A Vintage Journey - May Challenge - Sew Special

The May challenge is up at A Vintage Journey.  Jenny is our hostess this month and this is her challenge: Sew Special  "Add fabric to your entry in some way, be it felt, burlap, ribbon or cloth and if you're really being brave maybe include a touch of real or faux stitching!  We are looking forward to seeing what ideas you have to incorporate this sew special theme in your vintage; shabby; mixed media; art journaling; industrial or steampunk projects."  

 I decided to make my project in an actual sewing theme.  I made a Needle Book.

I used ribbon, lace, felt and I hand sewed a stitch to adhere the button! 

I die cut the inside page piece of Eileen Hull's Sizzix Passport Die (the section on the left of the die), once out of  the new Sizzix Black Paper Leather and once out of tan felt for the inside page.

I embossed the Paper Leather piece with Tim's Springtime Background embossing folder.  Embossing the front and the back of the cover.  Then I sponged over the embossing to highlight it with Ranger Distress Paint in Picket Fence and Cracked Pistachio. I took a photo with one side not sponged yet so you could see how the embossing looks before I added the paint.

To decorate the cover of the Needle Book, I stamped a sentiment from Quilter's Sampler set by PTI onto a Pocket Card that I trimmed down to fit the sentiment.  I sponged the edges with Ranger Distress Ground Espresso.  I cut a piece of Lace Trimmings to fit along the top of the cover and sponged that in Ground Espresso as well.  I wanted to make a tab of some sort to close my Needle Book and thought this Half and Half die from PTI would work well (I've hardly used it until now!).  I cut it out of the Paper Leather and left it plain to contrast with the cover.  I found a sweet little dragonfly button in my button box that I thought would look perfect on the tab.

 I found this little scissors charm in my stash and embossed it using Wendy Vecchi Archival Tree Branch Ink and Watering Can Embossing Powder.

Here's a close up of the scissors on the Needle Book.  I tied a piece of wrinkled seam tape through the loop on the scissors and glued it to the Pocket Card.  I added a strip of Sketch Book Tissue Tape behind the Pocket Card.

I trimmed down the length of the tab, measuring how much I wanted to fold up onto the front -  and stapled the straight edge onto the back of the Needle Book to be sure it would be held on nice and strong.  I stamped TO: and FROM: on a Vial Label and stuck it onto the tab.

I put sticky backed Velcro on the tab and Needle Book to hold it closed. 

Here's how the tab looks closed.  I stitched the button onto the Paper Leather to hold it in place securely through openings and closing of the Needle Book!

 And finally -  here is the felt piece bound inside the cover with a piece of wrinkled seam tape tied in a bow along the outside seam - holding some safety pins, a threaded needle and some hemming pins with lots of space for more items!  The felt nicely hides the staples I used on the back of the tab too!

This is the first time I've used the new Sizzix Paper Leather - I purchased a sample back of black, white and tan to try it out - and it really worked well for this project.  It makes my little Needle Book feel soft and supple - it would have been quite stiff with plain cardstock.  And it took the embossing quite nicely! The book measures 4 3/4" x 3 1/4"

So - what inspires you with our Sew Special theme this month??  I can't wait to see what you link up over at the A Vintage Journey blog.  You also must check out what the rest of the Creative Guides have 'sewn up' for your inspiration as well!

I'm also linking my project to:
Anything But Cute - Celebrate Your Style

Stamps:  Quilter's sampler - Papertrey Ink, To and From: from Season of Love - Tags - Waltzingmouse.
Paper:  Black Paper Leather Sheet - Sizzix
Ink:  Ranger Distress Ground Espresso, Wendy Vecchi Archival Tree Branch, True Black - PTI
Accessories:  Springtime Background and Borders Embossing Folder - Tim Holtz/Sizzix, tan felt - Joann, Ranger Distress Paint Picket Fence and Cracked Pistachio, Idea-ology Pocket Cards, Trimmings-Lace, Sketchbook Tissue Tape, Vial Labels,  Small Attacher - Ranger, Book/Passport Die - Eileen Hull/Sizzix, Half and Half Die - PTI, scissors charm - Karen Foster, Velcro - Scotch,  Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive, heat tool, sponge, wrinkled seam tape - Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy shop.

