Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Ho Ho Ho Christmas Blog Hop

Welcome to my blog! I'm so glad you stopped by. I'm delighted to participate in the Ho Ho Ho Christmas Blog Hop. Be sure to check the end of the post for the giveaway.

SantaCard Gift Card
"You've been a good quilter this year."
Original design
4" x 5.5"
Completed 7/30/2013

Originally I thought of the idea of creating an imitation American Express gift card, which I re-named American Expressive. After I talked with good friend Sharon E., she suggested I bring in the element of Christmas in July. That set me off to search for pictures of Santa on the beach.

This is a photo I found online, then cartoonized it and added text at BeFunky.com. I used the same cartoonizing technique in Corky the Corgi from the Think Christmas Blog Hop a year ago.

Next I created a couple of overlapping circles that look similar to the MasterCard logo, then added silver tops to make ornaments. I changed the brand to SantaCard, calling it a gift card, rather than a credit card, since I am a cash-only purchaser.

I use June Tailor's printable fabric sheets, but couldn't find any at home. I had saved the sticky backings from an earlier project and decided to give them a try with regular untreated cotton fabric from stash.

Sticky paper backing placed on fabric

Fabric trimmed even with the backing

Printout - larger images

Second printout - wallet sized
I may finish a few of these as gifts for quilter friends.

During printing the fabric slipped off the backing by about 1/4", but I didn't see much wrinkling.

Also, there are some faint black lines running through most of the images. My printer is pretty new and this was my first attempt at printing on fabric with it. I still don't know what created the lines.

I needed fabric for the back and remembered this candy cane-like fabric from TC's Christmas, also in the Think Christmas Blog Hop.

Backing, batting, top held together with quilting spray glue

As seen from the back - no noticeable wrinkles

Sides trimmed

All edges trimmed

Zigzagged around the edges with light gray thread to seal.

Did a little bit of quilting with invisible thread.

View of the back

One of the finished SantaCards


Now for the giveaway. You could win the "other" SantaCard below.

Note there are lots of faint lines running across the piece, but it's still darned cute. And, to be clear, the card is just for fun. You won't be able to purchase anything with it.

For a chance to win the quilted SantaCard shown above, simply leave a comment by the end of Sunday, August 11. For an extra chance to win the card, leave another comment mentioning that you are a new or existing follower OR that you have Liked my Facebook Page. The winner will be drawn on Monday, August 12.

Be sure to stop by and see today's other Blog Hop participants:

August 1
Traveling Quilter - You're Here!

Full Schedule
Thanks to Carol and Madame Samm for another great blog hop!

Debbie
Like my Facebook page Traveling Quilter and get more updates on my quilting and my travels.

138 comments:

  1. This is so very unique. How clever and such a creative project to share with us. Thank you.

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  2. That is a really cool idea - it made me smile all the way through the post. Very Coolio!

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  3. What a cute idea, Christmas postcards! Thank you for the tutorial and for sharing.

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  4. Very clever idea. and so creative. Nice job.

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  5. How very creative you are!! Thanks for showing us how to do it.

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  6. That is very cute. My sister lives in Florida and sends me Xmas cards with Santa on the beach!
    xo jan

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  7. I love the Santa cards....what a great idea....especially for quilters and quilt lovers. Genius. Thanks for sharing it with us.

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  8. I'm an ongoing follower by email and look forward to more of your inspiring posts.

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  9. Thank you for sharing :) nice work :)

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  10. Very creative. Love the picture. I think Santa deserves a vacation at the beach don't you? :-) Great job. K-

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  11. What a great idea! I really like the card's text too. The tutorial will come in handy.....perhaps for the annual season's greetings card! Thank you for sharing. Well done!

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  12. Very creative idea. I love your card!! Thanks for sharing
    Have a great dat

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  13. Very, very clever and thank you for sharing the tutorial - I can see other cards for other purposes.

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  14. Hahaha, what a goooood idea! The poor man must be sweating, smile!
    Thanks for posting!

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  15. Your work is wonderful and so creative!!! I can't wait to try the technique myself.

