Remembering 9-11

Remember 911

Do you remember where you were when you heard that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center? It is that moment of my generation, similar to the day John F Kennedy was assassinated. For me, I cannot forget the horror and images that replay in my mind.

I was at work, and my husband called me and asked if I'd heard? I didn't know what he was talking about, but noticed people gathering around the television.  From that moment on, we were all sickeningly glued to the television. Our brains were screaming, this cannot be true, and our hearts were crying for those trapped, and for their families and friends. Everyone wondering if someone they knew was in the building. My husband could see the smoke from the burning buildings, and was relieved that they didn't have a meeting there that day.

I still get emotional when I remember seeing the second plane crash into the South Tower, it was 9:03 am, then the Pentagon, news of another flight that was likely hijacked, then the most horrifying thing happened, at 9:59 am the South Tower collapsed. At 10:03 the brave passengers of flight 93 die as the hijackers crash the plane in a field in Pennsylvania. Finally, at 10:28 am the North Tower collapses. All those innocent people, all those families whose lives were changed forever.  Nearly 3,000 people died that day.

Remember 911 free subway art printable

In the face of all that horror were stories of bravery, the passengers of flight 93 who tried to stop the terrorists and lost their lives while preventing the plane from reaching its target. The brave firemen, policemen,  and all first responders who rushed into those buildings that would soon collapse. Do you remember what you were doing or where you were when you heard that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center? 

As we get up and go about our days today, try to remember to take a moment to remember those who lost their lives that day. Give your spouse a kiss, your kids an extra hug, call your parents, do something kind today.

Remember 911 card

Wishing you and your families are safe today.

Birthday Card and some Linky Parties

The weather can't decide what it wants to do these days, it is rainy, hot, cold, dry, you name it.

I made this birthday card for a co-worker whose birthday happened to fall on a business trip we took recently.  I'm glad I took a picture of it before our trip because it didn't travel well, it was a wee bit squished when we arrived - lol.

While I was contemplating what to make, I made my rounds around blog-land and decided to follow the sketch from this weeks Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog to inspire my card.

So what do you think of my interpretation of this sketch? To make it more fun, I decided to try some colors I don't use very often and added some fun dies and followed my inspiration muse. I added the Pink "ribbon"  to soften up the card.


I am participating in the following challenges:

• Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog - Sketch Challenge - Follow the sketch; keep it simple, dress it up as much as you like so long as we can see the layout on your creations
• Make it Monday #144 b - with Nicecrane Designs - Ignacio is generously providing a $20 gift voucher to our winner! to be in the running to win the prize from our sponsor this week just leave a comment for another entry. Be sure to mention you saw them on Make It Monday

I used my Marianne Designs - Creatables Die on this card because I hadn't used them before :-)




I hope you have a wonderful day!

Free Quilling Pattern Happy Song Birds

Here is a sweet project using a 2-1/2 x 3-1/2 inch format (ATC size) - I still haven't decided if it will be added to a card or framed? Why not share your thoughts in a comment?

I started with a 2 part crackle medium. This is easy to use:

• Start with a dark navy blue as the base, let it dry
• Apply the crackle medium, let it dry
• Paint a white top coat over the crackle medium and this is where the magic occurs - as the paint drys it creates "cracks" where the blue peaks through

Then I painted some tree branches in blue (I am into blue these days) :-)

This is where the quilling is added....

2 Song Birds (make each one this way - updated paper length):

• 1 - 12 in ( 30.4 cm) redshaped teardrop - play with this a little to get it to look like the body
• 1 - 6 in ( 15.2 cm) red teardrop for the head - lay this teardrop with the pointed end on top of the rounded body
• 1 - 1.5 in (3.8 cm) white beak - roll into a lose coil and push into center to create the beak

The remaining accents all use 1/16 in ( cm) wide paper

• 10 - 3 in ( 7.6 cm) green shaped marquise
• 1 - 3 in ( 7.6 cm) green teardrop
• 3 - 1.5 in ( 3.8 cm) green spiral
• 4 - 1.5 in ( 3.8 cm) red tight roll - for buds
• 8 - 1.5 in ( 3.8 cm) white tight roll - for buds

Arrange as shown and you have pair of very Happy Song Birds!

Enjoy!
Copyright for Personal Use Antonella DeFalco

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Free Quilling Pattern Flower Power Girl

I want to give a special Shout Out to my friend Toni - who inspired this pattern and to my friend Marie who always makes me smile ...

