Posted on by agilejack

On Another One of My Jags

You might not know this about me, but I tend to go on creative jags. I find a new project that is fun and I get completely obsessed with it. And when I’m obsessed, I tend to think I want to make whatever I’m making forever.

I once made a little fabric wallet that had one snap on the closure. Instead of buying a package of five snaps. I went out and bought at least 50 snaps in various colors because I was sure I would need them at some time. I think I made five of those little wallets. And I’ve never used another snap.

Right now, I’m on a fabric greeting card jag. Over the last few nights I’ve adhered a piece of beautiful KFC fabric to around 120 colored cards that I bought a few years ago. I finished up the last 30 cards tonight.

That’s all 120 or so cards. I need to count them more accurately.

But regardless of how many there are, they are really amazingly pretty for something so simple.

Here’s the last few sets that I made this week.

At the end, I wound up with about 20 blank cards that were pink, yellow and orange. So I dug into my stash and found a piece of fabric that worked with those colors: Kaffe’s Belle Epoch in yellow. Look how different all these cards are! It’s so amazing!

Here are the cards I made last night.

I just love them! Now I do need to get an accurate count so I can divide these all up into sets and get them into packages.

So, true to how I operate when I’m on a jag, I was sure I would need many more blank cards so I did some online shopping and had 300 more cards delivered.

I ordered 100 blank white cards and envelopes, 100 blank craft cards and envelopes, and 100 photo frame cards with envelopes.

And as I was cleaning out my sewing room, I found a bunch of blank off white cards that I’ve had for a while.

My quick math in my head tells me that I have around 400 blank cards. That should be enough to satisfy my jag.

I did actually buy the craft cards because I was thinking they might look really cool with some Aboriginal fabrics.

But not all my Aboriginal scraps will look good on those brown envelopes. So I’m guessing you’ll see some of those fantastic fabrics on white envelopes. I’ll probably whip up a few tomorrow night.

We have a little pupper visiting this week. My friend’s dog Jolene is keeping my boys entertained while her people go on a driving vacation around Oregon for a week.

Jolene is a teeny tiny border collie and is a very nicely trained sheep dog. She looks like a chihuahua next to Rico! She gets along amazingly well with my boys since they do know each other quite well. They all enjoyed some watermelon after dinner.

Jolene has been joining us for our walks and she has blended in really well. She’s a good walker and, for the most part, we manage to stay pretty untangled… although the three leashes do end up braided as we walk.

Jolene will be with us until Friday evening.

42 Replies to “On Another One of My Jags”

  1. The cards are very pretty, and a great idea, Jolene is a cutie and looks to fit right in with Bender and Rico. I love seeing photos of them on their adventures. I’m finally just finishing up a Frankenbag, have the lining to put in and have learned from it, so hopefully can breeze through the next one I have ready to put together. I’m curious to see what is going to become of all those snaps you have in the stash!!

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    1. I hope your second Frankenbag goes quickly! It’s so automatic for me when I make them now. They go together pretty quickly for me.

      I’m guessing I will never make another thing that needs a snap!!! I should just give them away!

      Anne

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  2. First, I love the name Jolene for your houseguest! She’s a cutie 😀
    Your cards are wonderful! All the colors plus the brown Kraft paper for so many different results. I don’t have a big stash of fabric the way you do, and am trying to use up what I do have, so making cards is definitely on my crafting agenda. I do have lots of paper in various colors (including black) to fold to make my own cards. I just finished a small string quilt so cards will be my next project.

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    1. I have some pieces of fabric with the adhesive on that are left over from making these cards. Thinking of some way to combine them on a card. Might be a good way to use smaller scraps!
      Anne

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    1. Great! I’ve slowed way down on Frankenbags. I made almost 30 of them in a few months. I’m starting to think about bags to make for holiday gifts. I need to get on that to figure out fabrics for each person. The time is now!
      Anne

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  4. Jolene is adorable! And I can hear Dolly Parton’s voice in my head now! I also go on creative streaks and can really relate. It’s hard to control the urge to stock up on supplies I might not use completely. My latest creative streak has been oven mitts. Guess what everyone in my family is getting for Christmas this year! I’m trying to use up some fabric that has been sitting and staring at me. Your cards are just perfect and I love the variety of colors!

