It all began with an owl...

I've had creative block lately. Yesterday, I made the following:
I think it will be a wall hanging. It all started with the owl pendant I received in a swap. I knew, when I saw it that it wouldn't be a necklace. Sunday night, I got it and a piece of fabric that looked like a tree branch, then I decided he needed to be sitting in a night sky. The background fabric has black sparkles in it too, but I decided to add some of my vintage buttons as stars. Then I needed a moon, I couldn't find exactly what I wanted until I found a napkin in my stash. Now it's all sewn together but I still need to add a hanger, something to stiffen it up and a backing.

What do you think?

Valentines

I received a great Valentine tag from Terri the other day, and that made me want to make some. I decided to rip hearts out of dictionary pages instead of using the dictionary page for the background (as I tend to do), after ripping out the hearts, I glued them onto cardstock with chipboard underneath. I then added some sort of trim to the bottom, and some kind of embellishment to the heart that reflected the word I was ripping out. After I made those I had leftover cardstock, so I took some of the outer parts of the dictionary pages and made tags with those too. Here they are:
The left one was cupid, I created the cupid with some German foil wings, a photograph and a pink heart bead. I mailed that one to a friend, who would appreciate the cupid. The one in the middle is heart, so I added a cardstock and button heart to it. The one on the right just has a ribbon rose in it.

The left one was the outer part of the cupid page, so I made another cupid out of a troll and some more German foil wings, I also added some vintage buttons to the edge. This one is my favorite, I will be keeping it. The middle one is rose, the rose on the left was orignally a stick pin, the rose picture is from a vintage Valentine, that I got in a swap from Lynne. The right one has pink beads on top of the black trim, so I added black and pink vintage buttons, and the vintage looking girl to it. I mailed this one to a friend.

The left one is flower, the flowers in the left corner are punches, the flowers in the right corner are vintage buttons, I love the pom pom trim on this one, I will be hunting out more. The middle is Valentine, I had the hardest time figuring out this one, I finally added the rub on scroll and words, and then added some heart charms. The right one is pink, the leaves are punches, the circle is an old clip on earring and I once again added pink beads to the trim. I mailed this one to a friend.

The left one is red, I added red gems to the trim, the leaves are punches, and the circle is a vintage button. The middle one, I added a clear butterfly and some vintage buttons. The right one has a poufy fabric heart and some vintage buttons. These three are all going out to friends.

The left one is valentine, I added the clear "LOVE" piece to it. The last one has a piece of chocolate in the middle, and some vintage buttons.

I had such a fun time making these. I love seeing the tags that Lulu makes on her blog and have been wanting to make some especially with the trim hanging off for awhile. Now, mine aren't near as cool as hers, but I still think they're neat.

I chose to mail some to friends, and a couple to family. I'm not sure what to do with the rest.

Have you all made any valentines?

Thank you cards

This past Sunday, I attended a baby shower for a coworker. As we were packing up to leave, she was going to throw away the wrapping paper. I asked if I could have it, and said I'd make thank you cards out of it for her. I used the solid color paper for backgrounds, then layered a piece of cardstock and then images from the patterned papers.
I also added some of my button collection.

I love the images on baby wrapping paper.

I used two different stamps for the sentiment.

My favorite paper was the metallic blue, but it showed my double stick tape through it, which is why I added the cardstock. I love extra piece of paper, though, it really pulls the cards together.

I may not have a lot on here because my Yahoo group decided we'd take a break in December, and I haven't heard of any interest for a swap yet. I also haven't signed up for any swaps lately.

Vintage Stocking Swap

I received my gifts from Lynn, my partner in the Vintage Stocking Swap. Here's what the box looked like when I opened it:
Full of exciting gifts, here's what they turned out to be:

ATCs she had made, some craft items, clear Christmas stamps, vintage pictures/photos and a cool owl pendant.

A snowman lamp, light up snowman, cute hot air balloon ornament, peppermint bark, a reindeer bag full of mints, and the stocking she made for me.

