Willow & Paisley

January Studio AE - BE MINE Card

 

Heeyyyyy Everyone!

 

I was playing around with my January Studio AE stamp set again (while watching American Idol.....of course!!) and came up with this card.  Just thought I'd share!

 

 

In the photo below you can see that I cut the heart out of the top layer and added some foam adhesive behind it.  The "happy valentines day" sentiment is trimmed out by hand and also popped up across the open heart. 

 

 

I absolutely LOVE this stamp set and I hope you do too!  It's a keeper. 

 

Thanks for stopping by my blog.  Have a wonderful day, my friends!

 

 

 

 

 

Technique Tuesday - Machine Sewing on Chipboard

 

Hey Everyone.  This is a blog project I created for Technique Tuesdays blog last January.  It's been sitting in my drafts all this time and I thought this was a great time to share it with you here on my blog.  Enjoy. 

 

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Hello Wonderful TT fans!

It's Charlene here with a little bit of machine stitching.......on CHIPBOARD!  Yes, that's right.  Did you know that your sewing machine can go through chipboard?  And probably go through it like buttah!    

 

Lets get started by showing you the supplies I used on my card.  Of course the star attraction, and my chipboard of choice today, is TT's Technique Tile - Buttons.

 

 

 

Besides your chipboard you will also need a sewing machine.  You don't need a fancy one.  Mine is from WalMart and I paid less than $200.  Here is the model I have and the settings it is on.  I almost never change the settings.  In fact, I don't actually even know what they all are.  But I do know if you are having trouble with your machine and your chipboard you might want to adjust your tension.  Don't worry if you break a needle at first.  It happens but once you get the hang of it I don't think you will have any trouble.  

 

 

 

Do you see my finger there?  Yeah, don't be me.  BE CAREFUL!  Once you get a piece this small started use something to push it through.  I used the end of a paint brush to do that. 

 

 

 

For a little banner like the one I'm making just continue to feed them through nice and slow.  Be sure to make a few stitches in between the chipboard buttons leaving spaces.  

 

 

 

Here is the completed little "banner".  Adorable, no?

 

 

 

I also wanted to show you that it's very easy to trace a shape with your sewing machine and you are not limited to just straight lines.  Just take it slow and follow the curves and lines of whatever chipboard shape you are using.  You'll get the hang of it with a little practice. 

 

 

 

I adhered the red cardstock to the chipboard in the centre of the heart only.  Do not put any adhesive where the needle is going to be going through.  That will be a sticky mess and will affect the needle. 

I will be making a bunch of these hearts to create a banner to string across an old set of shutters that are on display in my living room.  

 

 

 

Below is my finished card.  I used Glue Dots to adhere each "banner" button in place.  Note: I used a Copic marker to colour the Technique Tile.  It takes ink really nicely.  

 

 

 

These fantastic sentiments are from my most favorite stamp set....Loving Words by Ali Edwards. 

 

 

 

So there you have it.  Are you inspired to sew on some chipboard?  I hope you will give it a try.  I know you will love creating these dimensional embellishments for your cards and scrapbooking pages.

 

Have the best day ever!

 

 

 

 

 

Thrifty Finds - 1/21/13

Hey Everyone!

 

I really do have great intentions of posting my Thrifty Finds more often than I do but then I seem to just not follow through.  I had these photos uploaded since December so why didn't I press publish?  Who knows.  

I have decided that my New Years Resolutions are going to be TIME MANAGEMENT (to be more efficient when doing any task and not waste so much of my life doing nothing) and ORGANIZATION (purge, purge and purge. Also, organize closets, garage, craft room, crawl space.  Yeah, wish me luck.  I've ordered a whole bunch of some amazing Reisenthel storage bins so that's a start right?!!)

 

OK onto the goods.  This vase was bought at Value Village for $2.99.  The blue colour really is beautiful. 

 

This was how I had my thrifted pottery finds displayed in the fall.  I'm sure I didn't pay more than a few dollars for each.  I'm definitely attracted to the vintage style pottery.  How about you?  Yay or nay?

 

 

This was my other attempt at a Fall display.  The shutters were thrifted as was the yellow vase.  I found the metal iron decorative thing in my crawl space.  I had bought it at a home party of some sort about 8 years ago and never took it out of the box.  To be honest I don't even really like it and I hate the colour. I think it wants to be painted a bright Kelly Green.  Or maybe a turquoise?  Yellow?  Thoughts?  

 

 

 Ohhh...speaking of green (I swear I didn't plan that segue) here is another piece of vintage pottery.  This is a 2 piece serving dish.  Great for candy or crackers, which is what I used it for already.  A little bowl can be placed in the middle.  It was $3.99 at Value Village.  

 

 

 

This vase was $9.99 and yes that is a CRAZY amount to pay at a thrift store but I love it and I could not leave it behind.  It really is one of my favorite pieces.  The only problem is it is not waterproof.  Yep, it leaked out of the pourous unsealed bottom.  

 

But just look how pretty it was for the short time I was able to have some Tulips in it.   

 

 

I'm not going to dwell on this post or edit the crap out of it.  I'm going to hit publish so all you awesome subscribers to my blog actually have something to look at.  Have a great day everyone!!

 

 

 

January Studio AE Blog Hop from Technique Tuesday

 

Hey Everybody!

It's a New Year and its a NEW Technique Tuesday Blog Hop!

 

 I love, love, love this stamp set and I'm so excited to be part of the blog hop this month!  It's called BE MINE and it starts shipping today to Studio AE members. If you are not a member you can get it here on Technique Tuesday for a limited time. 

 

 

I'm always so excited to join my fellow team mates regarding anything Technique Tuesday but check out our guest for January!!  I mean, come on, who hasn't started their card making hobby by doing their first sketch challenge with Beate?!!  In fact, here's the card I made way back in 2007.  I haven't visited my Splitcoaststampers gallery in ages.  Good times.  

{{Fun fact - my neighbours name is Beate.  Not so fun fact - she leaves her Christmas Tree up in her front window until March.  Not kidding.}}

 

Beate Johns     (TT's guest for January!!)

Charlene Austin    <<<----- Me!

Laura

Nichol

  Daniela

 Ali

 Teri 

 Sharyn

 

Prize:

We are giving away one random prize – a $25 gift certificate to TechniqueTuesday.com  – to someone who comments during the hop. The winner will be announced on the TT blog  on January 16^th.

 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Have a great day! 

 

 

January Studio AE - Technique Tuesday

 

Happy New Year, Friends!!!

 

Ok so you know how much I LOVE Ali Edwards stamps right?  Well, what better way for me to start the year off than to be able to create with and share a card I made using the JANUARY STUDIO AE stamp set.  Oh my, do I ever love it.  You can see all the details on how to become a Studio AE member here.

 

 

 We are still in Hawaii and will be back on the 5th.  I'm pretty sure I'm water logged from the ocean and the pool and have had my fair share of cocktails.  Once I'm back I need to get serious about my New Years Resolutions!  How about you?  Are you ready to make the most of 2013?