Sketch & Stitch Sugar Skull Layout

I finished up the Sketch & Stitch Sugar Skull stitching project I brought with me to Seattle a couple weeks ago and found a few spare crafty moments to use it on a layout!

To start I had my Silhouette Cameo 3 draw the Sketch & Stitch Sugar Skull cut file onto thick, smooth white cardstock with a pencil in the first tool holder and then it pierced the holes for stitching with a ratchet blade in the second tool holder. Handy dandy! Be sure to check out all of my Sketch & Stitch cut files for lots of stitching options!

I carefully cut out around the sugar skull which helps make stitching in the middle parts so much easier and now it's like a big die cut/focal element. I used all 6 strands of DMC embroidery floss in lots of bright colors and hand stitched the design using a basic back stitch. It took about 8 hours to stitch which I did between activities while we were in Seattle for Fall Break. Then I set it aside for a couple weeks to finish up other assignments :)

For the layout, I die cut my Spiderweb Frame from the blue B-side of Paper 05 in my Truly Grateful collection and then machine stitched over it with my Brother sewing machine using a coordinating blue thread. I adhered the Spiderweb Frame with tiny foam squares onto the mint Paper 20 to create dimension and shadows.

I added the sugar skull at a slight angle on the right side of the page and trimmed off the tiny bit of excess on the right edge. I printed my photo at home on my Canon Pro-100 using Canon Photo Paper. To help the photo stand out from the busy background, I always like to trim out my pictures leaving a white border. I layered the photo over the left side of the sugar skull.

To embellish I pulled flowers from the Ephemera Die Cuts and Floral Die Cuts and tucked them under and around the photo and sugar skull. I adhered them with more foam squares and bent up the edges for texture. I journaled right on top of my photo to incorporate it into the design and tell the story.

The title is made from a few different pieces: first, a tag in the Ephemera Die Cuts and then I covered up the "good stuff" portion of the sentiment with a floral heart fussy cut from one of the 2x2 Paper Pads. Then I trimmed a "BEST" from a little tab in the Journaling Spots to add to the heart and complete the title "This is the best".

I hope this layout inspires you in some way! Be sure to pick up my Truly Grateful collection with Pink Paislee and check out my Sketch & Stitch cut files for lots of stitching projects! Have a great day!

SUPPLIES: Patterned paper, die cuts, stickers: TRULY GRATEFUL; Die cut machine: Silhouette Cameo 3; Cut files: Sketch & Stitch Sugar Skull and Spiderweb Frame by Paige Evans; Embroidery floss: DMC; white cardstock; Printer: Canon Pro-100; Photo paper: Canon; Thread: Coats & Clark; Sewing machine: Brother