October colour challenge at The Studio

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

Our Tiggy cat on a page using The Studios little free kit. Isn’t he handsome. I created a mini kit and an add on for this challenge.
Tigger

This page was made with the mini kit I designed. A dramatic page that shows our late Tigger at his best, watching out our window for the birds, squirrels and chipmunks that come to visit.
Tigger

This is the mini kit I created for the October colour challenge at The Studio. I added lots of glitter to the beautiful rich colours.
October Mini Kit

The kit

Working on the kit using the beautiful colours I found I couldn’t stop. Here is a little add on to go with the mini kit
October mini kit add on

The add on

Venice, the city of love and dreams, another scrapbook kit

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

Last week of the challenge and a dream vacation. My choice would always be Venice. Katherine Hepburn in the movie Summer, taking a vacation in Venice and finding love if only for a fleeting second while looking for some matching Venetian red glasses. I have added the red glasses and a cafe table, a gondola and the ‘city of canals’ painting. The painting was gleaned from the Getty Museum. http://www.getty.edu/about/opencontent.html

Dream Vacation, Venice

This is has 4 links
elements 1
elements 2
elements 3
papers

Staycation, the third week scrapbook kit

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

Choosing a place for the third week of the challenge was difficult. The Ottawa Valley is populated with beautiful old historic towns. Appleton was an excellent choice. This tiny town is so small it doesn’t have a store of any kind. It does have a wooden bridge, a river, white water and gorges lined with beautiful trees that turn colour in the autumn. Those colours are my colour palette for this kit. Revisiting this vintage town through my memories was a joy.

Appleton, Ontario

There are three links for this kit. Enjoy.
Elements 1
Elements 2
Papers

Destination, A scrapbook kit

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

The second week of the New Designer Challenge for September in The Studio.
Destination scrapbook kit
This week we picked a beach photo. I’m not normally a beach person so I chose an image from http://morguefile.com/. Sea grass, sandy beach, surf … this beach has it all. I thought it would be a great place to rest and have a picnic.

Destination papers here

Destination elements-1

Destination elements-2

A Walking Road Trip, Scrapbook Kit

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

My first scrapbook kit … I hope you can use this little kit for your summer holiday photos

Walking Scrapbook Kit

This kit was created for the Next Designer Contest at the Studio. I entered to learn new techniques in Photoshop and it has been an intensive September. I have just completed week 3 and uploaded on the Studio site. It’s been fun, but the work involved in a project of this size is an eye opener. Week 1 is here for you to download.

You can download the kit here

Pear pattern ….. vintage sketch for pillow

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

This is the pattern I used for my pear card …. it was published in the McCall’s Needle Art magazine Vol IV. It and a sketch of apples were included. The apples were used to create a pretty decorative pillow that would hold up on your couch today. These vintage patterns lend themselves to so much more. I love to honour them and their creators by using them in what I do today.

pear

This pillow would look just as great on a dark homespun and stitched with white cotton or one of each light and dark for contrast. Done on ecru or white homespun and framed it would look perfect on a kitchen or dining room wall. Both sketches could be used as a quilting pattern in a solid coloured block in your quilt. Wouldn’t that look good on your love seat?

decorative pillow

If you want both the apple and pear pattern you can grab it here: Apple Pillow with extra pear pattern

Card of the Month …. pear cards

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

These cards were created for a swap on the Art for the Creative Mind Yahoo group. Until I joined this group I hadn’t done a card and now I do one for almost every month.

pear card

This is the card I sent to my partner. The pear itself was drawn onto a piece of acrylic and held on with brads. I first designed the template in Photoshop Elements and then chose the papers to go beneath the pear sketch.

pear card

This was the first card I made and I think my favourite of the two, but when putting it to the group they liked the other better so that is the one I chose for the swap itself. Although I used the same template and sketch for both card the choices of papers and colours makes the design look completely different.

