Saturday, November 27, 2021

Birthday Wishes roses card

It's been a while since I've done any paper crafting but I made this card a few weeks ago.  Earlier in the summer, I decided to practice watercoloring and the perfect solution for me was to use an image out of the Simon Says Stamp Suzy's Flower Sentiments watercolor prints.  The images are printed on watercolor paper, come in a variety of themes and are about 4 1/4" x 5 1/2", great for card making.  This makes it a nice alternative to stamping an image onto watercolor paper which can be challenging due to the rough texture of it although, not impossible.  I colored this beautiful image using Fantasia watercolor pencils.  

I used two colors, a light and dark shade, both for the roses and the leaves.  After I used a wet paint brush to water down the pencil color, I did go back in to add more of the darker color for shading.  It may be hard to tell but that's why I'm practicing 😊!  

To turn the print into a card, I adhered a piece of light purple card stock to the back for a mat and applied that panel to a card based covered in a piece of printed art collage card stock by Die Cuts With a View.  I was going to leave it at that but it needed a little embellishment so I added the yellow ribbon and bow and some sparkle with a Wink of Stella glitter brush pen.  It's hard to capture the sparkle but I think it can be seen in this next picture.


 Happy crafting!

 

Sunday, November 14, 2021

One Stitch at a Time

My latest fully finished cross stitch project is the One Stitch at a Time pattern by Tiny Modernist.  I completed the stitching in July and periodically I would think of finishing ideas and recently I finally came up with this clean and simple finish.

Here are the stitching supplies and  details:

Fabric - 16 ct. white Aida cloth
Finished stitched size - approx. 4" x 4"
Floss
Blues - Sullivans 45444 and 45442 (the DMC equivalents are 3846 and 3844)
Yellow - Sullivans 45171 (the DMC equivalent is 726)
Grays - Sullivans 45483 and 45089 (the DMC equivalents are 168 and 413)
Greens - DMC 906 and 907
Corals - Sullivans 45075 and 45076 (the DMC equivalents are 351 and 352)
Brown - Sullivans 45097 (the DMC equivalent is 436)
 
Finishing details:
 
I purchased an ArtMinds wood plaque from Michaels and painted the sides and part of the interior with Folk Art's Wicker White acrylic paint.  I measured, cut and adhered some blue fabric to the plaque interior for the backdrop to showcase the design.  I adhered the stitched design to a piece of chipboard and pondered on how to make it pop off the background.  I like the look of rick rack and also wanted to use cording so I looked through my supplies to see what would work.  I decided on some nice 100% cotton jumbo rick rack (purchased from Sew Vintagely on Etsy) and figured out the placement, glued it down to the background fabric and then adhered the stitched design on top.  Next, I considered either purchasing a tool to make cording or trying a DIY method.  Well, I referred back to this video by Lolly Palooza that I watched several months ago and using some yarn to practice, I was successful in producing some cording!  I wasn't sure what color to use for the cording and was thinking of using the 45442 floss but as I was looking through some of my supplies, I discovered I had some DMC Perle cotton size 5 in a complimentary color.  Well, I never realized there was a color number on the Perle floss and guess what? As I peeled off the label, I saw number 352.  Wow, no wonder it was a great match to a color I used, LOL!  Sullivans 45076 is equivalent to DMC 352!  So, with 4 strands of the Perle cotton, I made some cording and adhered it to the perimeter of the design; a nice addition to finish the look!
 
Happy stitching!


Thursday, October 28, 2021

Halloween cross stitch - Hazel and Mitzi

Well a few more days and it will be Halloween!  I haven't crafted as much as I would have liked lately but, I did manage to fully finish two cross stitch patterns, Hazel and Mitzi, designed by Christi, Javagirl Stitches.  These designs are fun and quick and perfect if you like Halloween and need a break from a large project!


 

Hazel is dressed up in candy corn colors and Mitzi dressed up as a witch; nothing spooky but cute!  All DMC floss used and I did change a few colors on Hazel but kept Mitzi's colors as called for on the pattern.  They are both stitched on 14 ct Aida called Fronk by Seraphim Fabrics.

The pillows are approximately a 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" square.  I did iron on some interfacing behind the images as a layer of protection before assembling and stuffing the pillow.  The fabric I used to make the pillows is from the Holiday Essentials Halloween collection by Stacy Iest Hsu for Moda Fabrics which I also used as the pillow backing.  A bit of rick rack and ribbon bow for embellishment makes it a nice and simple finish!  These will be some cute home decor pieces to put on display!

Happy Halloween Stitching!

 

 


 

Sunday, September 5, 2021

Cross Stitch Camp August Challenge

August was the final month of Cross Stitch Camp hosted by Sheri of ColoradoCrossStitcher.  I finished my project just in time, on the last day of the month, and got it posted on time to Instagram!  The challenge for August was to use something new to you and I chose to try 28 count Monaco that I purchased some months ago.  Also, while I was perusing Michaels a few days prior to starting the challenge, I discovered they were now selling Anchor floss and I thought it would be fun to try it out.  But did I really want to add more floss to my collection?  Not only that, there was no requirement to try more than one new to you item for the challenge.  Once I decided on the pattern, a freebie by Tiny Modernist called Witches Brew, I saw it only required 4 colors of floss and the recommended brand listed was Anchor!  So yes, I returned to Michaels and purchased the colors needed. 

