A Father's Day Card and a Fabric Printing Tip

I'm still quilting away, and was seriously starting to think about giving up cards completely. Then, I needed a Father's Day card and just couldn't bring myself to buy one from a store, so I cleared a small space in my craft room and went to work. 

Ok, not exactly. It's been so long since I've made a card, I probably spent 30 minutes just looking around the room, trying to remember how to make a card and where I kept my tape gun and glue. Then, I drew a blank on what to make. But, a Mojo Monday sketch got me going pretty quick. And, here's what I ended up with:

And, here's the inside:

I honestly was not looking forward to making a card today, but it turned out to be as fun as it used to be! I guess I'll be keeping all my papercrafting supplies after all.

As for the fabric printing tip I mentioned, I have spent quite awhile trying to make a quilt label for my daughter's first quilt. I designed it in Word, which was a piece of cake. And, I printed it onto muslin by first ironing the fabric to an 8-1/2" x 11" piece of freezer paper. No problem. But, since I knew the quilt would eventually be washed, I had to make sure the label could survive washing, too. And, that's where the problems came in. (Sorry for the poor pics--I used my phone for these.)

These are just a few of the failed labels I made, starting with the ink almost completely washing out, to lots of bleeding, and even a blue-tinged muslin background. I read about something called Bubble Jet Set 2000, which I don't have, and couldn't get right now, so I found a DIY for it. The first two labels were on untreated muslin, with the first one heat set with an iron and rinsed with plain water. The second one was heat set, then got a vinegar bath, before being rinsed with plain water. The third one, which is incredibly color-rich, was printed on muslin pre-treated with the DIY Bubble Jet. It was gorgeous right out of the printer, as were the rest of my attempts on the treated muslin. But, the fabric softener rinses ruined all of them because the ink bled into the muslin so bad. The one with the blue-tinge was rinsed in a bath of regular blue Downey, rather than Downey Free--oops! I was about to give up completely, but decided to give it one more try and finally found the solution:

This one looks much better than the others! And, it was so easy! I found out that all the ink bleed on the previous tries was because I had my printer set on the "best" printing setting. Almost all the people who wrote about doing this said to print on the highest quality setting. I found, for my printer at least, that using the highest setting put too much ink into the muslin. The image was really vibrant after printing, but couldn't stand up to even a drop of water. For this final label, I set my printer to a standard quality setting, printed onto untreated muslin, heat set it with a hot, dry iron, gave it a 100% vinegar bath, swishing for 10-15 seconds, then immediately put it in a quick bath of cool water mixed with about one teaspoon of Downey free (the clear kind), swishing it continuously for another 10-15 seconds. I did NOT wring it afterward. Instead, I laid it between two clean towels and pressed the water out as much as possible. (Ink was still coming out of the label--my white towels now have gray stains. Be sure to use old towels!) Finally, I heat set the label with my iron. I tested washing it again (without vinegar) and it held up great!

A lot of people recommend vinegar to set ink in fabric, but just as many say that vinegar won't set ink, especially into cotton fabric. I don't know what finally caused the ink to set, but what I found was that, while water caused most of the ink to immediately lift and/or bleed--every single time, with vinegar, only a small amount of ink lifted, and there was no bleed. Any time I had gotten bleed, it was during the water bath, not in the vinegar.

I did like the way the DIY Bubble Jet worked by giving me a much more vivid and crisp image on the muslin, so I am going to using it again, but printing with a standard quality setting onto treated muslin, when I make a label for my quilt. If it works better, I'll let you know.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a Happy Father's Day!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Mojo Monday #452
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Animal Magic
613 Avenue Create #181: Anything Goes

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Paper Sweeties January 2016 Inspiration Challenge

Happy New Year! Let's ring in the New Year with an Inspiration Challenge from Paper Sweeties! 

I used Sending Sweet Thoughts Sweet Cuts dies for the cupcake on this card, and heat embossed the cupcake border (from the matching stamp set) along the sides. For sparkle, I added a few Paper Sweeties Frosting Sequins, as well as a bow made with Robin Egg Baker's Twine. The lower edge was punched with a border punch. 

Aren't the colors in this month's challenge pic gorgeous!

Here's another look at the card with the front and back pressed together so you can see the gold cardstock shining through the border punched edge. The cupcake has the same gold as a base, too.

There's that gold foil strip that shows through the front of the card. The sentiment is from the Sending Sweet Thoughts stamp set. After stamping it and coloring the heart in with a dark brown Copic, I used a red gel pen to outline the heart. You can't see it well in the photo, but I backed the sentiment panel with gold foil so it would shine through the die cut zigzag borders.

