Christmas 'Thank You' cards

For Christmas in 2010, I received a sewing machine from my Grandma Wenger. After Christmas, while I was still in Kansas, I spent 2 afternoons with her trying to learn all the tricks of the trade. When I got back to Connecticut I couldn't wait for my first project. 

I have been a paper & pen lover all my life; all kinds of paper (notecards, stationary, journals, calendars, etc.). And pens, that's a separate post.

My favorite store is Paper Source. 

So, my first sewing project was to sew...onto paper. Thank You notes. 

I used fabric that was printed like a piece of loose leaf paper (with cute little birds on it). It was a big & beautiful tag in a sweater I bought at Anthropologie. 

I clipped it out (successfully, without ruining the sweater) and cut it to fit onto a four bar folded notecard that was the color, chartreuse. 

I then used my large letter stamps and red ink to stamp out my gratitude onto the fabric. 

I cut hearts out of a red plaid shirt that I had ruined with bleach.

Then, I took it to my sewing machine & simply stitched them on.

The first one has a weird crease in the top corner and an odd fold above the heart, but it gives it character. Aren't the birds cute? I wish I could find this fabric to buy. 

I had a little bit of the fabric paper tag left, so I created a horizontal strip.

 After the tag was used up, I cut out a piece of cream colored, canvas looking fabric. It was super easy to stamp onto.

My lines are not perfectly straight, but lucky for me, I don't think it really mattered for this project! 

Those were for Christmas 2010.
This year before Christmas I found this gift tag on Pinterest. I replicated them by free hand cutting the 'chick' bodies out of fabric and glueing them onto a card. Then, with a fine-tipped black marker, I outlined the chicks, gave them legs, eyes, beaks and then turned them into reindeer by adding antlers. I made a gift tags, Christmas cards, and then Thank You cards with these little guys on them. 

I have always enjoyed making cards and working with paper. Growing up, my 2 best friends and I had a card company called MRM Stamping Co. (Mallory, Ragan, Morgan). We set up in my parent's basement and would spend hours upon days stamping and creating invitations, bookmarks, cards & more.

Thank you family members, neighbors, & friends who fostered our creativity by always politely complementing and purchasing our little creations. 

15 years later, I hope you still enjoy getting them in the mail!