This very happy Flower Power Girl is ready to brighten up anyone's day... She is perfect for a card or scrapbook page. This particular beauty was framed and given as a gift.

To Make Her Dress
Bodice - use 1/8 in (.3 cm) wide quilling paper

• 1 - 8 in (20.32 cm) Purple Marquise
• 2 - 4 in (10.16 cm) Purple Marquise for her sleeves

Skirt - use 1/8 in (.3 cm) wide quilling paper and 1/4 in (.6 cm) wide for fringed flower

• 1 - 6 in (15.24 cm) Pink fringed flower
• 2 - 8 in (20.32 cm) Red Marquise (outside)
• 2 - 6 in (15.24 cm) Red Marquise
• 2 - 6 in (15.24 cm) Pink Marquise
• 1 - 4 in (10.16 cm) Red Marquise (center)
• Arrange as shown

Tip: Place the large red Marquise on the outside and layer the remaining Marquise alternating color on top to give dimension to the skirt. You can always add more Marquise for a fuller look.

Arms, Legs and Hair

• 2 - 3 in (7.62 cm) White strips for arms
• 2 - 6 in (15.24 cm) White strips for legs
• 2 - 3 in (7.62 cm) Purple Tight Coil for heel
• 2 - 6 in (15.24 cm) Pink Tight Coil for front of shoes
• 1 - 48 in (121.92 cm) White Tight Coil for her face
• 5 - 4 in (10.16 cm) Pink Spiral for her hair

You can mix and match colors to match any card or layout. She was the starting point for a very happy cheerleader for my niece, I altered that design a bit and will have to share that one another day.

I hope you have as much fun as she is!

Enjoy!
Copyright for Personal Use Antonella DeFalco

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Free Quilling Pattern Lovey Dovey Birdhouse

Today's free quilling pattern is a heart filled birdhouse that I like to call the "Lovey Dovey Birdhouse." I gave this card as part of a housewarming gift.



This is done in a very perky Spring-like design and is done in a style that I like to call "adornment quilling". Adornment quilling on this project refers to the fact that I have added quilling to my paper pieced birdhouse embellishment.



If you are new to quilling, please click to learn the basics of quilling and to learn to make the basic quilled shapes that are assumed you know how to do in creating many of these designs.

I simply cut a 1.5 inch x 2 inch yellow rectangle and added a pretty pink roof. For added design, I added a strip of pink in the center to make this a 2 story birdhouse. I glued these elements in place before I added the quilling.

Starting at the roof-top and working our way down, this is what I've done.

Roof:

• 3 - 3 inch (7.62 cm) teardrops
• 1 - 3 inch (7.62 cm) tight coil
• 2 - 3 inch (7.62 cm) loose coil (like a quotation mark)

Second Floor:

• 2 - 3 inch (7.62 cm) open hearts
• 1 - 3 inch (7.62 cm) tight coil
  

Middle Level:

• 2 - 3 inch (7.62 cm) S-Scrolls
  

First Floor:

• 2 - 3 inch (7.62 cm) open hearts
• 1 - 3 inch (7.62 cm) tight coil
  

Add this to your Valentines Day card for a special child or loved one. If you are a scrapbooker, this is a perfect embellishment for your page. The great part about all of this is that it isn't too bulky so it won't make your page too lumpy.

Enjoy!
Copyright for Personal Use Only Antonella DeFalco

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Gerbera Daisy Quilling Pattern

A splash of color in every Gerbera Daisy...

Do you ever like to challenge yourself? Sometimes I think it is a lot of fun, so I limited myself to the following and decided to see what I could come up with:

• Black card blank
• Pink and Turquoise quilling strips
• Pink, green, and yellow squares
• White rectangle
• Rhinestones

For each Daisy:

• 5 - 6 inch (15.24 cm) Teardrops
• Place all teardrops with the points touching in the center and glue
• 1 - rhinestone (placed in the center)

The original card that I wanted to make was this simple color blocked design. I have deliberately included 2 versions of this card to show you how a simple scrapbooking/cardmaking ink drawn stitching can make a world of difference on your finished product.

You can see that these cards are the same except for the added "stitching" on the second card. This very easy to do pattern of "dot dash dot dash dot" (. _ . _ . _ . _) really adds a finishing touch to this card. Where as the first card looks ok, you realize when you see the second card that it could be that much better.

