Summer Garland Paperweight

I was struggling to know what to give my mother-in-law for her birthday and decided to stitch a design to fit into a glass paperweight.  It's not her birthday until the end of the month, but as she doesn't read my blog I can post it now.  I'd bought the paperweight several years ago and never got round to using it, but the size was perfect for this design.

To make this paperweight I used:
     Glass paperweight - make unknown
     Framecraft 'Summer Garland' cross stitch chart
     Snippet of 16hpi aida and iron interfacing
     DMC threads

The original chart was for a design on 18hpi aida to fit into a handbag mirror, but I stitched it onto 16hpi to make it a little larger to fit inside the paperweight.  After stitching the design I attached thin iron on interfacing to the back which helped avoid the fabric fraying when I cut it.  I used the paperweight as a guide to trim the fabric which was then placed inside the paperweight with a small piece of white card behind it.  To finish I attached the self-adhesive backing to the paperweight.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Floral Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Kath x

You are Fabulous

I made this card to send to Renata for the October Card Chain Challenge.  I used the Theme Option (Bears and Friendship) and the Product/Technique Option (Plaid).

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'James the Bear' Precoloured Art Sheet
     Clearly Besotted 'Modern Calligraphy' stamps and coordinating die
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Oval STAX Die-namics' die
     Versafine Olympia Green ink
     Lili of the Valley 'Twas the Night' paper
     Snippet of white card

I attached the plaid paper to a snippet of white card and trimmed it so it was slightly smaller than the card blank.  I die cut an oval from the left side and attached the panel to the card blank.  I die cut the precoloured LOTV image with the oval die and inlaid it into the panel.  I used green ink to stamp the sentiment onto a snippet of white card.  'You' was cut with the coordinating die and attached to the card with foam tape.  I trimmed 'are fabulous' and attached it below 'you'.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     As You Like It Challenge - Favourite Critters (I don't often make cards with critters, but when I do - it has to be a bear, especially a teddy bear as they are so cute and cuddly!)
     Cardz 4 Galz - Showcase your Patterned Paper
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Anything Goes
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes

This is the lovely card I received from Ella:

Kath x