More ATCs … made for Random Acts of Kindness mailings

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

These were made with leftover bits of everything I had in my stash …. it was a lot of fun to see these come together one little bit at a time, no two alike

first set of two ATCs

The top card was made with a piece of leftover embossed card as the base. Little tangles of threads along with an extra ‘A’ and flower from previous swaps and lots of leftover glitter in the corner are glued on and held in place by a piece of acrylic held on with brads. The lower card’s background was created with leftover roses from the napkins I used for my journal pages. The word ‘friends’ was in my stash as well and although it’s colour was close to the roses it didn’t stand out so I outlined in silver and of course a little bling on the corner.

second set of ATCs

Here is the second set, made in the same way as the first two but with different little bit and pieces. These little cards can become addictive.

Sisters ….. vintage photos of my sister and I

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

When the ATC theme of sisters came up on the Art For the Creative Mind Yahoo group, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I had these two great photos of my sister and I when we were very young in Toronto. I’m the little blonde. One was taken with us dressed in our ballet tutus and the other in dresses made by my grandmother. She was one of the best artists with a needle I know. She could take a bit of this and a bit of that and make wonderful outfits for us. The little kitten in that photo just did not want to be there….I can still remember the scratches even now.

sisters
I gave us both new outfits in Photoshop Elements along with Princess crowns…lots of glimmer and bits of threads as well.

sisters

These dresses had bright red trim and buttons … I loved this dress and wore my sister’s hand-me-down as well. The front bib bodice was pleated as well…where the bruises were I added band aids and another pair of Princess crowns of course. These were so much fun to do as they brought me back to the early years.

sisters,backs
sisters, backs
These are the backs of the ATCs … I create a back that is interesting and holds all the information as well. The front of a piece is not the only canvas to cover and it is always important to sign your work.

Journals …. this is my first mixed media journal page

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

journal

This is my first attempt at a mixed media journal page created for the Art For the Creative Mind yahoo group. The only criteria for it was that we had to use a stencil. My stencil was the waste from a little flower die. Never throw those out until you have used them somewhere. There are several layers of bits and pieces of almanac pages, lace, gold striped and dotted tissue paper as well as a couple of dollar store napkins with roses. I also used some threads to create more texture in the piece. Creating more pages is now a priority in my little art cave.

Paris in Summer …. digital 4×4 with tags

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

This little 4 square inch square was done completely in Photoshop Elements 11. A swap piece for the Art for the Creative Minds Yahoo group, it was so much fun to do. Lots of effects and styles were used to create the piece.
Paris 4x4

The back of a piece for a swap should always have your information; who made it, title of the swap piece and your blog. Be proud of what you have done and sign all that you create that is sent to someone else. Take ownership of your art.

Paris 4x4 back

When I had finished the piece I felt it still needed ‘something else’ … you know that little feeling at the back of your brain that tells you that the piece is not quite finished. I created two tags and tied them onto the 4×4, attaching a tag to each end of the tie.

Paris tag

Paris tag

Asian Coffee Filter Book and Geisha Paper Dolls

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

coffee filter book

My first coffee filter book, done for the Art For the Creative Mind Yahoo Group. I created an understated book in colours from the old Japanese wood cuts. Bangles and metallic threads are at the end of each tag. The tags are Geisha dolls and one extra kimono for each doll. Each pocket holds one of the dolls and has her name in English on one side and Japanese on the other. Prisma colours gently coloured some of the images on each covering page. I am sharing my Geisha paper dolls. The image is one I gleaned from colouring pages on line. It was listed at several different sites. Paper flowers, a peacock dangle and some soutache braid around the blue rings finish the simple Japanese look of the book.

geisha dolls

Here are the dolls and the kimonos. Each doll has a name of a Japanese flower. In order they are: top left is Lotus, top middle is Sunflower, top right is Plum, bottom left is Cherry, bottom middle is Willow and bottom right is Iris. Have fun with these little dolls.

geisha dolls

Marzie Mermaid and Bubbles have come to play with you this summer

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

Marzie and Bubbles were created for a swap with the Art For the Creative Mind Mixed Media Yahoo Group. She whispered in my ear that she wanted to be both a Mixed Media doll and a paper doll so here she is. This is the mixed media doll. Her little fin on the end of her tail has a brad so she can swim just about anywhere she wants to go and Bubbles, her trusted side kick goes with her.

