Summer of Color 3 - Week 2

Sweet friends,
It's Week 2 at Summer of Color, and I'm loving the color prompt this week. Orange & hot pink!!. Reminds me so much of last year's Strawberry/Orange Sorbet :). I need badly one now. Hope the weather is improving from being so hot, dry and hazy the last few days.

This week I made a tinier gratitude book :). Dedicated to the beautiful tropical flowers we have here, especially the hibiscus. Do you know, hibiscus is the Malaysian National Flower?. Yup, just like Hawaii.

The front. This book measures only 2" x 3".

The back.

I used a strip of wide-cotton lace, a small plastic tag holder and fabric-scrap ribbon to make the book.

Folded lace ribbon a few times and sewn in the middle to make it open like a book.

Sewn the pages to the plastic tag holder, then embellished with pearls. [I had first stamped the plastic tag holder with gesso].

Gesso'ed front cover.

Read about how to stamp gesso on plastic, here :).

Secured the ribbon closure with cross-stitches at the back.

A simple bow for closure.

Let's take a peek inside my book;

Greetings from a hibiscus!.

Painted with watercolor (orange & fuschia), then doodled over with a black pen. Back-stitches for the stigma, gold & pearl beads for the stamen :).

Running stitches to highlight the words from old book pages.

Handmade embellishment; gauzy linen peppered with gold & pearl beads. Easy, does it?. You may already have them in your stash :). I'm all inspired by talented artists @ Lets Get Trendy Now!3. So many ideas of making your own embellishments and you could win cool prizes if you play along their challenges too!. 

Add tiny pink beads on the circle for dimension.

Another hibiscus, to end the pages with.

The very last page.

That's it. I hope you'd try making these tiny books, they are so FUN to make :). Thank you for visiting and your sweet comments on my gratitude book last week. It's wonderful to see what everyone made, will come to see you again soon :). Until then, have a great week!. HUGS.

p/s: Let's Get Trendy Now!3 challenges is running till end of the month, come join us! :).

Lets Get Trendy Now!3 - Day 4 (Stitching)

Hello friends,


Are you enjoying cool projects @ Lets Get Trendy Now!3 ?? Amazing tips & artwork to admire, aren't they??.

Today is Day 4: Stitching.

It's my turn to share a few tips on stitching!. 

How do you like making a rustic love note, tucked in a tiny, clear envelope?. {Sweet enough as a gift}.

Just get comfy, grab a drink and enjoy this tutorial :).

Here's what I made: a secret note & an altered envelope.

Or rather, a stitched scroll :).

I used old plastic folder, linen scraps, velcros & thread.

I ripped a piece of linen measuring 2.5" X 22", and lightly wrote a quote on it in pencil.

Back-stitching, very closely to the letters.

Add a couple of eyelets & tie a string to one end.

It reads; " I love you to the stars and back".

I added a metal charm, tied up with a fiber for closure. Then, loosely folded linen into accordion folds. [You may fold into a tight roll, then display it in a jar].

Done. LOVE how tattered it looks!.

 Since I love altering so much, I didn't stop here :). Here's how to make the clear, altered envelope;

Cut out a piece of old plastic folder, measuring 3.5" X 9" long and stamp all over it with gesso. 

Stamping with 'very dry' gesso, allows sharp images on plastic.

Stamp lightly on newspapers prior onto plastic to thin out gesso and avoid smudges. You'd feel the gesso 'sticking' to the plastic when pulling off the stamp. If accidents happen, quickly clean with baby wipes, dry and start anew :).

Make a few simple folds like so, and the envelope is ready for stitching.

Then, stitch along seams.

Tips: Sewing on plastic sleeves are trickier than on fabrics because they are tough and transparent. 

1. Plan for minimal stitching, yet strong AND beautiful at the same time. [Any messy threads will show].

2. Select needles specialized for denim or leather if you're hand-stitching thick plastics together, like I did in this project.

3. It helps to pierce holes along the seams with sharp tools (i.e stylus) prior to hand-stitching. [a standard needle & thread will work if sewing on thin plastics like grocery bags].

4. Thread your needle with double strand of strong threads.

5. Secure plastic sheets together with metal binder clips while you stitch, for easy and neat stitches.

Add a sticker to hide velcros on the front.

Done. Clear packages are twice the fun!.

That's all to it. A tiny note to make someone smiles today. Good thing indeed comes in small packages :). Happy stitching!.

For more stitching tips, do visit Let's Get Trendy Now!3 Day 4. And, join in the fun for a chance at winning cool prizes everyday!. HUGS.

Let's Get Trendy Now!3 online workshop!

Dear friends,
This week, a group of amazing ladies over at Let's Get Trendy Now!3 will be showing 5 hottest trends; Neon, Sequins, Handmade Embellishments, Stitching and Textured Layers, to spice up your creative endeavors even more :). I'm excited to join them this year, sharing yet another fun way to use Stitching in altered art projects.

Day 1: Neon (Monday 3rd June)

Day 2: Sequins (Tuesday 4th June)

Day 3: Handmade embellishments (Wednesday 5th June)

Day 4: Stitching (Thursday 6th June)

Day 5: Textured layers (Friday 7th June)

Not only will you be inspired by 32 never-been-seen projects, you will also get a chance to win some prizes if you play along with our challenges.

Signups start today, Wednesday 29th May at 12 a.m EST. You can sign up by adding your name to the linky tool at the bottom of this post or, join us at Let’s Get Trendy Now!3 site from 3 - 7 June. 

My project will be revealed on June 6th (Day 4: Stitching) and the detailed tutorial will be shared here too. Do come visit again on Thursday!. Here's a peek of what I made;

So, see you at Let's Get Trendy Now!3 for a week-long, awe-spiring ideas next week!. Most of all, have fun and good luck playing along!. HUGS.