Be sure to visit the rest of the DT for more inspiration! 

Angel Johns 
Annette Witherspoon

Cheryl Lea - You are here!

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties

 Emily Frasier
Jeri Thomas

Jill Norwood

Julie Tucker-Wolek

Kathy Schweinfurth

Larissa Heskett

Mackie Robertson

Maria Patrick

Michelle Bala
Michele Henderson 
Mynnette Kitchen

Nancy Penir
 Nancy Salkeld

January Guest Designer: Lisa Bzibziak

Thanks for stopping by! I hope 2016 is a spectacular year for you!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Your Next Stamp Sketch Challenge #29
613 Avenue Create Challenge #156: Anything Goes

~Hugs,

Supplies Used:

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People Will Stare: Another Crazy Bird Card

I recently got the Technique Junkies sentiment stamp that I used on this card, and couldn't wait to pair it up with this particular Crazy Bird!

I colored this bird with Copics, adding some detail and dimension to the face. You can't see it in the pic, but the red scallops on the wings and tail were colored with a red Spica pen so they have a nice sparkle. I used a white Sharpie paint pen to make the white dots on the bird's body, and gave him some Glossy Accent eyes. After stamping the sentiment, I colored in some of the words with a Copic marker, then sprinkled a few shiny sequins around the card.

Just one more card to post! 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Wednesday: Make it Sparkle
613 Avenue Create Challenge #155: Anything Goes
Penny Black and More December Challenge: Anything Goes with a Stamp

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You're Weird: A Crazy Bird Card

Here's the second of four Crazy Bird cards I made this week. I used the current Your Next Stamp sketch for the card design.

The bird is colored with Copics, and I used a little gesso in the upper left corner before heat embossing the sentiment.  The texture behind the bird is pink Frantage Embossing Enamel, and I also used some silver embossing powder over that and in the opposite corner, over the sentiment. Silver Paper Sweeties sequins filled with blue Pearl Pen gel add sparkle. As with the earlier Fluffy Bird, I used Glossy Accents on the eyes, but on this one, I first used a dot of black Pearl Pen, let that dry, then added a smaller dot of white paint pen, let that dry, then filled the rest of the eye with Glossy Accents.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Your Next Stamp Sketch Challenge #29
Simon Says Wednesday: Make it Sparkle
613 Avenue Create Challenge #155: Anything Goes
Penny Black and More December Challenge: Anything Goes with a Stamp

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Fluffy Crazy Bird Card

A friend specifically requested a Crazy Bird card with this sentiment, so I made it and 3 other Crazy Bird cards as a set for her. I'll post the other cards as I get the pics edited.

I've had the stamps for awhile, and recently got the dies for them, too. I love that the dies cut right along the line of the image, with very little white border showing. I made rub-ons with a transparency for the sentiment. The eyes are dimensional with Glossy Accents, the cute sequins are from Paper Sweeties, and I used a sketch from Sugar Pea Designs.

I'll be back with the rest of the set soon.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Sugar Sketch Challenge #33
Simon Says Wednesday: Make it Sparkle
613 Avenue Create Challenge #155: Anything Goes
Penny Black and More December Challenge: Anything Goes with a Stamp

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Custom Handbound Address Book

If you saw my last post, and actually made it to the end, you know that I have been working on a project for myself--a new address book. I almost gave up on it before I ever got to the binding part because getting the pages printed right was so difficult, but I persevered, and here it is! (Lots of photos!)

Most of my books are approximately 4" x 5", but this one is larger--5" x 7".  It is bound very similar to my journal from Monday, with a groove for the elastic band and Coptic and French Link Stitches over tapes, but I added Long Stitches with weaving, also.

Since this book has a longer spine, I was able to use wider ribbon for the French Link stitches, and I had a fairly large area for the long stitches. 

Here's a better view of the spine, especially the weaving. Weaving like this is simple, but given that I had 2" of Long Stitches to cover, and the thread was not very thick, it took awhile. And, since I don't have a lying press, I had to hold the book between my knees and sit all scrunched up while I worked on it, which did not make my neck happy at all! What a relief when I finally got to the last row!