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  16. What a creative way of making a card. I love it. Thanks for showing the way it is made.

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  17. What a cute idea. Very nice job and so creative of you.

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  18. Cute, fun card. Happy quilting.

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  19. How cute is that?!! Thanks for the great tutorial!

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  20. This is such a fun and unique idea, I love it:@)

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  21. Cute idea - thanks for sharing.

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  22. I'm already a GFC follower. Thanks again.

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  23. Such a clever, cute idea! I love the research of Santas on the beach! Thanks for sharing today!

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  24. What a clever idea! I will have to try that someday. Thanks for sharing your process and your product.

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  25. This is so cute and such a great idea! I live in Texas and Christmas feels like this a lot of times!

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  26. Cute, cute idea! Many, many years ago we used to go to the beach every summer with friends. They gave us a Santa on the beach ornament that reminds me a lot of this picture so your project brought back good memories for me. :) blessings, marlene

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  27. ahhhh Debbie...love some Holiday season humour....truly a delightful gift...you will bring smiles to many in the post office....so darn elevating to our spirit.

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  28. You are so clever & talented! I love it. Thank you for sharing.

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  29. I am now a follower & can't wait to see more of your fabulous projects!

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  30. That is so original. I have just begun making quilted postcards and love them. But I think Santa would like the beach much better if he took off his boots:)

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  31. Very very cute. I can just picture Santa sitting on the beach. I am sure he need a holiday also. Very nice give away.

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  32. I give out lots of gift cards and this one is a winner.

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  33. Lovin the Santa card. Thanks for the chance to win!

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  34. This is a fun idea, glad you shared today :)

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  35. What a cute fabric card.... BTW I had to go look at the Corky the corgi because I have a corgi named Corky !

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  36. What a great card - I love it!
    Thank you for sharing!

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  37. Very clever. I like your play on words. Thanks for sharing!

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  38. WOW, VERY UNIQUE...WHAT A COOL IDEA! GREAT JOB :)

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  39. What a clever idea! You pulled it off beautifully!

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  40. very creative idea. cool

    ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

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  41. gfc follower

    ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

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  42. Love your tutorial, thinking of ways that I could use it :) Thank you for sharing today, happy quilting!

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  43. Oh very nice! I think the rollers on your printer are leaving the marks; try running the test page again that align the cartridge. It might solve this. I also used untreated fabrics; but so you know, if you wash it, the image will fade and disappear. Heat set will not be enough to prevent this. But since this is not something that needs wash, I would not worry about it. Thanks for sharing.

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  44. wow you are so creative. I love your little card. even santa needs fun on the beach.

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  45. cool cards! now that's an idea for Christmas cards to mail, though I was cheap/frugal last year and did E-cards....

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  46. That's a great idea for a Christmas card...love it! I've run fabric through my printer, too, and I sometimes get the black lines and sometimes don't. I have no idea why. Thanks for sharing your creative and beautiful card! :O)

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  47. What a great idea. I make a lot of picture quilts but never thought of a card. Thanks for sharing.

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  48. What an innovative technique! Thanks for sharing how you created it. :)

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  49. Great project! This is really cute. Thanks for sharing the tutorial.

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  50. OMG! I love it. What an incredibly fun project. I was so looking forward to going out and spending on my new card. Then I read the rest of the post! Darn! LOL!! You get my vote for the most ingenious of the day!
    :-)

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  51. I'm following, I've facebooked... lets face it, I'm trackin you down! LOL!!

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  52. Love the card. Thanks so much for sharing

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  53. What a cute postcard and so creative of you.

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  54. How ingenious. Clever and creative you.

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  55. Hi Aunt Debbie-Love your Santa card-fantastic idea. From the SFBay Area, thanks for sharing.

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  56. What a neat idea to make those 'gift' cards! This would be a neat way to give gifts cards at any time...!

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  57. What an awesome gift to give to friends:)
    Thank you!

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  58. I loved your post card. I think it is a wonderful tutorial as well. I signed up to follow you since you have such great ideas!

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  59. Cool card! Thanks for the tutorial! I would love to make something like that!!

