Saturday afternoon crafting

ATCs first. Here are two ATCs I have made for a Docrafts swop on the theme of the lovers. Photo attached. The first is on pearlescent pale pink card, portrait format, and I have glued on a patterned paper of red and pink hearts over half of the card. A stick on heart embellishment with romantic words is in the centre, and at the bottom centre is a small heart sticker. I finished with a couple of dots of fuschia glitter glue in the corners. Second is landscape format. Again, a pearlescent pale pink card base, with a half covered in a different heart patterned paper (both of these were free papers with a papercraft magazine). On the blank card, I have layered a heart glitter sticker, plus an epoxy sticker in pink bearing the words "True love". Three paper pink flowers have been stuck on the heart paper, and the card finished with the flower centres highlighted with the fuschia glitter glue.

Then made three cards, all to go in the box for the greyhound shop. All used cream deckle edged base card, and use papers that were a free gift with a papercrafting magazine. The first is landscape style and has a background of a floral paper across the card. A lilac adhesive ribbon has been attached, and a card tag in a co-ordinating print mounted above. A butterfly sticker in purple and pink completes the card. This would be suitable for many occasions including birthdays, get well, best wishes, etc.

Second card is portrait and uses the same background paper. This time I have put on a ready made embellishment on the edge (last of the pack, bought from lakeland ages ago) featuring lilac and pink flowers and butterflies on silver thread. A pretty purple and pink flower has been mounted on pink textured paper with the words "Happy Birthday" added via a silver peel off sticker, all mounted in the centre of the card.

Third card uses a red, blue and cream check background paper on the cream card, portrait setting. I've matted a cream handmade rectangle of paper and attached a pretty K & Co self adhesive chipboard butterfly, printed in red, pink and blue vintage style, an adhesive button in the top left corner and an adhesive sticker with the word "Smile" beneath the butterfly. Finally, I finished the card with two knotted blue craft threads, one of which has two heart shaped blue glass beads knotted on the end, looking very pretty and fresh.

What I do with these cards, once finished and photographed is to wrap them in clear plastic card bags and seal them with a clear circular sticker (both from Lakeland). These keep the cards free from dust and dirt, and look professional for sales. I always have a small cardboard box in the craft room, usually a shoe box or similar, that I place cards into. When the box is full, it's sealed and sent to the greyhound shop for fundraising. The only exception is if I am making cards for myself e.g. for Christmas or as last week, for a specific person/commission. While I've been crafting this afternoon, Booty (our greyhound bitch) has been on the floor near me, keeping me company and supervising.

Brief update

A quick update on Wednesday night's quilting class. Had a very good session, and showed off my cards. The lady who'd requested them bought two, and then the other ladies came over for a look so I ended up selling all of them, and raising the total of £12 for Greyhound Rescue Wales, which is wonderful. A cheque is now on its way to our treasurer. I will post some photos shortly of the new block, which is almost complete, and some of my new QVC goodies. Also today I received two ATCS from a swop on Do Crafts. It was a colour related one, on the theme of Silver and Glitter. Again, I'll photograph.. For February it will be copper and bronze. Should be challenging but fun.

Illinois quilt block

A couple of things to update. Cards first. Here is another birthday card I made to offer at quilting class tonight. Using a pretty butterfly ABC from Cross Stitch Crazy, I stitched a letter H, then mounted it in a pearlescent card. I applied a border sticker from a set from Lakeland, and topped that with a yellow square on foam pads, topped by a text box in Word printed with the words "For a dear niece". I am pleased with it, and hope this will complete a good selection for the commission.

Quilting next. Photo shows first completed block - called Illinois. I am not entirely satisfied with it, but have no intention of unpicking and going back. I have two other blocks to complete featuring flying geese. Marianne has shown us a brilliant way of doing these and I'm slowly getting the hang of my rotary cutter. I am very pleased with the colours and the fabrics.

Card samples

Further to my post yesterday, I have now spent some time making some birthday cards for Hannah this evening. Photos attached.

The first one is a cream deckle-edged card. On top of this I have layered a K & Co. matting layer in a soft green, followed by a decorated vellum attached by four pale green brads in each corner. Above this is layered horizontally another piece of the matting card, using the reverse side ( a plain, darker green) and on this is attached a chipboard letter H (birthday girl's name is Hannah), with a sticker at the side reading Happy Birthday. The finishing touch is supplied by a piece of wine organza ribbon at the side of the card tied into a bow.

The second one also uses a cream deckle-edged card blank. On this I have layered a piece of K & Co matting (from a different series to the one above), with pretty stripes of aqua, pink, teal and chocolate. The reverse side of a piece of matting is layered above, in a pretty teal colour. On this I have layered two pretty handbag stickers and a matching gem embellishment, also by K & Co (Amy Butler range). Finally, two ribbons are tied round the side of the card - lavender organza plus a thin lavender ribbon with two sparkly green beads attached.

The third card uses a printed Papermania card blank, featuring pink and brown flowers. On half the card, I have layered a strip of Papermania's Spring range paper strips, in chocolate with swirly plant motif. A thin holographic gold peel off marks the edge. At the base is a sticker saying Happy Birthday with a flower motif (free from a You can craft kit) and above I have created a multi layered flower using pink flower diecuts from Lakeland and a pretty printed flower die-cut from Hobbycraft. Finally, stuck a gem on the centre of the flower.

The fourth card uses a printed Papermania card blank, with a pale blue ground and random small white dots. I've orientated it landscape, and put a turquoise self adhesive ribbon across the centre. On the right hand side of the ribbon I've added a printed flower die-cut, attached with 3d squares, added a tag on the left (free from a papercraft magazine), and a small blue floral sticker in the top right corner (again, free with a magazine), plus a Happy Birthday sticker just below the flower.

The fifth card uses a printed Papermania card blank, with a very vivid turquoise background covered in bright, pretty printed flowers in zingy reds, blues and oranges. Again, orientated landscape. I applied turquoise ribbon across the centre, then layered up a blue flower using Lakeland flower die-cuts, finished with a teal adhesive pearl in the centre. On the left hand side of the ribbon, I attached a pink square of card, topped by a with love pink sticker featuring a spotty flower (one of a series, free with a recent Do Crafts magazine).

I'm pleased with all of them and hope they'll be suitable. Comments and thoughts very welcome.

A commission....

Tonight I went to my machine quilting class at Busy Bees. It was very cold over there, so next week I will wear lots of layers. In the car coming home, the temperature showed only 2 C. Pretty chilly! Marianne, our wonderful tutor was showing us more on rotary cutting. I missed last weeks class (due to a clash with Greyhound exec committee) so she kindly went through what had been covered. I now need to catch up by making two flying geese blocks. This week we are working on a block called Illinois which is very attractive. As I get further with these during the week I will post some photographs.....

Just before leaving, one of the other ladies in the class who knows I make cards has asked me to make a birthday card for her niece, who will shortly be 13, a very special age. Again, I'll post when I have some progress. I said I would make a selection and take them into class next week for her to have a look at and see if any of them suit. Even if they don't, they can be easily sent to the shop with the other cards I make so it is no problem.

Welcome to my first post on my blog. This site is dedicated to my crafting activities, which include card making, cross stitch, ATC and recently started quilting. I'm hoping to use this blog as a gallery for what I make, including ATCs and to encourage any ATC swoppers to get in touch. Hopefully, I'll be able to fill out my profile soon.