Another Class Today

Today it was Linda C, and I have no clue whose stamps she used, and I'm not entirely sure whose dies she used, either, except that the cards with the curved tops used a Lawn Fawn die for the curved cuts. Several companies have the faux-stitching dies.

All of the designs were pretty simply, and except for one card, all we had to do was color and assemble. The one card which required a bit more was the first one, and involved a punch and a bit of fussy cutting.

This is the one which required the punch and the fussy cutting, and we had a choice of three options for that part. And that card stock is actually white; I scanned the card, and the popped-up "Nerd Alert" caused the shadowing effect on the card.

Obviously, this is the one with the curved top. The person sitting across from me brought a cup of ice in with her, and didn't have a lid on it. Fortunately, when she knocked the cup over the spilled ice only hit the envelope and not any of the card elements. She also had to hum along with the radio. And chew her ice. I did not pack up and move to the other end of the table. But I was not disappointed when she left.

Wow! Craptastic scan! Yes, mine are bluebirds, whereas Linda's were yellow. Pretty much all of my birds will be either black (condors and many corvids) or blue (hello! Buffalo Springfield fan here!).

That's it for classes for at least a couple of weeks, methinks. Linda has one in June which will be on a Sunday, and I seem to remember Shirley has another coming up in June. Also, there will be another MISTI class next month.

A week of vacation this week, and I'm already planning a day trip away from home, to get away and see the sites.

Card Class Today

I'm trying to be a little more conscientious about posting, but we all know how that works. Attended another of Shirley's classes at my LSS, Stamp Fever. All three of today's images are by Marcella Hawley of Power Poppy, and she does some awesome floral images. I first "met" her through Flourishes, but that folded and she started her own company, so I have some of her stamps from two sources. All three of today's images are from the "Go Wild" set, and Shirley provided us with the stamped images on two different card stocks—one for the alcohol pens users and one for the colored pencil users. Today's group all used pencils! She also had plenty of samples for our tiny class, and since it's really more coloring and assembling than it is stamping, we could start with whichever one we chose to do first.

I chose this one as the first one:

 And my scanner cut off the right side of this one! Sheesh.

The second one:

This one's tilted a bit. Oh well.

And finally:

Looks like the bottom was cut off of that one. Bad day for my scanner, looks like.

Linda C's class is next Saturday, but sadly, my partner-in-crime Melissa won't be able to make it.

Until next time...

I'm Still Here

Haven't fallen off the planet or anything. Just lazy.

So today was another of Shirley's card classes, which are really more group crafting sessions than classes, at my LNS, Stamp Fever.

Since most of the instruction revolves around how to assemble the cards (once the coloring's done) rather than learning new techniques, we were free to do the cards in any order we liked. That worked out well, because she had made two samples of each of the three cards, and that spread the "wealth" of samples-to-consult-while-crafting around.

The first one I did was actually the most complex, involving a lot of coloring and then some fussy cutting.

The scan's a bit crooked, I see, and not well cropped. The patterned paper is from Lawn Fawn (and, weirdly, is being discontinued almost immediately after being introduced!). I liked the look of the diagonal plaid more than the other side of the sheet, which was vertically/horizontally oriented. The stamp is from Penny Black. The solid colored card stocks are Bazzill, and the white card stock is from Neenah. It's not a stock I find favorable for colored pencils--at least not the oily/waxy ones like I use. In this case, the pencils are all Prismacolor, although I do have a small selection of Faber-Castell's PolyChromos, too.

The second one I did was a lot simpler, and I just had to decide which lavender/purple/violet shades and which greens to use.

I believe this image is Technique Tuesday. They do have some beautiful botanicals! My greens should have been a bit brighter for these crocuses, but…oh, well. Once again the colored card stocks are Bazzill, Sources for the black stock layered behind the focal image and the striped paper behind the lighter purple are unknown to me, although the striped is probably the Michaels house brand.

The third one was a little bit more complex in terms of assembly. And color choices. The images aren't the kind I'm likely have, or to put in, my stash, so I probably spent more time actually trying to decide on colors than I spent on any of the three cards.

And I see now that my orange creamsicle is upside down! I don't remember whose images these are--Newton's Nook, maybe?--but these have matching dies, so no fussy cutting on this one. That sentiment really needs to go inside.

I'll try to post more often. No promises, though.

Stitch Class November 2013

Stitched exclusively on Margaret's Monochrome Madness, and am now down to just the outermost border and the beads in the outer border.

Last Monthly Stitch Class of 2012

And, as has been my habit these last several stitch classes, I worked on Margaret's Monochrome Madness.
Here's the status at the beginning of class today:

 And when class was done:

The box in the lower left is now about half done...after stitching and frogging and stitching and frogging and stitching and frogging and getting new "string" because the old "string" was starting to look pretty shabby and stitching and frogging and stitching.... 

The light-colored border is now done up the right side and across the bottom, and is about a third of the way up the right side, and after trying one kind of "string" on the outermost border, I consulted with the teacher and tried another "string"--the same "string" used for the innermost border.