Marzie

Marzie and Bubbles would love to play with your young daughter or granddaughter. She needs her story finished with summer fun. She would love to swim your way.

Marzie Doll

If your young girl is an artist she can create her own little Mermaid and Bubbles. Imagine the adventures they could have during those rainy days with nothing to do.

Marzie make your own

Christmas paperdoll 2012 …. Merri Christmas

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

Meri is here to say ‘hello, won’t you play with me this Christmas?’. She is all set for whatever games you play, whether it be snug in her little housecoat and slippers or out in the snow with her snowsuit. Meri can help trim the tree or sit down for a snack of gingerbread men. She also has a best Christmas Day outfit to wear while opening her presents.

Christmas paper doll
Christmas paper doll

Merri would make a great stocking stuffer or be used as a quiet time activity for your child. There are earlier Christmas Paperdolls as well. They would all like to play so please feel free to download them.

Wooden Spool Ornaments and an Inspirational Advent Calendar Wreath

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

These pieces were all made for the ArtForTheCreativeMind Yahoo group. The three wooden spools had a mind of their own and my muse just went with the flow. I had originally wanted all white and light blue and glittery spools, but they told me they wanted to look a bit like French vintage. So French vintage it was. I used large beads and small as well as cord and wire for the hangers, even a pipe cleaner. Some French vintage papers helped give the ‘French’ feel to them.

wooden spool ornaments

My advent calendar wreath was another piece that grew as I made it. I knew I wanted the Matryoshka dolls to be a part of it. First the pattern had to be drawn and I chose to create that in Photoshop Elements which made it easy to create the little faces. Christmas papers were used for the outfits. Finding the right size of prints became a difficult task as many of the paper’s designs were too large. I then glued them onto black card and created 25 different inspirational words instead of numbers for each December day until Christmas. These little dolls can be removed from the wreath to be used as tags at a later date.

paper doll wreathe
paper doll wreathe

Circus Wagons …. “Come to the Circus”

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

circus wagons

This is my first 3D piece. Circus wagons made from salt boxes …. so much fun to do. I cut out the windows on each side and taped a flat card inside to make the floor. I then painted the interior black. The outside is all paper card and ribbon. Wheels are buttons which have been glued to little painted wooden pieces. These pieces were then glued to the wagon. The figures were gleaned from on line colouring pages, coloured in Photoshop Elements and then reduced to the small size I needed. There are tigers, bears and lions along with a little trapeze artist. The ringleader is trying valiently to keep control.

circus wagon

Steampunk Halloween Swap

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

steampunk halloween

This little 4×4 card was done for a swap with the Art For the Creative Mind Yahoo group. It joins both steampunk and Halloween styles. The background was made with twine glued to a red background. Two old skeletons are just lolling on a brick wall. The pumpkins were sketched and filled with a plaid background, then gears were added. The brick wall is from a local heritage building. Of course the old gents had to have top hats and one has part of a pair of goggles in keeping with the steampunk theme. They were fun to make and when put together that is when the old song came to mind. The skeletons were clip art which I removed part of the art to create the fellows I needed. A fun piece to create.

Sally Steampunk Paper Doll ….. a new paper doll for 2012

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

I am back !! A long hiatus while we packed and moved. During those months when I didn’t have enough time to blog I did work on little
Sally. She told me her clothes just had to be steampunk. So here she is: Sally Steampunk. She has lots of clothes to go with any adventures you can think up for her. I hope you have as much fun with Sally as I did in creating her.

