Really Ribbon Ribbon April Instagram Blog Hop

   

Welcome to the Really Reasonable Ribbon April Blog Hop! WE ARE CHANGING PLATFORMS FOR OUR HOP THIS MONTH!! This month we are going to be hopping on INSTAGRAM! 

Our hop theme this month is Mother's Day and/or Flowers! Each of the design team ladies is going to be creating a project using this theme, PLUS ribbon!

I am the FIRST designer again this month! Welcome! Go to my Instagram, @gloriagstengel to see my project photos. There is a teaser photo below, plus my usual supply list.  

After visiting me hop on to Cheryl's Instagram next, @sweeetdesignsbycher! (The full Instagram list is at the end of the post.)

At the end of the hop, we will select one lucky commenter from one of the Instagram posts, to win a $20 Gift Certificate for Really Reasonable Ribbon, plus one digital stamp bundle from Bonnie Garby Designs!!! WHAT A FANTASTIC PRIZE!!!

I chose to showcase flowers this month, in the paper, plus with mulberry paper flowers! The beautiful taffeta ribbon tops a little embroidery hoop! Because, I love to cross stitch! For more photos and a chance at the prize, go to my Instagram, @gloriagstengel. {Make sure to use this link because there is a hacker out there using a version of my name!} 

Here is the RRR Blog Hop Order in case you get lost!

Really Reasonable Ribbon @reallyreasonableribbon

Gloria   @gloriagstengel

Cheryl @sweeetdesignsbycher

Bonnie  @bonniegarbydesigns

Misty   @mommyofkidz

Karen  @karenletchworth

Really Reasonable Ribbon Supplies Used:

Trims: 5/8" Tropic Taffeta Ribbon

Mulberry Flowers: Rose Buds, 10mm Open Roses, Sweetheart Blossoms, Leaves 

Bow making tools: Zutter Bow-it-All

Adhesive: 1/4" and 5/8" Scor-tape

Other Supplies Used:

Cardstock: ColorMates Smooth Natural and Brown

Paper: Echo Park 6x6 pad The Story of Our Family

Stamps: Avery Elle So Happy

Dies: Alexandra Renke Embroidery Hoop Set, Elizabeth Craft Designs Stitched Rectangles, My Favorite Things  Horizontal and Vertical Stitched Strips

Adhesive: hot glue, Art Glitter Dries Clear Glue, ATG

Other tools: paper trimmer, scissors, score board, bone folder, MISTI stamping platform

Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog Hop - March 2025

     

Welcome to the Really Reasonable Ribbon March Blog Hop! Our hop theme this month is Spring and/or Easter! Each of the design team ladies is going to be creating a project using this theme, PLUS ribbon!

I am the FIRST blog this month! Welcome! After visiting me hop on to Cheryl's Blog next! (The full blog list is at the end of the post.)

At the end of the hop, comment on the RRR Blog post, answering the question listed, for a chance to win a $10 Gift Card to the RRR Shop, plus one digital stamp set of your choice from Bonnie Garby Designs. The Design Team appreciates your comments, too!

I am still working on fully finishing some cross stitch projects. I am also working on several LARGE projects. I counted my projects the other day. (I know, why would I do that?!!?) I have 15 WIPs (works in progress), 8 projects kitted and ready to stitch, and 5 items stitched and awaiting finishing - into a flat fold, to be framed, turned into a pillow, and so on. It is a sickness, but please don't cure me! {grin}

Note: For those who are missing my card and mini album projects, I have finished four albums, but I just have not had the time to photograph them! It is the wrong season now, so I am holding them until the proper time. {smile} I also have a few coloring projects that I need to share. I am spending a lot of time MAKING and very little time SHARING. 

For this month's ribbon hop, I finished another of the sweet monthly samplers. This time it is the April sampler, which matches our theme of Spring or Easter! These are super cute.

