Prima and Graphic 45 - My 2 Faves!

Hi! I hope everyone had a great week.
It was a hard one for me as it marked the first anniversary of my husbands death. It also was the first birthday of my granddaughter. So it was a bittersweet week!To keep my mind off things I again hijacked the blog at The Paper Passion this week. It also enabled me to get back into scrapbooking and hopefully  inspired others to try new ideas. For my last week there, I used 2 of my favourite manufacturers - Graphic 45 and Prima!

I know last week I promised paints. texture paste, gesso and all that messy stuff. I have used them to a point but I couldn't bring myself to be too messy. I think I'm just too much of a neat freak - dripping paint and things out of order is just not me. It would drive me crazy and I would end up wiping it all off  - LOL! That being said I did use mist, texture paste and gesso in a 'controlled way' and also keeping true to my style. I can live with that - it makes me happy!

My first layout is of my sweet little granddaughter. I used only two sheets of paper from Prima. They are both the same paper from the Devine collection called 'Canzone' but it is a 2-sided paper. I used the peach side for my main background then the reverse side for my accents.

 I didn't distress the edges of this layout but I did a lot of inking on the edges as well as on most embellishments. I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Vintage Photo. Before adding anything I misted the paper with both a white mist from Studio Calico Mister Huey as well as a bronze glimmer mist by Tattered Angels. I also added some bricks using a Prima stencil, texture paste and ink.I used a chipboard lamp post and covered it in 2 coats of gesso. Once dry I inked the edges and added bronze colored pearls.

White flowers were inked and layered to the corner of the photo.

Along the bottom I tore a strip of the coordinating paper, punched and inked then added some vintage lace. I added Prima flowers and a Melissa Francis keyhole.

For the title I used naked Thickers chipboard fonts and covered in 2 coats of Gesso then inked.

On the top left corner I tore a piece of the coordinating paper to add balance and adhered a button.

This layout is soft and pretty as is the next one using a combination of Secret Garden and Sweet Sentiments papers from Graphic 45. I love that G45 papers from different collections all coordinate with each other.

This layout is of my nieces beautiful little daughter celebrating her parents marriage.

I used the 'frame' from one of the Secret  Garden papers and covered the centre with purple and green patterned papers then a plain purple from the 6X6 Patterns and  Solids Pad. Before adhering the layers I tucked in paper doilies to add interest and softness.
I tore a v-shape into the top 2 layers of papers, added some lace and inserted an angel from the Sweet Sentiments paper. Along the top edge I punched and inked a lace border.

Another angel from the same collection was fussy cut and placed in the corner of photo with yet another angel tucked into the lace and flowers on the bottom.

The lace is a gorgeous vintage looking lace then I just added a few pearls.

A paper doily was misted then flowers, a handmade stickpin. pearls, 'button', sticker and a bow were added to complete the layout.

Again I would like to thank The Paper Passion for giving me  this opportunity.
I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing my work with them.

A Little Elf Magic

HI! I hope everyone had a great week!
With the holiday season and a good part of winter behind us we can now look forward to spring. I know, I know I’m pushing it – but it won’t be long. Really!
 Actually my daughter took this photo last week of buds already on a cherry blossom tree in her hood.
 I know - CRAZY!!

Winter on the Canadian westcoast has consisted of one day of snow and one week when the temps reached minus celcius.  But still it’s grey, drab, foggy and rainy!
So no matter where one lives winter  is still waaay too long – so what better way to spend it than to scrapbook!

I am honoured again this week to be guest designer/blogger at The Paper Passion . I'm excited to share with you a couple of layouts I made.
This time it’s of my daughter and her family celebrating the holiday season using Bo Bunny’s Elf Magic paper
The first one is of my adorable grandson being a little elf himself.

As usual I started with inking and distressing the edges of the paper. I cut, inked and layered paper to use as a backdrop for my photos. After twisting. turning and playing with them I finally adhered them down and matted my photos. I fussy cut some elves from the paper and put them ‘peeking’ over the edges.

I added a cluster of flowers near the left hand bottom corner then used a chipboard sign from Fabscraps to balance it out. I covered the chipboard in 2 coats of gesso then inked the edges, added some flowers, adhered a ‘Elf Mischief’ sticker then hung the sign with ‘chrismassy’ (is that even a word?) twine and sparkly brads.

To add a bit of interest and whimsy I tore the paper on top and had Santa popping in catching the elves at play.

To complete the layout I decided to do some faux stitching around the outside. I used my pokermajig tool and poked holes all around – after all was done I discovered that my white pen had dried up – all 3 of them! So, although I know it would look  better in white, the holes were already punched – so red it is.

These colours along with the paper style are not my usual but it was perfect for the colours and playfulness of the photos. Sometimes it’s good to scrap out of your element!

The 2nd layout also uses Elf Magic by Bo Bunny.
Again it’s a style and colours I don ‘t normally use but with these fun photos and papers who could resist!

I inked the ‘postage’ paper to use as a border then inked and distressed the blue paper to add to the centre. Cut the centre out of the border paper and adhere the centre paper to it and save the middle for another use. There’s no sense in wasting it by hiding underneath. (photo shows back of layout showing paper cut out)

On the  top  I added some ‘postage stamps’, lace and a Prima flower.

For the layout itself I again tore and inked papers from both Bo Bunny ‘Elf Magic’  and ‘Father Christmas’ papers.

