Saturday, February 9, 2013

A Study in: Quatrefoil (positive shapes)


I collect things. Lots of things. Always have. So my mind naturally works in sets. It's just occurring to me that it might make sense to take the same approach with cards too. So occasionally I'd like to post articles in a series format (like the recent boxes). This series focuses on several different ways to use the same die ... Papertrey's Quatrefoil Cover Plate die.


This particular post features cards that use the positive Quatrefoil shapes. Subsequent posts will feature cards using:
  1. the negative shapes;
  2. the entire die; and
  3. 3D shapes.
 Cool? OK, let's hit the positive shapes ...


First up is a love card (not necessarily Valentine's, because I've amassed quite a few of those now). Two of the Quatrefoil shapes and their corresponding outlines were cut out/colored/stamped and used to make the flowers on this card. The inspiration photo you'll see below had a big and small flower. When you're stuck using the same sized shape, you need to think of another way to achieve this look and balance, so I stuck one of the flowers behind the pillow so it visually seems smaller. Horizontal lines are hard to see, but scored on this very white card.


The card is based on the sweet still life photo at Tuesday Trigger. As soon as I saw it I knew I had the perfect "x" to make the cross stitch. Martha Stewart has a letter set that's always annoyed me because the letters are so wide ... well in this case it was perfect! In fact, I discovered they are the perfect size to cross stitch in the lines of an American Crafts grid stamp I have. Good to know. I actually stamped the grid on the fabric here in pink. You can't really see it, but that's OK, it was a great guide for my "stitching." The woodgrain blue was a good match for the chair, and ended up looking pretty similar to the inspiration photo.



This card uses the shapes in between the Quatrefoils. The "b" side shapes. Put together in a grid they look totally different, and kinda quiltish. And ... check out the "x's" ... recognize them?! They are the negative shapes from this die. I would have loved to save this for the next post on negative shapes, but the positives won out on this card



This one is inspired by the colors at the The Play Date Cafe Challenge this week.


This card makes use of several differently colored Quatrefoils massed together to make a tree top. I loved how the tree trunk turned out. It's a new Cuttlebug woodgrain embossing folder that I hadn't used because it was so tiny and bold. But it's the perfect proportion to make a tree trunk! Just cut along the grain.


There are three layers here to build dimension for the tree. Since I needed several different colors of Quatrefoils, I just cut a thin strip of each paper and taped it to the die over one of the rows of shapes. Saved time because I didn't have to pass it through the die cutter as many times, and of course it saved paper too.


This one follows the sketch at CAS(E) this sketch this week. Still a vertical card, but I turned the sketch on its side, even including the heart on the tree trunk.

Previous post in this series: Die within a Die

Thanks for looking!
-Kelly 

PS, here are a few photos of our world-turned-white yesterday:

Open House at our neighbor's igloo

Off to pajama day at preschool (Curious George in hand)

Intentionally took the long way just so I could drive down this road. Worth it? Heck yeah!

Pulled over to take this photo. My friend passed by, and then backed up to see if I needed assistance. She looked at me strangely when I explained. Really?! But it's so beautiful!!!

 Incredible.

36 comments:

  1. What a beautiful take on the Tuesday trigger! I hate to throw out things too, try to use all those leftover scraps..... I love that tree card, too.

    And yes, it was gorgeous today all that snow - I just LOVE it! Thanks for your nice comment!

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  2. Your cards are so beautiful! The Tuesday Trigger card is perfect for the inspiration. Your tree card is amazing! (And a great take on the sketch). Your photos have me amazed! So beautiful! Where do you live Kelly? I'd take the long way around to get that view, too! I have been known to pull over at the side of the road to take a photo, so you aren't alone there. ;-)

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    1. Thanks so much, Michelle! I live in the suburbs of Chicago, just about 45 minutes West. We don't typically have large trees, but alongside this one local road they are just incredible, and by the park they tower over the skyline. It's so fun to drive under the canopy in the fall too, with the leaves kicking up behind you.

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  3. A fabulously positive trio Kelly! Your first card is just as sweet as can be and that tree is FUN!!

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  4. Like the idea of cards in a set, and will be looking forward to more! Amazing what you did with one die! Every single card is very creative; the first one is just SO perfect for the trigger, how awesome you used the positive piece to create the flowers! The x's in the second one is just Brilliant! And I love the tree card, everything about it! From the gorgeous greens, to the tree trunk and the gray background!
    Your snow photos are amazing!! Specially the trees!

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  5. Oh, it's too much in one post! You are spoiling us!! Honestly, Kelly, you should TEACH, well, you are teaching ... what I mean is, you should CHARGE a fee for your wonderful visual tutorials and insight. (I'm going to stop using exclamation points, because they just get redundant after too many.)

    How you have used this one plate die to do all these cards is quite astonishing. All of the challenges, done and won. IMHO. That tree? Just go sit down, it's ridiculous.

    And, ooooh, thank you so much for being that person who stops to smell the snowfall. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for evoking wonderful snowfall memories of my childhood.

    It's too much. Mwah!

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  6. You sure make this set of dies selling like hot cakes! I love how creative you get with all these ideas....hope to see more series!! Way to rock these challenges, Kelly!