The finished stitching is approximately 9" x 3 1/4" and the full project is 11" x 5 1/4". The easel I made for the project stands up beautifully on a table or shelf, or on the top of on of my tiered trays. Currently it is sitting on my computer desk, giving my craft room some spring feeling during this gloomy, rainy day. 

The camera is washing out the bunnies a little bit. They stand out better in person, but the white floss on the yellow fabric is not showing up as well in the photos, unfortunately. I wish I had outlined them with a backstitch. But, too late now!

This pattern is Sampler of the Month - April by Country Cottage Needleworks. I purchased all 12 months from Fat Quarter Shop online HERE. You can also purchase each individual month at Fat Quarter or at various other online shops. 

I still have to finish stitching January, March, May, and December. May is kitted up and started so there is hope that I can finish that one soon! These are not a lot of stitching, however there are a lot of color changes, which slows me down! 

I only made one floss substitution this month. I changed the orange to be a bit brighter. The called for color was too pale and dull for my fabric. I did use the DMC conversion provided and not the called for hand-dyed floss. I think hand-dyed floss is far to expensive for doing these smaller projects. And I don't always like the way those flosses look. DMC is about 65 cents for me to purchase, where the hand-dyed is $2.50 or more for less floss! 

The fabric is possibly 14 count Aida from a Be Stitch Me grab bag so I don't know the color name, but it is a very pale yellow hand-dyed fabric. I was part of their Fabric of the Month for a year. I received 6 months of the neutral fabrics and 6 months of the colored fabrics. I also purchased several grab bags! It is lovely fabric and a joy to stitch on!

To make the stitching really stand out I added some bows, as always! I pulled out my stash of plaid ribbons this month. I love me some plaid or gingham ribbon! I used 5/8" Moss Plaid ribbon to make a large bow, which I then glued to the top of the project. I then created another large bow from 3/8" Orange Plaid ribbon and glued it to the top of the green bow. I used a little bit of Orange Baker's Twine to tie on a bunny charm. I have no clue where I got the bunny charm. i found it in my box of charms, so who knows how long I have had it! 

I used my stash of chipboard and Easter patterned papers to create an easel (flat fold) for the stitched piece. I always place batting onto a piece of chipboard, then wrap the stitching around it and tape it in place. 

I once again used Authentique paper because I just have so much of it! They were so generous with their design team and I sure wish they were still around! This month I used the Jubilee collection, which is a very fun and bright Easter collection. 

Here is a look at the back of the easel. It takes four pieces of 12x12 scrapbook paper to make an easel this size, because I also add paper to the inside of the easel. You also need three pieces of chipboard (two for the easel and one to mount the stitched piece), plus a piece of heavy weight cardstock to make the "hinge" at the top of the easel. Super simple!

Thanks for joining me today! I hope you enjoyed seeing another stitched piece. Bunny Hop on and see the other projects from the other ladies! 

Here is the RRR Blog Hop Order in case you get lost!

Really Reasonable Ribbon's Ramblings
Gloria - YOU ARE HERE!
Cheryl
Bonnie
Misty
Karen
Really Reasonable Ribbon's Ramblings

Really Reasonable Ribbon Supplies Used:

Trims: 5/8" Moss Plaid ribbon, 3/8" Orange Plaid ribbon, Orange Baker's Twine

Bow making tools: Zutter Bow-it-All

Adhesive: 1/4" and 5/8" Scor-tape

Other Supplies Used:

Cross stitch pattern: Sampler of the Month - April by Country Cottage Needleworks

Fabric: 14 Count hand-dyed yellow grab bag piece by Be Stitch Me

Floss: DMC

Paper: Authentique Jubilee, cardstock scrap

Bunny charm: from my stash

Chipboard: Grafix

Batting: sewing supply

Adhesive: hot glue, Art Glitter Dries Clear Glue

Other tools: paper trimmer, scissors, score board, bone folder, sewing notions

Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog Hop - February 2025

       

Welcome to the Really Reasonable Ribbon February Blog Hop! Our hop theme this month is Anything Goes with Ribbons and Bows! Each of the design team ladies is going to be creating a project featuring ribbon, in any theme or color scheme they choose.

