Wednesday, July 14, 2010

JustRite Week: Day Three



Hope you've had a chance this week to follow along with JustRite Week at Stamper's Dream! All week the Dream Team is featuring new holiday stamp sets by JustRite. Here's the posting schedule again:

Monday: LeslieChristinaMichelle
Tuesday: LeslieMichelle, me
Wednesday: KarenDenise, me
Thursday: DeniseLaurieMichelle
Friday: ChristinaLaurieKaren


Today, I'm working with Hearts Come Home, a set of six borders and six centers.


My heart always goes out to those who are separated from loved ones during the holidays, due to distance, deployment, or any other circumstance. The "Hearts Come Home For Christmas" sentiment in this set is such a sweet reminder that we're always in each other's hearts even when we can't be together in person.

The shapely die-cut behind the sentiment was cut with the new Frame Back Ornate #4 Bigz die by Sizzix. I arranged it where I wanted it and then just trimmed off the overhang on the left. I trimmed out the poinsettia (colored with Copics) from one of the other centers in this set and used it as a corner accent for the sentiment. I used the paper tole technique to give it some dimension and dressed it up with a crystal in the center and a dusting of ultrafine clear glitter on the petals.

Additional accents are some Zva Creative crystal flourishes (I used scraps left over from cutting the original flourish into smaller pieces), Kaisercraft adhesive pearls, satin ribbon, and distressing and hand-stitching around the perimeter.

By the way, I recently got an email asking about the hand-stitching. I haven't answered it yet and can't even find it anymore in the mess that is my inbox, so I'll share here for now. For some crazy reason, I've been hand-stitching on my cards instead of using my machine. It all started because my 3-year-old now scales the baby gate to get into my craft room, where he loves to squeeze the foot pedal on my sewing machine. Between him running out all of my thread and me being terrified he'd get his finger under the needle (even though it takes all ten of his tiny fingers just to squeeze the foot pedal), I decided to remove the the needle and thread from the machine altogether. Yes, I know I should just not let him play with the sewing machine, but that foot pedal will easily entertain him for fifteen minutes or more, so I've caved. Well, I went to machine-stitch on my card one day, but of course the needle and thread were missing. Get this ... I was too lazy to re-thread the machine, but not too lazy to hand-stitch - how wacky is that? The hand-stitching is WAY more time-consuming, but I found that I liked it better because I have more control at the corners. I am not normally overly neurotic about precision, but it was driving me crazy when I got to the corners mid-stitch. Please tell me I'm not alone! Or am I? 

On that note, I think I'll go thread my machine again :)

Cheers!

17 comments:

Dawn Easton said...

Gorgeous, Amy! LOVE that you hand stitched!! You've got so much patience!

Unknown said...

Too funny...because I know EXACTLY what you mean about not taking the time to thread the machine! LOL!

Love this beauty, Amy! I'm going to have to CASE your idea using the poinsettia as a corner piece. Love what you've done with this set, and that awesome Sizzix frame!!!

Only By His Grace said...

Gorgeous card Amy.
Very elegant. I also love how you photograph your cards. I have your tutorial from way back saved and have tried to use your example.
I think mine turn out not too bad thanks to you.
Hugs marion

Darien said...

What a GORGEOUS card!!!

Leslie Miller said...

Wow!! Beautiful, stunning, simply amazing! I absolutely LOVE this card, Amy! You are surely a gifted designer!

Christine said...

Just wanted to tell you how much I love your work. Each and every card you make is so unique and different and inspires such creativity. I throughly enjoy your blog.
xoxo, Christine

Unknown said...

Oh my word Amy, your latest creations are so beautiful, I can't stop ogling them!! Stunning work, just stunning. Viv xxx

Playing with Paper said...

This card is Fabulous!! I just love the color combination!!

Unknown said...

Gorgeous, Amy! Love your hand stitching.. and I obsess about my corners all the time when I am stitching!!

Jessica said...

Another beautiful card! That is so funny I know exactly what you mean about being to lazy to thread the machine but you take the time to hand stich. Oh well it turns out beautifully.

Denise Marzec said...

Very pretty! Love the bling!

Jane Wetzel said...

hi Amy! gorgeous card! your sewing remarks crack me up! hope u r doing well..hugs, Jane :)

Karen Giron said...

You hand sew your cards!!? Wow, my awe of your work has just gone up to astronomical levels! haha! I completely understand the caving moments we mommies have :) This is so gorgeous - Love the layout and all that yummy paper!

My Inkie Fingers said...

Amy,
I have a bunch of those rhinestone designs that you have on this card. I have a bugger of a time getting them off the paper, and onto my project. Is there a secret tip you have to transferring them onto your work?

Thanks =)

Cassie_lu said...

what an elegant card

Kathy Jones said...

Oh this is STUNNING Amy!!! I love the sheer elegance you add to your projects!!! I'd love to hang out in your craft room for a while and maybe some of that talent will rub off!! :)

Secondly - I TOTALLY get the sewing machine thing!! I'm not very good friends with my machine, I can't sew straight so I don't do it often! My 3yr old got a hold of my TENSION control recently and I had no idea - made a total mess of what I was trying to make. I know EXACTLY where you are coming from!!! (It still doesn't inspire me to hand sew though LOL!!!)

Earline said...

Fabulous u just keep amazing me love your color have to get this stamp set