I covered the inside covers with a calm, dark green paper. I like pink, but can only take so much of it at once. You can also see the first divider. I used white 65 lb. cardstock and added die cut tabs. The text on the tabs was made with a label maker. The black and white strip is Washi tape. I love how it looks, but I mainly used it to cover the part of the tabs that is glued to the divider. It didn't look too good sitting there all naked. ;D 

The best part of making your own address book is getting to put anything you want in it and leaving out things you don't need. These are the sections in my book. There are 15 in all, and I divided them by wrapping every other section with a cardstock folio. In all, each section has 12 pages--a total of 180, not including the dividers. You might be wondering if I'll ever get around to showing you the actual pages, right?

This is my title page. The pretty floral paper is a digital paper by Juliana Kneipp, called Old Sweet Times. Unfortunately, she no longer makes or sells digi paper, so I don't think it is available anymore. I used this particular image because it was only a border. Since I was printing this on my printer, I didn't want something that was going to drink up all my ink.

The entire book was created in Word, using tables. Here's my Personal Information page. I used that same floral image on every page in the book, adding a text box over it for the tables I made for the information. 

One of the things I really wanted in this book was a place to put things like the paint colors we've used, and major appliance information. I don't need to access it very often, but when I do need it, I can never find it. On the facing page, there is room for favorite babysitters, restaurants, theaters, parks, and libraries. 

The actual address section has 6 pages per letter, with room for 4 addresses on each page, except for a couple of combined sections (t,u,v and x,y,z). I can't imagine ever having more than 24 addresses under one letter of the alphabet, so I think I'll be able to use this book for a long time.

The last section is just a place for notes. All the pages in this section are set up the same, but 4 of them have a blank writing area, 4 have a lined writing area, and 4 have a grid writing area. You never know what you'll need to write in there. It probably looks like the text on every page in this book is printed in a different color. It's not. I can never get photos with lots of white to turn out right--especially when there is a lot of red in the photo, too. 

I see pics of handmade books with the pages fanned like this. Why? I have no idea. But, I figured I'd do it, too. :D

And, this is my favorite shot of a handbound book with an exposed spine. One that shows both covers and the spine at the same time.

After working on this for several weeks, now I need to fill it with information. I hope I can bring myself to actually write in it! I might need to work on my penmanship first. ;~/

Hope you are having a stellar week! Thanks for stopping by!

I'm entering this book in the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create #148: Anything Goes
Color Throwdown #367 (CTD#367)
Craft Your Passion Challenge #286: Always Anything Goes

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Paper Sweeties November 2015 Inspiration Challenge

I hope everyone had a scary-fun Halloween yesterday! Now, it's time to gear up for Thanksgiving, and what better way to get started than with an Autumn/Thanksgiving Inspiration Challenge from Paper Sweeties! Whatever theme you decide to go with, the warm color palette is sure to inspire you to create something fabulous! I hope you'll play along with us.

I colored sweet Abigail and dressed her in an Indian maiden costume from the Give Thanks stamp set, for a Thanksgiving card. I paper pieced her dress from a scrap that reminded me of leather and dressed it up a bit by stamping the headband design as a belt, which I colored with Spica pens. The pumpkin image and sentiment are both from the same stamp set. And, since every card needs a little sparkle, I added a few Paper Sweeties Black Cherry sequins and filled each of them with Lime Green Stickles. 

Whenever I add patterned or embossed paper to a sentiment panel, I like to adhere it to the white cardstock before die cutting. I like the look of the embossed edge extending over the entire piece. I only had a tiny bit of the dotted paper left, so I slipped it just under the edge of the sentiment layer die cut to add some color and to give the front and the inside more cohesion. 

I've already taken a peek at some of the cards from the DT, and they are beautiful. You won't want to miss a single one:

Angel Johns 
Annette Witherspoon

Cheryl Lea - That's Me!

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties

 Emily Frasier

Jill Norwood

Julie Tucker-Wolek

Kathy Schweinfurth

Larissa Heskett

Mackie Robertson

Maria Patrick

Michelle Bala
Mynnette Kitchen

Nancy Penir

November Guest Designer:  Michele Henderson

Thanks for stopping by, and have a blessed week!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday: Throwback (I chose the July 2015 We're Going Dotty challenge)
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes
The Shabby Tea Room #262: Colors and Patterns
613 Avenue Create #148: Anything Goes
Sugar Pea Designs SPD21: Anything Goes
The Corrosive Challenge #236: Autumn Splendor
Oddball Art Stamps Challenge: Halloween (or Harvest)
TCP Tuesday 302 (TCPTUES302): Anything Goes
4 Crafty Chicks 4CC #270: Anything Goes (Crazy Egg Challenge)

~Hugs,

Supplies Used:

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Practical and Pretty: A Handbound Checkbook Register

I've got something a little more practical than normal to share with you today. I needed a new checkbook cover, but kept forgetting to go to the bank to pick it up, when it occurred to me that a check register is nothing more than a small book, and I'm perfectly capable of making one of those. So, that's what I did.