Sally Steampunk
Sally Steampunk

Owls, three of the perkiest little fellows sitting on a branch

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

These owls were published in the McCall’s Needlework and Crafts 1965-66 Fall Winter magazine. Made of metal in this version, I can see them made from paper. How cute would they be painted in a border along a chair rail in a country cottage kitchen? Matching cushions on the wooden chairs would be so cute embroidered on linen.

owls

owls

I have redrawn the owl in Photoshop using layers and then filled with patterns. I then used a different sized stroke around each layer and bevelled each one differently. I then filled the background with black. He is too cute.

Owl created in Photoshop

Printing Plate Images from the Almonte Mill Museum

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

My visit to the Almonte Museum last year yielded several wonderful printing plates. I couldn’t resist using them for digital images.

Printing Plate Image

The original plates are the orange plates. I changed the image from colour to black and white and then recoloured them. Faces were left as is and I rotated the others to give a right side up print.

Printing Plate Image

These images could be used on a digital or scanned background, set into transparency to hover above the background and another image set over top of that. Lots of play with these old plates.

Printing Plate Images

You could also transfer the images to fabric to use in your fabric arts or onto paper for a little ATC.

Steampunk …. digital images for your art

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

I have seen many stamps where shapes have been used to fill with gears and wheels for a steampunk look. Here are two that I have made using Photoshop shapes and filling with gear brushes. I want to do more animals, especially a turtle …. turtles are my favourite animals

Steampunk circle

A circle filled with wheels and gears … this could adorn either a scanned or digitally created background. It could be given a transparency as well so more layers could be added.

Steampunk Horse

My first Steampunk horse …. I want to add a saddle to this handsome fellow. This horse, done in different colours would look good on a pasture background.

Golden Ponies and one handsome Tigger cat

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

golden prancing ponies

These handsome ponies started as Photoshop shapes found on www.DeviantArts.com. I filled them with scratches using the Wacom Bamboo tablet, created the background using more Photoshop shapes and moved the ponies onto the background. Styles created the golden colour, transparency and shadows.

Tigger

Another handsome fellow is our orange tabby. I caught him looking out the window with this very serene look on his little face. I changed him to black and white and played with shapes and the colour levels in enhancement and from there went to filters and styles.

Embroidered Alphabet

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

Another wonderful alphabet to embroider from the McCall’s Christmas transfer book. This one features caps only and would be great used for monographs. A little book to hold and sort sewing machine needles would be a great gift for your quilting mixed media artist friend and would be theirs with their initial on the front cover. A special handkerchief or napkin would be pretty with this alphabet as well as gift tags made for a favourite somebody.

alphabet-1

alphabet-2

Moths in Rainbow Colours to use with your scrapbooking

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

This little moth was sitting on the grass sunning itself last summer. It is a wonderful delicate colour and lent itself to recolouring. I have added one page of the moths to download, but if you want 4 pages download the pdf below.

original little brown moth

The original moth is pretty all by itself and could be used in a natural setting in your scrapbook.

rainbow moths

The rainbow colours would look great along with a little girl in a fairy costume on a summer day or along with a photo with a rainbow.

Rainbow Moths for your scrapbooking

Gingham backgrounds

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

Gingham has always been a favourite of mine. It can be ‘country’ or it can be ‘sophisticated’ depending on what else you use with it. It can have a vintage feel or a modern look. These backgrounds would be great used with photos of your kids, a picnic with added butterflies and bumble bees. The pdf document has red and green for Christmas, purple, blue and pink for Easter and for fall there is a tan and leaf green.

red gingham background

blue gingham

I’ve made several in rainbow colours. If you want the whole set you can download the pdf Rainbow Gingham Backgrounds for your scrapbooking

Cross stitch Alphabets …. for the words in your embroidery projects

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

This alphabet was published in the McCall’s Christmas Iron On Transfers,Vol-II-1976. It is a smaller size and could be used throughout the year. Mother’s and Father’s day cards using embroidery floss, fancy recipe cards using a permanent marking pen are great ways of using these in mixed media. Little muslin samplers made into personalized ornaments and gift tags would be quick to do and give a personal touch in any season.

cross stitch alphabet

Elvis remembered plus TODAY, a statement of the ‘now’

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

Elvis …. when I saw these brushes on the Deviant Art site I had to create this card. I used an original background layer, changing the colour from green to ruby red in enhancements and layered the guitar and Elvis profile as well as other small brushes. Styles were also used for the brush stamps. I love how this card glows.