I am the FIRST blog again this month! Welcome! After visiting me hop on to Cheryl's Blog next! (The full blog list is at the end of the post.)

At the end of the hop, comment on the RRR Blog post, answering the question listed, for a chance to win a $10 Gift Card to the RRR Shop, plus one digital stamp set of your choice from Bonnie Garby Designs. The Design Team appreciates your comments, too!

Happy February, my friends! I am sure many of you are freezing, and battling snow and ice. Meanwhile here in southern California we might have a little rain, or not. The temperatures range from high 70's to low 50's during the day. I love winter here as it is a much needed break from the long and so very HOT spring, summer, and fall. {smile}

To make myself feel a little frosty, I stitched this sweet pattern called Frosty Tiny Town by Heart in Hand Needleart.

I started this in January 2025 and finished it in January! It is not a very big project 176 stitches wide by 30 high, measuring approximately 10 1/2" x 2" on my chosen fabric. I used 16 count Aida from Picture this Plus called Aeriel. It was a bit of fabric left over from another project and was the perfect size for this stitch. 

I used the called for DMC embroidery floss conversion provided, except for the red, which I substituted because I didn't have the called for. I check the DMC color card when I don't have a color to see if I have something very similar. That saves having to go out and purchase one skein of floss! I also added an orange floss for the snowman's nose. The pattern called for the nose to be a brown twig which made it look like he was smoking a cigar! 

The pattern also came with some tiny buttons to stitch onto the project. I ended up losing one of them and had to find a substitute in my button stash. The joys of having your own craft emporium pay off sometimes! {giggle}

The ribbons I used are 5/8" White Taffeta and 3/8" Fair Isle Print on Ink Blue Satin. I had to splice the chipboard base and the paper together because I needed fourteen inches. I wrapped the ribbon over the right edge to cover the seam in the paper. I then created two large bows to glue to the top of the project. 

The paper is Carta Bella Welcome Winter (from 2021) which I forgot I had and was still unopened! 

Here is the back of the piece. I did not make an easel fold this time. The piece can be placed on an easel or propped up on a shelf. 

I love how it turned out and think the ribbons are perfect! I have all of the other Tiny Town patterns from Heart in Hand and have already started stitching the Halloween Tiny Town! They are just adorable! 

Thanks for joining me today! I hope you enjoyed seeing another stitched piece. Hop on and see the other projects from the other ladies! 

Here is the RRR Blog Hop Order in case you get lost!

Really Reasonable Ribbon's Ramblings
Gloria - YOU ARE HERE!
Cheryl
Bonnie
Misty
Karen
Really Reasonable Ribbon's Ramblings

Really Reasonable Ribbon Supplies Used:

Trims: 5/8" White Taffeta, 3/8" Fair Isle Print on Ink Blue Satin

Bow making tools: Zutter Bow-it-All

Adhesive: 1/2" Scor-tape

Other Supplies Used:

Cross stitch pattern: Frosty Tiny Town by Heart in Hand Needleart

Fabric: 16 count Aeriel by Picture This Plus

Floss: DMC

Paper: Carta Bella Welcome Winter

Buttons: came with the pattern and from my stash

Chipboard: Grafix

Adhesive: hot glue, Art Glitter Dries Clear Glue

Other tools: paper trimmer, scissors, score board, bone folder, sewing notions

Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog Hop - January 2025

      

Welcome to the Really Reasonable Ribbon January Blog Hop! Our hop theme this month is Valentine's Day Themes and Colors! Each of the design team ladies is going to be creating a project in a LOVE theme or using colors of the holiday, PLUS ribbon!

I am the FIRST blog this month! Welcome! After visiting me hop on to Cheryl's Blog next! (The full blog list is at the end of the post.)

At the end of the hop, comment on the RRR Blog post, answering the question listed, for a chance to win a $10 Gift Card to the RRR Shop, plus one digital stamp set of your choice from Bonnie Garby Designs. The Design Team appreciates your comments, too!

