Couple of new layouts

The layout with DS & his GF turned out fantastic! I was lucky enough to see it while MC was in the creative process, but it just blossomed since then. You did a fantastic job on it!

Your Ashley_Shaun LO is gorgeous. It looks velvety and soft......when I looked at it my first thought was it shouldn't be closed up in a book. I know that sounds crazy.....scrappers make LO's for albums...right?...but sometimes a LO comes together just right and belongs in a frame on the wall instead. Sandy

M-C, I love the "happy" feel of Stacey's Shower LO! I presume it's a little girl on the way ;)) Beautiful shades of colour on the Shaun and Ashley LO. It works wonderfully together. Is the bear also your creation?

And then my favourite one - your Feb Challenge! All I can say is WOW!. Beautiful poem and a stunning LO. Everything goes perfectly together and well balanced. I like that picture of Rick. It looks real and how you would see him everyday, which makes it more special, but that's just me!

Judy, SA

I've never tried sewing on a page, never even seen it done. Is it hard? I'd be afraid of tearing the paper. What do you have to know to do a good job, are there any particular tips you could share?

Now that's just adorable! So you used a sewing machine to get the zigzag right? Is that the method you chose or is it all done on a machine? Sorry, I'm really clueless about this.

I had the same concerns and it was so easy, that I got carried away in the Shaun and Ashley layout. There is so much sewing on that layout! All the bears are material, the ribbon was folded over the cardstock around the picture and sewn on, the bottom lace and the accent material is all sewn on. There is so much sewing I was afraid it would all fall apart, LOL! But it really is quite sturdy still.

Two tips, use the finest needle you can find and use as long a stitch as you find can with the effect still looking good. Also, I think it helps if you use cardstock or think paper as I did. Try it on a scrap it really was a lot of fun!

Thanks Deb. I ended up using the same material and the same concepts but a

Very strange, I wrote to thank you this morning and it didn't show up. Perhaps it will later. I did consider framing this in a white K&Co frame I have and giving it to Ashley for her birthday, but I am not sure that I can part with it!

I was working on using basic gray paper and scrapworks embelishment for that contest and thought the picture would work with it. When I saw the picture, that material came to mind. I just loved the material, (the bears and the fusia material) which I had used to make a baby quilt. Then I was at Michales and there was a spool of fushia ribbon in the $1.00 bin. Amazing how things come together but I've got to say, it didn't come together fast! I started on this LO before going to Florida!

Again, thanks for you kind and positive comments!

M-C

Thanks Judy! No the bear is not one of mine. I took the picture unbeknownst to them while we were in a shop in a beautiful town in Arkansas called Hot Springs. I've made a Koala that was about that big, but never a bear!

I like the picture of Rick too, but not for this layout as he looks like he is staring off the page. I was also wondering if the whole thing would look nicer with a black and white picture. An thoughts?

M-C

Very nice work, I haven't sewn yet(I don't own a machine) well I have a little craft one that hasn't been out of the box yet! I really like your poem!Barb:o)

Thanks Barb. I loved sewing it all together it was so much easier than I expected!

M-C

Wow that sewing looks great Sandy.

Lynne

Well, M-C you're done it again.... got me wanting to try another technique. Your page isn't fussy at all. I love all the details.

I have a Singer sewing machine I've used since the 1970's. (Does that make both of us antiques yet? or just collectable?) It does basic stitches and a few fancy ones. I normally use the basic zig-zag for scrapbooking - it is used for applique work, button holes and stretch material. I rarely use the straight stitch on paper. I think the zig-zag looks great myself. I have used the straight stitch with a short stitch length, no thread, and tore the cardstock apart along the stitching. It makes the paper look like the edges of a postage stamp. I bought one of those little machines 'Make It Sew' brand to take to crops and use in the office while scrapbooking. I was really disappointed. The thread breaks easy and often, it skips stitches and comes unthreaded all the time. So I just run up and down the steps when I'm scrappin and need to use the regular machine. I just don't work on any LO's at crops that need sewing or do the sewing before I go (which is what I did on the Sarah At One LO. Sandy

M-C, I love both LO's that you have sewn on. The three generations LO is really nice and will be a fabulous addition to your SIL Baby Book. The one of Shaun and Ashley is just beautiful and the combination of colours, fibres and accents were a perfect choice. Also had a peek at the Feb Challenge LO and I just love it...it has just the right feel for this challenge. The background paper fits so well and the poem is beautiful...even if I had to strain my eyes to read it...wonderful words!!!!! Thanks for sharing :o)

MC your LO's are gorgeous. I enjoyed looking through your albums. You are very talented. I never sewed on any of my pages thought about it but never gave it a try. I had a baseball glove that I wanted to sew it give it a "real" look but never got around to it.

I have a question for you MC. In looking through your Deb in AR's Album I love your dedication page. The background is gorgeous and perfect. Where did you get the paper from? That would be perfect for my son's album. I never thought of a dedication page to him before. Thanks for the idea.

Chrissy

Hi Chrissy! Thanks for the compliments. The Deb in Ar album IS Deb's. Because she is making it for her parents she is "hiding" it in my webshots account. Hopefully Deb can answer your question.

M-C