The Good Life

Today we are up on the Paper Issues blog showing you lots of fun ways to use your Stitch Happy sewing machine or thread to hand stitch.
I used the Stitch Happy twine from the Paper Issues store to hand stitch while I was traveling. This heart cut file from Paper Issues was the perfect size to hand stitch around.

A few close ups of the details on the layout:

The We R twine was the perfect match for the heart cut file paper which is from Amy Tangerine On a Whim.  This leaf paper was a close match to Paige Evan's Oh My Heart collection. I used up lots of scraps from past layouts to fill in the hearts on this cut file.

The rose gold journal card was a great size to be a photo mat. I used the chipboard Oh My Heart Thicker frame as a photo mat layer for dimension. These patterned papers are so versatile.

I scattered Oh My Heart puffy stickers and phrase stickers from Simple Stories. I added WE R Stitch Happy twine stitching in three of the central hearts for a bit more focus on the stitching nearest the photo.

Get all of the newest American Crafts and Pink Paislee collections in Paper Issues store. 

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Cut It Up April: Be You

Hello!  Today I am on the Paper Issues blog  along with some Paper Issues teammates, and we are showing you several ways to use the new free cut file: Be You.  I transformed the ampersand into a stitching cut file and this post is all about walking you through the super simple steps!

I wanted to supersize the Be You ampersand and do some hand stitching--I am pretty happy with the results!  Here's the how to on getting perfect needle circle holes to stitch...

1. Once you have your cut file the size you want on your mat, select the text (A) icon.

2.  Select Times New Roman font.

3.  Set the font size to 36.0

4.  Increase the character spacing to 200% if you want longer length stitches as I used in the ampersand.

5.  Start typing periods in the text box.  (if any of the settings reverted back to default, highlight the periods in the text box at this point and select the above settings).

6.  Move the green circle toggle button in the text box so that it snaps onto the cut file line of the ampersand or cut file you are using.  This will adhere the periods over the cut line.  Continue typing periods until the entire shape is covered with the periods (stitching holes).

 7.  After the shape is covered with stitching holes, click on the mat near the shape to select the shape, this will remove the green text box.
8.  Go to the Silhouette cut settings and select NO CUT.  This will instruct your machine to only cut the stitching holes and not the original cut file outline.
9.  If you'd like the original cut file for the inside of the stitching area, reload your mat and cut the shape again with whatever patterned paper you'd like by cutting with the normal cut settings.
Here's what the perfectly round stitching holes look like:

Here's with the stitching completed with several colors of thread/floss and the Pink Paislee Oh My Heart paper number 8 inside with a bit of mixed media.  Have I mentioned how gorgeous this paper is??!!  I love that it looks like it was painted and there's no mess involved!

Close ups of the final project with added ephemera from Oh My Heart and Fancy Free.  A few puffy stickers and enamel dots for added dimension! The Oh My Heart  6x6 paper pad works so well for layering under the photo.

One last picture to show the popped up parts of the florals, photo, and title.

Thanks so much for taking a look at the process I use to transform a cut file into a stitching file by using the Cameo to punch the holes for me.  

I hope you'll try one of the PI free files this month and tag Paper Issues or me so I can check out your awesome projects!  

If you use this tutorial to help you convert a cut file, let me know!  I can't wait to see what cool ideas you have!

You have until May 2nd to post your Cut It Up entries into the Facebook Friends and Fans April Challenge folder.  Winners of the monthly gift cards will be announced May 3rd.

As always, if you are a fan of the products I've used here, go to Paper Issues online store to save 20% off with code: Stacie

Take 5 Tuesday: April

Here's another awesome Paper Issues challenge to try out for April.  Check out Mary Ann Jenkin's Take 5 Tuesday prompts and join us with your creations on Facebook.
I used: 1. turquoise (background watercolors) 4. Patterned Paper  6.  number  7.  Two or more fonts 10. layers  11. wood veneer  12. cardstock

Here are a few detail pics:

My boy loves to jump and count down to jump again.  He can't get enough pool time ever!

I think the scallops worked well with the water/pool theme as a wave of sorts!

If you haven't used the scallop paper on a project you need to get it!  It was fun to fussy cut and stitch down a rainbow of layers.

 I partnered Dear Lizzy chipboard Thickers with the rose gold to match the upper title from Paige Evan's Oh My Heart collection Thickers.  I used several wood veneer pieces from past Crate Paper lines.

I can't wait to see your Take 5 Tuesday!

Cut It Up February

It's a new Cut It Up Saturday at Paper Issues!  I think you will find lots of ideas and be inspired from the design team on the PI blog today!
  Go to the Paper Issues store and download this free background Heart Tracks file and it includes titles, too!

For my take with this fun cut file, I used Pink Paislee's Oh My Heart by Paige Evans.  It has so many bright fun colors that I tied into my background.

I used the cut file as a stencil to watercolor my background.  It wasn't perfect, but that is part of the imperfect look of mixed media!  You just go with it!

I love the copper foil that this collection has!  The ephemera pieces and stickers were perfect for this page of my son and I after I had presented my thesis and was approved for graduate school graduation.  Books, clipboard, phone, hearts and 'mom life' pieces worked into this design easily!

I double cut the title words in white and black cardstock to offset them slightly and add dimension to the words against a colorful background.

I skipped spaces in the background watercoloring to add the layer of white hearts and stitching.

I loved the little saying from Dear Lizzy's new Lovely Day collection "make the days count".  I started grad school before I was pregnant with my littlest, so this was a total culmination to have us both in this picture.  It was such a big moment to be done with the stress of grad school and to have more time to play and spend time with my Ry!

The Oh My Heart chipboard books were so on point with this LO topic!  Enamel dots, messy threads, and splatters of India ink show a few of my faves to add to my pages.

I hope you are inspired to download this cut file and play along with Cut It Up for February.  You have through March 5th to play along and post your projects in the challenge thread at PIFF on Facebook.

Just as a reminder use any of the 100+ cut files that are free in the Paper Issues store on a new project and post them in Cut It Up for a chance at a Paper Issues giftcard!  Tag Paper Issues on social media so we can send you some love when you use exclusive PI cut files!

Save 20% off of all the things you need and can't live without in the Paper Issues store. 

Use code: Stacie