I was able to finish a lot of small stitching projects in 2024, plus get some stitches into a few big pieces! I don't just stitch one at a time, but I have a rotation. I know, I cannot ever do it the easy way, right?!

For the hop today, I turned another stitching piece into a table display - for Valentine's Day this time. I still have a few more months of these sweet samplers to make, but I am in no hurry....lot's of things to stitch!

I love all the pinks and red in this project. It was so much fun to stitch! I did make a few changes by backstitching (outlining) a few of the motifs because they didn't stand out enough on the pink fabric. The fabric is from Wichelt, Bo Peep Pink, 14 count. I don't really love stitching on 14 count, but it did make things go along pretty fast!

The finished stitching is approximately 9" x 3 1/4" and the full project is 11" x 5 1/4". The easel I made for the project stands up beautifully on a table or shelf, or on the top of on of my tiered trays. 

I also changed some of the colors of floss because I didn't care for the DMC conversions provided by the designer (Country Cottage Needleworks). I sort of just pick around in my floss stash and see what will look nice together and on my chosen fabric. I do things just the same way I do with my paper crafting....I just Goria-ize everything! {grin}

Note: All twelve samplers call for the same fabric, but I am using not only different fabric, but slightly different fabric counts for each sampler. I am choosing fabric that matches the monthly theme, or that matches my home décor. I am not going to display them all at once, so it doesn't matter to me if the fabric "matches" or if the size of the finished pieces is slightly different. 

This pattern is Sampler of the Month - February by Country Cottage Needleworks. I purchased all 12 months from Fat Quarter Shop online HERE. You can also purchase each individual month at Fat Quarter or at various other online shops.

To make the stitching really stand out I added some bows. I used 5/8" Tulip Taffeta Ribbon first, then added a second bow with 3/8" Hot  Pink Grosgrain with Mixed Pink Hearts. I topped the bows with a fabric covered brad from my stash.

Here is a close up of the ric rac I used around the edges of the stitching piece. This is not available in the shop any longer, but there is still some printed ric rac HERE. I just hot glued the ric rac around the back of the stitching before I added the panel to my easel. This was a first try for me to use a trim like that. I like it. {smile}

I used my stash of chipboard and Valentine patterned papers to create an easel (flat fold) for the stitched piece. I love making this sort of finish for my stitching. It is fast, easy, and I don't have to spend any extra money on supplies! I used Authentique Love Notes, which came out in 2019. I love Authentique papers and remain very sorry that they are no longer in business. Happily for me I have a vast hoard! {Giggle}

Thanks for joining me today! I hope you enjoyed seeing another stitched piece. Hop on and see the other projects from the other ladies! 

Here is the RRR Blog Hop Order in case you get lost!

Really Reasonable Ribbon's Ramblings
Gloria - YOU ARE HERE!
Cheryl
Bonnie
Misty
Karen
Really Reasonable Ribbon's Ramblings

Really Reasonable Ribbon Supplies Used:

Trims: 5/8" Tulip Taffeta Ribbon,  3/8" Hot  Pink Grosgrain with Mixed Pink Hearts

Bow making tools: Zutter Bow-it-All

Adhesive: 1/2" Scor-tape

Other Supplies Used:

Cross stitch pattern: Sampler of the Month - February by Country Cottage Needleworks

Fabric: 14 Count Bo Peep Pink by Wichelt

Floss: DMC

Paper: Authentique Love Notes

Fabric brad: from my stash

Chipboard: Grafix

Batting: sewing supply

Adhesive: hot glue, Art Glitter Dries Clear Glue

Other tools: paper trimmer, scissors, score board, bone folder, sewing notions

Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog Hop - November 2024

  

Welcome to the Really Reasonable Ribbon November Blog Hop! Our hop theme this month is Christmas Themes and Colors! Each of the design team ladies is going to be creating a project in a Christmas theme, PLUS ribbon!