Fusion Feb 4th - Paper Hearts

There's a new Fusion Challenge just posted over at the Fusion Card Challenge blog!   You can make it a Valentine - or not - check out the inspiration for this week!

I recently 'discovered' some lovely water color vellum hiding in my craft room and thought it would be perfect for my card.  I punched 2 sizes of hearts, layering the smaller over the larger and sewing them together in a row leaving threads at the beginning and at the end.

I made 3 cards - using different patterned paper on each.  I folded up the sides of the smaller hearts to give depth to the card.

I  cut panels using PTI's Tipped Tops die out of both patterned paper and white card stock and layered them together for strength.  I adhered the strings from the hearts on the back of the panel at top and bottom - and then layered the panel onto the cardbase with foam dots.

To finish them off - I added some white and clear sequins.

So I was inspired by the photo  this week!  What inspires you this fortnight - the hearts, the stars, the sketch? 

PROCEDURES:
1. Play with just the sketch challenge.
2. Play with just the inspiration photo challenge.
3. Or you can create FUSION by combining BOTH challenges into one card.
4. Use the challenge graphic and link back to Fusion in your post.
5. Please read the other considerations on the Our Rules Page before playing along.

 

Check out the Fusion Card Challenge Blog - to see all of the Design Teams projects and to link up your card! 

Here also are links to the talented Design Team blogs!

Brandi Hall

Deanne Kay 

Jeanne Jachna

Julia Aston - me!

Karren Johnson 

Katie Brooks

Kimberly Wiener

Lyndal Higgins

Lynn Mangan

Michelle Williams

Michelle Lupton

Sandie Munro

 Shannon Jamarillo

Stephanie Severin

Paper:  Watercolor Vellum - Making Memories, White and DP Textstyle Raspberry Fizz Mix - PTI
Accessories:  Medium Heart Punch - EK Success, Small heart punch - Marvy Uchida, foam dots, Tipped Tops Die - PTI, sewing machine, white thread, Sequins - Shaker Mix Vanilla Frost - Waltzingmouse.

A Vintage Journey - January 2016 Challenge - Vintage Travel and Luggage

To see my Mixed Media Card Challenge post - please click here. 

Happy New Year everyone!  

(posting in the US - I'm a little early for our new year - but in Great Britain where AVJ lives - the new year has just arrived as this posts!)  

Today we are also celebrating the first challenge of 2016 at A Vintage Journey.  Brenda is our hostess this month and her challenge to us is Vintage Travel and Luggage.  Here is her description of the challenge:  "Let your imagination carry you back to the bygone eras setting off on an exciting journey for the New Year.  Keeping it in Tim's Style, we would love to see what item of luggage or mode of transport you would use on your journey, eg - think hand luggage, travel trunks, hat boxes,hot air balloons, ships and trains."

Well, there must be something in that description that tickles your creative fancy!!??!!

I decided to make a carry-on satchel to take on my vintage travels. A lady always needs certain things with her at all times right?  Her journal, gloves, embroidered handkerchief, perhaps some cash for tipping, a little blush for the cheeks, some white gloves for the evening meal and a good romance novel to pass the time?!  

 I made my satchel using two of Tim's Eclectic Elements Fabrics - the world map and bottle caps.  It is completely reversible -  there are 6 pockets on one of the sides  - below shows the pockets on the inside of the bag.  Plenty of places to put things - in the pockets or just inside the bag.   The finished bag is 17" high x 14" wide 5" deep and the handles are long enough to use as a shoulder bag.

(The pattern is actually supposed to be a baby bag so you could put bottles, wipes, diapers in the pockets, here is a link to the pattern - I bought mine at Joanns)

You can choose to have the pockets on the inside or the outside - depending on what you are using the bag for!

Here's how the pocket panel looks without anything inside them.  There are 3 pockets on front and 3 on the back.

Here are the pieces all cut out and partially sewn together.  I added a fusible interfacing so the cotton fabric would be a little more sturdy.

The two sides finished - before being sewn together.

I also made a luggage tag for my satchel using Eileen Hulls Sizzix die. I used Tim's Marbled Stain technique to color it.  It can be found on Page 46 of Compendium of Curiosities Vol II.   First I spread some Picket Fence Distress Paint onto my craft mat, then I sprayed Distress Stains around the edges of the paint (I used Iced Spruce, Ground Espresso and Tea Dye).   I dragged my die cut luggage tag through it all.  I dried the tag a little bit with my heat tool - then spritzed it with water to marble it.  I wanted a weathered leather look and I love how this came out.  I sponged the edges a little with Iced Spruce Distress Ink.

