CFC #126: Valentine's Day Decor with your Supplies + Embroidery Hoops

Folks, I am super-excited about this one! This may be one of my favorite projects yet. Really. The inspiration is the current 2 week CAS-ual Fridays Challenge to use big blocks of color on your project.

 Before I get into the project details, how do you like my imitation of the hold-your-project-outside-and-crop-your-head-off style of photography of the big-time bloggers? I see photos like this by Rebecca Cooper or this by Dear Lizzy and am utterly charmed. As charming as those photos are, the actual process of getting the photo was not so romantic for me. I wish someone had video taped us ... my 6 year-old, with his boots unzipped because he had to get out of the car in a hurry after me yelling at him to put down your tablet or else, holding the heavy DSLR in a random townhouse parking lot with me trying to explain how to depress the shutter half way before my fingers froze off in the 15 degree weather.

So, wanna see how this came to be, and how I've used it as a Valentine's Day decoration?

 You probably already know this trick, but I didn't until I watched a video. An efficient way to cut images with multiple colors and/or layers is to cut out papers slightly bigger than the size of your image and place them in the right spot on your mat. That way you can get all the cuts in one pass through the machine. I'm also guessing you've noticed the tape on my decidedly unsticky mat. It's quiet pathetic. I just need to buy a new mat!



I purchased several embroidery hoops from Michael's. Arrange the hoops on your floor and lightly mark with a pencil where the intersections are. Wind silver embroidery floss tightly around hoops for about 3/4". The wider you make the bindings, the more stable your structure will be. Mine hangs from a single point and is relatively balanced. 

 For the patterned paper background, cut out a slightly larger circle than the inside hoop and bend paper over the hoop. Using a water brush really helps with this for thicker cardstock. Brush around the circle, wait a couple minutes for the water to soak through, and try again when the paper is more pliable. Trim if necessary. Then sandwich between the two hoops.

Note that the two largest hoops are 14" in diameter ... 2" bigger than 12 x 12 paper! So I used the wallpaper my mom picked up at a garage sale. The red side is the pattern (would this be for a dining room?!?) and the textured cream is the glue side.

Now add your letters! The sentiment is one that maria f. knows well ... it's how Mandi from Vintage Revivals (awesome DIY blog) closes each post. I absolutely love it. It's playful, different, and perfect for a house with two small boys. I've also added a chain of hearts from the CAS-ual Fridays Heart Board Fri-Dies. Let's take a closer look ...

Cut them out of different shades of red, punch two tiny holes at the top of each, and then stitch together.

Inspired by the lovely Wida of Beachorado, here's a gif of the hoops coming together.

Sooooo, wanna see where it ended up? Don't answer, I'll just show you 'cause I'm that excited ...

It's over the fireplace mantle!! I played with having "your" on an angle, but ended up putting it back to being straight. This is why I'm never aggressive with adhesive. Things are always being moved around. I liked it on the brick wall, but it was still missing something. So I took at trip to the basement and came up with some Valentine's Day decorations.

Adore these velvety roses! So happy with how they fill the space and bridge the gap to the mantle. 

I was so excited to come downstairs this morning and see it again!! I'm a total craft dork : ) The stand under the right bunch of roses is a carved souvenir from St. Lucia, without its pointy top. Anything else I tried as a stand was too distracting because it wasn't black. This not only has the black of the bases, but also the naked wood like the embroidery hoops. Incidentally, I considered spray painting the hoops in a nickel finish. Perhaps for the next project. That's another neat thing about this project ... for each holiday or season you want it, just make different circles to put in the hoops. They aren't adhered to anything, so they pop out once you slide the hoops.

Here's my view when I'm on the computer in my squishy corner of the couch. Clockwise, we've got:

* my monitor on the coffee table (ask Logan and his soccer ball why the monitor on my laptop no longer works!!),
* The Lego X-wing displayed on my plant stand (Dr. John would be proud, Virginia!),
* the chartreuse suede curtains I made from fabric sold by a designer giving away high-end inventory at a flea market (like $100/yard for only $5/yard!!),
* my absolute favorite piece from this summer's flea marketing (a 1920's gas station sign in a beautiful weathered frame showing how many miles it takes to get to various cities),
* this project, and
* my super cozy faux fur throw from Pottery Barn (on sale, and then I used my $25 off $50 purchase coupon, score!)

Well, thanks for sticking with my long post. Hope you liked it, even though it's not a card! The talented winner of this challenge will receive a prize from CAS-ual Fridays Stamps!

Can't wait to see your color blocked creations in the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge gallery!

Thanks so much for looking! 

-Kelly

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