I'm always on the lookout for ways to make card supplies do more - cards can take a lot of effort and aren't always valued as much as they should be.   So here's an easy idea to use your stamps to make last minute Christmas gifts.

I started with a piece of calico but you could get upcycling and use a scrap of an old t-shirt or any other fabric you have to hand and then I used the stencils in the Winterberry Bouquet from The Greetery to lay down the flat colour using oxide inks (as this isn't going to be washed you don't need fabric ink).

This is what it looks like after the stenciling part is done.

Next you come back in with the matching stamps and add the details to the leaves and berries.   I also added an extra cluster of berries using one of the options in the set to finish off an empty branch.

Once complete I applied the mask that comes as part of the stencil set included with the stamp over the top of the finished image so I could add some subtle colour blending around.  I finished it off with some white splatters for a wintery feel.

To turn it into a gift I used an embroidery hoop frame - this is one designed to show off your work, not the wooden kind you work the emboroidery in, the frame is stretchy so you simply pop the cloth over the inner hoop then stretch the frame over to secure it.  I used some redliner tape to glue the trimmed edges to the inside.  If you wanted to make it even cleaner looking from behind, you could cut a circle of fabric and glue it on the back then it's ready for hanging or gifting.   You die cut felt sentiments to glue on top to take it one step further too.

Here it is hanging on the door - sorry the light was poor so the colours look different!

Hope that's given you some ideas on how to make the most of your stamping supplies.

NEWS FROM THE STORE

This week sees Lawn Fawn's Valentines release, which should be in store for release on Thursday.

Happy Crafting

Tara