Sew, Sometimes I Craft Without (#5) . . .

paper -- LOL!  I also love using fabric and my beloved sewing machine and spent a bit of time sewing my very first Liberty Jane Clothing patterns: Skinny Jeans from their Jeans Bundle and Peplum top. These patterns are so beautifully designed and fabulously detailed that I LOVE them even more than I thought I would!

I used a silvery stretch 7 oz. denim fabric remnant from Joann's for my skinny jeans. This pattern has ALL the sweet details a pair of jeans should have, including front & back working pockets and top stitching everywhere.  I used a twin needle and two coordinating threads on all the pockets as shown in a close-up of the back pockets below.For the Peplum top, I used another remnant piece and recycled zipper from an old wallet -- gotta love recycling!  ;~)  I just think this top is perfect because the fun detail-stitched pockets show below the peplum's gathers. The top is completely lined except for the peplum itself and goes together so easily following the pattern's excellent instructions. I love how the sweet little blue flowers in this fabric coordinate with this denim, but have another fabric I'm anxious to stitch up another peplum top with now too! Fabric is as addicting as all those  pretty papers I can't resist -- hee!  Check back or follow my blog, as I will be posting several more AG Doll outfits as soon as time permits stitching, photographing and posting -- thanks for visiting!

My Sheri Crafts Challenge #120: Stitch Time

Our new challenge at My Sheri Crafts is to make a project which includes a sewing theme, so I took advantage of my Spellbinders' A-2 Fancy Ribbon Threader and Decorative Dress Forms dies to do some hand stitching on my fun little card, made with a very special young woman in mind! We seldom get to see each other, but last time we had an especially rewarding shopping excursion. She's going through a bumpy time professionally and we reminisced about the fun we had, so this little card just makes me think of her even more!
I started out cutting the A-2 Fancy Ribbon Threader die #4 and lacing two coordinating colors of 6-ply DMC embroidery thread separately through the outside holes, framing my card. I did the same with Die #1 using 3 strands of floss, as well as stamping my sentiment from Papertrey Ink's Birds of a Feather.
To die cut my dress, I folded a piece of CS in half and placed the die just above my fold, so I'd have a way to insert my tiny Tim Holtz hanger and hang it from the matching TH brad. I used a Timeless Touches Elegance Border template to create the holes on my dress neckline and hemline and again added hand stitching. A ribbon and rose finish off the dress at the waist and a cotton ribbon is laced through at the bottom of my card and tied into a bow to hold my sentiment tag.
Would LOVE to see your "Stitch Time" project over @ My Sheri Crafts, so please post it for us all to enjoy!

Masculine Happy Birthday: Fusion & Moxie Fab Style

Needing a masculine birthday greeting, combining Fusion's #18 sketch (ends 10/02) and Moxie Fab's
Metal, Wood and Cork challenge (ends 10/21) seemed the perfect pairing. My husband really liked the outcome, which is a real bonus!  ;~)
I honestly can't think of much more masculine than metal, wood and cork, so I cut my balsa wood (Michaels) with Spellbinders' Labels Twenty-one and cork from Grand Large Labels. I like their coordinating clipped corners and flipped the sketch sideways, adding my wood piece on the left.
Metal corners (source unknown) were added to my red CS layer. Then using Spellbinders Sprightly Sprockets, I cut both Tim Holtz Grungeboard for strength and craft foil, securing them together with metal screws though the holes. I then centered a
Tim Holtz clock face with foam dots over the sprocket. 'Time for a party' was stamped using JustRite's Market Place Alphabet onto Nested Lacey Pennants to complete this card.

JustRite Friday Challenge #105: Autumn Splendor

Decided this AM to create a card for the JustRite Friday Challenge sponsored by Spellbinders that ends at 4 PM today, since I seem to work better under stress -- UGH!

I truly enjoy using the many Spellbinders' dies I'm so lucky to have and wanted to cut and ink up this little Whimsical Tree die for a while now, as well as use the Wrought Iron one I won awhile back from JustRite. I added those into the mix with the Arched Window dies, attempting to make it look as though you're peering out the window, using Spellbinders' Craft Foil for my arch and wrought iron trim. Just a bit trickier to cut/emboss/remove from that intricate die than I'd envisioned, but in the end I think it works?! I  needed some leaves/grass under my tree, so borrowed Sheri's Flower Soft idea. My sentiment and fall leaves (from JustRite's Autumn Words currently on sale for only $4.95!) were stamped with Memento's Potter's Clay and Rhubarb stalk inks and die cut with my newest Spellbinders' die set, Back to Basics Tags.
Go check out all the fabulous entries at JustRite and take a peek at their new challenge going up this Friday, as well as all the great stamps and Spellbinders' dies for sale in their store!