I added a Pocket Card inside the window of the luggage tag that I  decorated with Chit Chat Stickers and some Remnant Rubs.  I drew around the Chit Chat Stickers with a black Stabilo pencil and rubbed over the lines with a damp finer to smudge. I hung the tag around the satchel handle with a keychain.

I thought I might want to be able to close the bag - so I bought a toggle button on some cord.  The cord wasn't long enough so I substituted some cord I had in my stash and hand sewed the loop and the toggle button to the bag, front and back.  It's not a super secure closing - but it keeps the bag from sagging open!  I added a Philosophy Tag with a Jump Ring below the button.

So now I just need to plan a lovely journey so I can bring my travel satchel along with me!  It's waiting patiently on my doorknob  - ready to go!  

(in the meantime -  I could use it to store some craft supplies! OR as the bag I commute back and forth to work with!)

A Vintage Journey is very fortunate to have Country View Crafts sponsor us every month and they offer one random.org winner a £20 voucher to spend online. Susan does not charge for UK postage, however, international charges may apply.

In addition to the randomly chosen winner, the Creative Guides will choose three pin worthy projects created by our fellow travelers......i.e YOU...... with the chance to be a Guest Creative Guide on a special post over at A Vintage Journey!  So get creating for this fun Vintage Travel and Luggage Challenge and link up your project here!

Ink:  Ranger Distress Iced Spruce
Paper:  Little Sizzles White Matboard - Sizzix
Accessories:  Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements Fabrics, Ranger Distress Picket Fence Paint, Ranger Distress Spray Stains - Iced Spruce, Tea Dye, Ground Espresso, Double Duty Bag Pattern - www.sewbaby.com, fusible interfacing,  sewing machine, Luggage Tag Die - Eileen Hull/Sizzix, Idea-ology Remnant Rubs Words and Special Delivery, Pocket Cards, Philosophy Tag, Jump Ring, Chit Chat Stickers. key chain - Tandy Leather.

 

A Vintage Journey #19 - All Sewn Up

Welcome to this fortnight's A Vintage Journey Challenge - All Sewn Up.  Brenda is our host for this challenge and here are her instructions:  

This is simple - a sewing inspired creation, any style as long as you tell us what the Tim influence is in your project (that could be that you have used a Tim technique, some of Tim's products, maybe you will case one of his tags but make it sewing based,  you choose but please make it clear what the Tim influence is as so many people disqualify themselves from being able to win the prize as we are not sure how it fits to our challenge blog.  Be adventurous and make whatever you like, it doesn't  have to include real sewing but must be focused within that theme.  So what are you waiting for?

While cleaning up my craft room the other day (cleaning up is a constant in my room, I'm always doing it and never finishing it!) I found - in a pile of papers - on the floor - in a corner -  a free tutorial for a fabric basket I had printed from a web site in Feb 2010!  I loved the shape of it when I saw it - but, of course, just never made it.  Enter Brenda's wonderful challenge - and Tim's lovely new fabrics, and this sweet little fabric basket was born!  It measures approximately 4"x 4 1/2" x 4".

  Here is the link to the free tutorial for this cute bag.  Her measurements are in cm so I roughly converted mine to inches.  2 pieces fabric A -  9" x 2 1/2"   1 piece fabric B - 9" x 8" 

The lining and iron on interfacing should be same size as the 2 A's and B sewn together, I cut each piece 8" x 12".  The interfacing gives the cloth some sturdiness.

 After ironing the interfacing to the wrong side of the lining piece - you fold outside and inside pieces in half - right sides facing in and sew up the sides with 1/4" seams - leaving the tops open

 Then you need to square the corners  - this was a little tricky - you fold the piece neatly with the seam in the middle and draw a line across (I drew it where the line measured 3" across - see my penciled line near the bottom??).

 Sew along your drawn lines on all the corners.

 Then you cut off the corners just below the stitching and it squares the bottom off nicely!

 You turn the outside piece right side out and insert the lining.  Starting at the seams, fold down the edges all around and pin.  Slip your ribbon handles between the pieces at the seams and sew all along the top with your sewing machine.