I think my favorite thing about this card is the rhinestones. I have come to appreciate rhinestones and that special something that they add to your projects. I challenge you to take some simple products and come up with your own designs.

Stay tuned tomorrow for a whole slew of cards that I made with these same supplies. Here is my favorite card of all the ones I made.




Enjoy!
Copyright Antonella DeFalco

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Quilled Daisy Pattern

Spring is here and everything is coming up Daisies. Well, it is a bit cold outside where I live, so not much is growing, but I know that soon the weather will become warmer.

I so much love daisies - especially the quilled ones. They are a perfect addition to a card or scrapbook page and you can always arrange them around a photograph. They are perfect for almost anything. My research says that we get the name daisy from the English translation of "daes eage" or "days eye." They symbolize "Innocence and joy," what a great Title for your scrapbook page.

I love the simplicity and all the vibrant colors that a daisy can be... especially with the Gerbera daisies. How much fun to be able to make a rainbow with your daisies?

I have had a lot of fun making daisies. Today I will post the basic daisy and tomorrow I will share with you my experiments with the Gerbera daisy.



To make the basic 7-Petal Daisy you need the following:
7 - 12 inch (30.48 cm) Teardrops
1 - 24 inch (60.96 cm) grape roll
2 - 12 inch (30.48 cm) Teardrops
1 - strip of green for the stem

Note: When making flowers I tend to use an odd-number of petals. This is a common thing to do in design and is ultimately more pleasing.

Enjoy!
Copyright Antonella DeFalco

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Free Quilling Pattern Pink Dogwood with Butterfly

I am attaching a picture of a card that I made using a photograph that I took of a Pink Dogwood. I started with my original photograph and then focused on a particular portion of the photograph to create the attached magnet.

This post is for my friend Lynn. I like this idea
My supplies for this project are:

• 4x6 photograph of Pink Dogwood (follow this link to my Flickr! account)
• Business Card - Magnet size photograph (follow this link to my Flickr! account)
• Business Card Magnets (purchased from office supply store, like Staples)
• Quilling strips (please feel free to use any color you like - Paplin pearlized papers have been used in this photograph)
• Rhinestones
• Clear photo corners to attach the magnet
• White Glue to affix quilling (Elmer's or any clear drying scrapbooking glue)

Instructions:

1. Print the 4x6 photograph and attached it to a card blank (approximately 5 x 6-7/8 inches or A-7 size).
2. Cut apart the business card size photographs.
3. Removed the paper from the business card magnet exposing the tape and affixed the photo. Note: for more durability and a stronger bond, you may add additional adhesive to the photo.
4. Quill the flower following attached instructions
5. Quill the butterfly following attached instructions
6. Affix flower and butterfly to magnet (use photo as a guide)
   

To make the flower:

• 5 - 6 inch (15.24 cm) Teardrops
• Glue teardrops with pointed ends touching
• 1 rhinestone place on top of center where teardrops meet

Butterfly
Butterfly wings:

• 1 large wing using the Spreuer Technique - 7up-6L-5L-4L (For this wing, begin wrapping with the longest length going straight up and then each subsequent smaller length continuing to the left (L) to create the shape)
• 1 large wing using the Spreuer Technique - 7up-6R-5R-4R (For this wing, begin wrapping with the longest length going straight up and then each subsequent smaller length continuing to the right (R) to create the shape)
• 2 small wings using the Spreuer Technique - 5-3R-3L (for these smaller wing sections, begin wrapping in the center and then wrapped to the right (R) and then the left (L))
• Place the bottom (glued end) of the small wing into the space at the bottom of the large wing. This allows the small wing to lay against the body of the butterfly.

Butterfly Body:

• Take a purple triangle of paper, beginning at the wide end, start rolling the paper.
• Note: Roll the paper several times until the body is a width that is pleasing, then apply glue to the inside of the triangle so that the paper retains its shape.

Special Notes:

• Links have been included to previous posts that contain instructions for making the teardrop shape referenced in these instructions. Please read the Spreuer Instructions if this is the first time you are attempting this technique. I also have a PDF file that contains the Spreuer Instructions if that is easier for you.
• I have sized the dogwood photograph and the business card photos so that they are 4x6. I have done this so that you can take the file and print it on your home computer or send it out to have it printed. Please let me know if you are having any problems with the photos on Flickr!
• Please send me a note with your email address and I will send you the files or answer any questions directly. Please look on my profile to find the link to send me email.

Enjoy!
Copyright Antonella DeFalco

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