stock: 160gsm in white

Yorkshire Terrier

TGIF challenges have this delightful theme this week

 

 

As you all know I'm a huge cat lover but decided to give you a break from that and stitch a dog instead.

I was commissioned to make this card for the owner of a Yorkshire Terrier

 

 

 

 

Supplies:

Pattern:Stitching cards Yorkshire Terrier

card stock: 160gsm in white

Scrap of brown and gold paper

Thread: All brands and colour codes unknown
Black beads



Swirly heart

Share joy challenge have this sketch and photo inspiration

 

 

Here is my card

 

 

 I will also be entering this over at Split coast stampers Free 4 all 308 where the brief is to use your  "New stamps in stash". I don't really use stamps often so reckon that I might be forgiven if I  interpreted this to mean a never before used pattern, which this is.

 

I'll also enter it at  Uniko studio where the cue is

 

 

 

Supplies:

Pattern; Pintrest

Thread: Pink: DMC 4180

Kindyglitz in crystalina

card stock: 160gsm in white

                  Linen effect in pink

Flat backed pearl.



Tartan

Well I survived the first week back at school and my classroom is starting to have a resemblance of order to it so I guess the new year has well and truly started.

Freshly made sketches have a new sketch. Here it is

 

  and my take on it. Once again I've turned the sketch side ways.

 

 

I initially stitched a 'one' in the top right corner but it didn't turn out too well so I just cut it off, hence the strange shape of the topper. To make the card look more balanced I added the little tartan bow with the faces.

 

 

Supplies:

Pattern: Balloons: Ann's paper art balloons

             Sentiment: Unknown

Card stock: 160gsm in white

                   Oatmeal is an upscaled calendar (I love the colour so couldn't just discard it, besides it's a great quality too)

Tartan ribbon

Thread: all colour codes and brands unknown

Tartan bow: Scrap book embellish

Vase of flowers

Split coast stampers Featured stamper 466 is Gunilla

I chose this card of hers.

 

I copied her layout more than the content.

 

 

Supplies:

Pattern: New Designs, New projects for embroidery on paper by Erica Fortgens

Thread: All colour codes and brands unknown

Card Stock: 160gsm in white

                    Scrap of kraft

White nylon ribbon

Paper: 80gsm in dusty pink

           Dots: Paper Pizzazz dots, stripes and checks

Small clear beads 

Downton Abbey

One of the great things about the holidays is having the time to catch up with all the series that you enjoy watching. I absolutely love Downton Abbey  and I devoured all nine episodes of Season 4 during that time. I'm now on the prowl for the season 5 DVD but unfortunately none of the shops seem to have received stock of it yet. (Season 6 is airing at the moment on our pay for view channel but as we don't have that I'll just have to keep checking for when it comes into the stores.)

The new cue at Casology is

 

 

I decided to do gifts which are waiting to be opened.

 

 

I tore the topper and paper with the help of my edger ruler. It gives a more controlled edge to the torn page.

 

 

Supplies:

Pattern: 101 ideas for embroidery on paper by Erica Forgtens

Thread: All colours and brands unknown

Card stock: 160gsm in white and pink

Paper: Scraps of green embossed and gold scrap book paper

Jef Paper Tear edger

Two apricot flowers

CASe this sketch. has this sketch this week

 

My take on it

 

 

I popped the topper up on foam tape for some dimension.

 

Supplies:

Pattern: Pintrest

Card stock: 160gsm in white

Paper: Scrap of stripes

Thread: Apricot: DMC 4190

             Green: unknown

             Gold: DMC E436

Double sided tape

Snow

So I meet my new class today. Wish me luck!

Split coast stampers Free 4 all 307 have a new brief for this week and it's snow. It seems odd to be thinking about snow in the middle of a heat wave but here goes.....

 

This little card is only 7.5cm x 6cm. It is by far one of my all time favourite Christmas cards.

The idea came from one made by Sharri Carroll.

To start I cut a tree shape out of scrap cardstock and then added a kraft trunk. Next I scratched through my button stash for small white and clear buttons which I then adhered to the tree shape with craft glue. I added clear flat backed gems to fill up the gaps and placed some pearls in the centre of buttons to add some detail. The  merry Christmas background paper was made on the computer and my "Snow" was cut from a scrap of home made (not by me) paper. To complete I added a bakers twine bow. It was a lot of fun to make and if I had more suitable buttons I would have made more than just two.

 

I will also be entering this over at Clean and simple on Sunday were the cue card is Winter

 

 

Supplies:

Buttons: clear and white small

A variety of different sizes of flat backed gems in clear

Flat backed pearls

card stock: 160gsm in white

                   Scrap of kraft

Paper: cream hand made paper

           80gsm in white

Baker's twine

craft glue

 

 

Little feet

Simon says stamp blog Wednesday challenge is Something new

I thought a card for a new baby would be perfect

 

 

Supplies:

pattern: homikuj

Thread: Green DMC 368

             Yellow: Brand and colour code unknown

Card stock: 160gsm in white

Paper: 80gsm in white

           Scrap of yellow and green

Cuttlebug

Folder: Swiss dot

Sizzix 8 circle dies

Buttons: my stash

 

 

 

 

Back to school

Well it's back to school today. The first two days are for the teachers and then the boys arrive on Wednesday. Today will be full of meetings and tomorrow I'll have time to get my classroom up and running. Can't say I'm thrilled about the prospect but I say that every year and once I get back into I thoroughly enjoy my job so this year will probably be the same I'm sure.