Now, you know I would never make something plain and boring like a typical checkbook cover. I wanted one that was pretty. So I found a beautiful, bright floral print cardstock for the cover and stitched the pages in with a longstitch binding, gathering up the stitches in the center for a little pizzazz. And, for a change, I think I actually got the colors right in a photo. It really is as vivid as the photo.

Since I was going to make a book anyway, I figured I'd go ahead and really make it worth my time, so before making the book, I designed my own check register sheets in Word. Pink and Orange are the first two sections. They have basically the same information that a standard register does, but I gave myself a little more room to write, put more lines on a page, and made them in several bright colors. Based on how many entries we normally have in our checkbook, this one should last me about 5 years. Each year can be written in a different colored section, as there are five in all. The book ended up measuring about 5-1/2" x 6-1/2" x 1/2".

The third section is green. I sewed the book together with a deep yellow linen thread. You can see the stitching here, but somehow I lost the color in editing. Notice that the book lies completely flat. That's one of the things I love about handbound books. They are very writer-friendly.

The last two sections are a teal blue and purple. In between the sections, because of the style of binding, you can see the back side of the cover, which has a small floral pattern on it. I pasted two sheets of cardstock together in order to make the cover sturdier. If I'm going to use it for five years, I don't want it falling apart on me.

Here's a look at the pattern on the inside of the cover, and you can see the pocket I made to hold a book of checks. This is the one thing that I will do differently in my next book like this. I bound the pocket into the spine in the back of the book, at the same time I sewed the sections together, which makes for a nice place to hold the checkbook, however, when I actually used the register, I realized that it makes a big lump under the pages, so I have to pull the checkbook out even if I'm not actually writing checks. Next time, I plan to make a flap on the back cover with a pocket so that, when I'm writing in the book, all I have to do is flip the flap out and the book is flat for writing. Whew, that was a lot of "fl's!"

Here is a better look at the longstitch binding I used. I LOVE how it turned out! If you are interested in making one of these yourself, I have a link to the book I referenced below.

And, finally, here is a look at the book completely opened. Isn't that a happy cover? Nobody ever said that bill paying has to be dull, right? 

I've always enjoyed bookbinding, but now that I've got my MONSTER paper trimmer, I'm loving it more than ever, and I've been busy making books, but I haven't had time to edit the pics yet. I hope to have at least 3 new blank journals posted by next weekend!

In the meantime, thanks for visiting, and have a happy week!

I'm entering this project in the following challenges:

613 Avenue Create Challenge #146: Anything Goes

Paper Issues Link Party Challenge: Fan-atics

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Paper Sweeties October Release Party!

Paper Sweeties Release Party is here, which means that all the new Paper Sweeties October stamp sets are available in the Boutique starting right now!  And, here's another Christmas card created with the newest Sweet Cuts die set, Stitched Tags #2.

After painting corrugated cardboard with white acrylic paint, I die cut the tree in the center. For the colorful tree inside, I happened to have some 12x12 patterned paper with large Christmas trees on it, so I just cut the tree from that. For the shaker, I used my Fuse tool to create a shaker pouch from a sheet protector and filled it with Frosting and Sugar Sprinkles sequins and Fran-tage Shaved Ice. I like the way acetate sheets look for shakers, but I have to tell you, using a plastic pouch is much easier because you can fill it before putting it in the card, and to attach it, I just die cut a tree from a second piece of cardboard, then sandwiched the edges of the pouch between the two cardboard layers. After adhering those layers to a red and white dotted background paper, I made a green bow with Green Apple Seam Binding and Peppermint Baker's Twine, both available at Paper Sweeties, and added a few Strawberry sequins around the card, filled with White Opal Liquid Pearls. Finally the star tree topper was cut with the star die in the Trim the Tree Sweet Cuts set, and Diamond Stickles gave it plenty of sparkle.

On the inside of the card, I stamped a sentiment from the new Do You See What I See stamp set, colored the heart with a Copic marker, and used a paint pen for the highlight. The distressed cardboard Christmas tree is the die cut from the front of the card.

The Paper Sweeties DT has more inspiration for you. Just click on each of the names to see what they've been busy doing lately.

Angel Johns 
Cheryl Lea - That's Me!

