crafting

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Crafting Christmas Gift Tags

Cardmaking has been a welcome stress reliever during my recovery from hip replacement surgery. I’m ending the year with two new hips.

A decorative gift tag featuring a clock motif surrounded by rose illustrations, with a purple ribbon and gold accents, set against lush green leaves.

I returned to my twice-weekly Pliates class today. It will take time to rebuild all the surrounding muscles, but I’m off to a decent start. It feels good to be moving again.

While recovering, I’ve been watching crafting videos. I often dozed between videos, feet elevated in my comfy chair. Once awake, I watched a few more. As the weeks passed, I felt comfortable sitting at my desk again and could practice new techniques with less fatigue.

I used my time to create 25 gift tags to accompany my sister Sharon’s gifts. At the height of the pandemic, with my sister living alone, working from home, and isolated from the world, I got the idea of delivering 25 small Christmas gifts, one for her to open each day throughout December. It’s been fun continuing that tradition. 

I created tags from simple to complex, applying new techniques and using the tried-and-true. I’ve been watching Natalie Brown videos for inspiration. She’s a talented artist and crafter based in the UK who shares tips on using what you have in creative ways, so her suggestions are a good fit for my aesthetic.

Here’s what I created:

These tags incorporate vintage postage. We’re originally from Canada, so I had fun using Canadian postage on the center of the trees. I used a block of purple postage on embossed purple metallic paper to suggest a wrapped gift. I tried my hand at a mixed-media card, using vintage French postage.

Natalie created videos using gilding flakes and pigment powder. Both create beautiful results, but they’re a bit of a mess to work with. It was fun getting out the supplies and using them to create these cards. 

I’m all about upcycling, so it was fun making one of these cards from the page of an old wall calendar. I removed the envelope lining from the card Mike gave me for my birthday and used it as a background. The paper is gorgeous. The third tag is cut from a piece of packaging. I like the thin, blue lines.

Using leftover rub-on transfers from last year’s 49 & Market release, I created several tags. I incorporated Distress Oxide ink, vellum, and embossing powder, all part of my crafting stash. It’s nice to take out the supplies and use them in different ways.

The following gallery fits into the ragtag category to round out the 25 I created this year. Sharon has the tags displayed on her wall and plans to save them for decorations next year. It’s fun seeing them together.

Earlier this season, I gathered a few leaves from our back garden Acer ‘Japanese Maple’. I used my die machine to create leaf impressions on water-colored paper. The combination made a nice and unexpected gift card.

A gift tag with the text 'Season's Greetings' surrounded by green leaf impressions, resting among lush green foliage.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, and my warmest wishes for a more peaceful, centered, and compassionate new year.

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Crafting With Scraps

What do paper napkins, a worn-out tote, and paper off-cuts have in common? They’re all part of today’s year-end “ScrapHappy” post, a challenge put forth by Kate at Tall Tales of Chiconia.

My friend Pauline sent me these cat napkins several years ago after a kitten with perfectly divided facial markings stowed away in my husband’s car.

Original art by Rosina Wachtmeister.

We kept her, of course, and named her Tessa. Pauline had the napkins in her craft stash, but once Tessa arrived, she sent them my way.

A tortoiseshell cat lounging comfortably in a woven basket, playfully twisting on her back with a green wall backdrop.

I’ve moved the napkins around my craft room, pulled them out several times, then put them away again. Pauline was a dear friend and a good soul. She was crafty, clever, and wise. We met through blogging. After she passed, these napkins seemed too precious somehow. I can hear Pauline telling me to get over myself and to get on with it, so today I turned two of the napkins into cards.

Early next year, I will send the cards to Pauline’s daughters in New Zealand. I’ve made two, and hope to make a few more.

The tote bag came from my friend Marcia, who lived part-time in Madrid for several years to be close to her son and grandson. I used the cotton tote as intended, but after a wash, it lost its stiffness.

A cotton tote bag featuring a black silhouette of a stretching cat with the quote 'Mi trabajo es dormir, alguien debe equilibrar las energías del planeta.'
Translation: My job is to sleep; someone has to maintain the balance.

The image delights me, and I couldn’t bear to toss it, so it sat for a time, too. I’ve turned that muslin scrap into a toss cushion, using the last of my pillow forms. Kismet.

