Our Invited Guest is Zoe

Welcome to our Friday guest post and it is the ever amazingly talented Zoe Hillman who has designed and created a very special project for us today whilst in the throes of moving house.

Just scroll through and see what exciting materials and layers Zoe has used to create her 'Sew Special' mini clipboard.

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Hello! Zoe here! I am delighted to be a guest at A Vintage Journey today.

I am British and currently living in Geneva, Switzerland with my husband Neil, (for another 4 days anyway)! I moved here 8 years ago and we are now off to Copenhagen, Denmark to start a new adventure together.

It was shortly after moving to Switzerland that I picked up Tim Holtz’s Compendium of Curiosities book and was instantly hooked! I love Tim's style, he's such a talented designer and great educator. I am utterly obsessed with distress and never happier than when I have inky fingers.

I really enjoy being part of the online craft community and love social media. I have “met” so many lovely people through a mutual love of craft, who provide such encouragement and inspiration. Crafting is definitely my happy!

Today I am sharing a project inspired by the Sew Special challenge.

I had to improvise slightly on the “sewing” and “fabric” elements to this project as half my stash was already packed away ready to move! Part of what I love about the creative process is improvising, so here’s what I did…

This tape measure ribbon covered the "stitched" part of the challenge! I then created a faux vintage pattern tissue using the new substrate material by Tim Holtz.

To make the substrate thinner and more tissue like, split the substrate by peeling the front and back layer apart. Next, stamp with sewing themed stamp sets, (both by Tim Holtz), using various archival inks, (by Wendy Vecchi). To make the substrate look distressed, screw up gently until supple.

Next, remove the clip from a Tim Holtz mini clipboard and adhere the substrate, wrapping it around the back. The linen tape measure ribbon covered the bottom of the board where the substrate didn't reach.

To alter the clip, cover with picket fence distress paint and rub away when almost dry. Rub evergreen bough distress ink between your thumb and forefinger until almost dry, then rub onto parts of the clip. Finally rub on some gold gilders paste to highlight. I added a singers sewing machine charm from my stash.

Collect together some sewing themed ephemera, mine was from the vellum thrift shop ephemera pack, (by Tim Holtz) and a photograph I picked up whilst junking recently. It was top of the pile and PERFECT for this project.

I created a dress shop receipt using a stamp from the Tim Holtz Curiosities set. Adding remnant rubs to give detail to the receipt and indicate a dress shop alteration. Tear and ink the edges with walnut stain distress ink to give an aged look. 

Thanks for taking a look at my project and to the team at A Vintage Journey for having me.

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Oh wow Zoe what a fabulously creative make for our Sew Special challenge and what an amazing vintage feel you have created with the stamp sets and your wonderful photo. Every step you took to bring this project together is brilliant but the part that excites me the most is the dress shop receipt, it's perfect. Thank you for taking time out of your very busy schedule to make this delightful and inspirational work of art and for sharing it with us at A Vintage Journey.

Thanks to you our readers for popping in today and if you haven't yet joined us in the challenge I hope you are inspired to give it a go and share your own inspiration with us. You have until next Thursday evening to link up and then midnight (UK time) on Friday morning we will be starting the next theme. We will also be back on Monday with the fourth Destination Inspiration post for May, we look forward to catching up with you then.

Have a great weekend and enjoy whatever you have planned.

hugs Brenda and the Creative Guides. xxx

Pinworthy Guest Day - what a treat!

Hi everyone, Nikki here with my monthly post where I get to introduce Guest Creative Guides who were previous pinworthies at A Vintage Journey. The ladies today were our selected winners back in February for our Industrial themed challenged. 

This month we have quite a different theme - Sew Special - but wow have they showed their versatility - we are in for a treat - here goes......

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Suzz -  Suzz's Stamping Spot

Hi! Suzz here! I live in the midwest in the United States. I have a wonderful family consisting of my hubby, three children and two dogs.

