Russian Dolls

I hope you are all enjoying the Easter Weekend and your time with family.

I have just popped in to share two cards with you.

I received this pattern when I completed a questionnaire over at Stitching Cards and it just sat around for quiet a long time untouched. However I have now made it up, not once but twice (or actually four times if you count each individual doll).

It turned out very well.

Here is the first one I made

I then saw this over at Life is what you make it.

Source: Anya Schrier

and was inspired to make this one

I reduced the pattern to 50%. It was a bit fiddly and the holes where quite close together so I did have to reinforce them with some washi tape but I am very happy with the end result.

Supplies:

Pattern:   Stitching Cards. Russian Doll
Wobbly eyes

Thread :Large card All numbers and brands unknown, red, blue, pink, green and black
             Small dolls : Petrol Blue DMC 3810, Orange DMC 0314, Apricot DMC 352
                                Light Blue DMC 0167, Dark Apricot Coats 328, Green DMC 471

Card stock: white 160gsm

Paper: red. 

           Pink and white dots Fabscraps Mini-Paper Collection

           Pattern. Free download. Origin unknown

Butterflies and corners

The fortnightly challenge over at Butterfly Challenge is called butterflies and corners. I decided to take a break from stitched butterflies and added some bead ones instead.

The required corner was made using texture paste applied through a stencil.


I also used these flowers to make some smaller cards 7.5cm x 6cm

Supplies:

Pattern: Easy Embroidery on Paper by Joke de Vette

Cuttlebug

Sizzix 8 die square

Texture Paste

Stencil: free with a magazine

Butterfly Beads from my stash

Flat backed gems for centres of flowers

Paper: Scrapes in green, mauve and yellow

Card Stock: 160gsm in white
Small cards : Variegated thread in pink, apricot and mauve
                     Sizzix 8 die circle
                     Narrow white stain ribbon
                     Flat backed gems in champagne, purple and pink

Never before used stuff

There is a challenge over at djkardkreations  called NBUS, short for never before used stuff.

Today's card is made with a pattern that I have never used before so I will be entering it into this challenge.

As usual I tried it in a couple of different colours.

Supplies:

Pattern: 101 Embroidery patterns for paper by Erica Fortgens

Baker's twine in navy and silver

Flat backed gems in purple and blue

Thread: 3 shades of blue and 3 shades of mauve (brand and number unknown)

Paper: pale mauve and light blue

Card Stock: 160gsm in white

Milestone Birthdays

We are in the middle of a spate of birthdays and they seem to be mostly male. They are all milestone ones too but not of the 18th, 21st or 30th variety! Guess I just have to face up to reality, I'm definitely what would be called "middle aged".

Today's card was made for one of those birthdays.

The green stripe is shiny and thank goodness in real life doesn't look like it has a finger print right in the middle of it.

The sentiment is computer generated and propped up on foam dots.

I took my inspiration from this card which I found on Pinterest.

Supplies:

Card stock: 160gsm in kraft and white.

                   Scraps of red, black and green for the stripes

Adhesive :Pentel dotliner 8.4mm x 16m

Bostick foam dots

School Outings

Last week we took our Grade 3 boys on an outing to the local aquarium. As though taking 88 nine years olds out for the day wasn't bad enough we were just one of five school who were visiting that day. The one school had 300 pupils with them! To say that it was noisy, stressful and tiring would definitely be an understatement!

Today's card is the ipitomy of being under stated.

It's soft pastel colours and simple repetitive design are very calming to me.

To make the pattern I used a flower design from Erica Fortgens and copied it a number of times before pasting the designs in the corner of the paper. Once I had stitched them I hand drew the frame around the edge of the topper in a very fine felt tipped pen.

I used the same pattern to make some smaller cards too. These are 6cm x 7.5cm

Supplies: 

Pattern:101 Ideas for embroidery on paper by Erica Fortgens

Thread: light green and pink

Felt tipped pen in black.
Small cards: Scrapes of paper and thread

                    Rolfe metallic marker in green

Butterflies and Patterned Paper Part 2

I decided to submit a second entry into the challenge at Butterfly Challenge.
I have so many ideas that fit perfectly into the theme of patterned paper so I just had to add another one.
The first of these three cards is my favourite.

although this one is pretty too......

  

I love this striped paper, I'm just not so sure that I should have stitched over it in yellow, oh well!

Supplies:
Pattern:Stitching Cards Free Butterfly Pattern
Paper: Scrap booking paper make unknown
Thread: Yellow, pink and purple Make and numbers unknown
Beads: Gold and seed pearl
Sizzix 8 square die
Cuttlebug
Scraps of gold and purple paper

A Single Large Flower

Sometimes I am drawn to really simple designs for my cards. That is why I like Ardyth's designs over at Maskarade. Todays card is CASed from one of hers.

I tried it in a variety of different colours and choose to use Rayen thread as I wanted to add a bit of subtle interest with the shine.

Here is one up close

I cut a circle in the topper. Stitched my flower on a smaller piece of card stock and adhered it to the back of the topper. Then I adhere a piece of paper in the same colour as the flower to the body of the card. Lastly I used foam dots to attach the topper to the card. I added some glitter around the edge of the circle and a flat backed gem to complete.

Supplies:

Pattern:  Stitching Cards. Free Flowering Vine
Thread: Rayen in peach, turquoise, lime green and sky blue

Glitzing Glamour in iridescent

Paper: peach, lime green, sky blue and turquoise.

Bostick Foam dots

Flat backed gems in lime green, sky blue, turquoise and champagne.
Cuttlebug
Sizzix 8 circle dies