While I did finish the stitching on time, I started fully finishing it yesterday and managed to complete it today!  Here's the FFO:


I had a few finishing bases that would have worked but I stopped in at Michaels yesterday, just in case, and found a wooden tag sign (pictured below with the fabric and rack rick from my supply collection) that I was excited to use.  Along with the tag, I pulled other finishing items from my collection of supplies.  I removed the mini word tag and hanger from the sign.  I traced the sign onto a piece of scrap box packing material and adhered the fabric to it and then adhered that to the top of the sign.  I then glued the stitched piece to a piece of chipboard.  I placed and glued the rick rack on the background fabric before adhering the stitched piece.  For the finishing touches, I added two layers of ribbon and a brad. 


My thoughts on the process of using the new to me items?  Well, I had to use a magnifier to stitch on the Monaco (2 floss threads over 2 fabric threads) which did slow down the stitching.  I would stitch on it again (not that often) but it would need to be another small design close to, or smaller than the Witches Brew.  As far as the Anchor floss, I found it to be comparable to DMC and Sullivans.  The only downside is considering how to store the spools if I decided to invest in adding more to my floss collection.  Overall, it was a fun challenge and I'm happy I was able to participate!

Happy Stitching! 

Sunday, August 1, 2021

Patriotic Pinkeep and Cross Stitch Camp

Several weeks ago I joined in on the Cross Stitch Camp challenge for July.  It's a virtual event created and hosted by Sheri of Colorado Cross Stitcher.  Cross Stitch Camp is being held for 3 months (June, July & August) in which stitchers can participate in various monthly challenges set by Sheri.  Luckily there is no requirement to participate in all 3 monthly challenges (I was behind on watching Flosstube and didn't learn about it until in June) but I was motivated and decided to join in for July.  The challenge was to stitch something by a designer whose pattern you've never stitched before and being that it was for July, I thought a patriotic item would be a good idea.

I looked through my collection of patterns and chose the Patriotic Pinkeep by Bendy Stitchy Designs.  Another factor of choosing this pattern was because I had to take into consideration the stitch count/size of the design.  I was joining in on the challenge on July 17 which meant I only had a few weeks to get the design stitched by the end of the month.  Well, it was a fun stitch, the perfect size and, with my plan of stitching a minimum of 30 minutes per day, I completed the challenge!  Not only did I get the design stitched (finishing the stitching is required and fully finishing is optional), I also fully finished it!  Being that it was the end of July, I stopped in at Michaels a few days ago to search for any patriotic type item to use in finishing my project.  I was in luck because there was a good hand full of items on clearance!  I chose a Red, White & Blue shadow box frame which only required minimal alteration.  This is the original box design.


 

Here are the details about my finished project.

Fabric:  14 count light blue Aida (brand - Loops & Thread [100% cotton])
Floss:  DMC 3865 and Sullivans (the DMC conversion) 45006, 45106, 45235, 45275, 45217, 45375 & 45238
Design Changes:  I left off the year and added a stitched star from the pattern.
 
Finishing:
I measured the inside of the shadow box and cut a paper template and traced it onto chipboard.  I cut a piece of the stars fabric (a fat quarter from Michaels) and adhered to the chipboard.  I placed the fabric covered chipboard square into the box for the backdrop.  Using a 5" Fiskars circle template, I cut a piece of chipboard.  I then traced the circle to the back of the stitched piece ensuring the design was not cut off and then cut out a circle approximately 1/2" away from the traced line.  This is to ensure there was enough fabric to wrap around the chipboard.  I then laced the design to the chipboard and adhered red 100% cotton rick rack for embellishment.  (Was I the only one that didn't know rick rack came in cotton?  I had never even thought about the material it's made of and the few packs I bought from the fabric store, they are made of polyester.  Not that anything is wrong with polyester but I thought it was good information to share!  So, I don't remember what got me looking but I found some cotton rick rack in a variety of colors and sizes on Etsy and made a purchase from the shop Sew Vintagely.  Anywho, back to the project!)
 
Finally, I adhered the stitching to the backing panel.  A quite quick and simple finish! 
 

Happy Stitching!






Saturday, July 10, 2021

The fabric, oh...and some bags

It's always fun to peruse the shelves and walls of the local fabric stores and even better bringing home some great finds!  I've built up a bit of a stash over the years and rarely have the courage to cut up those pretty designs.  Well, over the last several months, I put in some effort and made some bags!  I used fusible fleece in all bags except for the sewing machine bag; for that one I used batting and added a few rows of quilting.  It was a good feeling to get productive, and now at least I've made something useful and fun to look at with delight!  I also wanted to share the joy with others so I made a bag for Priscilla and Chelsea (Stitching with the Housewives) in each of their fabric design, and also one for them to share with a fellow stitcher!  Now, let's see the bags.

