My sister and I have had a long-standing bond over how much we dislike hexagons in quilting and sewing. I think it harkens back to grandmother's day when they were all the rage, then they became popular during our teen years, and now they are back AGAIN!

We whine and moan about being exposed to them (and those annoying yo-yos, too) and have sworn to not use them.

... then I went on a quilting cruise and our welcome bag had a kit in it for making little one-inch hexagons (hand stitched, no less) - calling them addictive and contagious.

The provided fabric was even ghastly, so I took some left over from one of the classes and, while we were going through the locks in the Panama Canal, I cut and stitched together 7 in one color and 7 in another and then stitched them back to back.

Now what? I have a lame coaster.

I took it to the next 'Open Sew' time and used the decorative stitches in the sewing machine to 'draw' radiating lines until it looked like a snowflake. I can almost pretend it doesn't look like hexagons anymore.

I've already determined how I'm going to get it out of my house... with a ribbon loop it will become an ornament and end up in the Christmas stocking of someone special.

Hope her sense of humor is intact! Hi Sis

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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Time for a new 'tag' from Tim Holtz's 12 tags of 2015 series. I can hardly believe that I have kept up with this challenge all 11 months, to date. Only one month to go. This has worked out so well, I will strongly consider continuing if Tim keeps up the challenge.

Here is Tim's version:

Fair warning: my version looks nothing like this (as usual)!

Here is the process I followed for my project...

- cut a piece of kraft cardstock for the front of a card

- place a dot of metallic pearl acrylic paint on non-stick craft sheet

- roll a brayer over paint to apply a thin coat to the roller

- apply paint to a background stamp with the brayer (I used a script stamp)

- stamp onto the cardstock and immediately clean brayer, craft sheet and stamp with soap and water

- dry image with heat tool

- use distress inks on craft sheet to create a 'wrinkle-free' background (I used crushed olive, peeled paint and frayed burlap)

- dry with heat tool

NOTE: the stamped acrylic paint resists the distress ink

- ink the edges with foam tool and distress ink (I used frayed burlap)

- sprinkle with water droplets, let stand shortly, blot and dry with heat tool

- use black archival ink to stamp the outline of what will be the feature image

- use tape runner to apply gold foil along the edges

- stamp the feaure image onto watercolor paper using black archival ink

- use distress markers as ink to watercolor paint the image (I used festive berry and aged mahogany, peeled paint and forest moss, mustard seed and shabby shutters)

- dry with heat tool

- use bulb sprayer to spritz a dark marker over the image (I used gathered twig)

- hold to light and trace image lightly with pencil on the BACK of the paper

- spritz back with water and use a ball tool to burnish outlines over craft foam

- dry with heat tool

- cut out image

- use black marker to color the cut edges

- use foam tape to mount to card front over the stamped outlines

- use black archival ink to stamp greeting and auxillary images

NOTE: the image above is the best color rendition

- adhere created panel to bordering gold cardstock

- adhere to folded card base with foam tape (I used a dark pink to match the poinsettias

And here is the completed card:

The image I used is actually an art deco flower stamp but I turned it into a poinsettia with my color choices. I stamped, colored and cut the blossoms separately and layered them on the card front.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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When I looked in the online dictionary for the definition of 'quaint' I found this:

Well, I think that definitely describes the pattern I chose to stitch up for this swap. I designed this pattern years ago but haven't stitched it too many times.

Information on the net indicates that Oregon has the most covered bridges of all the western states. At one time there were 700 (they counted only those built for vehicle traffic) but now we are down to 51.

I just love the look of them.

One time I painted one in watercolor, my sister did one in crossstitch and our brother did a lovely photograph - all for our parents - each of use working in our specialty medium. Such fun!

Anyway, I stitched this with appropriate colors - most of the bridges are either red or white.

I mounted it on a grey background along with a couple of borders of lacy printed paper and one of thin red.

A bordered flag sentiment echoes the water color and I added a bronze square sticky-backed 'nail head' set on point.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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More from the scrap stash and the donation box... I had enough of four fabrics to cut big squares to make a different arrangement of the disappearing pinwheel from Missouri Star Quilt Company.

I made four of one color combo and five of the other so I could arrange them in an alternating setting.

I've mentioned before how challenging it is to work with so many bias edges. I did spray and press the squares with Mary Ellen's Best Press before I started stitching and cutting so they were better stabilized. I hope to keep this in mind for the future.

I used a striped fabric for the border that I picked up at a yard sale. It was over 2 yards in length and I got it for fifty cents!

This is the 16th quilt top in this project series.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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The baby quilt project continues.

I pulled out an old tutorial from Craftsy that I had used before. So complicated looking and absolutely easy and quick to construct. This whole thing came together in about 6 hours!

