Stitch Alchemy, Combining Fabric and Paper for Mixed-Media Art by Kelli Perkins is a treasure box of inspiration. Just opening the book at random will help you along your own creative journey! I swear. I opened to page 51, to the section called Clear Resist Embossing. Without reading the text, just looking at the image, an idea sparked within my mind and this is just how this book goes along. Page after page of eye-candy and creative juice stirrers.
Kelli's writing style is permissive, her directions are simple and to the point and make you realize how easy and fantastic it is to mix your medias, play with both stitch and paper and to create something as luscious and layered as Kelli does.
So if you want to get your creative synapsis popping and you need to put a little bit of sparkle in your approach, just buy this book
Here is a stamp that Kelli's book inspired in me. Opening to page 51 of her book made me question why it never occurred to me to sew through fun foam to create a stamp. She doesn't explain this in her book but the sheer creative verve she has brought forth really does touch your creative core, get you thinking and better yet, making stuff.
and here is a detail shot of the printed stamp. You can see the stitches in the foam, I left some threads to interfere with the printing and it speaks to the image on page 51 because Kelli has no fear of painting over sewn line.
I like the texture the stitching made on the stamp as well. I already have the book. It is colorful and inspirational.
Wow! What a great idea! I love "why on earth havent't I thought of this before"-things like this! :)
Wow! Can't wait to try it! But now I'm without a sewing machine and funfoam for 4 days!
What a FABULOUS IDEA! I am going to be stitching on fun foam later today. You're an art magician. Thanks Melly!
VERY COOL! I LOVE that book...you are so right about the inspiration. Thanks for another twist!
totally clever. And I thought I'd sewn on everything! and yes, Kelli's book is fabulous! so many great ideas......
total enjoyment! I love Kelli's book.
As a person who always plans ahead, I've been stockpiling books to use in my retirement. (Your book could not wait and I tore into it big time last summer!) Now that retirement is here, it's hard to decide where to look next....I happen to have Kelli's book and could not agree with you more: why did I never think to sew on my craft foam??? You have just moved her book up closer to the top of the queue! thanks!
jeanette
Genius!
I was asking myself yesterday if I could stitch fun foam onto paper? It was for a kid's poster for my classroom, but never the less it was a creative impulse. What I LOVE is that was answered today in your post! Thank you! Now the other seredipitious moment of yesterday was that my cousin sent me small pieces of plexiglass cut to make fun foam stamps with!!! Isn't that amazing. Now I'm so excited to have a play date with myself that I literally have ideas popping into my head at a fast pace. I don't have the book but will check it out when I get my first paycheck of the year (although in reality most of it is probably already spent getting back into a classroom has been expensive so it may have to be in two months). Thanks for the inspiration!
I love this book and refer to it often. As an art quilter, I am always looking for new techniques.
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