Stitching a Sentimental Journey …
Posted: March 27, 2012 Filed under: class samples, Fabric, mini album, technique | Tags: fabric, fabric photos, mini book, Monarch Quilts, sewing 21 Comments »
For some time I’ve wanted to try my hand at a fabric book. Wasn’t sure how I would go about it so I visited Monarch Quilts in Genoa and Jane gave me some pointers on how I could age fabric and print photos for the book as well. I bought my supplies and took it all home to play.
Well, long story short – nearly three months later the book is finally finished enough for class and class is scheduled! I am so in love with this book. There’s plenty more I think I might add down the road but the basics are here and it’s a good start for anyone who wants to try their hand at a simple-sew fabric memory book.
I’ve used heritage photos of my mother’s family and they fit so well into this nostalgic fabric book. I really just love to sit and look through it. The photos conjure up so many memories from my own childhood.
We’re running the class is two sessions. The first session will be fabric selection and instructions for prepping your fabric and printing your photos to bring with you to the second session where we’ll assemble and embellish the book. You do not need advanced sewing skills for this class – but you will need a sewing machine. We use basic straight-stitching and you can add zigzag if you like. This is a great workshop for those wanting to dabble with fabric and photos.
Watch for final workshop details to be posted soon. I still have to get all the info to Jane at Monarch. I was just so excited to show you – I couldn’t wait! Hope you like.
Art Glitter Design Team 2012 Audition …
Posted: March 26, 2012 Filed under: Uncategorized 16 Comments »My goal this year is to work at my business. I call myself a mixed-media instructor because I find myself working with such a variety of materials anymore that I cannot, in all honesty, call myself a scrapbook instructor anymore, especially since I tend to teach mostly mini book projects. In order to work at my business my projects really need to get noticed and applying for positions on a few key design teams such as Art Glitter is pretty much essential.
I discovered I could work Art Glitter into my world several years ago when owner, Barbara Trombley, visited my local scrapbook store which I managed at the time. I took her classes only to learn more about her product in order to successfully sell it -after all, I was already the company’s biggest fan of Designer Dries Clear adhesive. What I didn’t count on was that I would absolutely fall in love with one more medium that would be a must in my projects.
I always thought of Art Glitter as something blingy and shiny; a product that had no place in vintage or altered projects. I wasn’t into all that glitz and sparkle. But, once I sat in her classes and learned more about her product my mind began to turn over loads of ideas for projects where I could include Art Glitter.
The Clearly Autumn mini book included here still ranks as one of my all-time favorite projects and it was my first attempt at using Art Glitter as the main focus of the project. The pages are clear acrylic from Clear Scraps. Using a variety of Tim Holtz and Basic Grey stamps I stamped flourishes and fauna on the backside of the pages using Staz-on ink in Buttercream.
I then used my Designer Dries Clear, with the ultra-fine tip of course, to outline certain parts of the stamped image (on the front of the page) before sprinkling with several types of Art Glitter. It was fun deciding which glitters went where. I used micro-fine on the smallest lined images, glass shards to add a bit of sparkle to bold centers and beautiful micro-beads to outline flowers as well as a few leaves.
The parenthesis was actually run through my Xyron 150 then dipped in the micro-fine glitter to evenly coat the one side. Ran it back through the Xyron to add adhesive to the back – such an easy way to get complete coverage!
This book has been on display and handled repeatedly by many students and curious crafters wondering how it was done and it still remains completely intact. Designer Dries Clear is my all-time favorite clear-drying adhesive. I’ve adhered metal-to-metal with this glue and it continues to amaze me at how well it holds. I find the fine tip is essential for spreading the correct amount of adhesive. So, give Art Glitter a try – you may find that you too will fall in love with the detail it adds to your projects.
