Stamping on a Layout

Hello friends!
Surprised? I am working hard on keeping my blog updated and fresh. Summer is coming to an end in a week and a half, Bryan started baseball this week and we are thinking about back to school. Well-I am thinking about it anyway..:) The State Fair starts tomorrow and we are planning on going to enjoy the unhealty food, grouchy Carnies and poorly dressed fair goers...it's always entertaining!

I am sharing a layout today, of Cassidy, my sweet lab! I did a lot of stamping around this layout using the new Alla Prima Cling stamp set with the matching papers. I used acrylic paint from Ranger, to stamp with-I love using paints rather than inks, because they seem to show up so much better on a larger area like this 12 x 12 layout. I stamped a small journal spot and branches at the top left with clustered some flowers. The paint colors are Aqua and Lettuce from Adirondack line. They matched perfectly!

You can also see a funky branch going along the top right, with another journal spot and more branches. I think it's important to repeat some of the images through out the design, but not all are necessary. As long as the colors match-then you are good to go!

You can see the title stamped onto a journal spot and a few more branches on the photo too. I like cutting the journal spots in half, having one part at the top and another at the bottom to make them looked like they are continuing from top to bottom. The lush trim from prima make the perfect border along the bottom of the photo too.. The teal flower you see is from the Collette Collection-love the wired gems in the center!

You can see more of the branches peeking out from behind the flower cluster-they are subtle yet they add bits of green that is needed around the flowers. I added the new gorgeous bling swirls in teal, that sparkle like you wouldn't believe. They are faceted, so it catches the light at all angles...they look lit up!

So if you would like to try your hand at stamping with paint-you wont need a lot, just apply with a foam brush-you can coat your stamps evenly. Practice on scratch paper to get used to it-it's a lot wetter than ink. Wash your stamps under warm water as soon as you are finished. Otherwise-it's a pain to get it out later!

Thanks for stopping by!

xoxo Cari

Shabby Tin and Book Project

Hey friends!
I have a great project to share today. This is my project that I created for the Color Connections event that took place back in May. I thought it was about time I share it with you! I didnt end up teaching the class myself, but I heard everyone enjoyed making it. It's a Vintage style tin with a book inside.

This is Prima's large tin they used as packaging for some of their flowers. I applied gesso and tan paint to the surface, allowed it to set and then finished it off with a coat of Glimmer Glam-Golden Goddess. The glam acts as a protective coat with it's laquer finish. I love the sparkles in it too-it adds a cool effect to the overall look. It does take some time to set, so I left it to dry over night. I lined the inside with Botanical paper from Prima, then added Eminence flowers, Cottage Blossoms, Tissue tape from Tim Holtz and a cute metal frame from Pink Paislee. I also added some green leaves that I painted with Dirty Martini Glam for sparkle and to darken them a bit, to a rich moss color.

The book for the inside is made using patterned paper. I decorated the cover with Crocheted flowers, lace, with chipboard pieces and images cut out from a sheet of the Botanical paper. There is an entire sheet of postcards and emphemera that you can cut out and use as accents for the project.

I also added seam binding with Vintage Trinkets and twine to the binding of the book. And I used bling branches to add sparkle around the flowers-I cut them apart all the time to make them go further on any project. I added Wheatfields Glimmer Mist to the entire book and inked all of the paper edges with Vintage Photo distress ink.

I used three pieces of 12 x 12 paper, cut down to 9 x11 to create the pages. I scored the center and glued the papers back to back
I added tissue tape along all the edges of the pages.

Every page is decorated a little differently, with flower clusters and chipboard pieces tucked in around them. I also added more pieces of emphemera cut from the paper too. All of the leaves were painted with the Dirty Martini Glimmer Glam throughout the book, just like I did with the leaves on the tin cover.

I love the Botanical papers. Each page is unique yet the look is cohesive throughout the project. And because the inside of the tin is deep, it allows you to have bulkier pages without them being squished when the tin is closed. Here is the a look at the last two pages of the homemade book.

I hope you enjoyed taking a peek at this project. It was a lot of fun to put together and I am really happy with the way it turned out. This is a major class with so many steps, but totally do-able!

I will be back soon with more projects from CHA.

Thanks for stopping by! xoxo

Long time- no see!

Hello friends!
Summer has been wonderful and so busy, at the Fennell household. I apologize for not posting in a while but that's what summer does to you...it gets you outside, planning trips with family, enjoying waterparks, sleepovers, boat rides and cookouts.

I was also consumed with the trade show, CHA in Chicago. It was very hot. It involved a ton of hard work, as always. But ended after spending a week with my Prima family and a fabulous dinner at Gibsons. There may have been a night out, involving a cheesy dance club, including Alicia's fab skills of cutting the rug and some Jersey Shore wanna be's. But no one was there........ so, it didnt really happen :)

I have some of my layouts to share that I made using Prima's new releases at the show. The products were a huge hit as always and many compliments were made on ALL the samples displayed in the booth....every single one! The DT knocked it out of the park this summer and I was very humbled, placing my projects next to their's on display....

This first layout is of Gwen, the miracle baby. She looks so sweet. I remember her in the hospital, wearing a cotton ball as a diaper...she was tiny to say the least. To see her like this, makes me smile. I needed to make a layout for Nic and this was the perfect time. The Pixie Glen line was not my favorite at first, but now I love it! I also used some of the new Shabby Treasures metal embellishments (painted pink frame and lantern), Melody flowers and new canvas leaf vines with pink sticthing. I also added some little stamped images, here and there as well.


Here, you can see the metal frame close up, with a sweet little Pixie image and flowers.



This is sweet layout of Bryan using the Londonerry Paper Collection, with coordinating embellishments. There are so many cool things to cut out of this paper line to use as accents for your projects. It can be used for masculine or feminine projects and even heritage too.

Here, you can see some of the new leaves, tiny treasure metal trinkets with a mix of flowers, clustered around the edges of the photo. I also used an old book cover for the background to frame in the photo and to add a little interest with the pop of red.

I made my own medal with a chipboard accent, scallopped circle from packaging, green ribbon and placed his name in the center with new alphas. I really enjoy making my own embellishments for my pages and this one has to be my faveorite to date....

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***Coming up:

Next Tuesday, August 16th, I have a Live with Prima show coming up! I am making my Happy Tag book project and ending with a little Ruby Violet cuff demonstration.....I may even give one away! :0

Thanks for stopping by-I appreciate it so much!

xoxo Cari