A decorative cushion featuring a black cat silhouette and a humorous Spanish text that translates to 'My job is to sleep, someone must balance the energies of the planet.' The cushion is sitting on a gray couch next to a purple pillow.

The off-cuts of Christmas paper make the perfect bookmark, and since I regularly replenish a supply in our Little Free Library, I enjoyed using these scraps with some seasonal flair. There is very little “make” here, just a punch at the top threaded with a bit of cord. I stamped “Peace” in black ink, a sentiment worth sharing, and one that offers hope.

And on that note, I hope you and yours are managing during these emotionally challenging times.

You can see what others are up to for ScrapHappy day at the links below.

Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, 
Moira, Sandra, Chris, 
Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,
Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera, 
Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,
Viv, Karrin,  Alissa,
Hannah and Maggie

Thank you, Kate.

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ScrapHappy Halloween Cards

I never thought I would say this, but I’ve finally exhausted the majority of my Halloween paper scraps. Sadly, crafting stores in my area are closing at a rapid clip. We’ve lost The Paper Source, JoAnn’s, Beverley’s, and my long-time favorite, Creative Escapes.

Shopping online has its benefits, but I miss the pleasure of looking at paper and embellishments up close, holding them, comparing colors and features while chatting with the creative women working or shopping at the store. I feel the loss.

I’ve loved Halloween my whole life, so making cards has been a natural extension of that. These card styles lend themselves well to scraps, and they’re fun to make.

Without further ado, here are this month’s scrappy, not to mention spooky, cards. Thank you for stopping by.

Halloween card three circles
Halloween card scrap strips
Layered Halloween card, scraps

If you would like to share your own crafty creations, please get in touch with Kate.

You can take a look at other ScrapHappy posts at the following links:

Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda,

Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, 

Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,

Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,

Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera, 

Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,

Viv, Karrin,  Alissa,

Hannah and Maggie

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Making Cards with Playing Cards

I’ve been playing around with different card ideas, inspired, in part, by an oversized deck of playing cards purchased at a hardware store. I don’t know why you would want to play cards with a deck this size; however, making cards from cards is fun.

I asked Sharon if she had a favorite number (three), and I knew she loved purple. It’s been her favorite for as long as I can remember. I had fun making her a card.

My friend Kristi’s birthday lands on August 4, and the color red floats her boat. This card was another fun challenge.

Finally, my friend and Pilates instructor loves pink and the number seven. I made a pocket for the card using velum, attached washi tape as a tab along the card’s top, and embellished it with various stickers and rub-on decals. I learn something new with each card.

Moving on from the playing cards, I’ve been challenging myself to use up these fabric-textured rolls of Washi tape. I bought two boxes with four different-sized rolls per box several years ago, but each roll has far more than you typically use. It lingered in a small bin for a while. I pulled it out of the drawer a few months ago and started crafting cards with the Washi tape as a focal point.

I backed the washi tape with paper, die cut three circles, then placed them on white card stock before embossing them with a subtle dandelion image.

A vertical stripe of butterfly Washi tape runs the length of the card. I cut a pink butterfly with a black silhouette and placed it on a subtle background.

This card went to a bird lover. I used an intricate die to cut the floral Washi tape, then placed it on a light blue background. The bird is a transfer from 49 & Market.

Two more cards using Washi tape.

Back to playing cards, my latest card is for a friend I’ve known since high school. Bonnie collects vintage Coca-Cola memorabilia. My artist friend Marcia gave me a vintage Coca-Cola playing card a few months ago, commenting that she knew I would find something to do with it. Indeed, I did.

I used a sheet of paper given to me a few years ago with a sewing pattern theme for the base of the tri-fold card, then used the playing card as a focal point. Scraps of red Swiss dot paper reminded me of sewing clothes in the day, and the yellow paper looks like linen if you squint your eyes. Score one for paper scraps. My paper supply has significantly dwindled, so I’m pleased when the right color and texture turn up.

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ScrapHappy for Last Year’s Calendar

Thank you, Kate, for bringing us together for these monthly scrap-happy challenges. Kate and Gun have hosted this blog hop for a decade. Impressive, eh? Forget your troubles, come on get scrappy.