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  60. What a great job from idea to completion. Thanks for sharing the process. I'm thinking they would make great Christmas postcards.

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  61. I have the perfect friend to give this to... so please enter me in the giveaway!! Yjamks

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  62. Delaine -

    What an original idea! Love it.

    dbelliott@outlook.com

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  63. Delaine -

    And I just became a follower.

    dbelliott@outlook.com

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  64. How original!!!!! Thanks for the chance to win.

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  65. Hi Debbie they are very cute thanks for the explanation on making them...

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  66. Oh yes I am a follower by first GFC and now by email....

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  67. This is such a cute idea. I think this would be a wonderful idea to make and give at Christmas. Thank you for sharing.

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  68. How clever! I love your card, and thank you for the tutorial. So kind of you to share.
    cheers
    maggie

    maggiemine42@gmail.com

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  69. Love the technique and the card. I would love to win.

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  70. I am a new follower as of today :)

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  71. Hiya!!! What a wonderful idea!!! I love the card mock-up. Just wish it were for real lolol. Thanks so much for sharing and for having the giveaway. Merry Christmas, blessed be, hugs!!! Pam

    pamspretties57 at gmail dot com

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  72. Hiya!!! I am a new email follower and I also liked your FaceBook page. Thanks so much for sharing and for having the giveaway. Merry Christmas, blessed be, hugs!!! Pam

    pamspretties57 at gmail dot com

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  73. What a great idea! It does look a good bit like your starting point once translated to cloth.

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  74. Following in sage feeds. Enjoy your feature day!

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  75. What a fun and creative project! Love it. :)

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  76. I am a existing follower via bloglovin.

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  77. Now that is a extremly creative and fun christmas project. Great idea.

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  78. I am a new follower and do love that postcard!

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  79. Oh my goodness, that is the coolest thing ever!!

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  80. What a great project. Thanks for the tutorial as well.
    I love a chance at the give away.

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  81. I think you just purchased a lot of smiles with your card, and it didn't affect the balance at all! Wonderful idea, great job!

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  82. Very good job and so adorable , gave me a big smile.

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  83. Oh my gosh! That is the cutest thing I've seen. I love that idea. I've never heard of the be funky website. How cool you can cartoonize a picture like that.

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  84. I am already a follower of your blog.

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  85. Very unique! I love the finished card. Thank you for sharing.

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  86. What a neat project. Thanks for sharing.

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    Replies
    1. this is a cute card!! Thanks for the lesson and the laugh. I enjoyed this blog visit!!

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  87. Acck!!! That was so clever and creative. I bet there are a bunch of us who would buy a BOX of them if they were available. It was very generous of you to share your technique. Merry Christmas!

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  88. Great work :D thanks for sharing!

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  89. What a great idea. I'm sure your quilting friends will love this if they get one for christmas. I know I would love one =)

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  90. That postcard is wonderful. You are so creative!

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  91. The postcard is a work of Art! thank you for sharing.

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  92. I love this, I can't believe you didn't get most creative, this is just plain fun, LOVE IT!

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  93. I love your take on Christmas in July and Santa on the beach. I have a debit card but not credit cards, and am trying to transition too strictly cash - I spend less. Thank you for the tutorial of how you made this wonder project, too. I admire your absolute "over the moon" creativity. How clever to recycle the sticky paper backing from another project, too! I tend to keep everything. Thanks for participating and sharing your wonderful, wonderful creativity.

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  94. Debbie, I love the postcard, so original.

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  95. Fabulous idea...so creative. Thank you for sharing.

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  96. Great idea, funny cards.
    Thanks for sharing and the chance to win ☺
    Bente

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  97. Very cute cards, great. Inspiration to get started on some of my own. Thanks for sharing.

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  98. This is a cool idea, thanks for the inspiration!

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  99. Great idea....love the Santa on the beach....

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  100. Love your Santa cards! thanks for sharing with us!

    wigglypup2(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  101. I am a happy "old" follower!

    wigglypup2(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  102. Thanks for the great tutorial! What a neat idea!
    nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  103. Existing gfc follower: nicolesender.
    nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

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