Fusion #17: Sketch Challenge

My DD & co-worker needed a baby card for another co-worker, so I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to play in the Fusion Challenge. It's so unique because you can either use just the provided sketch or just the provided inspiration photo or combine BOTH for 'fusion' -- clever, huh?!  ;-)

I went with the sketch for my first entry and created a very simple baby boy card using bright primary colors. The ribbon I wanted to finally use featured various vehicles on twill tape, so I chose the 'little tyke' sentiment, stamped onto my inside layer and then die cut a Spellbinders (retired) rectangle to create the opening to view it through. 'Welcome' was then stamped onto another rectangle die from the same set, backed with red CS and attached at top left.

I like the way the letters in these Inkadinkado Baby Boy stamps are kinda off-kelter and all lower case, which makes me think a small tyke wrote them! I added a bright striped paper from DCWV's Nana's Kids below that fun Jillibean Soup ribbon.

Another fun thing about this challenge is that anyone (participants & non-participants alike) can vote for their three favorite cards for 24 hours after the challenge closes. This is a new challenge concept for me, but I think it will be fun to see the results!

My Sheri Crafts Challenge #119: Native American Day

Our new challenge @ My Sheri Crafts is to help us celebrate Native American Day which is September 27th.

My card uses two unmounted Native American stamps that I've had for many years and unfortunately I do not recall their origin. I stamped the feather near the card's bottom edge in VersaFine Black Onyx onto Papertrey Ink's Fine Linen CS.

My American Indian image is also stamped on Fine Linen and colored with Copic Markers. I then die cut with a Spellbinders' circle die and mounted it onto green and rust-colored die cut circles that were embossed/debossed with Gold Rounds One -- LOVE the texture these dies add! My card front is mounted to a rust card base with foam dots.

Hope you can join us for our Native American challenge!!!

Sew, Sometimes I Craft Without (#4) . . .

paper --!  Found some adorable fabric with owls on clearance @ Joann's, so HAD to have it for a doll dress. I've accumulated so many sweet doll patterns recently and once I decided which pattern to cut with this one-way owl fabric, I purchased a banana cream solid for the bodice and underskirt -- LOVE how it turned out!

I used the Garden Tea Dress designed by 123 Mulberry Street available for $3.99 @ Pixie Faire (formerly Liberty Jane) for this dress -- LOVE this sweet pattern and to me that adorable back bow just MAKES a simple dress outstanding!

I also recently knitted an easy sweater (from this free pattern) in green yarn and Molly's modeling it too. This was the perfect 'starter' pattern to complete a small project, as I've knitted very little and long ago. Just using a skein of yarn I had, it turned out fine, but a lighter weight yarn might be better. Still a very cute little pattern with 4 options included and my favorite price too!  ;~)

JustRite Friday Challenge #104: Clean and Simple Sketch

For JustRite's "Clean and Simple Sketch" challenge, I decided to make it complicated -- LOL! Not really, but the banner I chose to do across the top was a bit 'fiddly', but I do love the result AND I have another Christmas card done -- YAY!!!

Edited to add: My tree is decked out with MS glitter (just like my banner), but I can't seem to photograph it so it looks as fabulous as it does IRL!!!  ;-(
Also entered into this challenge: Moxie Fab World: http://www.moxiefabworld.com/2013/08/holiday-cards-more-week-holiday-card.html

Products Used:
Stamps: JustRite's Buntings and Banners, Noel Christmas Ornaments (greeting) and Antique Christmas tags One (holly)
Dies: JustRite's Buntings and Button Dies; Spellbinders' 2013 Holiday Trees and Nested and  Lacy Nested Pennants
Papers: Echo Park's Very Merry Christmas 6"x6" pad; PTI's Pure Poppy CS
Inks: Memento's Bamboo Leaves and VersaFine Olympia Green
Miscellaneous: Martha Stewart White Gold glitter; star and gems from stash; Copic R29 on gems