My contribution this month uses scraps of velum and several pages from last year’s The Old Farmer’s Almanac calendar to create three greeting cards.

I used two pieces of heavy white card stock for the body of the card, then adhered a pretty section of the calendar to the card front. These illustrations by artist Kristen Kest are too pretty to toss.

I ran both layers through my nifty die cutter, then scored the top and glued it to the back layer.

I stamped a couple of sentiments onto scraps of velum (I love using velum) and added them to the front of the card. Making these cards was quick, easy, and fun or in Kate’s parlance, scrap-happy.

I have a few more pages of the calendar to craft with. I hope to get to that next month.

Old Farmer's Almanac art by Kristin Kest
Old Farmer's Almanac art by Kristin Kest

Thanks as always, Kate.

Here’s a list of contributing scrap-happy bloggers:

Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, 
Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,
Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,
Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera, 
 Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,
Nóilin, Viv, Karrin,  Alissa,
Tierney, Hannah and Maggie

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Paper Quilts and Purple Hearts: Creating Cards With Postage

The cards featured in today’s post are the last in a series of greeting cards I designed using postage stamps. I’ll definitely make more in the future. You can read the first two posts here and here.

While most of my cards feature postage from several countries, this quilt-inspired card features sixteen flower stamps from Germany (Deutschland). I wanted to create a paper quilt, so I spaced the stamps symmetrically, with each color following a diagonal pattern. I used my quilt embossing folder to add to the effect and added a green border.

This card feels unfinished, but I’ve yet to figure out why. I love the stamps. It needs something to break up the symmetry, but what? Creative input is welcome.

The following two cards use a simple collage technique with a monochromatic theme. I had an extensive collection of blue stamps to begin with, so it allowed me to pick and choose. I went with the brightest blues, using sizes that allowed edge-to-edge contact.

Here is the finished card. I mounted the blue collage on a white background, then wrapped some vellum with a birthday sentiment so you can see all the images. I used fifteen stamps from eight countries: Austria, China, Finland, Germany, The Netherlands, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the US.

Purple stamps are uncommon, so I needed a die to feature the few that I had. I went with a heart.

In some cases I used the corner of a multi-colored stamp, saving the five prominent purple ones for the center. There is a bit of luck at play here, too. As I pulled together this card for my sister, I found one purple stamp from Canada, where we’re from. Sharon loves music, so finding the Charlie Parker stamp with the beautiful background seemed equally fortuitous.

I assembled the purple heart from twelve stamps representing Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, The Philippines, Poland, Russia, Spain, and the US.

This last card is my favorite. I used three stamps for the greenery, five for the flower, and four for the vase. I like its simplicity.

I assembled this card using white textured card stock, giving the top third a wash of aqua ink. I stamped the image of the jar on vellum in black ink, then tucked a few blue stamps behind it. Postage used for this card came from China, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, and Poland.

This is also a card that I can see myself replicating.

Before tidying my desk, I made a handful of bookmarks for our Little Free Library.

Playing with postage has been a lot of fun. Thank you for following along.

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More Crafting, Less Stress

There is something about a new year that feels fresh and full of promise, with planned and unplanned opportunities sprinkled with hope and optimism. I acknowledge the privilege that allows me to write that sentence, and if I could be queen for a day, I would wrap the world in a warm blanket with a nice cup of tea.

This year, I plan to spend more time crafting, gardening, working with organizing clients and traveling. It would be nice to worry less, but it’s an unrealistic goal unless I can fit in a months-long Buddhist retreat, which leads me back to more crafting and gardening.

I revamped my crafting area, tweaked it, and then tweaked it again. Our home office/den was the family hub when the boys were young. It’s furnished with long-in-the-tooth IKEA desks and overhead cabinets. I removed the closet doors years ago and created additional space with shelves and a work surface instead of space for hanging clothes.

After a year of inhabiting the two desks the boys once used, I realized I preferred my curved desk and not the two long desks side by side. It also put me closer to the converted closet, so now everything is within arm’s reach, and I can look out the window when I craft.

The side-by-side desks hold our printer and supplies, Mike’s flight simulator, and the assorted detritus that lands on one’s desk. It feels good to have settled on the space, and while it’s often messy, it’s also easy to clean up.