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  7. Well I'm just a click away from ordering that Quatrefoil plate from PTI, thanks to this post! Actually, a few posts back. The tree is adorable right down to the embossed trunk! And the scenery is drop dead gorgeous--I would have pulled over, too. :)

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  8. FAB, FAB trio pf cards Kelly - LOVE the cross-stamped (rather than cross-stitched) heart, clever tic-tac-toe hugs & kisses and your tree looks gorgeous.
    And those snow-covered trees are most definitely worth the longer drive :)

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  9. Oh my goodness ... thank you Kelly ... read this over twice already and will be back ... so creative, so inspirational, so amazing ... I am in awe (again!). Stunning photo's ... what beautiful countryside you get to drive through! Anita :)

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  10. This is just awesome Anita! It is so helpful to see the different ways you can use things in our stash. I will be getting the Quatrefoil plate real soon. Your cards are just amazing and I love the pictures of all the snow. Thanks for sharing those too!

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  11. great cards Kelly and the photos are beautiful - you did get a lot of snow!

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  12. I love your cards...each is so very fabulous!

    awesome pictures..wow.

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  13. Yay!! I love when you do a series Kelly - it is always so so awesome!! *Love* your first card with the little quatrefoil flowers - so clever!! That heart is also so perfect for the Trigger! Second card is funky, and the third is just so awesome!! Can't wait to see what else you bring us!!

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  14. So amazing love the x&O hearts brilliant and the tree is fantastic. Funny we have 2 1/2 feet of that snow, not my thing:):). Thanks for sharing love it...

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  15. Outstanding creation Kelly, and a PERFECT take on Moxie challenge!
    Thanks for sharing the winter wonderland pictures, I do miss snow!

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  16. Oh, Kelly - another amazing way of looking at one thing and really getting everything you can out of it. I especially love the leaves on the tree. As for the comment above mine, I WISH I could miss snow lol! It does look beautiful, though!

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  17. Wow - your TT card is perfect. I love the trees - great idea for the foliage.

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  18. I love your tree, I'm definitely CASEing this!

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  19. Your uses for the quatrefiol are just ingenious. I especially love the XOXO and the tree. And, what a beautiful day it was--Those snowy trees are just like a postcard.

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  20. I'm definitely putting that die on my wishlist. I love, love, love the tree. The snow pictures are beautiful but I'm glad to view them through you. We leave the snow country for the winter so we don't have to do more than look at it (like shovel).

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  21. These are all fabulous Kelly!! You are so creative, I love your blog! I love the snow in the trees, just gorgeous! It was worth it to stop and take some pics.

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  22. First, I love the card you made for the TT challenge - just lovely! Second, love the series you run - first the boxes, now the quarterfoil - your ideas for using the positive pieces are wonderfully creative and finally, I would completely drive out of my way to get the snowy tree photos too. You are "almost" making me miss a snow day - I'm in the group that likes to visit snow occassionally, but doesn't want to live with it though.

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  23. NO waste! I love it! You have such a great eye, and I love how you have taken full advantage of your dies, these are really wonderful Kelly!

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  24. I will go to the photos first, wow! Those pictures are amazing! Thank you for sharing… wow so beautiful! Love the igloo.
    Love all your cards the cross stitch one is perfect. Love the tree so cute with all those layers.
    Stay safe and warm.

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  25. Your card is very unique and your style distinctive. Love how you made the tree trunk. Thanks for sharing those pretty pictures of snow. In Indonesia we only see green because it is tropical, so white feels good to the eyes.

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  26. Dear Kelly,

    * I love the insight, knowing how your creativity works fascinates me!
    * your projects are amazing, once again, simply amazing!
    * who other than you would see a tree in a bunch of quatrefoil shapes? and yet, it makes perfect sense!
    * i can't believe how much snow you got.
    * now i truly understand what you meant by "the trees were so pretty"
    * thank you for sharing these pictures!

    visiting you does my soul so much good...thank YOU!

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  27. Awww! Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful pics. Here in Alabama we rarely have snow,and those trees are beautiful, I'd happily take the long drive to see them. Your cards are amazing, I'm loving that die. TFS

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  28. Amazing photos! So beautiful. Your cards are just as beautiful and very creative.

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  29. I am loving these series you're doing! Such a cool idea - like a mini class. :) All three of these cards rock. Love the cross stitch you created and the one flower peeking out from behind the pillow. The quilted look on the second card is so cool and the Xs are genius! And the third one - wow! Those layered leaves are gorgeous, the tree trunk is perfect and the pop of pink is adorable. Thanks for playing along with CAS(E) This Sketch this week!

    And the snow pictures! I can see why you took the long drive - that road is stunning!

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  30. Wow! I love the unique and creative ways you've put this die to use! Fabulous cards. So glad you were inspired to join us at the Play Date Cafe this week!

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  31. you just have a thousand ideas!! and all good!!!!!!!!!!!!!! incredible. this DOES need to be a class!

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  32. Oh, I meant to come over and congratulate you on being a girl friday, but got so enamored by your post, I forgot! Congrats!!

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  33. I'd missed it, but your TT card is so perfect for that photo challenge. What a soft and lovely feel to it.

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I absolutely love reading comments. Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to leave one! - Kelly