You should be coming to my blog from Ginny's Blog. After visiting me hop on to Cheryl's Blog next! (The full blog list is at the end of the post.)

At the end of the hop, comment on the RRR Blog post, answering the question listed, for a chance to win a $10 Gift Card to the RRR Shop, plus one digital stamp set of your choice from Bonnie Garby Designs. The Design Team appreciates your comments, too!

I decided to make a slimline card for today. I love how it turned out, but unfortunately it is a tiny bit too big to fit into a standard envelope! Rats! After over 30 years of card making I STILL cannot remember to check my envelope measurements! I just go in, glue guns a-blazing, and create stuff with zero thought to mailing it later! 

The card measures 9 1/8" x 4 1/8". Those darn "eighths" make it just a bit big for my envelope. But I love how it turned out anyway. I have not started to make my Christmas cards for this year, and with all I have going on it may not even happen....so to get one finished is a big plus! {grin}

I had purchased a lot of Christmas paper last year at the Scrapbook Expo so I pulled those papers out of "storage" to create my card. The paper collection is Tim Holtz idea-ology Backdrops Christmas 2023. This paper is 6" x 12" which is a fun size! And, in Tim style, is very vintage-y!

I used a large chipboard element from Simple Stories Chipboard Clusters - Simple Vintage: Dear Santa. I also used the Decorative Brads from that same collection. I added some sticker word strips from the Tim Holtz idea-ology Sticker Book Christmas 2023.

The star of the show is, as always, that bow! I used 5/8" Christmas Traditions Plaid ribbon to make the bow. This is another of my favorite ribbons from RRR. And, ok, so plaid is my jam anyway, but this sparkly gold, red, and green ribbon...so traditional and lovely! 

When I create a project like this, I get all the vintage feels from days gone by. I miss those simple days sometimes. The height of excitement when I was a kid was getting an orange in your stocking! When I got older I remember thinking my mom was weird because we could just go to the store and BUY oranges! But when I was younger oranges were costly and hard to come by. Any time a relative visited Florida, we waited in anticipation for their gift of citrus fruit when they came to visit us upon arriving home to Pennsylvania. Florida seemed so exotic back then! Now I live in southern California where citrus fruit drops onto your head as if from the sky. {giggle}

The Ribbon Team won't be hopping in December, but I am sure to post a few things between now and the New Year, so come back and visit. 

Thanks for joining me today! Hop on and see the other projects from the other ladies! 

Here is the RRR Blog Hop Order in case you get lost!

Really Reasonable Ribbon's Ramblings
Ginny
Gloria - YOU ARE HERE!
Cheryl
Bonnie
Misty
Karen
Really Reasonable Ribbon's Ramblings

Really Reasonable Ribbon Supplies Used:

Trims: 5/8" Christmas Traditions Plaid ribbon

Bow making tools: Zutter Bow-it-All

Adhesive: 1/2" Scor-tape

Other Supplies Used:

Cardstock: ColorMates Natural

Printed paper: Tim Holtz idea-ology Backgrops - Christmas 2023

Chipboard: Simple Stories Chipboard Clusters - Simple Vintage: Dear Santa

Stickers: Tim Holtz idea-ology Stickerbook - Christmas 2023

Brads: Simple Stories Decorative Brads - Simple Vintage: Dear Santa

Adhesive: hot glue, Art Glitter Dries Clear Glue, ATG, foam tape

Other tools: paper trimmer, scissors, score board, bone folder

Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog Hop - October 2024

     

Welcome to the Really Reasonable Ribbon October Blog Hop! Our hop theme this month is Thanksgiving/Harvest Themes and Colors! Each of the design team ladies is going to be creating a project in a harvest or Thanksgiving theme or using colors of the season, PLUS ribbon!

You should be coming to my blog from Ginny's Blog. After visiting me hop on to Cheryl's Blog next! (The full blog list is at the end of the post.)

At the end of the hop, comment on the RRR Blog post, answering the question listed, for a chance to win a $10 Gift Card to the RRR Shop, plus one digital stamp set of your choice from Bonnie Garby Designs. The Design Team appreciates your comments, too!

