Sew Happy for You

This week’s Our Craft Lounge challenge is to “stress and distress.” This is a bit outside of my clean and simple leaning style/comfort zone, so it was definitely a challenge to me!

I started out by finding a set with a vintage look that I thought might lend itself to a distressed look. The only OCL set in my collection that fit that description is the Years Gone By set, so I inked up the vintage sewing machine image in brown ink and stamped it on a cream panel, then added the “sew happy for you” sentiment underneath it. I dirtied the panel up a little by sponging on some distress inks, then layered it on a kraft panel with a torn and distress ink inked edge.

The image is layered on a kraft panel that I partly covered with two patterned paper strips. I used a red pattern at the top and edged it with a text print at the bottom. The text paper is again inked with distress inks and I roughed up the bottom edge with my fingernail. I machine stitched around the red patterned panel, interspersing some zig zag stitches in with the straight stitching. My little sewing machine wasn’t too happy about switching gears like that in mid stitch . . . I added a pretty beige satin bow and a button (a must on a sewing themed card, right?) as embellishments before setting the panel on a red card base.

You can find all of the details on the challenge on the OCL blog. I hope you’ll get stressed and distressed with us!

Materials Used:
Years Gone By stamp set (Our Craft Lounge); Memento Rich Cocoa ink (Tsukineko); Antique Linen and Vintage Photo distress inks (Ranger); Poppy Parade, Crumb Cake, and Very Vanilla cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Memorandum 6x6 paper pad (Lily Bee Design); beige satin ribbon (Michaels); linen thread (The Cat’s Pajamas); button; Bow Easy; sewing machine