Sewing is such a simple technique, and yet it can be extremely effective. It is a quick technique that can instantly add some pizzazz to your creation.

You can choose either hand sewing or machine sewing. Both are fun and easy.

Hand Sewing : The basic equipment required is embroidery thread, a taylors awl or a thumb tack, embroidery needle and double sided tape.

I find it easier to find make the holes for your sewing using a taylors awl or thumb, and following a flourish, plate, flower or metal ruler (or any thing else that is the shape you require) as a template. Just remember to space the holes out evenly and not too far apart.
Once the holes are made thread the needle with the thread (I often use 2 strands – it depends on what you want). Push the needle through the first hole, leaving a tail hanging through. To secure the thread, place a piece of double sided tape across the tail on the reverse side of your layout. Tying knots really isn’t effective, as they can easily pull through the hole in the paper. Sew along your holes, keeping the tension fairly constant. When you get to the end, secure that end of the thread on the reverse of your layout using double sided tape. You can jazzy up your design by sewing in cross-stitches or adding jewels or pearls to help cover up the hole marks.
You can use hand sewing to attach flower centres. I have used french knots and cross stitches in the example.

Machine Sewing: A simple technique to add to your layout is to sew a pattern on your layout without using thread. This leaves the holes in the layout, and can add a subtle effect to your creation.

When sewing with thread on the layout, it is best to keep the stitch length set to long. As paper and card is not as manouverable as fabric, the longer stitch length works best. When you have finished sewing your pattern, place a piece of double sided tape across the ends of the threads on the reverse side of the page, to secure the threads and prevent them from pulling out. Many sewing machines have all sorts of settings for fancy stitches, so why not give them a go. Just remember to do a test run on some scrap paper first.

Sewing is also a very effective technique to secure paper and cardstock. I usually adhere it first with some double sided tape to prevent it moving around in the sewing machine.

So why not give it a whirl.

We all know how much the flowers can cost us and we all love to use flowers.  I have a great way to make your own roses using coffee filters.

Supplies needed:

1.  Glimmermist

2.  Glue dots or Pritt glue

3.  Heart punch or heart die (4 sizes required) you could also use the cricut machine, free hand or in my case punch 1 and then scan and adjust the sizes manually on the computer.

4.  Coffee Filters (oops forgot to add the coffee filters into my photo LOL!!)

5.  Hole punch

6.  Brad

You can make these a big as you like depending on the size of your coffee filters of course or as small as you like, so you can make a heap of various sizes to use on your layouts.

Step 1

Cut out 4 hearts of each of the 4 sizes from the coffee filters, and punch a hole just above the point of the heart.

Step 2

Lightly Glimmer mist the hearts, do not saturate unless you want more solid colour. Allow to dry

Step 3

Start with the smallest heart and start stacking them onto the brad, prong side up, and place a tiny glue dot or pritt glue near the brad so that the hearts are stabilised and don’t move aroun the brad.

Step 4

Stack the next 2 sizes.  The largest heart is stacked last.  This will end up being your bottom layer.

Step 5

Turn your rose up the right way.

Step 6

Start scrunching up the top layer, then take each of the next layers and scrunch up around the top layer.

Open it up and hey presto!

You can also just curl your the edges of each petal.

Use any kind of brads, I have used stickles on the brad above.

You can also ink the edge of your roses or use kindy glitz or stickles around the edges of the petals for different effects.  I have added stickles to the edges of this rose.

Add more layers for a fuller rose or remove the larger layer of hearts for a smaller rose.

Now, give this technique a try, you will be quite surprised at the result and add to your stash of flowers.

Here is a layout I have done using different colours of these roses.

Lindy

I just love a tree to add something special to a layout.  Ness has some gorgeous chipboard trees available in the shop, but have you ever thought of making your own?   Here are a few easy steps to make a funky tree embellishment to use on your layouts.

What you need

1. plain cardstock for backing
2. paper for the tree trunk/branches
3. contrasting paper for the leaves
4. small flowers, or bling/pearls
5. sewing machine
6. 3d foam dots
7. glue
8. ink

Step 1

Hand draw your tree shape on the paper you are using for the trunk/branches.  If you are not confident drawing the tree freestyle, you may wish to use an illustration, or a chipboard tree as a guide.

Step 2

Cut around the tree outline, leaving 1/8″ around the edge. Do not rub out your pencil lines – you will be stitching over them later.

Step 3

Trace the tree shape onto the cardstock, and cut it out.

Step 4

Cut some leaf templates from the cardstock. I have used 3 different shaped leaves. Trace the leaf shapes onto the back of the paper you have chosen for the leaves. I have cut 8 of each leaf shape, 24 leaves in total.

Step 5

Cut out each leaf, crumple each leaf, and then ink the edges of all the leaves.

Step 6.

Crumple the paper tree trunk. Add some 3d foam dots to the cardstock in places. These will be spots you can stitch around to form features on the tree trunk. Stick the crumpled tree to the cardstock using only the foam dots initially. Using a quick drying liquid glue, work your way around the tree, adding leaves to the branches, and sticking the paper tree and leaves to the cardstock. Save a few leaves to add after the stitching is done, and maybe a few to scatter on your layout.

Step 7

Using your sewing machine, choose a coloured thread that will stand out on your tree trunk. I have chosen a brown thread on a green tree trunk. Slowly and carefully, stitch the outline of the tree along the pencil lines you drew in step 1. Add interest to the trunk by stiching little circles around the foam dots.

Step 8

Further embellish your tree by adding a few more leaves, and some tiny flowers and/or bling/pearls.

And there you have a funky stitched tree embellishment.

Here is the layout I created with this tree.

Make your own flourishes and extend on the one’s you have already bought.

These are the supplies that you will need for this technique

1.  Flourishes you have in your stash that are still attached to the clear backing

2.  Liquid Pearls – These can be purchased in the online shop

(you can also use Stickles and Puffy paints).

3.  Transparency sheets

4.  and of course your scanner and printer

Step 1

Put your flourish face down on your scanner.  Scan and save to your computer.  Print this sheet out and this will be your template.  You can also change the sizes of your flourishes too.

I have scanned a couple of different one’s to use today.  Keep these templates to use in the future.

Step 2

Place your transparency sheet over the template and start dotting with the Liquid Pearls.  If you over dot don’t worry, just wipe off with a wet one and start again – too easy no mistakes plus you can always cover with a flower or other embellishment if needed.

Step 3

Allow to dry.  Once dry trim around the flourish and place on your layout.

I love this technique and the colours are endless really.  I did a heap of them all at one time so I have plenty to use for awhile and I still have heaps left in my bottles of liquid pearls to continue making more when I need to.

You can also use more than 1 colour for a different look.

Here is a layout that I have done using this technique.

I have also done a heap of others ready to use on other layouts, some of them I have used more than 1 colour to make them a little different.

why not give this a go yourself?  very easy and if you don’t have any liquid pearls drop into the shop and grab some and give this a go.

click here to see the colours available in the store.

Love Ness