Christmas Cameo Ornaments

Christmas is all about family and traditions. During the Victorian era it was considered a compliment to give a gift that was hand-made especially if that gift was made by the giver. The months leading up to Christmas Day were busy ones.  To the extent that the family could afford, they painted, glued and stitched their presents to each other. 

Bits of lace and trim, broken chains, charms, lockets, pressed leaves and flowers all found their way into the thoughtfully designed and lovingly stitched gifts.  The presents that have survived into the twenty-first century are now considered treasured heirlooms and rightly so.

I love all things Victorian...especially their concept of the importance of hand-made. We now live in a world that is so fast that hand-made is a rarity. 

A few years ago I received some vintage lace from an estate and have treasured the pieces.  To-day I stitched some of the lace, added cameos and trim to create these beautiful ornaments. 

 Thank you for visiting...enjoy!

October & November CQJP 2013 Blocks

October CQJP 2013

This is my October block...All Hallows Eve, complete with black cat and spider's web, mist and dying trees.





November's block are all the colors of fall. I used silk ribbon for the flowers and leaves.

November CQJP 2013

If anyone is interested in registering for the CQJP2014 click the link and it will take you to the registration page.

Thank you for visiting, enjoy!

Off To The Post Office

I finally finished my Thanksgiving tags and cards.  Here they are:

In creating the tags I used large shipping cards, burlap with some foiling and the papers are from BoBunny, my other favorite paper company. The wheat sheaves are glass beads. The backgrounds are stamped and heat embossed using white pearls embossing powder from Stamp N' Stuff.

 I machine stitched the paper strip to the card.

 I love the Recollections leaves, their colors are just perfect for this tag.  The burlap works well too.

I used Graphic45 papers for this card.  It is frosted with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist and the pumpkins are accented with Glossy accents. 

Thanks for visiting, enjoy!

A Grateful Heart Is A Joyful Heart

I created these cards for some wonderful people I met on my recent trip to Kirksville, Missouri.  I used Graphic 45's papers, Place in Time, November, for this card.  Prima Roses, black paper doilies, ribbon and a distressed key hole embellish the card.

This second card, Thanks, was created using a large shipping tag. I used Ranger's Distress Inks to color the tag, white pearls embossing powder to frost the background leaves, Recollection mulberry leaves, glass bead wheat sheaves, burlap and ribbon. 

Thanks for visiting, enjoy!

I Have Plans....

So... I'm back in the studio! Apart from needing more work space, I need more time, hands and energy.  Today I thought I would get the base of some projects started, therefore I find myself moving from one work table to the next, fabric, paper, paints.

Stay tuned to see how it all ends...

Enjoy!

Workstation

Some days there is never enough work space!