Look on the bright side

Hi Everyone!!  I'm so excited to be this weeks There She Goes Trendsetter, which means I'll have projects to share with you all week AND I get to choose our challenge.  So this week I'd like to see some stitching!!  It can be stitching of ANY kind...faux or real. 

I LOVE the look and charming element that sewing on cards gives.  But I have ZERO sewing skills...and if you've followed my blog for very long then you know just HOW badly I stink at sewing!!  I actually failed the sewing portion in my high school Home Economics class after a disasters attempt to sew a tank top!!  ROTFL!!  So why would I chose this as my challenge?!?  Because I if I can do it then anyone can!!  And I've found the secret for non-sewers like myself is the Janome Sew Mini Sewing Machine.  It is perfect for sewing on paper.  The machines simple design and slower speed allows for better control and straighter stitches.  I absolutely LOVE mine and most of my designer friends use this machine as well!!  I'll also share another secret...use thicker thread.  Not only is it stronger but it shows up better than standard thread when sewing on paper.  I use Coats & Clark Dual Duty XP Heavy.

For my cards sample I also did a little paper piecing of the lampshade from the Lighten Up stamp set.   I started with a Marshmallow cardstock base and accented with Robin's Egg Bazzill cardstock.  The designer papers are from Echo Park (Sweet Day) and the Tessatina Border Die is from Memory Box.  The image panel as well as the lamp shade are both popped up with foam dots for dimension.

Need more inspiration to help you get started? Then be sure to stop by the TSG Blog to see the amazing samples that the other Trendsetters have created this week and then play along with us!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!!