I am thrilled to be able to share again here on the Vintage Journey! The Design Team and their art is always inspiring and fabulous!

I have always loved art! The smell of fresh crayons, blank sheets of paper, and freshly sharpened pencils have always inspired me to create even in grade school. I evolved from my art in school into crafting and continue to explore and try new artistic adventures.

Today I am sharing a tag inspired by the Sew Special challenge.

I had picked up this totally awesome printers block with a stylish outfit at a local flea market. I have been wanting to use the image in one of my artsy endeavours and this challenge was the perfect opportunity to use it! 

To create my fun tag I used Distress Stain Sprays and Stencils on pieces of linen cloth. These are the remnants left after my tag was finished. 

I stamped the print block image by inking it up with Ranger Archival Ink and stamping it on a spare piece of the linen that wasn't stencilled but did get a mix of the sprays. 

Next I layered the sprayed linen pieces on top of each other. I used a glue stick to layer the fabric. I don't have a sewing machine and wanted to add a little bit of stitching. I hand stitched a few stitches along the side and sewed the buttons on the bottom.

Then I had the fun of looking through my embellishments for a variety of sewing inspired embellishments. I had plenty to choose from in my stash. Thank you to the fabulous Vintage Journey Team for letting me share with you today.

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Vicki - That Crazy Chick

This is Vicki (aka- that crazy chick) and I am thrilled to be back as a “sew special” guest at A Vintage Journey. The only thing I like better than word play is to break bend a few rules. I can’t wait to show you what I've made with fabric and paper and paper fabric. This year has been one of great changes; pressing forward, each day, one step at a time, stronger than yesterday.

Paper fabric is an amazing material, it behaves both like paper and fabric. You can buy it by the yard as Kraft-tex, Sizzix sells it as Paper Leather and Tim has it packaged in his ideaology line as Substrate Sheets. The more you work the surface the more leathery it becomes (I cheat, a little, and let another process make the leathery look for me – you can see this in the step-by-step on my blog). And, optional stitching...is a ‘must’ in my world.

I used this challenge to try Sizzix ink sheets for the first time and on the linen textile sheet. This transfer ink worked better than I anticipated on the textured surface (Paula gave me the idea, when she used remnant rubs on linen in a vignette box awhile back).

I matted images from the Dapper Paperstash with some inked chambray (also) from the textile surfaces package. I like how this softens the edges and still feels masculine.

And lastly, created my own ribbon award using crinkle ribbon, plain tissue wrap and an old snap cap. *interesting side note, depending on where you are in the world, my blue ribbon will represent a different finish standing. Tell me, how well am I doing?

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Lys - Impression Scrap

Bonjour!

My name is Lys and I live in a village in south west of France. Ten years ago I started with scrapbooking, then I discovered Mixed Media and now every bit of paper, fabric, plastic or any material I can watch with a different eye can be part of a new creation in my hands. I love experiments and I always try to find new paths, but I also take a huge inspiration in blogland so I don’t think I have a definite style. My first idea is expressing something, telling a story… and my fingers go on!

I’m very happy today to show the dress I made for this “Sew Special” challenge: I love the wide range of styles opened now at AVJ and I think I borrowed a bit of several of them here.

I wished a “Special” dress, for a celebration, with a French touch too, so it’s a strange mixture of a shabby dress with a steampunk style, colours and textures… I have “sewn” everything, you can see a step by step on my blog.

Everything came from this old small perfume bottle I altered to make a dress form. For my mysterious lady I wished a flimsy dress, so if the chest is draped, the rest is floating around the crinoline.

The stiffness of the corset and its stripes is softened by the lace, the thread and the ribbon bow, for a feminine touch.

The lady won't go out without her gems: her free heart...

her cameo which reminds the world is opened to her...

And her rose necklace.

Thanks so much Nikki and AVJ team for your invitation, I’m very honoured to be at your sides today!

Lys.

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Well I don't know about you - but I am in awe of these wonderful creations! Thank you Suzz, Vicki and Lys for sharing these amazing projects with us at A Vintage Journey - they really are stunning.

Feeling inspired? Our Sew Special challenge runs until June 2nd!

Until next time...

Nikki

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Sew Special

Hi everyone and welcome! It's Jenny here as host for the latest challenge here at A Vintage Journey. This month we are all about fabric;

Add fabric to your entry in some way be it felt, burlap, ribbon or cloth and if you're really feeling brave maybe include a touch of real or faux stitching!

We are looking forward to seeing what ideas you have to incorporate this Sew Special theme in your vintage, shabby, mixed-media, art journalling, industrial or steampunk projects.

This month we are proud to be sponsored by the wonderful people over at Calico Craft Parts who have generously offered a prize bundle for our random winner.

They are a family run UK business specialising in wood craft products including birch plywood plaques, MDF wood shapes, craft blanks and kits, all perfect for altered art, home decor, craft fair makes and gifts. Check out their amazing range at www.calicocraftparts.co.uk/

As ever there will be a lucky random winner (who wins our sponsor's fabulous prize) and three Pinworthies, selected by the Creative Guides and invited to rejoin us as Guest Creative Guides for a future challenge.

Let's see how the Creative Guides have incorporated fabric into their projects this month;

Jenny M

This challenge finally gave me chance to play with my Eileen Hull Sizzix Stitchlits Thin Dies. If like me you hate having to punch separate holes to stitch through in order to add sewing detail to your projects these are the best! I grabbed some Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements fabric and set to it. You can find out more HERE including a step by step for the background.

Jennie

I had lots of fun making this small Vintage Pillow for Jenny's fabulous challenge using some old linen which takes texture paste and inks beautifully. Hop on over to my blog if you would like to see more!

Julia A

I created a little Needle Book for my Sew Special project using Eileen Hull's Passport Die.  I have ribbon, lace and felt on my creation - and I even did a hand stitch on the button!

Please stop by my blog for more photos, details and a view of the inside of my Needle Book.
You'll find it all here.

Astrid

When I read Jenny's challenge theme I was filled with trepidation, sewing and me just don't go together, but when reading the detail it all became fun. I decided to take a very vintage shabby chic route with this project. If you want to see more, just come over to my blog for a full description.

Anne

My thoughts immediately went to Tim's dress form die when I saw Jenny's theme.  I was also inspired by one of Richele Christensen's quilting projects and made a pin cushion 'button' box using fabric I hand stamped and one of Eileen Hull's dies.  You can see more over on my blog.

S@ndy

What a great challenge from our lovely hostess, Jenny.  I used a burlap panel this time along with some pretty pink embellishments to go with the theme - Sew Special.  I have a tutorial for you on my blog, My "Crafty" Life on the Internet.

Deb

Jenny's wonderful theme was the perfect opportunity for me to make a gift for a special blogging friend who just happens to be a wonderful seamstress!  I made a card for her using a needle and thread blueprint stamp by Tim Holtz and then made her a little needle book with a die by Eileen Hull.  If you'd like a closer look, I have some step by step photos on my blog, hope you can stop on by!

Julie

I was so pleased to be able to join in with Jenny's challenge this month. I love sewing themed projects and always feel you can go to town adding many textures and embellishments. I would love for you to stop by my blog HERE to see the info and close up photographs. 

Brenda

I delved back into my stamp archive to find this gorgeous dress form which has been triple embossed and stamped and I altered lots of 'sew special' elements to create the focus for the theme. I love using the reverse side of a canvas to create depth and I added a dress form butterfly. Take a trip over to Bumblebees and Butterflies to see how I made the ruler tape border.

Julia S-W

I've made a gift card holder and wallet using untreated canvas fabric, paint, vintage book paper, stamping and machine stitching. For more details please click here to visit my blog. 

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You can see with these amazing pieces from the Creative Guides just how many ways fabric and stitching can be included in your projects. Now we look forward to seeing your sewing creations. This challenge is open until Thursday 2nd June.