embroidery floss | If The Glue Sticks…Embellish

Clean and Simple Stamping #257

Posted on September 9, 2013 by debbrooner

This card has a larger curved edge than the sketch but I liked the results anyway. I am going to try something new this time and give you a tutorial, complete with pictures, to show how I made this card with my Silhouette. Some of the pics aren’t the best but this is my first time for this so extend some grace my direction, okay?

Step 1: Draw a rectangle that is 5.5″ wide by 8.5 ” high. This will give you a standard 5.5″ x 4.25″ card. I colored this rectangle gray so it would be easier to tell what is what later on.

Step 2: bring in the desired doily and resize it so that it is slightly larger than the card. I made mine 5.55 x 5.55 inches. Place it on top of the card base, lining up the bottom of the doily with the bottom of the card. I have colored the doily so you can see it easier.

Step 3: I made another rectangle by starting it on the upper left-hand of the card base and dragged it halfway down the doily, then sending it backward one step so that it is between the doily and the card base.. This rectangle and the doily will be the 2 pieces that will be welded together. This new rectangle is peach colored.

Step 4: I no longer needed the card base so I removed it.

Step 5: I highlighted both the peach rectangle and the doily and hit the “weld” button and tada- a card with a fancy border!

I used the My Mind’s Eye “Memorable” 6×6 pad, Pumice Stone Distress ink, and the Hero Arts /Sizzix Stamp and Die Cut Butterflies set. The doily is #18185. I added some Distress Stickles and yellow embroidery thread to dress it up a bit more.

Thanks for giving this a peek!

Stamping Queens Cards and ATC’s

Posted on August 10, 2012 by debbrooner

I just joined a new Yahoo group called Stamping_Queens. There appear to be lots of different swaps going each month so I am hoping to get a little of everything- cards, ATC’s, inchies, and sketchs.

The card above was made with the Spit Coast Stampers sketch 164. The paper is from Basic Grey’s Out Of Print collection. Love those papers! The little retro background is from Silhouette.

retro background:#23521; Cuttlebug Embossing folder:Swiss Dot: Sentiment: Stampendous “Friendship Assortment”

The theme for the ATC’s this month was pink and black- not hard for me to do since any color plus black is right up my alley.

I don’t usually like old timey silhouettes, but this little girl holding a butterfly called my name. I stamped the definition on the ATC, added Worn Lipstick Distress Ink to the edges, and then cut out a tiny butterfly that I folded in half and glued to her hand. A thin strip of polka dot paper finished the ATC off.

I cut the butterfly out and then ungrouped the design, got rid of the inside pieces, and cut the outline out so that it would be a solid shape. I glued the 2 pieces together on the body only, cut the butterfly in half, glued the butterfly to the card, and then bent the top layer of wings up. I didn’t forget the antenna which was emboidery floss stiffened with glue. Fun.

assorted butterflies filligree set: #26282; girl with butterfly border: #29236; lace butterfly: #27233

This last card I made is a Silhouette product. I don’t usually buy the cards that I could design myself, but for some reason I did this time. I was pretty pleased with the results and will definitely use this card again as it is very quick to make but doesn’t look like it is.

I stamped the 2 side panels and used dimensional adhesive on all three panels so the holes in the middle panel are more obvious.I did add an extra piece so I had a place for my sentiment.

A2 size cared: # 28261; sentiment: Stampendous “Friendship Assortment”; Background stamp: Great Impressions “Scroll and Leaves”

Sew Many Possibilities- Silhouette bobbins cards

Posted on January 12, 2012 by debbrooner

The cards today are really fun ones to make and could be customized in several ways. First of all, I used my Silhouette to cut tiny versions of embroidery floss bobbins. If you don’t have a digital cutter then you could scan a regular size bobbin and then reduce the image, cut out by hand, and then punch a hole in the top. The other option is simply to hand draw you own and cut out. Whatever works for you.

Here are the dimensions and supplies needed for these cards:

5 1/2″ x 4 1/4″ card (I used black for the bright card and dark green for the dark card)

Cardstock for the bobbins

Coordinating cardstock for the letters

5 1/4″ x 3 7/8″ piece of cross stitch fabric or pierced paper ( the fabric I used was 18 count)

Assorted colors of floss to wind on the bobbins

I started by stitching around the perimeter of the cloth and pierced paper, using a simple running stitch. I did a little extra stitching at the corners. I used a tape runner on the fabric to attach it to the card, but on the pierced paper the glue showed through the holes, so I attached it to the card with glue dots in the corners. I then started winding the bobbins. I found it was easier if I put a small piece of double-sided tape on the back to hold the end of the floss while I was winding. I also used the double stick tape attach the floss at the end. This worked out well because when I was placing the bobbins on the card they stuck just enough to stay put until I got them properly glued on. I used Glossy Accents to securely attach mine, but any strong glue would do.