Bag 1
Fabric:  Enchant by Chong Hwang for Timeless Treasures
Zipper pull:  Serendipity enamel keychain charm from Fat Quarter Shop            


Bag 2 
Fabric:  a fat quarter from the fabric bin at Michaels
Zipper pull:  Quilt Shoppe Main Street enamel charm from Flaming Toes Shop



Bag 3
Fabric:  Sew Excited by Andi Metz for Kanvas with Benartex
Zipper pull:  Needlework Shop Main Street enamel charm from Flamingo Toes Shop
 

Bag 4
Fabric:  Sew Excited by Andi Metz for Kanvas with Benartex
Zipper pull:  ribbon, handmade charm using pendant blank, element from the fabric and scissor charm
 

Bag 5
Fabric:  Priscilla's Pretty Plaids by Stitching with the Housewives for Henry Glass
Zipper pull:  ribbon, handmade charm using pendant blank, piece of  fabric and glue gun charm
 

Bag 6
Fabric:  Chelsea's Checks by Stitching with the Housewives for Henry Glass
Zipper pull:  ribbon, handmade charm using pendant blank, piece of  fabric and glue gun charm
 
 


Bag 7
Fabric:  Tea and Dessert designed for Joann Fabrics
Zipper pull:  Vintage Oven enamel happy charm by Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet from Fat Quarter Shop
 

 
Happy Sewing!


Sunday, February 28, 2021

Knitting - Heart Baby Cloth

Wow, it's the last day of February and the project I have to share fits in with the occasion that is celebrated in this month.  Last night I finished knitting this Heart Baby Cloth pattern from Knit Picks.


I had intended on using this as a dish cloth but, well, it turned out a little larger (8 3/4" wide x 10" tall) than I wanted but that's not a problem.  I already thought of knitting several more in other colors and making a wall hanging or some other craft project.  I mean if you don't use the suggested needle size and yarn or do a swatch, the final product will differ.  The majority of the time, I like to wing it and use yarn from my stash and because it's not a garment, I don't worry about measurements for this type of project.  And I haven't blocked it either but I should since it's not completely flat.  I just have fun with it to see my end results and I can always knit it again with the recommended supplies.

So for the supplies, I used size 7 US (4.5 mm) needles and Lily Sugar'n Cream 100% cotton yarn in the color red.  Another item I used were stitch markers which I highly recommend because it helps to track the beginning and ending rows of the heart pattern section. 

Well, that it's for now, happy knitting!










Monday, January 18, 2021

Grow (fun with mixed media art)

Inspiration is everywhere and my latest project is inspired by a picture of a quilt I saved from a sales catalog!  This quilt had a floral design and the flower petals were made of ribbon and, well, I have tons of ribbon and I knew making ribbon flower petals would be a fun way to use some of it!  (Ok, this didn't put a dent in my ribbon stash but it's a start, LOL!)  So while I was organizing some of my craft stash, which occasionally involves looking in my file of ideas, my creative mojo kicked in!  A piece of leftover fabric from another project, the quilt picture and inspiration from a crafty video, I knew what I wanted to create.  This is my project Grow!

 


To create this art piece, I first grabbed some ribbon and cut 8 strips of approximately 3" pieces.  For the flower stem, I cut about a 4" length of rick rack.  I used hot glue to form each petal then glued each piece on top of the brown fabric.  Then, I glued down the rick rack at a slight curve.  I also needed a flower center and from my box of embellishments, I decided on a red button.  To spruce up the design, I added a few rhinestones and some smaller buttons.  Next, I pulled a 6" x 8" stretched canvas out of my craft stash.  I placed the fabric floral piece on top of the canvas to figure out my layout but what would I do about that plain white background?

I needed to add some color to the canvas and so I dug into my fabric stash and found a charm pack called Boundless Batiks by Boundless Fabrics.  It was a free gift that came along with a purchase I made from Craftsy several years ago.  The colors in this pack were perfect and I picked several different squares and starting cutting the fabric into various shapes and sizes.  I used Aleene's tacky glue to adhere the fabric pieces to the canvas and where I overlapped the fabric, I used Aleene's fabric fusion glue.  After the canvas was mostly covered (fabric wasn't needed in the center area where the flower panel would be placed), I used fabric fusion to adhere the flower panel to the canvas.  At this point, it did look great but I felt the design was not complete.  As I pondered, I looked through my craft stash.

Finally; I found a word sticker, I hand cut a leaf from the fabric and adhered both to the background with the Aleene's glue.  For the finishing touch, I brushed on a few colors of Distress Ink (spiced marmalade, walnut stain & fired brick) sparingly over various parts of the design.  Now it's complete!  This was quite a relaxing project to work on as I told myself to just let the creative juices flow and not mull over my creativity choices but go with my first instinct - this is meant to be fun!