Felt & paper flower for a special birthday

 

It was my lovely Mum's 65th birthday two weeks ago

and this is the card I made for her.
I was making a Christmas table runner from felt and because I had the felt already out on the table I thought I'd try it out on the card.
I loved the effect and I'm pleased to say, Mum loved her card too :)

 Sizzix, Nestablilities, and Cuttlebug dies cut through felt very well and I used Sizzix dies for the flower and the flourish.
The hexagons are from a sheet of Echo Park paper (Sweet Day) and I cut them out individually and arranged them on the card blank.

I cut a rough spiral from a circle of patterned paper and rolled it into a flower and layered it on top of the yellow felt flower.
The sentiment is printed on the computer using 'Delius' font.

 

 

That's it for today,
I'd better go now and rustle up something for tea!

I'd love you to join me tomorrow for my project in Creative Craft World's rainbow blog hop!
I'm also having a prize draw.
Check out all the details here tomorrow (from 7am).

Thanks for visiting today :)
Take care
Sarah xx

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:

The pink elephant ~ patterned paper

Ladybug Crafts ~ anything goes

Stamp & Create ~ anything goes

Challenges4everybody ~ anything goes
MIM #105 ~ anything goes

Papertake Weekly ~ anything goes
Tuesday Alchemy ~ anything goes

My 'primitive', 'rustic', 'old-fashioned', 'country style' quilt!

Good afternoon everyone!

A while ago I showed a peek of the flannel quilt I was making

and although I finished it in March, I'm only getting the photos uploaded now,

so here it is!

I never know how to photograph quilts so I laid it over a bed....

The squares were machine sewn together but the hearts and stars and quilting were all sewn by hand.

 I love the material on the back of the quilt and you can just about see the quilted shapes in this photo.

Just a close up of the hand stitching...it really was a labour of love and it'll be a while before I do it again :)

Thank you for stopping by today :)

I'll be back tomorrow with a card.

Take care,

Sarah xx

21st Birthday

Hello again :) There has been a distinct lack of posts here this week!

It's been really busy here, but here's hoping next week will be a bit easier..... :)

For the Less is More challenge this week we've been given a recipe. The choice is to combine any 3 past challenges. The ones I've chosen are - week 15 embossing, week 43 bling, week 55 die cuts.

I've made this card (which will be from Mum & Dad)  for my niece who will be 21 next week...

it seems no time since she was born... and I was only 19!

Edited:  oops! I've just realised I made a mistake in the spelling of granddaughter.... I've printed it again on card and taped it over the top.....not ideal but it's better than bad spelling lol.  This first photo is updated but I don't have time tonight to change the second.

It was very simple to make (so why did it take me all day??)

I printed the sentiment on the computer - patient paige font. The frame, number and crown were cut with the Silhouette and the paper is American Crafts - City Park.

 I embossed the frame with the Cuttlebug swiss dots folder and raised it on foam pads then added iridescent gems on the crown to finish!

 I was at a machine quilting class yesterday learning how to apply applique

and then embroider it.

It was a fun class and the tutor was brilliant.

This is what I made, although it is far from finished!

 

When the wadding is added and it is quilted I will have to decide if I'm going to make it into a cushion cover or keep adding more blocks to make a larger quilt.

It looks really dull and flat in the photo but I'll add a new one when I've finished and hopefully it will look much better :)

The back of it shows the stitching....can you see the missing bits.....!

In January I started a country style flannel quilt ('old fashioned' as Caleb called it!)

I've finally finished it :) hours of hand stitching later and here's a wee peek.....

I'll post 'proper' pictures of it later in the week.

Thank you for visting today :)

I'm off now to see what everyone else is up to.....lots of entries in LIM already!

Sarah xx

Fabric Tote Bag (handmade)

This is the fabric tote bag I made at a class on Saturday.

Unfortunately I couldn't even begin to tell you how I made it.....I was so tired after a stressful week last week and I was a bit of a zombie that day....... :o

Apart from that, I do love the bag and because it matches the baby quilt I made here, Mum has snapped it up and it's on it's way to Australia as a changing bag for my new niece who is expected in a few weeks! (Let's hope she doesn't turn out to be a nephew!)

I do hope the class tutor sends me instructions to make another one as it's lovely and roomy and I'd love to make another just for myself.

I stuffed it with bubble wrap to help it stand up for the photo, it wouldn't behave on it's own....

Why is it that handles always seem to have a mind of their own?.....lol.

I never know what way to put them!

There are two pockets on the front and two large pockets on the back.

 Another photo of the front with the handles 'flopped to the side'....


I would love to have been brave enough to stitch it with pink or green thread but I just wasn't confident I could sew a straight line and even a little wobble would stick out like a sore thumb!

The inside of the bag is quilted while the outside is plain.

There are two contrasting pockets on the inside, one of which is stitched down the middle to make a pocket for a mobile phone.

I'm scheduling this post for this morning as Richard is away to London with work and I've packed lunches to make (I'm spoiled in that he usually does it....)

Lydia has offered to make her own.....maybe she's afraid of what I'll put in hers.....I'm definitely not the cook in our house......I can bake though......when I have to!

My confidence was rocked yesterday when Phoebe said , 'I wish you were away to London'.........

before adding.........'So I can be the mummy of the house!'

I think Caleb rubs it in just a little too much that he's the 'man of the house' when daddy is away......lol

I hope you have a lovely day

and thank you for visiting!

Sarah xx

The finished baby patchwork quilt!

Well, here it is.....

from this...

to this...

 close up of the blocks - there are 42 in all (126 rectangles)

If you'd like to make this quilt, there is a fabulous tutorial here. It is very well written and so easy to follow (even for a mathmatically challenged person like me!) I'll let you in on a secret - Lydia had to work out the measurements for me (I'm that bad at maths). In the tutorial Florence used 12 fabrics but I only had 6 - it would make for easier laying out the more you have. 

Provided my sister-in-law likes it, it will be winging it's way to Australia soon.  They are expecting a little girl after having 3 boys and we are so delighted for them.

Hope you have a lovely day and thanks for visiting!

Sarah x

Ps. I should have said it was very quick to make - just 2 days!

In my haste to make it though, I sat up very late on Monday night (nearly cross-eyed) completing the top, and when I got up on Tuesday morning (5 hours later)

- oh my word -

it was like a dogs dinner, not a straight line to be seen :( ....so Mum and I ripped out all the blocks and I started again. I finished it last night but I've learnt my lesson...I won't be sewing late at night again!