Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Upgrading Older Cards and a Baby Quilt....and I'm Published!

Hi!  If you follow my blog, you know that I've had TOO little time to create cards lately.  This still stands true, but I have been crafting a little bit lately.  :)  I also wanted to share my exciting news -- I've got two cards published in Paper Crafts Card Ideas for Paper Crafters, which just came out August 1st!


I'm on pages 33 and 91.  :)  So happy!  This is my first time being published.

When I was rifling through my box of give-away cards recently, it dawned on me that I had a lot of cards that are much too simple for my current taste.  Take these, for example, from a Simply Sent Kit by Stampin' Up!: 



Way back when I bought that kit, I did exactly as the instructions said.  I was a novice card maker, and needed all the help I could get.  Well, that was fine for then, but I wanted to dress these up a bit.



Now they are a bit more dressed up, thanks to two new punches I picked up not long ago:  Dotted Scallop by EK Success, and Doily Lace Trim double edge by Martha Stewart.  I could have added pearls, too, but I wanted to keep these relatively flat for easy (read:  cheaper) mailing. 

Another craft project that has kept me busy for the last week is to restore my 9 YO's baby quilt, which she sleeps with every night.

Meet "Baby Quilt", also known as "Quiltie":


I made this for Kerry before she was born, before I knew I'd be having a girl.  I was SURE she was going to be a boy, because I really wanted another girl and doubted I'd get my #1 choice two babies in a row.  :)
(there's nothing wrong with boys, but I've always been a real girly girl and felt I'd be a better mom to girls)

Kerry has slept with this quilt for nearly 10 years, and it was showing signs of falling apart:




Knowing Kerry would be bereft without it for a few days while I fixed it, I tried to prepare everything I could ahead of time:  I measured, I cut the new fluffy batting, I cut flannel strips and sewed together to make a binding.

The first night she had to sleep without it, she was very upset.  She had trouble falling asleep, bless her little heart.  The subsequent nights were easier, and in the meantime I had removed over a thousand stitches, one by one, to get the top and bottom apart.

After fitting it with a new piece of fluffy batting, and attaching a binding (which it did not have in the first place), now it looks like this:

It's by no means perfect, and I have a bit of tufting yet to finish, but it should last years longer and that makes Kerry happy.  :) 

Thanks for joining me today!

Colleen

Stamps:  Simple Delights from Simply Sent kit - Stampin' Up!
Paper:  River Rock, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Soft Sky - SU
Ink:  Chocolate Chip, River Rock - SU
Punches:  Dotted Scallop by EK Success, and Doily Lace Trim double edge by Martha Stewart

32 comments:

Stacey G.-2 Craf-t-4u said...

What a difference a little lace makes! The cards definitely have the girly thing going on now & look great! What a good Mamma you are to fix her quilt! It looks fantastic! & congrats on being published! That is so exciting!

Pauline said...

Congrats on getting published Colleen, and a fab way to re-do your cards, they look wonderful with the added punched strips and edging!

What a lovely quilt you made for your daughter, and thankfully you were able to save it. I'm guessing she will have that for many more years to come. Xx

NanaConnie said...

Congratulations on the publications!! How exciting. Great way to update the early cards, too. Love the refurbishing of the quilt. Isn't it amazing how attached kids become to something we didn't really intend to last forever? lol I've made baby blankets or quilts for each of my kids and grandkids, plus one great-granddaughter, and just completed a quilt for the next great-grand due right around Labor Day. Most of those are still hanging around, though some are in desperate need of repair. At least one needs to be burned at the stake, but just try prying it away from the owner. LOL

Jaclyn Miller said...

Col, I got a sneak peek at your cards when I was at CHA! They totally rock. Congrats on your first pub. :)

Heather Rogers said...

Congrats on your pubs. Great make overs too. :)

Bev J. said...

Congrats on being published. Like the updates on your cards-pretty and a pretty blanket too.

Janeen said...

Colleen,
How exciting to have your cards published. My dream!

Like the updated cards much better. and how nice to fix your dear daughters quilt and to have it all ready for her so quickly. (i don't do sewing machines. ) :)

Linda Callahan said...

How exciting to be published in a magazine! Congrats :)

Savannah O'Gwynn said...

HOOOOORAY! Congrats on your publications--and your first ones! LOVE IT! Can't wait to see it in print:)

Those recreated cards looks FAB! I love the little border punch--makes me want to go through my stash and add more!

I also love your story about Kerry's quilt--too cute:)

Anonymous said...

Congrats! I gotta find this issue and then brag to the ones in my card group - that I KNOW HER! :)

Chris R. from Iowa

Bumblebee said...