TGIF challenges's weekly challenge is

 

 

This is my take on it. I turned it upside down.

 

 

To complete I added faux stitching and a computer generated sentiment

 

I will also be entering this over at Time out challenges were the theme is Birthdays.

 

Supplies

Pattern: Card inspirations. Free daisies pattern

card Stock: 160gsm in white

Thread: All colour codes and brands unknown

Paper: Paper Pizzazz soft tints

           Scrap of purple

Gel pen in purple

 

Masked flowers

We have been experiencing a heat wave here this week. Where I live hasn't been to bad but some places have been 42degrees centigrade. Yesterday was our first cooler day in weeks, a real treat. It even rained a little which is desperately needed. The temperature is on it's way back up today but the repreive was certainly appreciated.

 Freshly made sketches have a new sketch

 

 

Here is my card

 

 

 I did the paint stripes with masking tape. I dabbed the ink onto a strip of masking tape and then placed it onto the card stock. When the tape is removed it leaves this lovely effect.

I will also be entering this over at CASology where the brief is

 

 

 

Supplies

Pattern: Easy embroidery on paper by Erica Fortgens

Thread: Olive green
Flat backed gems
Masking tape
Ink: Color box in sky blue, lime green and scarlet
Card stock: 160gsm in white

CASing Kathy

Split coast stampers Featured stamper 465 is Kathy.
I chose to copy this one of hers.

Here is my card

 

I copied the layout and embossed background but changed the colours and subject matter.

 

I have also made a small card 7cm x 5cm with the same pattern

 

 

 

 

Supplies:

pattern: Easy Embroidery on paper by Joke de Vette

Cuttlebug

Swirls embossing folder

Sixxiz oval die

Card Stock: 160gsm in white

Paper: Purple and white 80gsm

           Scrap of green

Thread: All brands and colour codes unknown

Liquid pearls in gold

Gold metal dot

Rolfes metallic pen in green



 

 

 

Frosting

Splitcoast stampers Free4 all 306 is Icing on the cake. They want a card with some kind of frosting. This is a card I made a while ago but have never shown. Apologisies in advance for the quality of the photograph.

 

 

I hand embossed the stars and added a little glitter glue for sparkle. I coloured with pastel pencil and then smudged it with an earbud. 

 

 

Supplies:

Pattern: Stitching cards cupcake

Thread: Gold DMC E168

             All other codes and brand names unknown

Card Stock: 160gsm in white

Paper: Scraps

Rolfes metallic pen in pink



Wedding doves

Share joy challenge have this challenge

 

and TGIF challenges have this challenge

 

 

I decided to combined them and made this card.

 

 

You will have to look very closely to see the black but it is there!

 

 

Supplies:

pattern: Doves: chomikuj

             Sentiment: Stitching cards Flower-border-congratulations

Card Stock: 160gsm in white

                    Scrap of silver

Thread: Silver: DMC E168

              Gold: DMC E436

               White: DMC Blanch

Liquid pearls in gold

          

Neutral

I can't believe that it's already the last week of my holidays. They have flown by. I can't say that I am relishing the idea of starting all over again with a new bunch of boys but I guess that's the nature of my job!

 

The criteria at Simply less is moore is Neutrals so I will be entering this card over there.

 

 

I chose to use white and cream as my neutrals.

 

 

Supplies:

Thread: DMC Satin in white

Pattern: Ann's paper art

             Sentiment: Stitching cards Free-words-for-card-stitching

Card Stock: 160gsm in white and cream

Paper: 80gsm in white and cream

Flower punch

Flat backed gems in champagne

Butterflies and Xanthine

What, you may ask, is xanthine? Well until it was included in the new challenge over at Butterfly challenge. I had never even heard of it, let alone asked what it was!

Here is the definition supplied on their website

 

"Xanthine =  The yellow colouring matter found in certain plants as in Yellow Madder.
(Madder is from the Genus Rubia and has small yellow flowers, whorled leaves and a reddish brown root.)"

 

So basically it's just a fancy way of saying that we have to make something which includes a yellow butterfly and something else yellow too.

As school finished for the year in early December something to use as a Thank you gift was in order and these little thank you chocolate folders fit the criteria perfectly (both to hand out to colleagues and for the challenge).

 

 

I machine stitched the punched butterflies onto the folder once I had scored the folding lines but before I attached the pocket for the chocolate. The bars of chocolate where all 120g. The ribbon was also attached by machine prior to adding the pocket. I used double sided tape to secure the pocket.

 

With the "mistakes" and left over butterflies I made some little gift tags

 

and here.



 

All the butterflies are punched out of paint chip sheets and the sentiment is computer generated.

 

 

Supplies:

Card stock: 160gsm in a variety of colours

                    Paint chip cards

Satin ribbon

Double sided tape

Butterfly punch

Sewing machine

White thread

Tags: Flat backed gems 

          Rolfes metallic marker in gold and pink

          Scraps of paper

          Pentel fine liner in black