Merry Christmas Tags...

...Instead of cards
 

I've had the idea to send out a select few Christmas greeting "tags" instead of "cards" this year.  These are styled traditionally for my recipients. 

 

I used 3-D stickers, punched shapes, and wooden birds.

 

This flying geese tree was made from the corners I cut from the tops of the tags.

 

 

 

 

 

This one I found on Pinterest here

 

 

The backs.  

 

The fun will be that they can be hung on the tree, a cupboard knob, chair finial, other decorative hook...  Saved as a decoration is so better than tucking cards into a drawer (never to be seen again).

And finally, of course, one for me in a style I currently enjoy. 

Merry and bright to all.

xxx
Annie

BE - Envelope Mail Art

BE ..... 

Sometimes it takes several people and personalities to get todays mail delivered.

I've no clue why I described this envelope that way.  There was no story or hidden meaning behind the design.  I just wanted to take all of my smaller face stamps (that I had at the time) and stamp them on one envelope.  On my blotter pad I noticed that I had blobs of color mixed with stamping and that provided the inspiration to blot on various colors around each image.  When that was done, postage stamps with faces came to mind, so I added them to the crowd.  After that I came across a rubber stamp of all those words, stamped them on tracing paper, cut them apart and spay glued them to the envelope.

Happy Mail Day
xxx
Annie

Fall Leaf Tutorial

It's only been a year since I was asked for a tutorial for my Fall Leaf.

 

 

Not bad, eh?  Except that I forgot and was inadvertently reminded that I wanted to do this for Fall. 

(Thank you, Joelle, for the nudge)

The photos are not great, but they are clearly instructional.

 

First off, draw, trace, or photocopy a leaf to the actual finish size you will want.  Be sure your leaf can be divided nicely.  Then trace the outline to the paper side of Wonder Under.  (Or any fusible you choose).

 

 

Next, mark the dividing lines on the fusible and slice/cut the pieces apart. 

 

 

Trim around the outer leaf area.  Also separate one lower leaf section from the stem as shown below.

 

Fuse each leaf section to your fabric selections.

These leaves can be any coloring you choose ... orange, red, yellow, green, brown ...

Next, trim each section right on your traced lines.  Lay the pieces together as close as possible on your background fabric.

Fuse them in place.

First stitch closely around the outside edge of the leaf design with a short-ish straight stitch.

 

When you begin to sew the sections, with bating, they will want to separate slightly.  I filled this space first with a row of straight stitch. 

 

I then go back along that row stitching next to the first stitching and add the leaf veins by stitching out several stitches then coming back along side the first stitches.

 

Once the veins are sewn, I shorten the stitch length and I stitch the leaf sections together with a narrow zig zag stitch just wide enough to catch both fabric pieces of the leaf sections and give them that heavier looking main vein.

 

 

Now, if that isn't as clear as mud, I am more than happy to clarify anything that might be confusing.

 

 

 

 

 Happy Fall

 

xxx

Annie