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  5. LOVE this idea with the greeting cards….I have tons of greeting card supplies and this is a fabulous way to use up scraps or pieces. May I ask how perfectly you adhered these to the card bases….fabric tends to shift and your pieces look perfectly placed. What did you use for adhesive? Thank you!!

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    1. I’m using Heat and Bond to adhere the fabric to the cards. It’s a two sided, paper backed iron on adhesive. People use it for applique. I press the Heat and Bond onto the back of the fabric I want to use, then cut the fabric to the size I need for the card — basically the size of the card less a 1/4 inch border all the way around. Then I peel off the paper and place the fabric, adhesive side down, onto the card. The adhesive has a sort of rubbery texture, so it stays put really well as I use the iron to fuse it in place. I just eyeball the placement of the fabric on the card. There are a few that are wonky, but they are mostly pretty good.
      Anne

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  6. I like to think of my jags as “going deep”, perfecting my skill, following all the tributaries off the main flow, enriching my background. That’s so much more positive than just thinking of my curren passion as an obsession or jag. (Mine current side track from quilting is indulging in finding the manufacturing history of my antique and vintage buttons! The jet and black glass ones especially intrigue me.)
    What ever it takes, to find a healthy diversion, to cope with our current stressful times I heartily endorse 🥰

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    1. For me the fun in something new is in learning, tweaking and perfecting. That’s when usually lose interest. ONce I get to the place where I feel like I’m just making the same thing over and over, it gets boring to me. Have to keep it fresh!
      Anne

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  7. And here I thought I was the only one who goes on obsessive jags! Buying tons of supplies for some new craft is totally me! Thanks for all the great posts.
    Incidently I’m just finishing up my first Frankenbag.

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  9. Love the cards! I used blank cards with frames and holiday fabrics last year because I wasn’t going shopping when time to buy my usual holiday cards. Great idea for gifts. We have two sibling Border terriers, male is Barley and female is Jolene. Nice ot meet another Jolene.

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    1. Oh! I love border terriers. I had Jack Russells for years and really miss having a terrier in the house. I wouldn’t have another Jack Russell but I do think there will be a border terrier in my house in the future!
      Anne

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  12. I love this story & your cards are beautiful. I do the same thing, over buy because I can’t stand not having the supplies when I decide to do a project. I think these cards would be beautiful with Christmas fabric. The holiday season is fast approaching.

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    1. the fabric is adhered to the card using Heat and Bond. It’s an iron on adhesive. It’s almost like a thin layer of rubber on the back of the fabric. The cut edges of the fabric are all held in place by the adhesive.

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  19. I am exactly like you. I get on a roll with a new project & go out & buy all that I might need to make a ridiculous quantity, but soon find another project & then I’m left with all those bits & pieces I will never use. Is this an illness of some sort? I made 2 Frankenbags from scraps only, then decided to buy Kaffe fabrics as they look stunning on these bags. Initially I felt so much in control using only scraps & old blocks, then it got the better of me. I counted up what I’ve bought recently & it amounted to over 15 metres of Kaffe fabrics & black & whites. Now how many Frankenbags would that make I wonder?

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    1. Haha! You sound exactly like me!

      I figure one Frankenbag takes around 1.75 yards of fabric, including the pieced front, the lining, and a piece of fabric for the back of the quilt sandwich. So, you could make a whole lotta bags!
      Anne

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  20. I suspect we were close or had the same mom in another life!! I blow into a craft full force and then ….. if it’s showers, birhdays, babies, teachers, neighbors, book club, various friends or relatives !!! that’s what everyone gets for a gift, and I go on to the next jag! In the backround, always cross stitching and quilting. This year I foresee card packs for everyone! I see nothing surprising in buying/having 300!! cards.
    1’m new to you and I’m so enjoying yours skills and the dogs.Oh, and thanks a lot because I’ve now established my sewing room as the center for all my Kaffe fabric to make Frankenbags for this year’s holidays. I maaaay have to purchase some more, though.
    Probably, because cards and tags!!
    Cheers and good health, Lucia

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    1. Haha! You sound exactly like me! The exciting part for me is figuring out something new and then perfecting it. And then I lose interest. I don’t find joy in making the same exact thing over and over again.

      Be prepared. Your sewing room will be a mess after a few Frankenbags!

      Anne

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