Using it Up

During my recent tidying up I gathered together various bits and pieces which were piling up on my desk and decided I would try and use them up to make some cards.  This saying had obviously been printed out but I'm afraid I have no idea now of the source, nor what I meant to do with it originally.  I've now cut it out using Spellbinder labels dies;  backing paper has been overprinted using a flourish stamp; the embossed panel was an experiment in inking the folder before running it through the machine;  a spray of leaves (Tattered Lace die) and a few die cut flowers made from scraps and that is another card for my box.

...and a Third One

That's it, three New Home Cards made and probably time to move on to something else for a change.  I've chosen another bird house image from Polkadoodles and this time I added some little die cut birds (Memory Box die); cut the image with a Sizzix (Stampin' Up) label die and layered it onto a Spellbinders lattice die cut.; again a computer sentiment but popped onto Cuttlebug scalloped shapes; backing paper is a freebie from a magazine (I have loads of these which should be used up!!).

New Home 2

Another New Home card, also using a quirky house image from Polkadoodles with paper and card from my stash.  Image was cut out and layered onto Spellbinder die cuts; the border was cut using a Tonic punch and one from EK Success. Computer sentiment was put onto some die cut and punched shapes using up some of my smaller scraps.

New Home Card

I've been sorting out my stock of cards and realise I am down to my last 'New Home' one so that is something which must be remedied.  This is one I've just made using a cute image from Polkadoodles which has been cut out using a Sizzix (Stampin' Up) label die - backing paper is also from Polkadoodles and I simply added a decorative Spellbinders border, some ribbon and a computer sentiment.  I have a couple of other quirky house images so will have to see how I can put them to use in different ways.

A Day Off

Yesterday I gave myself a day off from the tidying and attended a workshop in order to gain some confidence in free motion quilting.  This is one of those things where I know the idea and the basics but have never actually used it on a quilt because I always 'chicken out' at the last minute in case I mess it up.  It was a really enjoyable day and we came away with lots of ideas which we tried out on a 'quilt sandwich' of a reasonable size to get us used to handling the bulk in the sewing machine.  I have a few blocks left over from a large quilt made some time ago and I'm going to bite the bullet and use free motion quilting to turn them into a lap quilt. One important point I gained from this day was that any minor imperfections don't matter because they show that the work was done by a human being - if you want 'perfect' you would send the quilt away to be quilted by a computer-controlled machine!!  This reminded me so much of what Tim Holtz says about embracing imperfections - I never have 'hang-ups' about sloshing ink, random stamping and torn paper so I must translate that freedom into my quilting as well.

In the meantime I have a card to share which was made almost entirely from oddments 'found' when I was tidying my work space - backing paper cut to size for a card and then not used because the colour wasn't quite right; a piece of embossed background; a stamped and layered image cut away from a 'clean and simple' card where the final stamping of the sentiment had somehow turned out crooked (it happens).  I simply added a couple of die cut shapes from kraft card scraps and a sentiment.

Another Card

I decided that my crafty 'stuff' needs a general tidy and sort out but before putting this lovely Sue Wilson die set away I thought I'd produce another card - displacement activity really because I really MUST have a sort out!!  I used an Embossalicious folder with Centura Pearl card for the background, accented with a light touch of gilding wax.  Sentiment was a Stampin' Up stamp cut out with large oval punch.  A scattering of punched butterflies and there it is - butterflies were accented with clear Wink of Stella pen and a bit of bling.

I've just spotted that the Make My Monday challenge this week is for a grown up card (nothing cute) so I reckon this will fit the bill.

A Quick Card

I've actually managed to get around to making a quick card today using an image from Hobby House Designs.  Background paper is from my stash and the image has been popped onto a die cut shape from Creative Expressions - Californian collection by Sue Wilson.  A Tonic punch was used to make a border with a ribbon bow; sentiment printed from the computer and put onto the smallest die in the set - also used a couple of the 'waste' flowers from the punched strip.  We've actually had two days with lovely blue skies and sunshine, albeit with a couple of showers yesterday, but it certainly feels as if we are coming out of the really depressing and wet weather - fingers crossed!!