From the Archives ...

Quilling Comes In All Sizes
I have said before that my two favorites are miniature and giant quilling! I would put this one below in the big category! I used one-inch crimped red and green strips of construction paper glued end to end. The stems are spongy insulation material that I cut into pieces and painted black. The leaves are 6" long and the cherries are 3.5" in diameter.

This is a piece I made to take to a CHA show in 2006 when I bought a table spot to show my designs. It is a MUST to have some type of eye-catcher to draw the manufactures and publishers to the table. My table was set up to sell my quilled cherry projects and large wall art designs. I used this cherry project, a 14-inch quilled snowflake and three 12-inch layered paper flowers as my eye-catcher. My plan worked :)

I wanted to share this technique to show that there is no limit to what you can do with quilled paper. Here are a few more examples: 

Lori Mondell ~ has an amazing creative mind when embellishing her projects (check out other items in Lori's store)
Suzana Ilic ~ brings quilling to a next level with her brilliant dimensional art
Ann Martin ~ this is an excellent example of how to be inspired by non-paper material and incorporate into quilling (also, check out Ann's new book!)

I hope you are encouraged to try something different and quill a miniature, traditional or big piece of art using your own creative style. 

Have fun!
~Molly

Update:  I found this poor photo showing how the large items are suppose to grab attention. This was the year I forgot one of my bags - containing makeup and my camera. I bought one of those disposable cameras and the photos turned out itty-shay!!!

Sour Cream Gift Container, Miniature Quilled Flowers

Happy July!

I made some 1" glass magnets, with yellow rose of Texas graphics. I wanted to wrap them but they are so small. They stack together easily held by the magnets and I wrapped them in tissue paper.

I decided to make a sour cream gift container using printed card stock. I made a tag and added tiny quilled flowers to match the paper I was using.

I used a 4" x 6" piece of card stock and rolled lengthwise into a tube as shown below. 

(10.16 cm x 15.24 cm)

I pinched the ends to close. I crimped the first end, applied glue inside along the edge, and crimped it again. After I put the magnets inside, I pinched the other end in the opposite direction. I repeated with crimping, gluing and crimping again.

I think it makes a nice presentation and this sour cream container is SO easy to make.

I purchased my graphics from Piddix. She has so many prints in many sizes and you get instant download.

Have a fantastic week!
Molly

Berry Boxes

click photos to enlarge

If you have stopped by before, you know that I absolutely LOVE hoarding collecting boxes and especially making them. I came across the cutest berry boxes and couldn't wait to make them last night. Before I show you my creations, I want to first give credit to Claire, the author of the blog, FellowFellow.  Her cute boxes, fabulous photos and fact sheets, in both inches and metric, can be found at the link below:

FellowFellow

I used two-sided card stock paper from a K&Company pad. These are so easy to make (Claire has done all the measurements for you) and very sturdy. 

I used my Martha Stewart score board since it has 1/8-inch increments. So little materials and tools are needed!

I made all the top strips 1" wide and they stayed on better. I also put a bit of glue under the edge on the side opposite where it is stapled.

Thanks for stopping by!
Molly

P.S.  Made a few more. :)

Easy Pillow Boxes

Happy June!

If you are a regular follower, you already know I love making boxes, hoarding boxes and buying boxes of boxes :) I want to stop buying expensive boxes to ship my neon paper earrings and really don't want to make the two piece boxes either. So, I thought maybe pillow boxes would work but I couldn't find my template this week.

I found this short video and free printable FTP template by Jennifer .. via Twitter.

 Make Your Own Pillow Boxes

The two things I did differently from the video:

• I used a clear tacky glue ...easier to move and get the edges even before the glue dries.
• I also used the edge of a metal container to score the flaps.

These were SO easy!

 I was able to print a watermark on the pink box - to personalize. 

 Thanks for looking and have a fantastic week!
 -Molly

Wordless Wednesday

SOURCE

Memorial Day Weekend

I came across these two cards recently; they are examples of cards I made for our recovering, wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital. They remind me of how I used to make time to do these types of things, it was most often on a craft message board. We would do these projects as a group. I really do miss the time I had in the days before Facebook, Twitter, blah blah blah :o)  I remember getting a link from my niece saying "You have got to join this group, it is the most fun way to waste time - ever." It was Facebook! LOL I do recognize the benefits of social media, I just wish I could minimize my time on it.

 I think the hearts would look great as red and green for a holiday card.

There have been many changes over the years for sending holiday cards to patients at Walter Reed.  The information can be found here. If you are like me (slow, procrastinator) it is not too early to start on a Christmas holiday project.

Everyone ~ have a safe and fun holiday weekend. 

Happy end of May!

Molly

Miniature Quilled Paper Chocolates

The 2013 NAQGCON (North American Quilling Guild) Conference in South Bend, IN .. a few weeks ago, was so much fun that I cannot even describe! I knew it would be, but did not know how fabulous the facilities and planning (by hostess Shelly Krzyzewski Thacker)  would be. The Waterford Estates Inn was the perfect venue, huge rooms - sleeping, dining, meeting - and the three days flew by. The theme was "Sweets" and we were asked to make our own quilled name tag using the sweets theme.

I made this two-inch tray of miniature dark and white chocolates that are in Diane Boden Crane's book titled Miniature Quilling, with a few variations of my own :o)

CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

This quilled floral arrangement, created by Elaine Altmose, won 1st Place in the Free Standing category and was also voted Peoples' Choice. Yes, the vase is all quilled and the mums are quilled petals not punched leaves. 

During the awards dinner, Elaine gave her winning piece to Motoko Nakatani (Maggie) from Japan, since Maggie gave Elaine her quilled Accreditation piece last year. Maggie and two other members from Japan attended and there were two gentlemen in my class. Members from Canada and as far away as San Diego and south Florida attended. 

Elaine Altmose with her 1st Place blue ribbon and Peoples' Choice rosette ribbon and Maggie with the quilled floral arrangement, which really shows how large it is. 

This is how many items were donated for the raffle drawings. The prizes were wonderful!

When photos are released, I will post more photos and pieces that were submitted in the competition.

NAQG membership is worldwide. To join, go to NAQG.

Have a great week!
Molly