I created another stitching project! I have been making these monthly samplers off and on for the past year or so. I still have a few more months to make, but I am in no hurry....lot's of things to stitch!

I just returned from a long weekend at a stitching retreat, and I had so much fun! For my paper crafting pals, a stitch retreat is just like a scrapbook retreat except we stitch instead of scrap. The rest is the same: talking, eating, enabling, shopping, eating, talking, rinse repeat! I went in having not met ANYONE and left with a whole bunch of new friends! 

The finished stitching is 9" x 3 1/4", and the full project is 11" x 5 1/4". These projects are all roughly the same size, with a slight difference depending on the fabric count I used. For this particular piece I used 14 count Vintage Country Mocha Aida cloth by Wichelt, The fabric has a mottled look to it, almost like it has some tea dying or age marks. I used DMC floss because it is the most economical. 

Note: All twelve samplers call for the same fabric, but I am using not only different fabric, but slightly different fabric counts for each sampler. I am choosing fabric that matches the monthly theme, or that matches my home décor. I am not going to display them all at once, so it doesn't matter to me if the fabric "matches" or if the size of the finished pieces is slightly different. 

The pattern is Sampler of the Month - November by Country Cottage Needleworks. I purchased all 12 months from Fat Quarter Shop online HERE. You can also purchase each individual month at Fat Quarter or at various other online shops.

I used most of the called for DMC floss, but I did change the called for orange to something a bit bolder, I also switched some of the colors around for parts of the stitching. This set of patterns calls for a very soft colorway and I have been ramping the color up a notch for some parts of the patterns.

To see my other cross stitch projects, just go up to the search box at the top of the blog and search for "cross stitch" or for "Needleworks" to find the other samplers. 

To make the stitching really stand out I added a large, wonderful bow made from 5/8" Ivory/Brown/Copper Plaid ribbon. I love this ribbon! And I used almost all I had left on this project! Time to get more! 

I found a stitched pumpkin medallion in my stash and glued it to the top of the bow. I am not sure where this came from, but I found it in my "Fall" bin of scrapbook stuff. There was a plastic card with several of these fabric or machine sewn items attached. Happy find!  

I used my stash of chipboard and fall patterned papers to create an easel (flat fold) for the stitched piece. I love making this sort of finish for my stitching. It is fast, easy, and I don't have to spend any extra money on supplies! 

I know it is traditional for folks to use patterned fabric when finishing their stitched pieces, but I simply do NOT have the space (or funds) to start the hobby of collecting fabric! I already have several lifetime supplies of PAPER that I can use. {smile}

I have a lot of other finished stitched pieces, but I still need to find time to create something out of them. I want to try my hand at making a little pillow....wish me success because sewing is not my super power! 

Thanks for joining me today! Hop on and see the other projects from the other ladies! 

Here is the RRR Blog Hop Order in case you get lost!

Really Reasonable Ribbon's Ramblings
Ginny
Gloria - YOU ARE HERE!
Cheryl
Bonnie
Misty
Karen
Really Reasonable Ribbon's Ramblings

Note: You may have noticed that Kathy is not hopping this month. Kathy has moved on to other life endeavors. Keep up with her on her Blog HERE. 

Really Reasonable Ribbon Supplies Used:

Trims: 5/8" Ivory/Brown/Copper Plaid ribbon

Bow making tools: Zutter Bow-it-All

Adhesive: 1/2" Scor-tape

Other Supplies Used:

Cross stitch pattern: Sampler of the Month - November by Country Cottage Needleworks

Fabric: 14 Count Vintage Country Mocha by Wichelt

Floss: DMC

Paper: various off-cuts in a fall theme

Fabric medallion: unknown

Chipboard: Grafix

Batting: sewing supply

Adhesive: hot glue, Art Glitter Dries Clear Glue, ATG

Other tools: paper trimmer, scissors, score board, bone folder, sewing notions