A tree cookie cutter and cooking book.

Vintage linens and a crocheted washcloth.

And a bunch of bath supplies.

Thank you so much Lynn. To see what I sent/made for her, go here.

Steampunk Charms

Remember this post? Well, here's what I got in return:
I see some of the names are hard to read, so starting in the upper left hand corner, going across and then starting in the lower left hand corner and going across, here's who I got charms from:
Shelly R, Lisa Jacob, Susan Laura, and Shelly R.
Donnalee, Mags, Deanna Cosgrove, and Stacey Bond.

And there's more. Once again starting at the top left hand corner going across, and then starting at the bottom left hand corner and going across:
"Dr Amy" Spraitzer, "Dr Amy" Spraitzer, M.C. Sparks, and "Dr Amy" Spraitzer.
Claudine Criner, Valerie Brinchek, Debbie Warrick, and "Dr Amy" Spraitzer.

Thank you ladies for your lovely charms.

Vintage Stocking Swap

I signed up for a Vintage Stocking Swap. We were to make a stocking and fill it with goodies. My partner was Lynn of Life on the Wiennee Ranch. Check out her blog.
Here's my stocking:
I hand stitched it all, I had a ton of fun making it. The background is from a vintage kitchen towel, the doily was found at an antique mall along with the top trim. The beige circle in the middle of the doily is a vintage clip on earring. I also added a piece of ribbon to hang it, after I scanned it.

The bundled trim, is what I used on the top of the stocking.

The doily is the one on the stocking.

I sent my partner the doll.

I also sent her the owl on the bell. My original thought was to send the whole bell, but as I was wrapping it, I found it was glued on crapily and it popped off, I thought it was cuter without the bell anyway.

I sent her these vintage paper Valentines, she said she collected them.

I sent her everything in this picture.

The striped towel is what I used for the background on the stocking.

I have such a horrible time of taking pictures of everything I send in swaps, so I'm sure there's more than I have listed here. I also included some chocolate. My partner said she sent my package yesterday, so I will post when I get it.

I had so much fun with this swap.

The 12 Days of Christmas...Sorta

My mom asked me to help her make a 12 Days of Christmas artwork for my grandmother. She decided all pieces would be 5"x7", that they would have to have fabric and some kind of sewing on them, and that we would make up the 12 days with things that went along with the song. After making the 1st day, and seeing my 2nd day, she decided she didn't have time. I didn't hear about this until I was halfway through day 4, and then I was just inspired to keep going.
So, here's day 2:
Two shining balls.

It's scrapbook paper for the background, the tree is made from green leather, and the balls are foil candy wrappers. They're kinda hard to see, but there's two sewn snowflakes by the top of the tree.

The next 4 pieces were all created by sewing my elements on to some decorative fabric, which was backed with some quilt batting. I then finished it off by adding something to hang it and using a vintage kitchen towel as the backing and then sewed around the edges. All the sewing is by hand.
4 vintage trims.
I love the two background pieces on this one, the bigger piece, wasn't quite big enough so I had to add the other one. The 3 white pieces I found at garage sales, the red and white one I got in a swap, read about it here. I found some ric rac to use as the hanger for this one.

Day 8:

8 butterflies a fluttering.

The three pewter colored butterflies are charms from necklaces, the silver one and one in a heart are buttons, the orange one is a piece of plastic, the pink/blue one is foam, and the last one is a pin. I used a piece of pink ribbon for the hanger.

Day 10:

10 flowers blooming.

The flowers, with the exception of the two white ones, are all from vintage hankies. The white ones are from vintage trim. I used a piece of vintage pink seam binding for the hanger.

Day 12:

12 buttons gleaming.

All the buttons are vintage mother of pearl buttons. The fabric is a satiny fabric, I don't know why it looks like that in the scan. I used a vintage beige seam binding for the hanger.

I was planning to do day 6 and then go back and do the odd days for myself, but I ran out of steam. Maybe some day.