I had hoped to get that block done, but accomplishing what I did manage to get done took about 3/4 of the class time!

Shopping My Stash

While I was sorting through some stamps recently I decided which ones--the image for the front of the card and the sentiment for the inside of the card--I'd like to use for my holiday cards, so I set those aside while making Hallowe'en cards. And, of course, promptly forgot where I'd put them.

While looking for something else entirely, I found the two stamps.

Then I took a good, hard look at the ready-made cards (and envelopes) I'd purchased some while back when I first got back into stamping (after one of those creative breaks we all seem to take). While the card stock is cut squarely (rectangularly, but all the corners square and equal and cleanly cut), the scoring is off center, and so the cards aren't neat and even. The good thing is, it's a nice layering weight. Unfortunately, however, the cards (and the envelopes, of course), are slightly smaller than the standard A2 size of 4.25x5.5.


So the next step was to decide what the finished card size would be based on the envelope size, which worked out to 4.125x5.25 (that's four and an eighth). After deciding which ink to use on the cream-colored stock, I shopped the stash for similarly colored card stock for the card base and additional layering.

I stamped the image on the cream-colored stock, trimmed closely, then layered onto the colored card stock, trimmed closely again, and layered again onto more of the cream-colored stock.

Then I cut up another piece of the cream-colored stock to layer onto the card base, stamped a background image onto it, and put the card base and the cream layer together. I then held the main image layers against the layered-up card base, and decided I needed another layer between the cream layer and the background-stamp cream layer. So I shopped the stash again for another color of card stock. More close trimming. Then I decided to make the card base match that second colored layer, and then I adhered all the layers together.

The card base is dark, so I trimmed another piece of the cream stock to go on the inside of the card for the stamped sentiment and whatever else I write inside for each recipient. And then I decided that the sentiment stamp alone wasn't enough, so I dug around and chose an image stamp to use inside, too.

Then I decided to make another test card with the same stocks, but in reverse: a different color of ink for the image, matching card stock to layer behind the image layer, then the cream again, then the different colored layer, onto the cream, onto the base.

For those of you keeping score, that's Color A ink on cream layered onto Color A card stock layered onto cream layered onto Color B card stock layered onto background-stamped cream layered onto Color B base. And Color B ink on cream layered onto Color B card stock layered onto cream layered onto Color A card stock layered onto background-stamped cream layered onto Color A base. The ink on the innards matches the ink on the front.

So now I have 40-some cards made in the two colorways, but you won't get to see them until they've been mailed out.

And the saddest part: I still haven't used up all those ready-made cards.

Retreat November 2012

Another stitching retreat in Temecula! Here's a view of the area from the top of the stairs by the dining hall:

And here's just one of the hot-air balloons from Saturday morning:

I didn't have a lot of luck with my stitching over the weekend. I had a hard time deciding what to work on (and even brought along a couple of extra projects!), and then kept making mistakes. This piece is a Dimensions' kit which only rarely sees the light of day. I actually started this piece back in 2005, so it's pretty obvious it doesn't get much lovin'. The first photo shows the status of "A Bird for All Seasons" as of Friday morning:

And here's the progress from this session:

(Ack! Another one popping up sideways!)

I also worked on Margaret's "Spot Sampler." Here's where I left off in June:

And here's where I left off on Sunday:

The motif in the upper left corner is actually farther over to the right than is charted on the original, so I'll have to decide whether to frog it and put it where it belongs or whether I'll juggle the other motifs around.

I had a good time, but seriously missed my BSF-M, who wasn't able to make it this time.

Hannah!

Stitched one strand over one fabric thread on 25-count Lugana Vintage Country Mocha. The primary color is DMC 3012; the other two colors are Anchor 369 (the tan/golden brown) and Anchor 846 (the dark green).

Stitch Class September

Stitch class this month was today, which is also BFF-N's birthday, so first the card for her.

The front. This was an experimental piece. I have a background stamp of cupcakes by the same artist as the main image here (also the same artist responsible for the cupcake-tower stamp I sometimes use), which I stamped with watermark ink, heat-embossed with clear powder, then ran through the dry-embossing "happy birthday" folder. I matted that with a sage green. The center horizontal panel got the folder treatment, but not the watermark/heat-embossing treatment, and was also matted with the same sage green. The cupcake was stamped with two colors of VersaMagic chalk ink on white card stock, cut square-on-point, and then matted with the sage green. The heat-embossing didn't work as nicely as I had hoped; maybe a touch of color in the embossing powder would have helped.

And the innard, where the sentiment square-on-point was also run through the embossing folder, then matted with the same sage green as the card front.

BSF-T (that's Best Stitching Friend) had a finish today:

This is her Mary Wigham, done on a much finer count that my own MIA Mary Wigham, and a most beautiful piece. Congratulations, GF!!!