Most of my crafting is paper-related these days. I used to sew, knit, and create scrapbooks, but card-making is an excellent way to relax, and the results are fun to share with friends.

At the end of each season, I gather my scraps and create small crafting kits to put next to our children’s Little Free Library or participate in Kate’s ScrapHappy challenge. That’s good fun, too. Yesterday, I helped my sister organize her crafting area and came home with stickers for more crafting kits. We recalled how, as girls, we loved stickers, so it’s fun to imagine another boy or girl having fun with them. Here we are in a Walgreen’s photo booth, circa 1970 and again about twenty years later.

On the gardening front, the off-season sunflowers continue to grow. It’s so unexpected. I had Mike snap some pics for height comparison, and then he steadied the footstool so I could see if a flower opened. As a bonus, we spotted a ladybug, a brilliant standout against the green foliage. A friend gave me another cyclamen as a new-year’s gift so its featured in the gallery as well.

We’re dreaming about our next travel adventure. Closer to home, we drove to Lexington Reservoir on the first day of the year and enjoyed the sunshine reflecting on the water, the scent of California oak and redwood trees, and simply being out in nature.

I hope the start of your year has you feeling energized and ready to take on the day.

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ScrapHappy: So Soon?

The 15th of the month arrived in a flash. I hate to miss one of Kate’s ScrapHappy posts, so I pulled some paper scraps and made a pair of cards.

I used my Silhouette Cameo die-cutting machine to cut the circles. It feels like a touch of magic when you fold the edges of the circle into a V, showing the reverse side of the paper. I alternated the pattern to show off both sides of the print.

It will surprise no one that I have lots of floral paper in my stash. It’s what I’m drawn to again and again. The last two pics are closeups of the paper quilt. I used white water-color paper, but for some reason it looks blue in these shots.

That’s my small contribution this month. Please click the links below to see what other makers are up to. Thanks as always, Kate.

 Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy,  Tracy, 
Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,
Claire, Jean, Jon, Dawn, Gwen,
Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera, Edith
 Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti, Debbierose, Nóilin, Viv, Karrin, Amo, Alissa, Lynn, Tierneyand Hannah  

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ScrapHappy Day: Once a Diary

My friend Alicia sent me the following note, along with this Cats in Art diary from 1988.

“I came across this unused diary, and though I have no use for it, was reluctant to discard it. I thought of you, wondering if you might find some purpose for it in your crafts.”

It’s nice when your friends get you, eh?

I’ve had so much fun taking apart the pages and turning them into cards, both big and small. My favorite images included cats in the garden or perched near windows and the art that beautifully conveys the natural world. While I appreciate all art, I’m not enamored with dark oils or dreary scenes.

I made two small blue note cards, a pair of craft paper cards, two oversized cards, and even a couple of postcards. I wanted to preserve as much of the original art image as possible.

The one exception is this z-fold card. I used part of the image on the front and another part of it on the inside. Both are viewable when the card is open.

I made ten cards in all, plus the thank you card using the beautiful art. I cut circles out of some of the calendar pages and made stickers to go with the cards.

It then occurred to me that I could re-purpose the calendar cover to make a folio for the set of cards. I carefully cut the remaining pages, made a flap over the rough center, and then covered it with Washi tape from my stash.

I adhered three craft envelopes in two different sizes to hold the cards and stickers in place. Everything fit beautifully. The final detail: adding a piece of vintage seam binding, also from my stash, to pull it all together.

I hope she likes it. I sent it off last week.

Thanks for hosting, Kate.

Kate, our host, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynn, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy,  Tracy, Jill,
Claire, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris,
Kerry, Claire, Jean, Jon, Hayley, Dawn,
Gwen, Bekki, Sue L, Sunny, Kjerstin,
Vera, Nanette, Ann, Dawn 2, Noreen,
Bear, Carol, Preeti, Edith, Debbierose, and Jule

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A Craft Space of My Own

I’ve been looking forward to a dedicated craft space to call my own for years. When our boys were young, Mike and I used our fourth bedroom as a home office. During the grade-school years, we added a pair of desks for the boys. They completed homework in that room and used the computer under my watchful eye. I crafted in a small area on my desk, or I joined friends once a year for a weekend away to work on our scrapbooks.

