2/29/2012

Hey Cupcake

Here is a card I made with a variation of Gina K's recessed image technique.  I followed the video, but chose not to put pop dots behind the frame for this particular card.  This was a fun technique to try, and I encourage you to check it out.  The cupcake image is from Inkadinkado's Cupcake Cling Set.  The "Hey Cupcake" is from CTV stamp set "Sweet Talk".  The cuttlebug folder is one from the "Lace" set.  The papers and ribbons were from my stash.  I have generic markers.  So far the inside is blank.  This will go in my "cards in waiting" stack.  

2/27/2012

Quilt Block Cards Modernized

I'm a real fan of quilts; I just love the shapes, textures and hand stitching within these works of art.  I recently found a blog that put a modern twist on quilt squares.  I did some research from the blog article and visited the site featuring designs from Block Party: The Modern Quilting Bee (BOOK) and found three patterns I wanted to adapt to card designs.  Here they are:

For the first card, I made  a 5" square white card base. I started the quilt with a 5" by 5" square of the cross stitched roses. I cut 1/2 inch wide strips of three patterns and used the fourth patter (a stripe) for the two triangles.  The five papers I used for the quilt design came from DCWV 8"x8" The Crafty Stack.

For the second card I used a 6.5" by 5" white card base.   I cut 1/2" strips of three colors and wove them following the quilt pattern and  glued them down on a 6" by 4.5" white mat.  I layered that on a 6.25" by 4.75" red mat .  This is my favorite of the three patterns.  I like the open corner for stamping or embellishing.  The four papers from the DCWV Indian Summer Mat Pack. 
I varied the third block pattern two ways.  I kept the colored strips at an even width and also turned the design 90 degrees.   I used another 6.5" by 5" white card for the base. I cut 1/2" strips alternated with 1/4" craft paper strips gluing them on a 6" by 4.5" white mat, and layering it on a  I layered that on a 6.25" by 4.75" tan mat. The papers on this card are from DCWV Far East Stack.

Converting quilt block patterns into card sketches opens a whole new set of design tools.  I've made other quilt pattern cards, but the piecing time often takes the fun out of card making for me.  These modern squares new designs that are easier to piece, and yet still give beauty to card topper.  The would make good backgrounds for embellishments and labels.  Making sets of them and putting them together would make an interesting scrapbook page background.  (I must try this sometime, I am SO FAR BEHIND in my scrapbooking :(.  Using paper stacks to pick papers, makes color matching very easy for quilting.   Part of the patterns on the first card are from a sheet of borders. Other types of cuts like layering border punch strips or strips of ribbons would also be a fun twist on this pattern.  Also, experimenting with stitching, embossing or stamping to add a quilt pattern might also be challenging.

Thanks for stopping by.
Sue