What I learned this week: Stitching Letters

HELLO!
Welcome to my new blog series:

What I learned this week.

Do you like my five-second no Adobe Illustrator-experience-whatsoever series banner? (HA!)

Each Monday I'll talk about a new (to me) technique and all the mistakes I made during the process.

This week's technique was inspired by Sasha Farina's gorgeous stitched layouts for Studio Calico.

Candy colored vintage buttons, vellum paper "Bokeh" and my favorite Glitz line ever.
Materials: GLitz Design Color Me Happy papers, vintage buttons, Maya Road burlap heart and orange twine from Divine Twine.

I'm waiting for my Amy Tangerine letter stitch stencil to arrive.  (EXCITED!)
Till then, I'm using embroidery grid paper which is AWESOME... if you can draw.
This was a LOT harder than I thought but I've been promising to practice my penmanship for YEARS
so saturday night I put on Season 3 Sons Of Anarchy episodes on Netflix and got to work.

Since I was using thick twine (first mistake) many of the letters  required tape to
keep the twine in place.  

What I learned this week:

1. Use thinner embroidery thread and smaller needle for detailed jobs like this. I used a huge upholstery needle- easy to find in my mess but hard to use without punching through the paper.
2. Reinforce paper that has had string punch through with washi tape. 
3. Twine is not the best option for paper but looks FANTASTIC on burlap details or sewn through button holes.
4. The duo-tone twine blended right into the paper. Use a brighter or contrasting color for titles.
5. Stick buttons down with Zip Dry BEFORE you stitch them on a page.
6. Walk back and STARE at your layout BEFORE you stitch everything into place! 
7. The location icon that is the main focus of this page has a wonky right side because I was working right over the page and never spotted that the buttons need a little more curve there. 

Could be better but it's my first time. Loved this- will be trying it again!

What did you do this weekend?
Also what crazy technique would you like me to try out?

Have a great week!
Michelle

TGIF!!! A Cityscape scrapbook page

Hello there!

I wanted to share a page I almost threw in the garbage this week.
With my track record that usually means everyone will like it.
Not fishing for compliment,
just admitting that I don't have all the answers (obviously! LOL!)

The new Crate Paper DIY Shop line has me DROOLING!
I combined it with a couple of older favorites from Jenni Bowlin.
The final effect seems dreary.

Let me know what you think ok?

My Leica is at the shop FINALLY getting cleaned (after 2 years of sticky buttons) so I shot this page with my husband's iPad. It's incredibly difficult to shoot straight with one of those plate-like things. I did my best.

Materials: Jenni Bowlin Tickets paper, Crate Paper stripes paper, CoreDinations Jenni Bowlin embossed paper,
A Flair For Buttons Project Life flair and arrows flair, Crafter's Workshop Urban Landscape stencil,
banners from Basic Grey and Maya Road, Prima Stamp Press and black chalk ink, Ranger black crackle paint,
Montana white paint marker (which turned green when I used it over the Ranger crackle paint. It wasn't dry yet)

How in the WORLD does Anna Maria Wolniak get all that water color paint on her pages without warping her paper????

Between the gesso and the uneven machine stitch my page is more of an S shape.

And that K & Co washi? 

Love the print but the darned thing can't lay down flat even with stitches AND Zip Dry holding it down.

Adding the buttons and the twine was a last minute idea.
I love how the final page looks finished without a lot of
my usual last minute fussy cutting of random elements.

My goal for 2013 year is to sharpen my technique skills.

I want to be able to cut a script word with my Cameo and stitch the center following the font.

I'm a LONG way from my goal! 

YEESH!

Then again, if  I were to throw this out for "mistakes" it would have lasted all of 5 minutes. 

Literally every step involved a screw up that I had to FORCE myself to overlook.

One thing I love about it is the diagonal border. 

I could do that to every single one of my pages and never have enough.

Also?

Buttons are RAD!!! On everything!

SPRING FEVER!!!! HA!

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Having fun with Gauche cards and loving every minute of it!

Happy Monday everyone!

 

Just a quick post to promote my latest project over at Gauche Alchemy.

A few weeks ago I got so bored with my scrapbook pages so I moved onto cards for a while and I really loved it. Gauche Alchemy writer Marilyn did a great job writing the post and I'm hoping you'll swing by and check it out.

Gauche Alchemy- Let's hear it for cards!

These are just two of the four cards featured- more details over at Gauche. 

Gauche Alchemy's Nearly Nekkid (kraft paper themed) kit, Gauche Alchemy
gold washi tape, "Hello" wood banner from Jillibean Soup, Mister Huey cream
mist cooking twine and flower from Petaloo.

Gauche Alchemy corrugated board, vellum and american Crafts paper (from the
 Nearly Nekkid kraft paper themed kit), flower from Prima and sentiment from
Glitz Designs paper.

By the way- the Gauche Alchemy blog has moved! 

Our website address is now www.gauchealchemy.com

Have you signed up to get updates on the new blog? It's an easy way to keep up with all the creative play going on. 

The team is putting some GREAT work together. 

Case in point?

This amazing post on art dolls which Gauche gals Jenn (Scraps), Jo, Maggi, Misty and Mary contributed to.

Just a teeny tiny sneak- please swing by and check out the whole post. 

http://www.gauchealchemy.com/2012/06/08/mixed-media-art-dolls/

Jo's department store dressmaker doll is rescued and made Gauche fabulous.

