2013... Where did I go?

Hello, long lost friends!

(Or maybe that was just me...)

I'm back, and I've some recaps of projects from 2013.  I'm not going to write about each one as a separate blog, but I'll show you a collage and then give some links under it with more info as needed.  Let's get started!

1.  I actually finished my Swoon quilt last April and we've been enjoying it on our bed all year long.  I did a "quilt-as-you-go" method because there was no way I was going to fit this massive quilt into my machine; it finishes about 92" x 92", a very generous queen size.  I quilted each block separately and then added borders and sewed the blocks together.   I've previously posted in progress work here, here and here.

2.  I cure little pinwheel card I made for my niece for her birthday.  I used my Cricut to cut out the pinwheels.  I believe I used the "Just a Note" cartridge.


3.  A card for Mother's Day last year.

4.   This is the front of my picnic pinwheel quilt.  I found a great free tutorial here from SewMamaSew.  The fabric was Catalina by Kanvas for Benartex, I used a layer cake.  (There are a few extra scrap pieces with stars I threw in the mix).  I used just the red, white and blue fabric colors.  I used a white background, and then used extra pieces to create a "piano key" border.  I used stabilizer on the border.

5.  Here is the back of the pinwheel picnic quilt.  I used states fabric from Joann's.  I made up my own pattern for a tic-tac-toe board as well as a checker board.  I thought all of these would be great for summer picnics!  I believe the while quilt finished about 72(ish) inches square.  I also sewed ribbon on one side to roll up the quilt and tie it shut.

6 & 7.  I got these great patio chairs from my mother-in-law.  They weren't using them anymore, so I snagged them up.  I used several cans of spray paint by Rust-oleum.  I used Summer Squash and Midnight Blue, both in a satin finish.  I then used a clear satin to help seal on protect the chairs.

8.  I made water sponges to play outside with.  I found many tutorials online, but this is a great one that uses elastic hair ties instead of string to hold the sponges.

9.  I made a Kitchen Aide cover for my Artisan mixer using... an old bridesmaids dress.  Actually it was just the shawl, and the dress is still intact for another time of creative crafting.  I found a wonderful tutorial here.  It has a template as well.  I also made it reversible, with a black and white damask fabric, should I choose to change it up.

11.  (Apparently I can't count when I make a collage late at night!)  I made a sign for my laundry room out of a canvas frame, free Home Depot paint and a free cricut cut one week.

12.  My mom asked me to make a card for my grandfather to give to her dad for his birthday.  He used to make beautiful and amazing stained glass projects.  I so made the card with torn bits of paper to look like stained glass.

13.  Again my mom wanted a card to give to her brother for his birthday.  He was turning a big 60, so the card says, "Maybe a cupcake would help?"  I was amused at least ;)

14.  I made a pillow for my bed with the swoon quilt with the HST scraps left over.  I found inspiration for the design from this post.


Thanks for sticking withe the long post and thanks for rejoinging me after my long hiatus from blogging!

Keep crafty,
Jenny

Birthday Cards

Hello!

Here are two birthday cards I've made recently.  One for my sister, and one for a friend.

Enjoy!

For my sister: I'm loving the pinwheels.

For my friend: love the bright colors!  pink and teal, my new favorite color combo :)

Thanks for looking!
Jenny :)

Monogrammed Cards- Part 2

Hello again!

Here are a few more cards I made for my SIL.  I made 50 total cards for her.  I managed to make a few extra for me at the same time :)  Love it!

I used a circle punch and tied twine to match the red circle.  The first dark is a deep plum color.  I embossed the plum color with the "traffic Jam" sizzix folder and the green circle is embossed with a circles and dots.  I used the cricut cartridge "boys will be boys" to cut out the j with the arrow.

Super simple, but very elegant

This is one I made at the very end from left over scraps.  It was fun a challenge to put together, but I love the design.

Thanks for looking!
Jenny

Monogrammed Cards

Hello!