Hey, congrats on being published, that's amazing!!!! I love that your daughter is so attached to her quiltie, and the effort you've gone to mending it is fantastic! Bx

Ann Schach said...

Congrats on being published! Woo hoo for you!

darkchami said...

Congratulations! That is such exciting news!

Julia Aston said...

Big congrats on your being published Colleen! I've got one in there with you on page 119!

Love how you dressed up your CAS cards and wonderful job on your daughters quilt! What a great mother you are!!

Donna B. said...

Congrats on being published and with 2 cards!! I can't wait to get that edition and check out your cards!! My first published card will be in the Sept/Oct Paper Crafts which some people have gotten in the mail, but not me yet!!! It's so exciting isn't it!!!

LeAnne said...

Congrats on being published---I am too scared to even try! And your daughter's quilt is beautiful!!! She'll have even sweeter dreams than ever, once you're finished!

Bonnie said...

Congratulations Colleen! I am so excited for you! I'll have to get to the bookstore so I can see your creations. The quilt is beautiful! My girls still have their worn out, torn, frayed and stained blankets and in one case a stuffed dog. They don't sleep with them anymore (I don't think) but they treasure them still. I'm sure your Kerry will too.

Holly AKA KopyKat said...

Congrat's on getting published! You are awesome. Love the new do to the cards and I the quilt is so fabulous. You're a really thoughtful mom! My grandmother made a boy quilt for my first baby girl and a girl quilt for my second baby boy, lol. She said the same thing, if she made it opposite, it would work. lol.

Unknown said...

Congrats on getting publish.. Taht is so cool.. And I have to say I love the way you dressed up those card. They look wonderful.. So does your quilt..

Hugs, Linda

Ruby said...

Colleen, I didn't realise this was your first publication, I thought you'd had loads! Your work is always so lovely. Congratulations! It's SO exciting, isn't it!! I would love to see your name in print. I wish they did digi!

farmhouse-story said...

congrats, colleen, on your first pubs! love that you cased yourself! gorgeous quilt!

Marisa said...

Back from vacation with LOTS to catch up on and what a joy it was to read you have been published!! Way to go :) Love the redo on the quilt too. Hoping you are having a fabulous summer (((hugs)))

Benzi said...

Congrats on your publications, Colleen! I'll have to pick that one up and see what you did.
Good job with the quilt....Kerry can hand it down to her children. It is like a blankie. :-)

The remake of your cards is super.

Vicki Dutcher said...

Congrats GF! Well deserved!!

~Tammy~ said...

Yippee! Congrats it is well deserved. Maybe one day I will sit down and actually read the pub calls and give it a shot. Too much time and those things can take the fun out of it. As far as your revised card it's lovely and funny how something like a little paper trim an make a difference, but they were CAS and beautiful before! The quilt is amazing, and I wish I had sewing abilities! What a special special gift the first time around and the second too! :-)

pam124 said...

Colleen, first tv and now being published. I hope I can get hold of a copy. A huge congrats to you and what an honor. I'm so excited for you!

Jinny Newlin said...

Woohoo! Go, Colleen! LOVE the color combo of your cards, too, and fabulous job fixing that gorgeous quilt! LOVE quilts!

momof5sons said...

So happy for you on your being recognized in publication Colleen!! I have to look for a copy now... Love the upgrades on those cards, punchez make all the difference in the world, don't they? The quilt looks fabulous...glad that you're not bored this summer :)

Andrea Ewen said...

Yay you, congrats on being published! Honestly, it was only a matter of time...your designs are always so well put together and accented perfectly! Maybe I can get your autograph when we craft together next?

Maria said...

Woohoo! Congrats on being published, Colleen! You are very well deserving! You always create fabulous cards! And lovely baby quilt for your daughter! Take care!:-))

Leslie Miller said...

Your quilt restoration was time well spent as far as Kerry is concerned, I'm sure! It does look better, especially with the binding. Now, a BIG congrats on being published. Exciting news! You're becoming quite the celebrity! I'd love to be able to buy a copy here, but nobody seems to carry it. Also, great job updating those cards!

Emily Keaton said...

Sorry for getting sidetracked here. Had to do a big grocery shopping trip and then picked up sticks in the yard (left by Irene) so that Mark could mow tonight!

First, CONGRATS on being published!! I hope that I can still find this special issue at A.C.Moore--I can't wait to see your first cards in print! And (lucky me!) I have a 50% off coupon. :)

Love how you dressed up those older cards--and your work on Kerry's quiltie looks awesome! It's not easy patching up something so well loved, but you did a super job--and it looks better than ever!!

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