I was SERIOUSLY blown away by the sheer creative talent of my fellow team mates. 

If you like the materials used in these projects swing by the Artfire shop and pick up a few things:

 http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/gauchealchemy

GRATUITOUS "remake" of Madonna's "Borderline" video:

MuChOs SmOoChEs!

Michelle

Tuesdays are better! A Scrap FX Post

HALLO!
I hope you had a great Mother's Day weekend!
I will be celebrating next saturday since this weekend was don't disturb The Hubs who's studying for  finals week.

I've been struggling mightily with staying creative while also chasing a very active 2 and a half year old around a very small apartment.
It seems every time I turn around she's got a pair of scissors or some glue in her hands- not the friendly versions.
The ones that make me squeal in motherly terror.

I made this for Scrap FX but feel it's due for a make over so here's version one and you'll see version 2 there in a week or so.

Materials: Scrap FX Dinosaur mixed pack (2007287), Itsy Bitsy Bets "Typewriter" 2005103,
I altered several frames to make the "instant" ones here. Decorative frame "artsy" 2012044,
Simple frame A rectangle 2012047. I also used Studio Calico paper, Gauche Alchemy washi tape and
punchinella, A Flair for Buttons "Love You" button and regular staples I colored black using a marker.

Detail shots:

A Flair for Buttons "Love You" and Scrap FX Simple frame

Love this Tyranosaurus chipboard! I couldn't help
adding some stacked buttons left over from my shadow
box project. I love that look now.

I had a "brain wave" to use vellum for my journaling
to soften the look but it was see through so I had to back it
up with white paper. I nixed this project after using
watered down acrylic paint and warping the paper so badly I had
to cut it down to 8 by 11 size.

This week I sat down and started doing research on Mommy and Me craft projects because Miss Thang gets really crazy when it's raining and she can't go on her usual 4 hour walk.
NOPE! I'm not EVEN kidding.
It's walk her till she literally falls asleep or deal with mini Hulk.

So if you see I'm posting less or not getting around to your blogs and leaving much deserved love it's because I'm conserving time for the kiddo.

She's only 2 for so long.

MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle

The Promise- a tone on tone experiment

Lately I've been REALLY awful at keeping up with my blog reading.

Thankfully I have Scrap FX and some photos I printed over 2 years ago to provide the inspiration for my latest scrapbook layout.

3 weeks ago I saw a post by Melissa Mann for Greenfrog Studios where she used her scoring board to make an embossed grid on her layout. 

I was SO INSPIRED!

So I tried it:

Those bright and fully alert eyes followed me everywhere.
Materials: Scrap FX The Promise wordlet 2012061, Flourish Kraft tag set 2012041 K, Kraft Lace tag set 2012040 K, Swallow embellishment pack 2010054, The Paper Source Kraft paper, buttons from American Crafts, My Mind's Eye and Basic Grey, Studio Calico Mister Huey in Calico Cream, EK Success score board (for embossed lines). Wax baking paper and cooking twine. Spools from Maya Road. Twine from The Twinery (via Scarlett- thanks girlie!!!)

I LOVE the subtle tone of tone effect this technique gives a layout. Melissa is a friggin' GENIUS!

Gotta use my button stash! 

At this time, 3 years ago, I was struggling through the scariest thing that has ever happened to me. 

I had JUST gotten the immensely exciting and joyful news that I was pregnant.

I had JUST started to shop for maternity clothes when a routine sonogram showed major problems with my baby's fetal nucal translucency. 

I was made to sit down as the doctor told me over the phone that this was a sign for fatal genetic defects and that further testing needed to be done right away.

And so the roller coaster began. 

Test after test showed very low probabilities for genetic disorders. 

So more exotic tests were given to ensure my baby didn't have some newly discovered syndrome. 

"Termination" was recommended several times each doctor's appointment even though no one would take a stand and tell me that they knew FOR SURE that my baby would not survive infancy.

All this cautious but terrifying probability talk really pissed me off.

A title meant for an engagement photo is given another meaning.

So I took a leap of faith.

I am strictly a rational person when it comes to this stuff but that's what it was.

I trusted that everything was going to be ok.

Not because I'm some wonderfully moral person but because I already loved my baby.

I loved her the second I found out she was there. 

And I made her a promise even if she was "only" a floating bean in a calm and dark sea. 

I would protect her at all costs. 

I would willingly and completely hand over all the love, all the affirmation and all the support one scared Brooklyn girl could give another. 

We would stick together and make it through this. 

Whatever "this" turned out to be.

Journaling written while Lola was in the NICU.

I told everyone to BACK OFF. 

I knew she was gonna be ok.
I got lots of flak from people I thought would be on our side.
They feared I would be "stuck" with a severely disabled child.

I ignored them too.
And I got support from unexpected corners.
People came out of the woodwork for Miss Thang!
My Mom most of all.
The outcome is a normal kid with an unnatural love of apple juice and Udon noodles.

She's had no health or developmental issues of any kind. 

She runs and jumps like a puppy on caffeine pills, makes random strangers answer her garbled questions, bosses everyone around (SIT! RIGHT THERE!!!) and generally acts like she's 5 not 2.

I love and am endlessly amused by my half-pint.

For her continued health I am unconditionally grateful.

GRATUITOUS TODDLER SHOT!!!!

Asleep...

AWAKE!!!

MuChOs SmOoChEs!

Michelle