Challenge 34 - Hand Stitch with Embroidery Floss

You guys are in for a treat this week.... our Guest Host is Scarlet Namvong - here is her challenge:

A little bit about me:

Hi! My name is Scarlet Namvong and I am one of the Creative Directors of Studio Calico, a monthly kit club and online community. I believe that scrapbooking is more than memory-keeping. For me, scrapbooking is a creative outlet, a vehicle for learning and experimentation, and a way to connect with like-minded people.

Through scrapbooking, my interest in other crafts has grown. I had never wanted a sewing machine until I “needed” one to stitch on my layouts, but now I crave designer fabrics as much as I covet pretty paper. I find myself wishing I could knit, crochet, embroider…

Since I work with paper more than I work with fabric, I have challenged myself to integrate sewing into my scrapbooks, most commonly through hand-stitching. What started with a basic back-stitch has expanded into an entire repertoire of stitches, including lazy daisy stitch, blanket stitch, threaded running stitch, cross-stitch, and the list goes on and on.

Who says that creative stitching should be limited to sewing projects and wall hangings?

My challenge to you:
Get out your needle and embroidery floss and stitch!

Here are few of my favorite things about hand-stitching on layouts…

First, it is cheap and the creative possibilities are almost endless. Embroidery floss typically costs less than 30 cents a skein, and there are so many colors available. Get into the habit of picking up a few colors each time you visit the craft store. Take along a scrap of patterned paper from a project that you are working on or choose a combo that coordinates with the other items in your cart.

Second, stitching on your layouts adds an element that is uniquely yours. You may be using the same papers and embellishments that hundreds of other scrapbookers are using, but your stitches are designed by you.

Third, stitching is a gift. Have you ever received a wall hanging or pillow that was stitched just for you? The person who made it for you poured hours of time and love into creating something for you to cherish. I feel the same way when I stitch on my layouts. To me, the homespun feel that stitching creates says, “I created this for you with my heart and my hand.” The layouts on which I take the time to stitch always seem more special to me somehow.

Here’s the layout I created for this challenge:

I used three different stitches here… a basic cross-stitch, a threaded running stitch, and a back-stitch (with a few cross-stitches mixed in just for fun).

What tools do you need to stitch on your layouts, you ask? What is a threaded running stitch and how did you learn how to do it? Can you show me some other examples of ways you have integrated stitching into your layouts?

So glad you asked… for the answers to these questions or for the chance to ask questions of your own, please visit my blog at http://mybestlife.typepad.com
I’ll post several more tips and layouts for you to enjoy this week!

PALOMA'S LAYOUT: Notice how Paloma did "traditional" cross-stitching to write the first word of the title and to add a little design element. She also added stitched right onto her patterned paper - adorable.

BRENDA'S LAYOUT: Brenda reminded us that stitching can be simple to be effective. Notice how she used hand-stitching around her patterned paper, as freehand element by the butterfly, and as a way to highlight the journaling strips. Lovely.

JEN'S LAYOUT: I love to cross-stitch (and hand-stitch in general, for that matter!) on my layouts, but sometimes I do not want to go through the hassle of lining all those little holes up. Here, I went the lazy way and let my background paper do the work for me. I chose a pattern with a small dot - made it very simple to stitch.

DEBORAH'S LAYOUT: Deborah decided to cross-stitch a tree on her layout. Like Jen, she chose a patterned paper with small dots to make it easier to line up her stitches.

Now give it a try. Take a break from wrapping presents, making cookies, and going to parties and get something crafty done! You have 2 weeks to complete the challenge - Midnight on the 28th is the cut-off.

And just in case you need some added incentive, check out this AMAZING rak, being provided by the ever-generous Studio Calico. This November kit, named Fountain Square, is full of goodies and is valued at $34.50!

Paper Poking Winner

Is MICA!! Congrats, Mica. Please email me and I will get back with you about your prize.

As for the slideshow, I seem to be having some technical difficulties, so I'm afriad the slideshow will have to be skipped this time around. Sorry everyone!

Please check back Monday for a new Challenge and host - we have an AWESOME guest coming up. :)

Challenge - Flocking!

It's now officially the holiday season. All the malls and stores are decked out with season decorations, Santa's in the house, and Christmas music is playing everywhere. At my house we're sitting by a warm fire watching Rudolph and drinking hot chocolate with marshmellows. Which got me to thinking about winter and Christmas and holiday glitz. And warmth, fuzzy sweaters, scarves and mittens. And flocking - just like those Christmas tree displays.

