Palette Purple Cards

Hello Friends,

Purple is the Palette color for September. It's hard to describe the magic of this group of fabrics, but stunning is a great start. There's just something about the varying shades of purple that makes these fabrics a joy to work with.

These petit collages are a great project for a beginner sewer. Start with one base fabric, then build on it with multiple pieces of fabric and paper. They could be mounted in a frame or used on card fronts as I have done. Either way, it's a win for anyone who loves purple—and who doesn't?

Isn't this stack of fabrics is just wonderful? I hated to take on the twill ribbon because I just liked looking at it!.

I made three cards but I only photographed the steps for one 

since they all use the same method for the base. 

I started by cutting a main fabric + a matching size of cotton batting. You can cut whatever size you want - it always depends on the card base you are using. I chose large Folio Folders, so my fabric and batting are 3 1/2 x 5". This size works well to give me enough of a border to add stamping.

I added a thin layer of Collage Medium to the batting just to keep the fabric in place while I stitch. I also added patches from other fabrics - these were cut from Purple Collage and Purple Tiny Print. These work well because there are three scales of prints a large, a medium and a small.

Next, go to the sewing machine and stitch around the edge as well as any other areas you wish (the Tiny Print patch will come later).

If you have a Scratch Tool you can use it to rough up the edges of the fabric and batting.

I stitched the patch with a giant X instead of going around the edges of the patch. Then I added a vintage button. As I have said before, I collect buttons that still have their thread in tact. These work perfect for projects like these because you can just glue them on.

I added a tinted Photobooth image (tinted with Distress Crayons), a Clippings Sticker and a butterfly from the Palette Ephemera Pack.

I decided to add some hand stitching to the Photobooth image using DMC Floss 3740. I used 2 of the 6 strands.

Again, all the little fabric collages go together that same way. Just bits here and there.

This collage used the Purple Botanical print along with Purple Collage, Wallpaper and Marble. These are Mini Paper Dolls (so very small) and the small wings are from the Transparent Wings pack.

The third Collage using Purple Flower Shop as the main print along with a bit of Purple Collage, Tiny Print, and Ephemera. I also added one stamp from Purple Stamps fabric. The ephemera is from Field Notes Snippets.

For the card bases, I used three large Folio Folders that I sprayed with Antique Linen Distress Spray Stain (both inside and out).

I chose the background stamp set Tailored & Houndstooth (CMS258) because I thought the sewing/tailor lines of the stamp went with the idea of using fabric on cards.

Once the fronts of each Folio Folder was stamped, I went around the edges with a Gathered Twigs Distress Ink on a Blending Tool.

I used 1/2" Scor-tape to add the fabric collages to the Folio Folders.

Then added faux Dymo Tape to each tab as a sentiment.

Here are some close ups of each finished card.

These were easy to make and a great beginning sewing project. I like that I could make all three base backgrounds then work on adding the extras when all three were in front of me. Adding a little here and a little there until I got a good balance of paper and fabric.

Now carry on,

Paula

Palette Indigo Tag

Hello Friends,

It's the first of the month which means it's time for a new Tim Holtz Palette Color - this month it's Indigo! Once again, this new selection of fabrics for FreeSpirit is beautiful! I went with a couple of the lighter Indigo fabric because it's still summer. But as we move through the month and I am able to share more, I will be incorporating the richer Indigo fabrics into my work. That is where the Indigo collection really shines! So here's to a few more weeks of summer that will lead us right into fall!

Now carry on,

Paula

Forget-me-not

Hello friends,

Today, I'm excited to share a project featuring Tim Holtz Palette Teal fabric from FreeSpirit. Teal is a personal favorite, and this collection did not disappoint — each fabric is absolutely gorgeous. The majority of the 10 Palette Teal designs exude a serene tranquility, but then you have 'Palette Teal Butterflies,' 'Tiles,' and 'Marble' which introduce more saturated tones. I blended both the calm and bold, incorporating pops of color from idea-ology ephemera to tie everything together. You might not immediately think orange pairs with teal, but it works perfectly here, right down to the vintage button stitched with red/orange thread. So enough talking, lets get started making!

I used 5 of the 10 Palette Teal fabrics for this project. 

Teal Collage

Teal Tiny Print

Teal Stamps

Teal Tiles

Teal Butterflies

Teal Wallpaper

Teal Marble

Teal Ephemera

Teal Tickets

Teal Map

Paint the 9 x 9 Display Panel with Evergreen Bough Distress Paint. I wanted a more sheer coverage so I painted it on, then wiped off some of the paint. When the paint was dry, I sanded it with a large sanding block to reveal more of the wood. 

While the paint was drying (before sanding), I set work on the fabric background. I chose Teal Tiny Print for the background since it's subtle and it will work perfectly with all the other fabrics and ephemera. I cut a 9 x 9" square of both the Tiny Print and cotton batting.