Elvis

Love me tender, love me true…….a march down memory lane

Today, not yesterday, not tomorrow

TODAY …. live in the now, in the moment. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never happen. All we have is the right now …. TODAY. This card started as an original background, each letter was done on a separatae layer, the colour enhanced and then a drop shadow was added to each layer.

Snow White’s Wedding Dress

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

Wedding Dress for a Steam Punk princess

Snow White and her prince will be married. She will look beautiful in her wedding dress. Keeping with her new steam punk attitude the dress has been made with silver and is very enchanting. She just loves her suede boots and I think this outfit will remind the prince that Snow White will keep her steam punk attitude for a very long time.

A steam punk wedding dress needs lots of accessorites

Seven of the 14 dwarfs were able to make it to the wedding … Grumpy gave the bride away.

Snow White still needs more outfits if she is going to be well dressed

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

an outfit to face an evil queen

Snow White is ready for the evil queen wearing this outfit. She knows she is smarter than any witch and this gives her the confidence to chase the evil queen away.

ensemble for meeting the evil queen

Of course, any outfit needs to be put together and this ensemble has confidence written all over it.

traditional princess dress steam punk style

Every princess needs a traditional gown, even a steam punk princess. Her gown has steam punk balloons woven into the panels and the top. Gold is Snow White’s favourite colour.

princess dress ensemble

This gown also needs great gold jewellry to wear together. There is one dress yet to show you ….. her wedding dress

Snow White needs more steam punk clothing

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

blouse and skirt steam punk style

After Snow White has rescued her prince charming she needs to get out and go shopping. She wears her red suede skirt and blouse and adds silver knit stockings and gloves along with a wonderful pair of silver boots.

ensemble of skirt and blouse

Who wouldn’t want this great skirt and blouse ensemble ….

steam punk pant suit

Once Snow White is home again and snuggled up in her favourite chair with a good book she will chill out in her steam punk pant suit. Harem pants and a shear over blouse keep her cool on a summer evening and looking good. She loves her jet gear necklace. Her ladies-in-waiting will take care of her every wish.

steam punk pant suit ensemble

Even the stockings and suede shoes match her outfit.

Steam Punk Paper Doll…….my first paper doll book

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

Snow White was created for the “ArtForTheCreativeMind” yahoo group. The swap was a steam punk doll and everybody had a different doll. These dolls were made of paper, wood, wire and metal. A paper doll came to me when I entered the swap.

steam punk paper doll book cover

My first paper doll book belongs to Snow White. I gave her a steam punk attitude and she told me I had to write her a new story to go with her “so there” attitude. Her new clothes are modern, sexy and she wears lots of gears and grommets.

New Snow White story

Here is Snow White herself. She’s ready to wear her first new blouse and skirt. If I were the witch I wouldn’t want to mess with Snow White. She can now take care of herself.

Snow White paper doll

Snow White is ready to look for her own prince charming wearing this outfit. She will look far and wide, through woods and stream until she finds him.

Steam Punk Outfit

The outfit has been put together for easy cutting and playing. The page below shows each and every piece that is put together for this great woodsy outfit.

Steam Punk Outfit pieces

Alphabet Embroidery Patterns from Women’s Work Basket

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

Here is another alphabet set. These set is wonderfully vintage. They were published in the Women’s Work Basket magazine, a little book of all things needlework whether it was embroidery, sewing, knitting or crochet. These wonderful letters would look great on a child’s t-shirt or pillow case. Your grandchildren would love a quilted plaque using an enlarged letter either embroidered or painted. It could also be couched using a bright coloured yarn or cord.