 And you are done! HOW CUTE IS THIS??!!!

Then I went to work on dressing it up - Tim Style!

I looped Linen Ribbon through a Word Band/Observations and tacked it onto the bag through the end loops.  I adhered a Game Piece (which are also featured on the cloth!) with Glue N Seal.

I rubbed Fired Brick Ranger Distress Paint over the Word Band and dried it with my heat tool.

I added a Remnant Rub to an Enameled tag, looped it through a Ring Fastener and poked the fastener through the ribbon so the arms of the faster are inside the ribbon loop.

I rubbed a little bit of Fired Brick Ranger Distress Paint over enamel tag with my finger, wiping some off for lighter spots.

I added a second Word Band on the other side of my fabric basket.

For the fourth and final side - a adhered some Alpha Parts/Newsprint letters to spell the word 'create'.

I rubbed Fired Brick Ranger Distress Paint over the letters with my finger and adhered them using Glue N Seal to the bag.

My thought is to have this on one of my work tables in my craft room to hold bits and pieces.

So thank you to Brenda for pushing me to make a sewn project!  I am SO happy with my little fabric basket - and I hope to make several more!  I think I'll use this one in my craft room to hold little bits I don't want to lose!

Our challenge sponsor is Country View Crafts.  They are offering one winner, chosen by the Creative Guides, a £10 voucher to spend in their on-line shop.  

 I hope you will be inspired to play along with us -  you have 2 weeks - you will find all the details at the A Vintage Journey Blog - along with some wonderful "All Sewn Up" inspiration by several of my very talented fellow Creative Guides!

Here's what I used:
Eclectic Elements 12" Fabric Crafting Pack - Traveler - Tim Holtz,  Idea-ology - Word Bands/Observations, Linen Ribbon, Enameled Tags, Remnant Rubs/Botanicals, Ring Fastener, Alpha Parts/Newsprint, Game Pieces;  Glue N Seal - Ranger,  Ranger Distress Paint - Fired Brick,  sewing machine, thread, Fabric Basket Pattern  from vlijtig.blogspot.com

Waltzingmouse Sketch #13 - Fall Blessings

Happy Saturday my friends! - and welcome to another Waltzingmouse Sketch challenge. Look how fun this week's sketch is! Claire designs the most interesting sketches for us doesn't she?
Even though it's been in the 90's here in New England this week -I'm in the mood for the crispness of fall!

I inked up one of last year's Waltzingmouse fall sets called Peace and Plenty for my card today. I did some stitching and sponging, added lace and a label with a little bling and added one lone falling leaf in the corner!

So check out the WMS Sketch Blog and see the great sketch cards the Mischief Makers and other DT members have created this week!

Then make up your own card using the sketch and link it there by Thursday 9/9 at 11:59 pm EST - you could be a Top Mouse next week!!

Happy weekend everyone! I'm on vacation next week and plan to spend a lot of time stamping in my craft room.

Fun Alert! I will be posting sneak peeks (along with the rest of the WMS DT) for the September release of Waltzingmouse Stamps starting Thursday - you won't want to miss the fabulous new sets coming out!!

Stamps: Peace & Plenty

Paper: Vintage Cream - PTI, Orange Bazzill, DP My Mind's Eye/Night Light Dotted Cream

Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, Ranger Distress Ink/Mustard Seed & Wild Honey

Accessories: Foam dimensionals, sewing machine, lace - Ellen Hutson LLC, Tiny gems - Taylored Expressions, Sizzix Sizzlet Lots of Tags Label 3 - SU, sponge and applicator - Inkssentials Ranger

Doctor's Orders

I thought I'd play along with the Taylored Expressions sketch this week.



I inked up the Doctor's Orders Set for my card today, did a little stitching and added a wrinkled seam binding bow! I used some fun Cosmo Cricket papers too.

If it doesn't make you better - it'll at least make you smile right???!

Stamps: Taylored Expressions - Doctor's Orders

Paper: vintage cream, pure poppy - PTI, blue bayou, apricot appeal - SU, DP Cosmo Cricket Mini Deck Togetherness

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories: copics, gem - Michaels, wrinkled seam binding, sewing machine, swiss dots embossing folder, foam dimensionals, circle nestabilities, circle punch - Fiskars, corner rounder - EK Success