Not A Card

The new challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow starts today and this time it is titled NOT A CARD.  We want you to make gifts, home decor, altered items, etc. and while they do not have to be Christmas themed you might want to take advantage of the fact that it is that time of year.  Your project must be shabby chic or vintage.

Before I tell you how I made this ornament, I have to let you all know that this is going to be the last challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow.  With the exception of some much appreciated help from a couple of former DT members, I have been running it by myself for 3 years and after careful consideration I realized that it was time for a break.  During this time I have also been looking after my Mother-in-Law who lives 2000 miles away and just recently had to go and move her from one care facility to another one because her dementia has increased and she had started to wander.  While I am pretty good at multi-tasking, I have hit the wall.  I have certainly enjoyed all the wonderful DT members and the participants in our challenges over the time that I was running SCH and then took over ownership of it so I will miss them.

Now on to my ornament.  No matter how hard I tried I could not get a photograph that represents the true colour so it seems to have a slight orange tinge to it that isn't there.  It is really red, white and gold.  This is another "It looks better in real life" moments so I am starting to nag my husband again for a good photo setup.

I tried something different and love, love, love the result.  I started with a big square of white cotton duck fabric recycled from an old pillow protector .  Next I painted it with Folk Art Barnyard Red, Deco Champagne Gold and Folk Art White acrylic craft paint that I mixed 1:1 with Americana Fabric Medium.  The fabric medium allows the paint to dry while still keeping the fabric soft and pliable.

Next I randomly stamped some script with a Recollections stamp using Ranger Jet Black Archival Ink.  Then I stamped some small snowflakes from the Artistic Outpost Sleigh Ride set and a few large snowflakes from a Class Act wood mounted stamp using Brilliance Moonlight White pigment ink.

The next step was to cover the stamped fabric with crumpled tissue paper by adhering it with Mod Podge.  I hand cut two large hearts with my pinking shears and I also cut three smaller hearts from fleece, which were sandwiched between the fabric hearts.  I used strong glue to put the hearts together but would sew them in the future - I just didn't feel like hauling out my sewing machine.

I found some red seam binding in my sewing stash and used that to make the hanger and bow.  To embellish the heart, I painted a little heart charm from my stash and a filigree medallion from Bead Landing with the Champagne Gold paint.  Then I added some Recollections pearl flourishes, some red gems and gold pearl stickers from Recollections and flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts.  Finally I made a bead charm to dangle from the bottom.

I am going to enter this in the following challenges:

A Crafty Mess - Anything Goes/Traditional Christmas Colors
Artist Trading Post Exchange - Recycle for Christmas (white cotton duck fabric)
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Christmas
Crafting by Designs - Anything Goes for Christmas
Fresh Brewed Designs - Christmas  Anything Goes
Bearly Mine - Christmas Decoration (Not A Card)