Take a Time Out

Using up some stash I have from last year, the Annalee collection from Prima - I put my mixed media skills, rudimentary as they may be, to the task with this layout. I wanted to keep the colours soft and allow the photo to take over. I did alot of paint techniques and masking with modeling paste. The title I used an alpha stamp set I picked up on clearance - I love the old English type.  The "out" part of the title is chipboard alphas from Basic Grey and I painted half of them with shimmer paint then loaded them with glue and chunky glitter.  I think this technique would look good as frost or snow on a layout too.  I altered the Prima clock with crackle accents.  Painted my vine to match the papers, splatters of gelatos all over - in fact too much I had to gesso and start over in one spot that I got a little crazy.  Rolls of paper round up this layout that took me close to 3 days to complete due to drying time.

 

Time Out

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the funny part, my daughter wasn't even on a time out ... she was just sitting on the step looking all cute, but it sure does look like she's on a time out doesn't it?

My Mind's Eye Micro Mini album

My my my, that's a mouthful isn't it ... lets see, My Mind's Eye micro mini - say that 3 times fast!

Believe it or not this tiny little album is made from something we ALL have in our homes, it's my form of up-cycling (which just happens to be my One Little Word in 2013)  they are toilet paper rolls!  I used the My Mind's Eye Collectible-Unforgettable collection in a 6x6 pad.  The 6x6 pad was perfect for this mini - I had lots of leftovers too.  Each page turns into a pocket for a tag to pull out from.  I used Prima chalk ink edgers to colour co-ordinate with the papers.

I will be teaching a class at Auntie Ems most likely in May with a similar album.  You will NOT be disappointed.  Keep an eye on my blog and the Auntie Em's blog for details.

 

 

 

 

 

More from the Mega Challenge - En Francais

Um yeah, I'm not writing this blog post En Francias - but it's all about the Prima paper line En Francais collection!  This is part three of my projects created with this line - and I'm still not out of paper or inspiration.  It truly is a versatile collection.

Lost A Mitten

 

 

I used some gesso to create white space then stamped over the gesso with the script stamp from this collection. Some Tim Holtz tickets in the corner, and a combination of Prima alphas and Thickers for the title.  Sepia photos are particularly perfect for this line.

 Mr. Serious

  

 

I used a Prima mask on this layout with modeling paste and Pan Pastals to give texture to the feather in the corner.  I used another mask and tinted gesso with gelatoes and then painted with gelatoes for the bricks.  You see that folk - more BOY layouts, LOL and flowers on every single one of them too *grinz*

Projects from Prima's En Francais line

So the Mega Challenge has proven to be pretty big for even me.  Emma provided two members of her Design Team with 8 sheets each of patterned paper.  My collection is the En Francais line from Prima.

I still have heaps of it to get to, I think 8 sheets is a lot.  This line is great for boy photos, and if any of you watch my blog, you will know I tend to scrapbook my daughter way more than I do my son.  So, here is perfect opportunity for me to scrapbook The Boy!!  I love the rust browns and the greys and blues in this collection.

So here you go ... so far ... more to come, so stay tuned!

 

 

Facinated with fascinators!

I've been in full party planning mode for my daughter's birthday Tea Party. I wanted to give the girls a corner to dress up in, transform themselves back to a time of a Victorian era and sip tea with their pinky finger raised up. I made 5 fascinators and two tea party hats. If you are not sure what a fascinator is, think royal, mini hat, side of the head, feathers, flowers ... you know what I'm talking about now?

Here goes, I used a lot of my Prima flowers on this project. I wanted to get photos of them before the kids destroyed them, so I recruited a co-worker of mine to model for me! Here is the lovely Ania! Ania Hejnar is an amazingly talented soprano opera singer.  She also teaches voice, violin and piano - Uber talented!  Here is her website to check her out.

 

 

I think I used about 14 packages of Prima flowers!  I used hot glue for this project, and now I remember why I *don't* typically use hot glue ... it HURTS when you get it on your fingers - ouchie!  But it's great for sticking things onto metal and setting quickly.  I loved the process of this project - building layer ontop of layer.  Hope the kids like them too.  Aniah liked them so much she asked me to make one for her wedding next year! 

