When thinking about design and creating a unique look, you always have to take patterns and textures into consideration. Just adding one special texture or print into a decor situation can really give the item a fresh feel. You might remember the stitched photo art we've done on the blog over the past couple years, so we wanted to try it with embroidery thread too. We love the way that artist Jose Romussi takes photography to the next level by sewing beautiful embroidery overtop of photographs, and we teamed up with Canon USA to try the genius idea out for ourselves. 
Supplies:
-printed photo
-cardstock
-yarn needle
-embroidery thread
-spray adhesive 
Step One: When deciding on your photo, choose a photo of a person that has a wearable item (like sunglasses or a hat) or a scene with an item of interest (like a cool door or car) where you can concentrate the embroidery detail. We used our MG7120 to print this out on Canon's semi-gloss photo paper. Be sure to you select "photo quality" in your printer settings, and you'll get a pretty immaculate print of your photo. Once your photo is printed, use the spray adhesive to attach the photo to cardstock for structural support while you are sewing. 
Step Two: Think out where you want your biggest flowers to go (you may even want to print a second test photo and sketch where you would generally like them to be). Now thread and knot your needle with the color of your first flower and start sewing! It took a little bit of practice to get the hang of the flowers since I haven't sewn anything like this before, so I was glad I did practice flower or two on my test photo to get the feel of it first. I found it most helpful to make a few scattered stitches that would the longest parts of the petals and the shortest parts of the petals and then fill it all the lines in between (gradually getting longer and shorter as needed to make the petal shape).
Since you are sewing on paper with a relatively big needle, try and go through the same holes when you can and stagger where your hole placement is around your flower center so you don't end up cutting out a chunk of your photo.
Step Three: When you have your petals in place, you can fill in the center of your flower by making a few parallel stiches in the center of your flower.
Step Four: To make leaves, sew a series of longer and shorter stitches that meet down the center of the leaf (see photo above for example). Add as many flowers and greenery as you like and pop your photo into a frame—you're done!
The embroidery adds such a cool handmade feel to the photo and the possibilites of looks you can create are endless! What a special way to embellish a treasured photo, don't you think? xo. Laura
Credits // Author: Laura Gummerman, Photography: Laura Gummerman and Sarah Rhodes
65 Comments
This is literally the coolest thing I’ve seen in a while!!! LOVE this idea, so creative ?
Thanks for sharing,
Natalie
https://www.designsin24.com/
This is really good idea. Beautiful and heart touching embroidery photo art.
This is such a neat idea to give the old photos a new life! Thanks for sharing this with us..
This is awesome DIY project.
Cool, photo is even better now.
Yeah, such a great idea. Love it ! 🙂 Lovely greetings from Germany
this is beautiful and really cool! Tryin’ it!!
Thats such a cool idea!
Enter my giveaway!
http://reneehartsthis.blogspot.com.au/
Renee x
Weirdly awesome!
This is such a cool idea! I might try a landscape with an embroidered Eiffel Tower, so inspired now!
ellierosewrites.blogspot.co.uk
This is sick.
This is such an awesome idea! Love, love, love it!!!
This looks amazing! I will definetely try this! It’s a good idea for gifts too. xo
www.iulena.blogspot.com
This is so unique!
I wanted to ask you a question about the macrame curtain you guys did a while back. The comment box is closed so I am here! I was wondering what the width of the rope and what type/brand rope you guys used for it! It looks so awesome! Thanks love! xoxo
I have a few pictures I could do this with. Great idea!
Such a great idea, looks amazing!
I love it ! Nice pattern !
Ah this reminds me of a photography project i did at school where I painted on photographs.
I think I’m going to have to try some mixed media with my photography again!
I recently stumbled upon Jose as well and love his work. I love your version, it would make a great budget friendly gift!!!
This is such an amazing idea! LOVE IT! Can’t wait to try this with hubs 🙂
This is such a cool idea!! I love it ♥
Cool and original ! Lovely photos ! Great post ℓα ℒιcσrηe – ℒa vie est ℓa petite ℓicorne.