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Emily Frasier 
Jill Norwood 

Kathy Schweinfurth

Larissa Heskett
Mackie Robertson

Maria Patrick

Michelle Bala
Mynnette Kitchen

Nancy Penir

Release Week always ends with a Rewind day. Check back tomorrow for Rewind Day, to see one last project featuring the newest releases from Paper Sweeties.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create Challenge #145: Anything Goes
House of Cards October Challenge: Add Texture &/or Color Inspiration
Craft Your Passion Challenge #283: Always Anything Goes
TCP Tuesday TCPTUES301: Anything Goes Challenge

~Hugs,

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Paper Sweeties October Release Countdown!

Day 2 of Paper Sweeties' October New Releases is here, and I've got a bright and cheery Christmas card to share with you. 

This card was so easy to make, and unlike most of my cards, it has no coloring (except for tiny hearts inside). The mitten tags were die cut from the new Stitched Tags #2 Sweet Cuts die set, and I added black faux stitches with a Sharpie marker, and some Strawberry and Green Apple Seam Binding. The sentiment is from the O' Christmas Tree stamp set, and was heat embossed with white ep. A few Sugar Sprinkles Sequins add the requisite sparkle.

I love the simple Peace Love Joy sentiment with those sweet little hearts that I colored with a red Copic marker. It's out of the new Stand Add On: Manger stamp set.

All the new October new release stamps and dies will be available in the Paper Sweeties boutique beginning tomorrow!

My Paper Sweeties teamies have more inspiration waiting for you on each of their blogs:

Angel Johns 
Cheryl Lea - That's Me!

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Emily Frasier 
Jill Norwood 

Kathy Schweinfurth

Larissa Heskett
Mackie Robertson

Maria Patrick

Michelle Bala
Mynnette Kitchen

Nancy Penir

Have you entered this month's Inspiration Challenge yet? There's still time!

And, be sure to check out the October Kit of the Month. Aren't these cards adorable!

I'll have another Christmas card tomorrow. Hope to see you again, then.

Until tomorrow,

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create #145: Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion Challenge #283: Always Anything Goes
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Clean & Simple Christmas

~Hugs,

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Paper Sweeties October Release Sneak Peeks!

Hello all my crafty friends! I hope you had a fun, long holiday weekend. We topped ours off with a trip to a local farm with our homeschool group and had an amazing day! 

And, now, since it's mid-month, it's time for Release Week at Paper Sweeties! Yay! Here we go....

I used the new stamp set, Stand Add On: Manger to create this Christmas card, and used kraft cardstock, in keeping with Paper Sweeties October Inspiration Challenge, which you still have time to enter. I stamped the images, including the star from the new Do You See What I See stamp set, onto kraft cs, then colored them with Prismacolor pencils, adding Stickles to the halo. The star was heat embossed with glitter ep. For the background, I cut a kraft distressed rectangle, then inked up a woodgrain embossing folder with Fossilized Amber on one side and Walnut Stain on the other, spritzed them with water, then sandwiched the kraft cs, and embossed it. I used Paper Sweeties Tea Seam Binding and Cookie Dough Baker's Twine for the bow, and added Gold and Frosting sequins for a starry night sparkle. The vellum banner, from the Hello Friend stamp set, was heat embossed with clear ep, and the sentiment was heat embossed with black ep. I used the Be Happy Sweet Cuts die set to die cut the banner. 

The inside sentiment panel was sponged with Fossilized Amber and I did a little masking to stamp two straw images together. The sentiment, from the new Do You See What I See stamp set, was stamped, then I colored in the "Christmas" text with a Garnet Spica pen. I hand-doodled the brown border with a fine-tip Sharpie marker.

Now, prepare yourself to be wowed by the rest of the Paper Sweeties team!

Angel Johns 
Cheryl Lea - That's Me!

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Emily Frasier 
Jill Norwood 

Kathy Schweinfurth

Larissa Heskett
Mackie Robertson

Maria Patrick

Michelle Bala
Mynnette Kitchen

Nancy Penir

As I mentioned earlier, there is still time to enter this month's Inspiration Challenge.

And, be sure to check out the October Kit of the Month. Aren't these cards adorable!

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you'll come back tomorrow for another sneak peek. Here's a little teaser for ya...

Until then,

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create #145: Anything Goes
Penny Black October Challenge: Warm Autumn Colours
Craft Your Passion Challenge #283: Always Anything Goes
House of Cards October Challenge: Add Texture &/or Color Inspiration

~Hugs,

Supplies Used:

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