Challenge me!

I've been trying to take part in more challenges recently.  I love the sketch challenges from Prima Marketing, and have entered twice.  This month I've entered not only the sketch challenge (Build A Page - or BAP as they call it) I've also entered the Prima Product Pick - or PPP as they call it.


Build-A-Page (BAP)

This month's sketch is kind of interesting - I couldn't tell if they wanted two photos stacked on top of each other, but I just used one, and framed it out.  I loved the implied texture with the stamping and stencilling and ink splats.  I used some paper from the Annalee collection - is it very pretty and girly, and was perfect for this photo of my daughter digging into the toy box at a friends cottage.

 Bottoms Up
 

 

 

 

 

Prima Product Picks (PPP)



This month its all about GREEN - I assume for St. Patrick's day coming up.  I'm a fan of green, it's my favorite colour (right after pink of course) but I tend not to scrapbook much green, especially green flowers.  Its a great colour to do either a boy or a girl page, but you know me, I picked my girl again!  I kept this page full of natural elements, canvas, hemp twine, feathers and that adorable little bird nest that Prima makes.  I even got to use my Jamie flower!  I was so excited about that, I have been hoarding it for a while, for the right project - this was it!

 

 

 

 

 
 
 Well there you have it folks - two challenges.  There is still time for you to enter these contests, you have until the end of March 2013 to send your layouts into Prima.

Leave me a comment and let me know what you are thinking!

Living in a Plastic world - an essay

Totally not Scrapbook related - however still close to my heart - the environment.  Many of you may not know what I have a college diploma in - Environmental Waste Management.  Yes, you read this correctly, and yes, I am a banker, and no, they are not really related in any way shape or form.  Yeah, that's my life and education!

Living in a Plastic World....

You have probably heard this all before, I know I certainly have "we are living in a Plastic world"  And this statement can mean a few things, for you consumers and spenders out there; it can mean the lack of carrying cash, putting it on credit or paying with your debit card.  Not to mention our new currency is made of a polymer that is intended to make our new bills last longer.

That aside I'm referring to Micro-Polymers.  I won't get into the science of it, mostly because I don't know much about it, other than these things: micro-polymers were not around in nature and they are now.  In the last 50 years they have become present in everything, they don't break down, they are toxins, and they pass from one organism to another.

I was listening to Bob McDonald on CBC's Quirks & Quarks, a fascinating man, who has the ability to engage his listeners with his straight forward, yet well planned and executed line of questioning.  His guest was talking about Micro Polymers or plastic and it's presence in our oceans (here is the link to the episode, you can down load pod casts for free - give it a listen, its quite informative Oceans Of Plastic - Quirks & Quarks - CBC Radio).  I have come to realize just how important plastic is to me. I could not survive an hour, let alone a day without it.  Don't believe me???  Here is how my realization comes to be:

As I was listening to the radio program and I was in the shower.  I kicked my kids plastic Tubby Toys out of the way, pulled on the plastic knob to get the water flowing out of my plastic rain showerhead.  I couldn't hear the radio anymore for the sound of the rushing water, so I turned it up, more volume blasting out of the plastic shower radio.  I reached for the shampoo, the same shampoo that my hairdresser has warned me NOT to use because it contains polymers (plastics) in it, which are not good for my hair, but whatever.  I dispensed this plasticized shampoo from its plastic bottle.  Grabbed the soap from it's plastic soap dish and scrubbed with the 'upcycled' plastic onion bag wrapped around my soap.  This was something my parents always used too - it acts as an exfoliator and helps the soap from slipping out of your hands. Thirdly it keeps the little slivers of soap together extending the life of your soap as you are not tossing the little bits, they reside I the onion bag and congeal themselves into the new bar of soap.  My kids will probably do the same thing when they grow up...

Anyway ... back to the shower.  I realized one of the plastic caps for the Jacuzzi  jets is loose again, and that my nylon shower curtain could use a wash.  I step out of the shower into my Crocks and flip on the plastic light switch for the exhaust fan to whirl out the humidity, its plastic blades spinning so fast you can't even see them behind the plastic guard.

Plastic... it's everywhere, unavoidable, and this was just a 5 minute shower folks!