Supplies - Cardstock, pen, adhesive: American Crafts; Die cuts, stickers: Paige Evans/Pink Paislee; Stitched background: Elizabeth Sarah Designs
I have been a long time follower and admirer of Elizabeth Sarah Free in the United Kingdom. The time and effort she puts into creating her beautiful hand-stitched backgrounds is amazing and inspiring. Below you can see some of her beautiful and detailed designs!
Recently she shared a layout with a floral cross-stitched design and I immediately commissioned her to make me one too! I was so excited to own an original Elizabeth Sarah stitched design!
A few weeks later, around 8:30pm, our doorbell rang and it was the postman with the package containing her artwork! I couldn't wait to open it and spent about an hour stroking the beautiful stitching :)
The next day I set to work turning Elizabeth's stitching into a layout. I found a recent photo of me and my kids and knew the embellishing would be minimal - the background does all the work! I hand cut a title from one of the patterned papers in my Oh My Heart collection with Pink Paislee and replaced the last word with a chipboard sticker. I tucked a flower above and below the photo and if you look carefully you'll see three puffy flower stickers placed in a visual triangle around the wreath.
I love Elizabeth's mantra, she says, "I'd rather spend a long time over one layout than rushing to complete several. I don't have the space to store loads of layouts!" Some people scrapbook fast, others slow, but in the end, it's the memories that are preserved and how it makes us feel in the process that matters!
Would you like to meet Paige Evans? Paige will be joining us to teach two amazing classes at our Crop & Create Thunder Bay, Ontario event on October 13-15, 2017! For more information, please click here!
All l can say is "WOW"
Posted by: Valerie W | June 14, 2017 at 10:15 AM
This is just gorgeous!!
Posted by: Angela Lunn | June 14, 2017 at 10:15 AM
I'm a cross stitcher and this is stunning. So much love and work went into that background, I can't even imagine to begin such a memorable piece of art. The layout is perfect for the background.
Posted by: Glenda | June 14, 2017 at 10:20 AM
Amazing!
Posted by: Gisèle | June 14, 2017 at 10:32 AM
This stitching is stunning!!
Posted by: Brenda | June 14, 2017 at 11:03 AM
I'm also a cross stitcher and this is lovely, as is your layout.
Posted by: pt | June 14, 2017 at 11:15 AM
This is just beyond "gorgeous!"
Posted by: Judy Stiles | June 14, 2017 at 04:19 PM
I'm an avid cross-stitched and I have to say that if you're sticking that in an album, that's crazy. It would be lovely displayed as the work of art that it is. I love it!
Posted by: Sandy Clinton | June 14, 2017 at 10:40 PM
**cross-stitcher
Posted by: Sandy Clinton | June 14, 2017 at 10:41 PM
How absolutely gorgeous Paige! What beautiful mementos you are making for your children and grandchildren.
Posted by: BunnyD | June 15, 2017 at 10:48 PM
The detail that went into that hand-stitching is just incredible. Very impressive! And yes, I would absolutely LOVE to meet Paige!!! She is soooo fabulous and I love her work as well as her beautiful collections. But sadly, Thunder Bay is just a little too far to me. Crossing my fingers that you guys will bring her back to another C&C in the future. :)
Posted by: Teresa Medeiros | June 16, 2017 at 09:43 AM
WOW! Very beautiful. I wonder how she does it without bending or wrinkling the paper.
Posted by: Cara Feeney | June 16, 2017 at 06:24 PM
Beautiful!
Posted by: Jeanette Y | June 17, 2017 at 07:03 PM
All those layouts are stunning! I hope some are framed and on display.
Posted by: Jeannine H | June 19, 2017 at 08:41 AM
Wow this is stunning! So it is cross-stitched on cardstock?
Posted by: Judy Stiles | June 19, 2017 at 04:40 PM
I am in awe of this stitching. I am a cross-stitcher myself and can only imagine how much time and care went into this layout. Simply stunning!
Posted by: Claudia | June 23, 2017 at 09:24 AM
For those of us who 'cant meet' Paige in Ontario (living in Florida currently 😢) How can we learn the basics of her approach to cross stitching on paper technique? How are the designs created (program?) and then transferred/printed on paper? I gather you pre-punch each hole on the grid. Thank you.
Posted by: Vianna | June 24, 2017 at 10:56 AM
Elizabeth Sarah what a talent and what a wonderful gift she gave you Paige. You could not have done that work of art more proud.
Posted by: Di Hawke | June 25, 2017 at 04:04 AM