You can use any color combos on these cards, such as pastels for a babies card or Christmas colors. The bobbins could also be wound with yarn or thin ribbons.

The “SEW…” is very versatile. The inside of the card could say …how are you?, …how are you feeling?,…many threads, sew little time, …happy for you, …long, we’ll miss you, …good to have you as a friend. The list goes on and on. It is also possible to cross stitch or back-stitch the word “sew”

SEW… have a good time with this card and don’t forget to send my a picture when you are done!

“Clearance”- I love it!

Posted on October 8, 2010 by debbrooner

The Silhouette store has had a sale going on for the last couple of weeks. There were several designs I liked, and the price was right- $.50!

I read the official Silhouette blog and was challenged to really use those designs, so I came up with several cards.

For the card at the top I used the diamond mesh and the the small scallop border. I double cut the mesh (I find this works best for most of the intricate designs) using white cardstock, then applied red and green distress inks.

The green background on the above card is called” stacked lines ” . I applied green distress ink, leaving a bonus background which I used on the nest card, trimmed it down a bit, and then used the holes like cross stitch paper (left hand side of the card). Quirky but fun.

Yes, this is the stenciled paper from the card I made above.

This last card sports the flower that was on sale. I love the Art Deco feel.

Try to make this week another one of those where you use an unloved stamp, stencil, or die cut in a new and usual way, then send me a picture!

Polymer Clay Embellishments

Posted on September 30, 2010 by debbrooner

Since I really don’t have a gift for polymer clay I have a lot of bits and pieces- mostly happy accidents. Unfortunately they do not lend themselves to jewelry making so they just sit there.

One day last year I got an idea- why not use the pieces as ambellishments on cards? I liked the idea, and so did the magazine Polymer Cafe, so my cards were published in the December 2009 issue.

You might assume that after the article I would have used all my polymer pieces up, but boy would you be wrong! I sometimes wonder if those little buggers get together and make baby polymer pieces. Since I still have numerous clay pieces left I decided to make several more cards to share with you. All have clay pieces on them, and most have other embellishments as well. Hope you enjoy them and maybe start a fire in your imagination.

Have a great week.

My First Post Gives Me BUTTERFLIES (Antennae)

Posted on May 19, 2010 by debbrooner

Yahoo! This is my first step into the blogging world!

After receiving my Sizzix Embosslit butterfly from Stampin’ UP, I cut out butterflies from several printed and plain papers and cardstocks but they just didn’t work for me. Somehow something was missing. Finally I realized what it was: butterflies with no bodies or antennae were too weird, too naked, kinda like buttons without any thread in their holes.

I toyed with making wire antennae and maybe beaded bodies, but frankly it seemed to be more work than I wanted to do at the moment! I also knew that having 3 seperate parts meant 3 places for something to come lose or fall off. I needed an all-in-one solution.

I happened to have some embroidery floss in my line of sight and poof!, an idea was born.

For the largest butterfly I used 3 strands of embroidery floss (the standard 6-strand stuff comes in a milion different colors). I wrapped it around the middle of the butterfly (between the wings) and then double knotted it. I then slid the knot up to the top of the butterfly, making the head. DON’T cut the threads yet, they will become the antennae! Squeeze some glue (Elmers, Sobo, whatever) onto a piece of scrap paper. Dab your index finger in the glue, then rub the glue between your index finger and your thumb. This will take very little glue. Now take the thread ends you left and, starting at the “head” of the butterfly, rub the glue up the threads. This stiffens the thread so that you end up with lovely antennae! Once they are dry, trim to the length you desire. For the smaller butterflies use fewer strands of floss.

To apply to your project, just run a line of glue along the floss on the underside of the butterfly and not only will it stick, but the floss provides a tiny bit of dimension as well.

This procedure works well for stacking multiple pieces together . This is a really great technique when using vellum as there is no glue used so no worry about glue showing.

Both of the cards used Clean And Simple Stamping sketches

Hope you enjoyed this- let me know!