Then stitched them together with a random pattern of straight stitches. Once the sewing was done, I cut the piece to fit the inside of the Display Panel.

So the panel and the fabric backing are ready to go!

I just added Collage Medium to the back of the Display Panel, then added the fabric into the back. 

TIP: cover the entire back of the tray with Collage Medium so the quilted fabric will be completely secured to the panel. You will be adding metals to the fabric and you do not want the backing to flop forward once the metal is glued in place (that would not be easy to fix).

Cut a piece of the Tiles fabric large enough so you can fold the sides under and iron flat. I colored a Photobooth image for the top and added it once I cut a "frame" into the fabric. Meaning, I cut a hole in the top tile so you could see the image like a frame. At first I didn't color the image, but I took it out and colored it with Distress Crayons to reinforce the teal and orange color scheme and it was so much better. Distress Crayons are magic!

I took the whole piece to the sewing machine and stitched around the outside. To get the clump of messy thread, I pull some thread from the machine, wad it up and stitch over it a few times. I use my fingertip to add watered down brown ink to color the thread before drying iwth my heat tool.

Next up is the metals. Each of these pieces was painted with white paint (either Distress or acrylic will work), then wiped away. Once dry, I added either more paint (like the blue on the key and blue and yellow on the flower). 

I also added Walnut Stain Distress Crayon to the Sweetheart Adornment and the flower (also from the Sweetheart pack).

For the Quote Token, I chose to keep it simple and just added Picket Fence Distress Crayon.

Add the Sweetheart adornment to the tile with Collage Medium. The Quote Token has two THIN 3D Foam Squares on the back. These will keep the Quote Token in place until it can be nailed to the wood panel.

Next up is the stamps. I stitched cotton batting and a block of stamps together. The fabric has a white background so I spritzed it with Antique Linen Spray Stain to give it an aged feel. I just spritzed and dried it with my heat tool.

Each of the three stamps were cut from the block, leaving the stitching only at the top. 

I spotted this piece of ephemera from the Keepsakes Ephemera pack that worked perfectly with the color scheme. I trimmed off the edges since there is a lot going on, I didn't need more distraction. I added a scene from the Collage Fabric to a piece of Watercolor Cardstock (because it's sturdy), then added it to the frame with Scor-tape.

For the ephemera on the bottom left, I created another stitched fabric piece with the Teal Collage fabric and cotton batting. I added more Watercolor Cardstock to the back of the ephemera piece (Keepsakes) then added it to the fabric with Collage Medium. This piece is long, so it's best to put something heavy on top while it dries so the ends don't turn up like a potato chip. Just saying...

Our last piece is the Optical Lens. I used the lens as a pattern to cut the circle of fabric from the fabulous Butterflies fabric. This was easy to do because I had painted the area I wanted to cut out with Collage Medium and let it dry before cutting. It makes the fabric just stiff enough to make the cutting easier.

I added a layer of Collage Medium over the top of the fabric and added it to the glass of the Optical Lens. 

Then I adhered the painted flower to the Lens with Collage Medium. Add enough glue to let the flower sit in it. Once dry, it will be super secure and ready to add to the Display Panel.

Putting it together -

After deciding on the placement, adhere each piece with Collage Medium.

I used the Texture Hammer to add a Tack Nail to the top of the Quote Token.

Once one side is complete, add the pieces to the right side. You can choose to use 3D foam Squares behind the Souvenir Views ephemera if you want it to be raised from the background like I did. The card with the bird is from the Layers Organic ephemera pack. I glued it with Collage Medium then added Cello Tape to the edges. The small key was added with Collage Medium. If you wish, you can choose to add another Tack Nail at the top of the key.

The buttons are all vintage. I collect buttons that have the thread left in, so all I had to do was glue these down with Collage Medium. Obviously, any buttons could be used and you could either stitch them right to the fabric backing or add faux stitching and glue them on like I did.

Once that section is complete, add the stitched piece to the left side. Again, I placed something heavy on top to make sure I got complete connection to the fabric below. Once secure, I added the vintage piece of ribbon and a tiny vintage button at the top. 

Finish off with more Cello Tape. That looks so good to me!

And the last piece is the Optical Lens. Again, use Collage Medium to secure it to the background.

I decided to add a handle to the top of the Display Panel. So I added a couple Screw Heads I had previously painted with white paint to the holes at each end of the handle. Once the glue had dried I just dripped one drop of Mushroom Alcohol Ink over the top. I also used a Walnut Stain Distress Crayon over the handle itself to add some aging.

I used Collage Medium to add the handle to the top of the Panel (of course I did that with the panel standing up).

And there you go. Done deal!

I couldn't be happier with this project. I love things collected - especially things that you might not think go together. I also know you could make this with with any of the Palette colors, but Teal just has a soft spot in my heart and maybe that's why this is so special to me.

Now carry on,

paula