I think I have 8 more tops prepped and ready to stitch. If I do a couple more after that (I have LOTS of scraps left) I will have 25 of them to contribute to the project.

Ddd

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I am back at the Baby quilt tops again. This is number 14.

The idea for the design is from a recent tutorial on Missouri Star Quilt Company. Jenny started with layer cakes so her rectangles were 4 1/2 x 9 1/2 finished. I wanted mine to finish with two rectangles at 6 inch squares so the center area would be 36 inches. This made my rectangles 3 x 6 finished. I cut my flippy corners at 2 inches.

All of the rectangles were scraps from my stash and gifted to me. I went with mostly florals, focusing on red, rose and blue flowers. Some supporting fabrics pulled out more blue.

The flippy corners, sashing and inner borders were from some yardage that matched the darker colors in the florals.

I added a 1 inch border to the sides and 2 inch borders to the top and bottom to bring the final size to 40 inches.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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WOW! If you thought I was rushing Christmas, get a load of the New Year's card I did!

To be fair, the swap this is for is due December 1 so I am not that early.

The first question was "what color of thread do you use to represent a clear liquid and clear glass?" It's not an easy choice. In the end, I chose silver for the background card and decided to use a very pale verigated thread with a little yellow, blue, green and pink.

The pattern included the stars above the glasses. Not sure why but I decided to leave them in.

I added some irridescent rhinestones in the liquid and as bubbles above the glasses and they pick up the same colors as the thread.

I mounted the card on some shimmery purple over shimmery white.

I used a rubon for the text.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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Next swap card ready... assignment: reindeer.

I had some 12x12 printed cardstock that I picked up a few years ago and cut it up into pieces suitable for card fronts. I chose one with a deer in a circle element with other decorative patterns in the background.

Since the requirement was to include paper embroidery, I pulled out the circle frame I've used several times and arranged it to lay along the left border of the feature circle. I pricked it into the cardstock and then free-handed a few extra scrolls.

The swirls of this mimic the big bow on the reindeer's neck and the color echoes a portion of the plaid.

I mounted the piece on a bordering burgundy then on a dusky green card base.

I used a rubon for the text and added a sticky-back red pearl to decorate the nose. Hello Rudolph!

Ddd

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I have been bemoaning the lack of quality in the photos my camera takes but today is a whole nother level. But, then again, trying to photograph white on white is difficult with any camera out there.

That was the assignment: paper embroidery using only white.

I chose a rose pattern and then edited, adjusted and did my own thing with it before stitching it with white thread on white cardstock.

I used the Cuttlebug to diecut some lettering from the panel but then left it in place instead of popping it out.

It needed a bit more interest so I added a scalloped edge to the bottom.

The stitched panel is mounted on a white card base using foam tape.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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Yeah, it's another Christmas card - in paper embroidery. But very soon I will be caught up with these assignments and we can continue with other things for awhile. 

On the other hand, the holidays WILL come in a few weeks time and more cards are still needed. Expect to see them here...

In the meantime, here is the latest. Since the assignment was very generic "make a PE Christmas card" I went with an iconic image, stitching a wreath.

This pattern was stitched in metallic gold and metallic green and then red beads were added for berries.

After it was stitched, I decided I wanted it to be cut into a circle. Well, those beads do not play nicely with the diecutter. I do have a 'B plate' thickness plate with a round aperture in it. It is designed to use with the Cuttlebug folders so only the outer area will make the impression, leaving a blank space in the middle. But I used it to surround the beads while using a scalloped circle die.

I mounted the resulting piece over a red cardstock, then over a green cardstock base.

I added the greeting with a rubon.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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I know it seems a little early to be posting Christmas stuff, but If swaps are going to be done on time to send to a partner overseas in time for them to use it as one of their personal greeting cards, then I has to be early.

I actually completed this back in October but that WAS to early for me to post it.

The assignment was to make a paper embroidery card with a poinsettia. This pattern is a freebie from so many years ago I don't have any clue who designed it. In fact there are no stitching directions so I just winged it. I stitched with red, green and yellow threads on black cardstock for the contrast.

I mounted the stitched panel on bright yellow cardstock and added the text with rubons.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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Next up in the paper embroidery assignment lineup was the theme 'Hats and Scarves'. How fortunate to already have a pattern on hand that incorporates these, plus mittens... on a penguin!

I like penguins anyway so this just called out to me.

I chose a patterned cardstock in blue with white dots as it looked to me like snow falling.

I stitched everything in outlines with the exception of the pompom on the hat (with a poof) and the eyes (french knots). The panel was mounted on a bright pink card base.

