Stitching is a great way to add a sense of style and dimension to your layouts. With this layout, Susanne shows you just how effective it can be! Try stitching on some of your pages. You'll love the effect!

This layout  was created using two sheets of Chatterbox Sun Sunbursts Paper, blue Bazzill cardstock, Heidi Swapp foam stamps �Drama�, black versamark ink, Kaleidoscope transparent embossing powder, yellow and white Bella flowers, black eyelets , cream cotton for machine stitching, orange polka dot ribbon, yellow ric rac and NRN Designs Our Child stickers.

Take one piece of Chatterbox Sun Sunbursts Paper and trim 1/2cm from each side. Place your photo in the middle and lightly outline it with pencil. Remove the photo. Working at least 1.5cm from the inside of the marking, cut out several small flowers and set aside. Mount the rest of this sheet of paper onto blue Bazzill cardstock.

Working on the reverse side of the second sheet of Chatterbox Sun Sunbursts Paper, lightly mark the lines as follows:

(a) Diagonally from bottom left to top right

The paper has now been divided into eight equal sections. Mark a point 7.5cm in both directions from each corner. This will give you the mid point of each section. Rule a line from each point through the centre to the corresponding point on the other side of the paper. At this point the markings on the paper should resemble a star.

Cut along each of the marked lines on the paper.

Reassemble the sheet of paper. Keep the first piece in the top left corner and remove every second piece as you go around the paper. Set aside the unwanted pieces. The remaining pieces will form the sun's rays. Adhere each piece to your background as shown.  

Decorate alternate sun rays with ribbon & ric rac.

Machine stitch along the sides and bottom of each ray. Sew a wavy pattern on the rays over the ric rac and zig zag stitch over one side of the orange ribbon.  

Adhere photo to the centre of the layout & machine stitch a border on the photo.

Select and adhere vellum stickers to the sun rays, as shown in the layout above.

From the offcuts of the patterned paper, select and individually cut flowers for decoration. Layer flowers as shown and secure with an eyelet. Adhere to layout using Magic Mount.

Stamp and emboss/heat set flourishes one by one to avoid ink drying out or smudging.

If you would like to have any of your designs included in our resource centre, please email them to us at rc@stickersnfun.com (please make sure all files are .jpg or .gif).