I stamped and added postage destinations and again added a cluster of flowers.  A ‘Merry Christmas To All’ ATG tag  from the collection was added to the bottom as well as more lace and baubles.

Of course my cute little grandson and his fun loving parents are what make this layout so special. (I love being a grandma and  having the right to brag!)

Be sure to check back next week for my last week on The Paper Passion Blog.  I hope to play with  beautiful Graphic 45 papers.
In the meantime, have a great week!

I am so happy to share with all of you that I am guest designer/blogger for the month on the Paper Passion blog. I had this honour back in 2012 but then with my Etsy Shop and changes in my life my personal scrapbooking was put on hold. It feels good to scrap for me again - and my little grandchildren make it all just that much more special.
I started the week with a couple layouts of my grandchildren from last fall. Both of them use the same paper collection – Echo Park Reflections Fall.
The first one has the colours of fall – golds, rusts and greens and shows the joy of playing in leaves for the first time.

The second one has a more monochromatic feel in shades of brown with the bright colours of the photo being the centre of attention.
                                             

Both LO’s started with me inking and distressing the edges. A distressing tool by Tim Holtz or Ingvild Bolme’s (Prima) works just fine but I took the lazy route of the Zutter Distressing Tool. For the first one I tore and inked the top edge and added the gold paper behind. I also tore and inked a ‘V’ shape on the lower left side and glued pieces of zipper behind. I then inserted a piece of green cardstock.
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I tore and inked papers from the same collection to fit behind the photos and added flowers from Prima. Flowers and leaves were also added to the base of the zipper as well as a sticker from the collection pack. A dried flower cluster was also added to the left of one photo and again near the right hand corner. A piece of frayed burlap was also placed behind one photo in order to give texture and balance.

I inked the sticker ‘A Perfect Autumn Day’ from the collection pack and tore a piece off an ‘album page’ also in the pack to use as a background.  The font stickers were also included in the collection pack. A great value for the money!

I really don’t know who had more fun – me scrapping and playing or my grandson playing in the leaves!

The 2nd layout uses the same paper collection only I have used mainly the browns and beige papers to give it a more monochramatic look to let the photo be the focus. Again the edges  were inked and distressed as well as pieces of paper in various designs and sizes. I played with these pieces until I got a look that I was happy with that ‘framed’ the photo.

Before adhering my photo I sprayed different areas with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in ‘Suede’ and ‘Bronze”. I also tore, stripped and inked a small piece of corrugated cardboard to tuck in behind.

Once the photo was adhered I inked and added a sticker from the collection pack as my title. I also added border stickers and part of a Prima Flourish to the bottom corner

With that done I felt as though something was missing. So I misted the top corner and added some small strips of paper. I cut a small circle sticker and popped it into a metal  piece from my stash. A glass piece was glued and added to the top. This could easily be achieved by covering any metal trinket in then sealing it with Ranger Glossy Accents or a similar product. I then added small Prima roses and a bow made of twine. 

I hope I have inspired you to try something different or at least to get out your paper and have some fun!

 Next Wednesday I will share some cute layouts using Bo Bunny Elf Magic.
In the meantime, be sure to check out The Paper Passion!

 Thanks for looking  and have a great week!

HAPPY TWO THOUSAND FOURTEEN!

Happy New Year!
I am so glad to start a new year as 2013 was one of my hardest.  As many of you know, it was the year my husband of 33 years passed away. It brought sickness, sadness, grieving, tears, planning, paperwork, more paperwork, more tears, changes, including homecare for myself, packing, moving and a whole new lifestyle for me. I am so thankful for the love and support  of our children. Then of course my young grandchildren always brings a smile to my face. A joyous event of 2013 was the birth of our 3rd grandchild - a little girl born 4 days before my husband passed. She truly is an angel from above.
During the Christmas holidays my oldest brother from Ontario came for a 2 week visit. I hadn't seen him in 6 yrs.  It was good to catch up, reminisce and laugh about the old days. It was also good for him to see our westcoast life, my grandchildren and to make new memories. Spending the holidays with him made a very difficult time much more happy and tolerable.
With such a busy time it's been a while since I've done any scrapbooking - especially for myself!
So, I decided to take time to do a layout of my husband and I at our daughters wedding in 2010.
Gabrielle Pollacco has always been one of my favourite designers so I decided to follow some of her designs changing and adapting to my own tastes.
The title is  'Love Beyond Measure'. The title itself was made using laser cut chipboard from ScrapFX.

After it was complete I decided the big bottom left flower needed a stickpin so oopsy it doesn't appear on the original pic.
I used Maja Designs paper for both my background and fussy cut clocks, Prima flowers (roses and burlap ones), Prima Finnibar metal clock face, Bo Bunny chicken wire stamp, Bo Bunny pearls, handmade stickpin by Angellica Franssen Etsy Shop, handmade flower cluster by Tresor de Luxe Etsy shop, mist by Lindy's Stamp Gang, misc.lace and burlap, corrugated cardboard and the standard ink, glue and such.
I've added some closeups below but feel free to ask any questions that you may have.

I love this photo of my husband and I and think I will tweak this layout a bit and frame it to hang in my scrapbook room.
It's a new year full of exciting new memories but he will always be in my heart.
I Wish Everyone all the Best in 2014!