Just before Easter, my SIL asked me to make some cards for her.  I thought I would show you the designs.  I absolutely love them.  A few of the designs I'd seen around on Pinterest and adapted them to work for me.  Some of them are my creations.  (Thankfully my SIL and I have the same initial, so I made some extras for me while I was at it!) :)

Enjoy!

I love the colors on this one I made

Found the idea on Pinterest, and since I'm also into quilting, this was perfect!  Loving the chevrons right now

My own creation.  Used my Cricut to cut out the letter.  Then used a scroll punch on the blue tag.

Thanks for looking!
Jenny

BBTB2 Design Team Challenge

Hello all!

Today I've got a special post... but first, I have to give a "warning" to two people. :)

If you are one of my mothers.... mom or mom-in-law...

STOP...

READING...

NOW...

Pretty Please!! :)  You don't want to ruin your mother's day gifts... do you now?

Ok, now on to the real post.

I am turning this post in to be considered for the BBTB2 Design Team (and also for the My Pink Stamper Mother's Day Challenge).

I made several things for my moms, a card and a picture frame.  I'll add my supply list at the end.

Two pictures frames I altered.  Frames are 5x7 from Hobby Lobby.

Altered frame for my mom-in-law.  The frame is a 5x7 and from Hobby Lobby.

Altered frame for my mom.  Same frame, but in black, 5x7 from Hobby Lobby.

Close up of flowers.  Red and cream flower (with red inking) flower tutorial here.  A different tutorial for the cream and blue flowers here.

More pretty flowers

Flowers and flourish

Frame and matching card for my mom-in-law.

Card close-up

Inside of card

Frame and matching card for my mom.

Front of card

Inside of card using extra "lined notebook" scrapbook paper.

All the creations and my outside Lighthouse :)  It lights up at night by a solar panel

.

Altered Frames
I cut the large red flowers using my Preserves Cricut cartridge and used the "shift" button to use the center of the apple cut in order to get the 5 petal flower.  I cut the large red "roses" at 2.5 inches.  I used the same technique for the cream roses and cut them at 1.75 inches.  I inked them with red ink.

For the "carnation-like" flowers I used two different punches. The larger cream carnation flower was cut with a 1.5 inch round circle punch.  I followed the technique in the video.  I did the same technique for the small blue and red carnations, but I used Martha Stewart's 1 inch scallop circle punch, it gives it the ruffly edges.

Behind the red roses are green flowers, and I cut them with the Cricut Essentials on my E2 machine.  They were cut at 2 inches.  I inked them with green ink.

The flourishes were cut from my E2 as well with the Cricut Essentials as well.  (My new favorite flourish!) They were cut at 3 inches.

The large capital H was cut at 4.5 inches from Stone Script.  And the lowercase h was ct at 4.5 inches from Cricut American Alphabet. 

Cards
I cut the base of this card to make a 4.25 x 5.5 inch card.  I used the extra paper from the backgrounds of both frames. I again used the rose flower technique cut at 1.75 inches for both flowers.  I used some kraft paper to make the banner and used some brads and buttons from my stash.   I used the EK Success punch Scroll and Dots for the punch. I also used the Martha Stewart 1" Scallop Square Punch to make the ends of the banners.
The letter "m" for the words mom I used the Stone Script and Cricut American Alphabet cartridges again, for the corresponding cards.  I cut the letters about 2".

Here are the supplies I used:

Frames: Hobby Lobby 5x7

Cardstock: AC Cardstock and scraps from my stash

Patterned Paper: The Paper Studio Open Stock from Hobby Lobby

Ink: Red ink (G Studio), Brown ink (Stayz On), Green (G Studio)

Punches: Martha Stewart Scallop Circle Punch, Fiskars 1" Round Circle Punch, Martha Stewart 1: Scallop Square Punch, EK Success Scallop and Dot Punch

Cricut Cartridges: Stone Script, E2 Cricut Essentials, E2 Cricut American Alphabet, Preserves

Thanks for stopping by!

P.S.  I have had that super cute lighthouse for nearly 7 years.  It has moved all over with us.  My awesome parents found it at Walmart right after I first got married. (: