Shine Bright Layout with Process Video by Paige Evans

 Hi friends! I'm back today with a new layout and process video featuring my new Wonders collection and Shine Bright Star for Stitching cut file!

Check out the process video to see how this layout came together and learn how to make 3 different kinds of stitches: a chain link stitch, back stitch, and French knots! I even snuck a cross stitch in there but only one so not sure if that counts as a 4th ;) Also see how to alter this cut file to make it work with your Cricut machine - all you have to do is merge all of the layers so instead of hundreds of random dots, it puts all the dots in the correct places :)

To begin, I had my Silhouette Cameo 3 cut the Shine Bright Star for Stitching cut file - it essentially cuts the holes so all that's left to do is add the stitching through them! Easy peasy! And what I love about having the machine cut the holes instead of me eyeballing them with a paper piercer is they are perfectly spaced which makes the stitching look neater and cleaner. Win win!

I wanted to create a similar look and feel to my recent Stitched Love Heart layout which was monochromatic pink/red so this time I opted for yellow - stars and yellow go hand-in-hand right?! I grabbed my box of threads, chose a similar tone of yellow as the background, and threaded a needle. I always use all 6 strands of DMC embroidery floss for maximum thickness and texture. Then I got to work stitching the outer star and "bright" word with a chain link stitch. I would say it took about 5 hours to complete and I binge watched The Queen's Gambit whilst doing so - ooooh such an entertaining show on Netflix! I highly recommend it.

Next I chose a slightly lighter colored yellow thread and did a basic back stitch through the word "SHINE". I watched Vicki Boutin do a live on Facebook last Friday night while stitching this word and that was my perfect definition of a Friday night - stitching and chilling with my crafty friends! It took about an hour and a half to stitch the "SHINE" word.

I found a photo of Jane in my stash of pics with a yellow background which matched nicely so I adhered it overlapping the top right section of the star. Then I grabbed all of the yellow patterned papers from the Wonders 12x12 Paper Pad and 6x8 Paper Pad as well as a variety of star punches and punched stars from all the papers. I filled in the stitched star with the punched paper stars and adhered them in place with a tiny dab from a tape runner. I attached the stars in place with French knots - the third type of stitching on this page! I used a confetti star punch to make teeny tiny stars and adhered those with foam squares in the empty spaces. The last stitch was a cross stitch above the "i" in "bright".

I wrote journaling with a dark yellow between between the stitched words and underlined the journaling with the same pen. In my punches stash I have a star border which I used on all four edges of the page for some whimsy. I stamped the date with yellow ink on a yellow label sticker. I'm getting better at stamping the date as I make my layouts :) To finish, I created four little clusters of embellishments around the layout to draw the eye all around it using yellow bits and pieces from the 6x12 Cardstock Stickers, 8-Page Sticker Book, Floral Die Cuts, Washi Tape, and Banner Stickers.

I hope this layout inspires you to try hand stitching on your layouts using my new Wonders collection and Shine Bright Start for Stitching cut file! Thanks for stopping by, see you again soon!

SUPPLIES: Patterned papers, stickers, die cuts, washi tape, embellishments: WONDERS; Thread: DMC embroidery floss; Star punches; American Crafts, Fiskars, Martha Stewart Crafts; Cardstock, adhesive: American Crafts; Die cut machine: Silhouette Cameo; Cut file: Shine Bright Star for Stitching by Paige Evans