Women's workbasket alphabet-1

alphabet

Christmas Paper Doll for 2011

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

At last, a new paper doll, this one just in time for Christmas. Two more ginger cookies to dress. Please welcome Cinnamon and Spice. They are all ready for the coming holiday. Enjoy.

Cinnamon Paper Doll

Cinnamon is all set for Christmas Eve with her little green nightgown with it’s furry trim. She will be festive in her little red dress Christmas Day and after opening her presents she can go out and make snow angels in the snow wearing her bright red snowsuit.

Spice Paper Doll

Spice will wait for Santa in his green pajamas and be all dressed up in his new blue jeans and t-shirt on Christmas Day. Later he will go out and play in the snow, maybe he will make a snow fort. Spice will stay warm and cozy in his bright green snowsuit.

More vintage ladies for your embroideries

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

Two more pages of Godey Ladies for you. These ladies along with the earlier page are all from the same vintage McCall’s transfer book. I love them all. They remind me of “Gone With the Wind” with the ladies and their long, hooped, swishing skirts.

Vintage Godey Ladies

A set of tea towels embroidered with these lovely women would make a great hostess gift to take along with you when you attend your next holiday party. One could also adorn a journal cover as well.

Vintage Godey Ladies

Redwork or bluework could make your lady stand out on a crisp pure white cotton or muted earth colours on an ecru background would give them a vintage appeal.

Christmas Alphabet….the last of the letters

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

As promised here is the last of the alphabet. I love this version of Christmas letters. It is so whimsical and adaptable for so many different venues. The letters could be appliqued using either cottons or wool felt and the rest embroidered on top. They could also be painted onto a wooden ornament or coloured in digitally and printed onto paper to make great tags.

QRST

UVW

XYZ

Christmas Alphabet to enhance your Christmas embroideries and quilts

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

A wonderful Christmas alphabet was published in the Mc’Calls Christmas transfers, Vol II. A Santa stocking with your child’s initials could make a great Christmas tradition. Embroidered onto a quilt block in a table runner, it would make the best hostess gift.

ABCD

Adding a few beads to the letters would make them extra festive.

EFGH

IJKL

Whether you embroider white on red or red on white to give it a red work appeal this alphabet fits the Christmas season.

MNOP

QRSTUVWXYZ will be posted tomorrow. There is still time to whip up two or three initials for this holiday season.

Catnip Capers …. a summer quilt of kitties playing in the sun

By on 8-28-2015 in digital art and scrapbooking site, Digital Images + Collage, Just Art, Just Art Challenge

Catnip Capers was done for a woman who truly is the mother of these cats. Her favourite flowers are sun flowers and I thought what better than to put the cats in a sunflower garden enjoying the sun on a hot hazy day. The butterflies and dragonflies along with ladybugs are all present on this summer noon along with a hazy sun directly above. The cats are playing and rolling in the grass with one (there’s always one) looking down on them with humour.

catnip capers

These cats started as embroidery outlines. I painted and coloured them in Photoshop using a Wacom Bamboo tablet. Once they were fully drawn and coloured in I used filters to give them a soft furry look. The sunflowers have stuffed middles along with some of the petals that have been sewn down onto the quilt background. Other petals are double sided giving the flowers a 3D look. The stems are twisted cord, ribbon and embroidery floss. Large leaves were cut and sewn with a raw edge and then fray stop was used to keep them from fraying. The brown-eyed susans have button middles and the flower petals are simply a piece of gathered strips that has been cut with a pinking blade and doubled. The chickweed flowers were made on a daisy loom with ribbon and seed beads sewn for the centers. The little forget-me-nots are made with dark silk from men’s ties and mauve lame. Simple small yoyos turned backward and sewn down with more seed beads. The dragonflies, butterflies and ladybugs are buttons and embellishments. This quilt was an absolute joy to make from start to finish.