I added a prestamped greeting.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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Our assignment for the next swap was to use diecuts along with paper embroidery.

Technically, the 3D images I use are all diecut but I'm sure they meant to use the sorts of diecuts that are made with the home cutting machines (like the Cuttlebug). So I did the stitching of the sentiment on a diecut  panel.

I combined this with a card-sized 3D image and layered with colors contained in the image.

Another challenge met...

Ddd

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I went on kind of a paper embroidery spree, getting a lot of cards done for upcoming swaps and challenges. One of these was a swap where we could only use black and white.

I decided to do a reverse on the typical music pattern by stitching in white on black cardstock. I also used white beads on the notes.

I mounted the panel onto a folded white card base and added a strip of peel-off white sticker border across the bottom.

I added a prestamped sentiment with a banner end cut onto it.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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In October, one of the challenges was to stitch a card with the theme Autumn Flowers. This always means sunflowers to me and I especially like this pattern. However, I never stitch it like the designer shows.

I chose to add two partial panels of dark green behind opposing corners and then mount the whole onto a base card the same color as the flower petals.

The scripture stamp was still on my desk after having used it a few days ago. I stamped that in black and then used Distress Marker in a matching tone to color in the double lines in the letters.

Ddd

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The embroidery alphabet swap is up to the letter 'P' now and the assignment was to make a card related to Pets.

We don't have any pets at our house - all of the animals around here are wild in the great outdoors. However, both of us love to watch crazy cat videos on YouTube so I decided to stitch cats on a card.

I had a distressed panel from which I had diecut the word 'hello' for another project. I backed it with a different color of distressed panel and added the cutouts from the loops back in their appropriate places.

I pricked out the two cats from one of my own patterns and stitched them using a verigated thread that matched the inset lettering.

The cats blended into the background so much that I used a yellowish marker to color in some parts, adding a little contrast.

I used a cream coloredcard base with a bit of border showing all around.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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Paper crafting group challenge in October was 'birds and birdhouses'. I guess a birdcage is a bird house so that is what I did.

I have a stencil that includes four birdcages hanging from branches with a couble of birds in the tree.

I used tape to block out all but one of the birdcages and all the birds that were free. I kept the one bird inside the cage.

I used a squeegee to spread Liquid Pearls (color: bisque) through the stencil onto printed cardstock. The stencil was removed and the pattern allowed to dry completely on its own.

I then used Copic markers to color in the bird and the leaves and branches.

I cut the panel to size and stamped a sentiment on the side.

Here you can see the coloring better

I mounted this on shiny gold cardstock, then to a folded card base.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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I liked the use of stencils in overlapping watercolor pencils that I did yesterday so I decided to do it again. This time I used three butterfly diecuts and arranged them in a rising flight design.

Once again, the elements looked too flat, so I used a Sakura glitter pen to draw and color in the patterns that were on the dies.

The effect is great in person but sure does mess up the photography!

I ounted this on a patterned paper with yellow and grey chevrons.

I stamped a greeting on the side and used the glitter pen on the double lines in the lettering.

What am I going to do about this camera?

Ddd

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I saw Sandy Allnock doing a watercolor pencil technique the other day on her blog and decided to give it a try. She was using the blanks left over from diecutting for her outlines but I already had stencils so decided to use that instead.

The stencil (mine were poppies) is laid over watercolor paper and traced partway around (I am using the bloom heads only) with a watercolor pencil. The next bloom is laid overlapping it and another color is used to draw the new bloom head. Where they cross one another an in-between color is used.

When all the flowers are traced the same pencils are used to lightly fill in the blooms with color. The stems and leaves are drawn in with green.

An aquabrush was used to blend the pencil color inside the cross-over areas first, left to right. I then did the same with the stems and leaves and finally I went back to the left and did the blending on the bloom heads (this gave the first pass some time to dry a little before wetting the adjacent areas.

I did go back with some contrasting colors and add a bit to the bottom area of the lighter blooms as a shadow area as they looked too flat.

After drying, I trimmed the panel and stamped a sentiment in black and mounted the piece on a yellow base card. I also added a single doodle line in black to go with the sentiment.

Sandy also did the same with a line of hanging Christmas ornaments and suggested that it would look nice with fall leaves as well.

Ddd

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After making those blocks stretched with white diagonals I still had a pile of the same fabrics cut to 6x6 inches. I decided to make a balanced grid of them with the colors running on the diagonal.

The blocks finished at 5 1/2 inches square which required a wider border to bring the finished top up to 40 inches. I had to cut the border at 4 inches which will finish at 3 1/2.

I was short of all the colors except the yellow to use in the border. It turned out to be the perfect one to use as it brightens this quilt top right up.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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