I worked on Margaret's Monochrome Madness again. Here's MMM at the end of last month's session:

I started by frogging a bit of that green block I finished last month and then re-stitched the off-by-one-thread mistake I'd make on the last row. It's the green block at the top right corner of the (incomplete) center medallion. I also added a bit more (almost finished) to the block to the right of the green block.

 

And started stitching the border:

There's another section of border that will be stitched around the outside of this one.

10:30PM Update: Hannah Beeby is done. And getting a back.

Stitch Class 1208

Once again I worked exclusively on the piece affectionately known as "Margaret's Monochrome Madness."

Progress at the beginning of class today:

And at the end of class:

Now complete is the greenish colored block to the right of the center block. Unfortunately, I made a placement error in the top row, and it's obvious I'm going to have to do some frogging and re-stitching next month. I also added to the center block.

Yes, it looks like I'm getting close to a finish, but there's still a couple of rows of motifs for the border yet to be stitched.

TUSAL 1207 and a Progress Pic

Combined! Yes, I'm late again with the TUSAL, but that's life. This one contains mostly Margaret's Monochrome Madness and some nearly invisible--because of lighting and position--strands from the pictured current project, Hannah Beeby.

I see also that we're about 2/3 of the way through the month and I never posted anything from the monthly stitch class. Well, here's MMM, before class:

...and after class:

For some reason, the upper photo is turned 90° to the right from the correct orientation. I finished the block at the lower right corner of the center motif, started and got about halfway on the one on the far right side in the vertical midpoint, and got the center motif started. It looks a lot closer to "done" than it actually is, as there's a honkin'-big-arse border to go around it, too. With beads.

June Stitching Retreat

I stopped at the Temecula Hobby Lobby (I'm frankly unimpressed, and really prefer not to do business with businesses which aren't open when I'm not working) and The Stamping Post on the way to the retreat center. I chose to work on counted cross stitch pieces all weekend.

I started with the piece I worked on at our first retreat, back in November last year. This first photo shows the progress at the start of this retreat:

Here's how far I got before I moved to something else:

Then I chose to work on Hannah Beeby for a while. Once again, the first photo shows the progress at the start of the session:

And the little bit I did before switching to another piece:

I also did a bit of stitching on another Quaker sampler, but didn't take before and after pics of that one. I also didn't take a "before" picture of Margaret's Spot Sampler before I pulled it out, but I did take an "after" picture before we packed everything up Monday afternoon:

The stitching on this one consisted of adding another leaf motif or two and the two motifs and two letters in the interior.

Is it November yet? I'm ready for another one!!

TUSAL 120619

Three days late, but here it is, mostly Margaret's Monochrome Madness:

Today I'm away to Temecula for a stitching retreat. Eat your hearts out, suckers!

June 2012 Stitch Class

I worked on Margaret's Monochrome Madness again this month. Status at the beginning of the day:

And at the end of the day:

 

Two blocks started and completed, and a third started.

TUSAL 120421

A little more this month, since I tossed poor neglected Beatrix Potter aside for even more neglect and put Hannah Beeby in the floor stand. The golden browns are from Margaret's Monochrome Madness, while the greens are from Hannah.

Progress Pic

Hannah Beeby, as of today:

I just couldn't get motivated to work on Beatrix Potter, and, spurred on by Melissa's and Terri's progress, I decided to put Beatrix away and put some time in on Hannah.

April 2012 Monthly Stitch Class

Today was the monthly open stitch class at my LNS, Needlepoints Ltd. As usual, I had no idea which piece (or pieces--I've been known to stitch on more than one piece in the course of a class) I'd pull out until I actually pulled one out to stitch on. I'd had tentative plans to work on the piece lovingly known among its stitchers as Margaret's Monochrome Madness, and that's the one I chose to work on again this month.

Progress as of the start of class:

Detail shot of the area I chose to work on this month, start of class:

Detail shot of the area after class:

As you can see, I finished the left block and started and finished the Utah-shaped block.

I also stopped by the LSS, Stamp Fever, before stitch class because the first Saturday is Card of the Month day. I learned another new technique, this time in the card base itself rather than stamping/coloring techniques.

The front (above) and the inside (below).

TUSAL March

Another pathetic month. This one contains both Margaret's Monochrome Madness, from the stitch class earlier this month, as well as a few token bits from Beatrix Potter Quaker.

Third Stitch Class of 2012

Today I opted to give some attention to Margaret's Monochrome Madness, a counted needlework piece that's been neglected for quite some time now.
Progress as of start of class this morning:
The block I worked on today is the second up from the bottom left corner (above the partially stitched diagonal motif).
The large eyelets are done; and we tested several different shades and colors of fibers to use to fill in between/among the large eyelets, but didn't have time to test what we hope is the last choice. Maybe next month.

I also went over to the LSS, Stamp Fever, to pick up some special orders and for the Card of the Month, but I haven't taken a picture of that card.

TUSAL January and February

It's been a slow year for stitching so far.
The first pathetic little pile is January's.

The second pathetic little pile is February's.