Summer Embroidery Hoop Easel

     I love making cards using this Eileen Hull "Embroidery Hoop" Die. It is no longer available, but Waffle Flower and Paper Smooches each have one. 

     I fussy cut the sunflower and the hummingbird separately and pop dotted them. I found the leaves by some peaches on the paper. The butterfly came from a piece of ephemera.

Fussy Cutting

Only one piece of thread

     When I taught the card class for this one, everyone was surprised by the fact that I used one piece of 4 foot embroidery floss for all of this. I started by putting 5 counted cross stitches (not finishing the last one), then wrapping around the HALF spool, going through the button holes 4 - 6 times, and finally whimsically around the screw at the top. I cut the spools in half using a chisel and a hammer. I had to cut 15 of them for 30 students. Every single one of them split right down the middle, without fail. I painted the centers of the spools with amethyst acrylic paint. The button is from the chipboard. 
     The "SUMMER" sentiment is a sticker matted on Concord Jam card stock.  

Inside of Card

     For the inside of the card I used a scalloped circle die to cut an ephemera card. This is only the bottom of the ephemera card. The top half is on the inside of the Pen Nib card. 

Adding a simple helper

     I had to try something different to make the card sit as an easel. There were 2 setbacks. The weight of the hoop and the spool made the card want to collapse. The second thing was the inside of the card was so pretty that I didn't want to mar it by placing an embellishment in the center to hold the front up. I ended up cutting a 2 x 1 1/4 in piece of card stock, which I scored at 1/2, 1, and 1 1/2 - folding it into a "W". By adding this, the card could not collapse. A new problem arose - now the card wouldn't lie flat to place in an envelope. Easy fix - by folding the card backward everything lie flat and went right into an envelope.

From the back

     I will be making 16 cards and 4 calendars with this Graphic 45 Seasons Paper. All of these SEASON cards can be made using:

• one sheet of each of the patterned paper 
• one sheet of each of  Prints and Solids

In order to make All Seasons cards and calendars, you only need purchase the following items once:

• Tags and Pockets
• Chip Board
• Ephemera
• Stickers
• Season's Patterns and Solids

Stay tuned for more cards this year.

Spring

Spring Double Gate Card

Spring Shutter Card

Spring Seed Pack Holder 

Spring Center Step Card

Spring Calendar

Summer

Summer Poppy Block Card

Sweet Summer Pocket Card

Summer Pen Nib Butterfly

Summer Embroidery Hoop Easel - You are here!

Summer Impossible Calendar

Autumn
Autumn Joy Fold Plus
Autumn Patchwork and Feathers
Autumn Shaker
Autumn Scarecrow
Autumn Calendar

Winter
Winter Birdhouse
Winter Cozy Snow Day
Winter Pop Up Gift Card Holder
Winter Box on Card 
Winter Calendar 
  

Materials: 

     Patterned Paper: Graphic 45 - Seasons (Summer)

     Card Stock: My Colors - Ecru

                                      Wildflower

                                      Concord Jam

     Ink: Distress - Frayed Burlap

     Die: Spellbinders - Petite Scalloped Circle Large

           Sizzix - Eileen Hull: Embroidery Hoop 

     Embellies: Embroidery Floss - DMC 470

                   Elizabeth Craft Designs - Starfoam Stickers - Black (eye)

                   Wooden Spool

                   Folk Art - Acrylic Paint - Amethyst

                   Laminated Burlap

Challenges

Creative Inspirations - All Tied Up - #9 - *

Dragonfly Dreams - Summer - #29 - *

Ellibelle's Creative Moments - Summertime is Here - #17 - *

Pixie's Crafty Workshop - 330 - #9 - *

Try it on Tuesday - Things with Wings - #68 - *

Unicorn Challenge Blog - Real Stitching - #15 - Winner!