This looks awesome! I love the handmade aspect to it!
xoxo
Taylor
www.welcomehometaylor.com
Such a unique idea! I’m going to have to dig out my embroidery thread and try this!
this is so unique! what a fun idea!
xxoo,
nikki
www.dremainneon.blogspot.com
I love it!
http://www.whatsashawears.com
Oo… great minds think alike! I just decorated a whole batch of upcycled cereal box booklets with embroidery! Nothing as detailed and beautiful as your photo though!
http://littlemissling.wordpress.com/2014/03/05/getting-creative-with-little-miss-ling-decorating-upcycled-cereal-box-booklets/
Love this idea! I have been meaning to start an embroidery project soon! So it’s going on the to do list 🙂 x
That’s cool 😀 love it
Love this idea
i will do it with photos of my kids
this is genius! 🙂
Wow, love this. Looks amazing and I want to do this now.
Must find the right photo.
Thanks for the tutorial.
Fantastic idea!
What cool way to add a pop of color to a B&W picture. Love it.
XOXO,
Erin
http://www.thevaughnlife.us
I love the texture and pop of colour!!
Did you find it difficult to not pierce the paper as you were threading it through?
That is so cool!
http://kyfashion4.blogspot.com
Hi Sarah!
My husband actually brought that back from India, so I can’t tell you where to find your own, sorry!
Laura 🙂
I used to love doing this! Definitely going to rekindle my love for embroidering on top of images.
http://hollysparkle.blogspot.com
I’ve been following this blog pretty much since the beginning and I’m a bit sad that most of the posts over the past several months have not been from Elsie or Emma. I’m excited that your business is growing, but this is one aspect that I wish wouldn’t change.
I really like this idea! Thanks for sharing
Hi Laura,
what a creative idea! I’ll have to try this with one of my portraits 🙂
I have a question… when looking at the pictures, I fell in love with the adorable golden camel that is standing on your book “the fox and the hound”. Where did you buy it? I would love to get one of them for my bookshelf!
thank you,
Sarah
Wauw, looks so cool! Great job!
How very creative! On the first picture I even thought it looked cool, not knowing you have personally made that design on the glasses! Then I scrolled further down the page and you just kept astonishing me! Keep it up with the unique and creative ideas, Laura!
I love your additions to ABM! You are so creative.
Amazing, you stitching is perfect!
Lauren
livinginaboxx
Such a cool idea…I have so many embroidery threads from when I was a child…looks like I have to whip them out!
Impressive!!! This looks so cool!
Much love from Germany,
Bambi
http://lasagnolove.blogspot.de/
Best idea everrrrrr! I love love love it! There are so many cool ways one could do this! Ahhh!
http://cuddlyasacactus.wordpress.com/
This is just so flippin’ cool! x
holljc.blogspot.co.uk
I love this and have always wanted to do this! You’ve definitely inspired me.
Um…this is totally cool. You are both so talented and creative! 🙂
I love to embellish photos in unexpected ways. Definitely will use this…Now, I just need the perfect photo.
My goodness…how do you think of all this great ideas??
http://vodkaandarose.blogspot.co.uk
Hi girls!!! I’ve done something similar! We are in sintony!
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/119908408802355455/
🙂
Serena
this looks so awesome. would love to try this out!
laura is awesome!
So cool! Really great idea!
//Nadja
cinnamonplease.blogspot.com
This is genius! I love it!
This is literally the coolest thing I’ve seen in a while!!! LOVE this idea, so creative 🙂
Thanks for sharing,
Natalie
www.dosesofdesign.com
what a cool idea! would add so much character to photographs
xx Milly
www.lovemilly.blogspot.ca
This is gorgeous! I’ve been seeing Jose Romussi’s photos circulating a lot recently and always thought they were beautiful. You guys did an awesome job!
xo
Christa
www.gardeniasandmint.wordpress.com
I live alone so I don’t think I can pull off photos of myself in my house hahaha….but I love this idea!!! There’s some awesome art on Etsy with embroidery that I LOVE! Maybe I can recreate now! 🙂
So cool. I want to do an embroidery project for my home but I’m not quite sure what to start with. Thanks for another great idea. 🙂
So cool and creative! Bravisimo!!
What a nice and creative idea!
What a cool idea!!! Love this!