Flocking is fun -- it's a great way to add texture and interest to your project. But you don't have to settle for buying flocked paper and embellishments, you can do it yourself with a bottle of flock and a bit of glue.

My challenge to you is this: use flocking on a layout. Just link up your projects in the comment section by Sunday night, December 14th to be eligible for a RAK.

And our friends at Studio Calico are sponsoring this challenge. They've donated one of their fabulous Key Lime kits for us, which includes a bottle of flock from Doodlebug:


And here's what our team did:

I used loose flocking with a glue pen on my layout. For the tree, I first stamped it in a light ink on my patterned paper, then traced over the image with a glue pen before adding the flocking. On the brown floral paper I just traced directly over the flowers on the paper.

Jen used the Key Lime kit from Studio Calico to create her tree. She used the flocking on the branches and the "star" at the top of the tree.

Let's see what you can do with flocking! Remember, post your projects on this thread by Sunday, December 14th.

Winner of paper pleating challenge!

Congrats to Jenni!

She is the RAK winner for this challenge!

Thanks for sharing you beautiful projects with, it is always such an honor that you play along with us!

Jenni, please email us your mailing address so we can get a box out to you!

This is also my last post as a Playground Girl, life has gotten a little more hectic for me in the last few months, and I have had to make some tough choices. I have loved having the opportunity to play with new techniques and make new friends, thank you for that!

Happy Creating!!!!

Becky Olsen

Challenge 32 - Paper Poking

POKE YOUR PAPER!

Ok, I could not come up with anything more clever or catchy. ;) My challenge to you this week is to use a needle to poke holes into your paper. Do it freehand, do it with a sewing machine... however you like. The result is a subtle design element that is fun and FREE.

Here is what the team did:

JEN: For my layout, I made a spiderweb with poked holes. First, I drew my web design lightly with a pencil on the cardstock. I then sewed over the lines with my sewing machine, which was not loaded with any thread. Lastly, I erased the lines. I have to say, it was really fun!

PAMELA: Pamela punched one big circle, then went back and forth from the 1st hole to the 15th, to the hole to the right of the 1st, to the hole to the left of the 15th, and repeated from there. Try it!

DEBORAH: Deborah stamped onto a scrap of vellum paper and used that as a pattern to poke holes for her snowflakes.

PALOMA: Paloma punched holes into circle rings, and she further separated the individual words with punched lines.

This challenge is being hosted my http://www.scrapperie.com/, a monthly kit club. The owner, Sandi, has graciously agreed to provide the RAK for this one - an October kit of goodies.

To take a look, go here: http://www.scrapperie.com/boutique/images/oct08ext.jpg. I used one of the October kits to make my "Widow" layout.

You have 2 weeks.... submissions are due on Sunday, November 30th at midnight. Have fun!

Slide show and WINNER for Challenge #30 with Guest Hostess... Wendy Rago!

Thank you ladies for ALL OF YOUR FAB ARTWORK!!!

It was a seriously tough decision, and after considerable deliberation... I have chosen...



AMANDA BERENS as this challenge's WINNER!!! GORGEOUS... Amanda... SIMPLY STUNNING work!!! (Please e-mail DT member Pam Palmarini at pamelapalmarini@hotmail.com with your addy, and she will pass it on to me, and I will get you your beautiful BAD GIRLS kit!)

Thanks again everybody, for pushing the 3-D "envelope" so artfully!!!

All my best... Wendy Rago

Paper Pleating

I love the textures that you can get from paper, in the past we have treated fabric like paper, so now we are going to treat the paper like it is fabric!
The challenge this time around is to pleat your paper. You can achieve quite a few looks by doing this, and it adds a wonderful texture to your projects!
I used the paper to make more of a deep ruffle, It made a really fun frame for one of my favorite pictures of my niece.

Jen used a double pleat that looks like a great bumpy ribbon, and the benefit is that it matches the other papers perfectly and the cost was minimal!

Here Deb used it as a beautiful pop of color to transition between the elegant diecut paper and the darling pictures of her daughter in the same color! So bright and happy but still in the vein of her theme. Such a great way to compliment the colors in your project without having to find the perfect color of ribbon, LOVE it!!!

Paloma used pleating for the bats wings, so clever! And for the colorful strip under the haunted house for a great pop of color, super fun!

Pamela pleated the papers that run down the side of her photo, and then sewed over them, which is a great way to adhere them permanently.

I will be providing a RAK that will consist of FAB new patterned papers so that you can continue to play with this technique, and a few other yummy goodies to help put it all together!

Have fun, and to be considered for the RAK, you must leave a link to your project in the blog comments.

Thanks for playing!!!!

B-