When my oldest left for university, I planned to reclaim part of this space for my sewing machine. My younger son quickly spread out using all the available surfaces. The room morphed again as a place to hang out with his friends.

In 2018, my youngest son left for university, and at long last, I had a dedicated craft space of my own.

Lindy marveling at the cleared surface

I started organizing my craft space that year, but a few months later, I found myself fully immersed in my volunteer work with Lifted Spirits and started spending a lot of my time downtown.

I put some structure in place at the time, and what a treat its been to have everything I need at my fingertips!

My friend Kelly made this beautiful pouch for my birthday one year. I use it to store my Sizzix plates
Sizzix die cutting machine and plates
Cat mug, 1985
This pair of Elfa drawers store the majority of my paper and tools
Paper sorted by color and season
This cloth pouch is used to protect paper for embossing. I used a baby food container to keep it clean between uses
Clear sandwich boxes and repurposed yoga spoons store embossing powder by color
More clear kitchen bins store ink pads
More kitchen bins
Recipe box for ephemera and a tall Kleenex box, weighted with marbles, for my rulers
I borrowed this idea from someone in a Facebook Group: Wash tape stored on wooden embroidery hoops

Now that we’re “sheltering in place” in Santa Clara County, I’ve finally put the finishing touches on this room.

My original plan was to set up a sewing area on one desk and a paper-crafting area on the other one.

The table is too deep for my machine and my foot pedal to work well together. Since I like spreading out when I sew, I decided to convert both sides into paper crafting. I can use my dining table when I sew.

Now I have a place for my Silhouette Cameo cutting machines and more surface area for work.

Cameo die cutting machine (a Christmas gift from Mike)

Cleaning up and reorganizing the space didn’t take long, and what a difference it’s made. I enjoy working on cards and assembling craft kits for the curb, and it is a pleasure working with a clean and uncluttered (for now) desk.

My reorganized crafting space

I enjoyed gathering inspirational art for the wall. It’s a collection of mixed-media, watercolor, collage, embroidery, and fiber arts from friends and family. I love having it gathered together and displayed in my creativity corner. I have several pieces from fellow bloggers, including Anne, Kelly, Marlene, Pauline, and Wilma, representing Australia, Canada, the US, and New Zealand.

I’m now surrounded by art created by family and friends.

On the pale yellow wall, the green heart is a gift from my friend, Carrielin. We met in college doing a play together, and we’ve remained friends all these years.

The custom-died monkey sitting on the heart is a gift from my self-described hippy friend, Laura.

All three read hearts we’re machine-embroidered by the talented Marlene, who blogs at insearchofitall.

From Canada, a mixed-media tag by artist Wilma Millette. You can find her gorgeous work on Instagram @creartful-dodger. To the right of Wilma’s piece is another mixed-media creation by the talented Kelly Daye. We met through blogging and have become the best of friends.

On the green wall, I hung Dad’s wooden painter’s palette. It’s a cherished memento. Oil painting was one of Dad’s many hobbies. I affixed three black and white photos to the pallette: My dad in the center, a picture of his completed model of the Golden Hinde, and the storefront of my parent’s flower shop in Seaforth, Canada. They’re all treasures. The Bay Bridge oil painting is also my dad’s work.

Below the palette is a mixed-media piece by Pauline King, a treasured gift for my 60th birthday. Pauline is known in the blogging world at The Contented Crafter.

Next to Pauline’s work are a pair of watercolor teapots by Anne Lawson. Anne is a Melbourne Artist who “captures the beauty of the #naturalworld in watercolour or ink.” You’ll find more of her work @annelawson54 on Instagram.

My father’s wooden oil painting palette

Repurposed wine crate stores stamps and punches

I like being able to see everything at a glance. Assorted cat mugs store my pens and tools. See-through bins store craft ribbon, dies, and acrylic stamps.

I removed the sliding doors to the room’s closet several years ago. It now houses our printer, most of my sewing supplies, extra baskets, and a few other crafting tools. Here’s what it looked like before re-organizing the shelves.

Starting Point: A four-foot closet in the same room stores craft materials, our printer, sewing projects and my Cameo cutting machine

This is what it looks like now.

After: craft room closet sorted with room for a chair.

Have you tackled an organizing project during your time in quarantine?