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

 

 



Happy Halloween

It's Halloween time again, and as usual, I've finished an old project but still pondering the finish of another (old) project.

 

This bunting still languishes with an undecided finish.  But I hang it out anyway.  :

 

 

 

 

 This next old Ghastlie project has been a thorn in my side for a long time.  I've not been able to figure out my next move with it.  But I finally figured out why.  It's the pink!

 

 

Pink is not Halloween for me.  But I put a lot of work into this crazy thing.  I just can't figure what to add to the outside edge.  So I went ahead and bound it so I can consider it done until I decide something to do.  Hey, maybe change the pink with an orange fabric marker!  I'll have to test that.

 



I can't talk myself into appliqueing more branches and birds.  And definitely no more words!  I haven't even done any quilting on it yet (other than the applique).  This fabric has never been a favorite, but I ended up in a Ghastlie blog hop.  So this project has been a self inflicted punishment right from its start.  LoL

 

And finally, here are a couple of mail art envelopes.

 

This next one turned out pretty crazy, but for some reason I like it.  And don't like it.  But like wins over.  Someday I'll figure out who to send it to.

 

 



 

Happy Haunting!

 

Boo!

Annie

 

Skeleton Mail Art and Tutorial

Two mail art envelopes.  One addressed to each of a couple. 

 

 

I saw this idea on flickr, here, as postcards.  But I wanted envelopes, and here is how I did this.

 

I first stamped my skeleton head on paper.  I then put the stamped paper in my copier and enlarged the image to the size I wanted for the two envelopes.

  

The image copied beautifully.  The crinkle in the paper is because I retrieved the paper from the trash when I decided to make a tutorial of my process.

I then taped, with blue painters tape, my envelopes side by side over the top of the enlarged imaged so that the image will print on the envelope where I want them.

 

 

  I then inserted the envelope sheet into my copier paper tray and photocopied the image onto the envelopes.

 

The darkness at the bottom is shadow while taking the photos.
 

I removed the tape and proceeded to color with ink the design.  I stamped Happy Halloween on tracing paper and cut out the letters in blocks.  They are spray glued to the envelopes.

 

 

 

I added a stamped cat image on one envelope and bats on the other.  I also stamped the verse.

 

The envelopes were addressed and postage added on the backsides.

 

I mailed the envelopes together but later hoped they would arrive on different days just to add a bit of mystery.  They arrived together.

 

This was a fun little project.

 

Happy Haunting!

xxx

Annie

 

Pinwheel Quilt the 2nd

This is the pinwheel quilt that almost wasn't.

 

 

 

98 pinwheels later and it's a quilt.

(Yes, Sheila, I miscounted)

 

The reason it almost wasn't is because the 98 pinwheels would have had to have been sewn together by way of improve.  That would have taken me forever and NEVER would have gotten done. 

 

So I had to decide on a more structured layout.  I had too many pinwheels already made and didn't want them laying around to remind me of a failed idea.

 

I worked at this quilt diligently until it was finished because I didn't really want to make it after the layout disappointment.  I knew if I stopped it would become a UFO.  I don't want quilt UFOs.

 

 

Quilting this quilt was quite the challenge.  The 3 second rate purple air soluble markers I bought would make two or three lines across the quilt then spit purple ink blobs on it !!!! When I finally gave in and bought the Dritz brand..... 

 



 

 

all was well and quilting went like a breeze.

 

 

 

You can't even imagine how happy I was when the binding was on and the quilt was done.

 

 

 I think I've satisfied my pinwheel making desire for awhile now.

 

 

This pinwheel quilt was made with the same fabric collection as I made this Fractured quilt.

 

 

It fascinates me how different they look.

 

And now I've HAPPILY moved on to a quilt that's looking exactly how I hoped it would.

***smiling***

 

xxx

Annie

 



8 More Little Wallets

I'm still addicted to making these Little Wallets, although not exclusively this time. 

 

 

I'm sneaking in making them in between other larger projects.....whenever I need a quick cute and colorful fix.

 

Some have found their way into mailboxes as a surprise.  I've had many suggestions to sell them.  But I'm not a seller. I'm a giver-away-er.  For me, making things for sell translates into W O R K !!!  Sewing is fun and I intend to keep it that way.  And "giving" is pure joy.

 

xxx

Annie

Stripey Squares Halloween Pillow

I've been seeing some quilts made with what I call stripey squares.  I already made a quilt like that a few years ago, but I was inspired to make some more stripey square blocks.  I decided to go small for a pillow cover.  And to use my Halloween stripes.

 

 

I even put on my modern brave girl panties and mixed some stripes within a few of the blocks.  I sit on the fence about that design idea.  Sometimes I like it, if the block, as a whole, blends pretty well.  Otherwise, it's not a favorite for me. 

 

Finally my Halloween quilt has a Halloween pillow to go with.

 

  Halloween fabrics are the MOST FUN to play with for me.

 

Happy Fall

xxx

Annie 



13 "Little Wallets"

Once I got started making this Little Wallet pattern by Valori Wells, I couldn't stop.  I loved making them!  So much so that you could say I was obsessed with making them for four days.

 

 

More than a year ago, I was gifted a couple of these wallets by very dear blogger friends.  I've used them and I've loved them.  But I didn't want to make them until now.  And I thought I'd be lucky to just get through one.  Little did I know THIS would happen!  haha

 

I think there will probably be a few more too.  My title says there are 13 but you only see twelve.  I'm already using one.

 

So how many ways can these be used?

 

The usual:

Gift Cards

Credit Cards

Cash

 

And what else?

I keep condensed medical info handy on my family. 

You never know when you might need this info quick.

How about shopping info that's hard to memorize, like sizes, brands, favorite colors.

The annual Christmas shopping list will need to be handy soon.
Coupons
Small Notes Paper

 

What other ideas can we think of?

 

xxx

Annie

 



Recent Envelope Art

There's been a sad lull in the department of mailing envelope art.  That HAD to change!  The withdrawals are not a pretty sight.

 

Envelope Front

 

I sent it across the globe.  That's definitely NOT instant gratification.  More like hand wringing and worries if your baby will make the trip ok alone.

 

A bit dramatic you say?  Well, yes, but it's really a small piece of my being that I put on paper as a tangible connection to me that I trust the postal system to keep safe and deliver to my friends.

Envelope Back

 

The extremely few times that my mail art goes astray, I hope only that it finds it's way to a kindred spirit or just a kindly being who will enjoy it.

 

A good mail day to you,

xxx

Annie