Frank Garcia Design Team Blog Hop!

Hello friends! 

Welcome to the Frank Garcia Design Team blog hop!

Today-I am sharing a layout I created, along with a set of tags using Frank's "A Victorian Christmas" collection, plus other goodies from his memory Hardware collection too! 

I just love this photo of Matt and Dawn (my brother and sister in law)-this was one of their engagement photos from last December. Aren't they cute? The chipboard accents, lush flowers, pearls and papers made this Christmas layout shine! I added splatters of paint and Color Bloom spray to add interest and texture to the background

See the details in this close up photo, where I layered all of the elements within my clusters. The snowflakes were punched from one of the papers and tucked in to the flowers. I love sprinkling the pearls from the Memory Hardware collection within my design for shine and dimension.  Have fun with your embellishments!

I created this set of cards and tag using the leftovers from my layout. The chipboard pieces and designs on the papers are perfect for small sized projects like these. Again, I used the chalkboard paints for the splatter effects and just had fun with the embellishments. These are almost too cute to giveaway. 

To win this fabulous prize, please comment on the blog hop posts and follow each blog! Frank will announce the winner on his blog. Have fun and enjoy the eye candy as you visit each blog. The projects are truly inspiring! Thanks for stopping by and good luck!

START: Frank http://www.frankgarciastudio.com/new-blog-1/

Trina www.trinamcclune.typepad.com

Jennifer http://scrap-escape.blogspot.com/

Delaina delainas.blogspot.com

Cari meandmymaryjanes.blogspot.com

Lisa Nazario Gregory http://what-a-beautiful-mess.blogspot.com/

Beatriz http://iralamija.blogspot.com/

Lisa Novogrodski http://lisas-livingincolor.blogspot.com

Fall Classes at Auntie Em's!

Hey everyone!
I have some classes coming up this Fall at Auntie Ems Scrapbooking in Cornwall Ontario, Canada on November 7th! I will also be teaching classes at Creativ You and Co in Syracuse but I will be doing a separate post for that soon.

So here is what I have scheduled for this fun filled Prima weekend of classes. If you are interested in attending, please call Emma Rayburn at Auntie Em's 1-613-938-4888 or email: emmasab@aol.com

Customize, Play and Create Layout Class: 

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH AT 2:30PM ~ $60+HST

This class is going to be loads of fun! Let’s create a custom layout using the beautiful Royal Menagerie papers, new Oil Pastels and new Color Blooms along with many more fun elements. 

 These layouts can be for baby, wedding, birthday or anything you wish. I will take you step by step through the creative process and give you additional ideas on how to make this layout your own. 

Tool Kit for Attendees:

Craft Mat

Heat Gun

Prima Distresser Tool

Foam Tape

Paper Trimmer

Small Paint Brush-1/4 inch or so.

Foam Brush

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Altered Metal Frame Class

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7th 10AM $75+hst

This keepsake project is perfect for displaying a cherished photo in style! We will add a variety of embellishments such as metals, flowers and resins for a detailed design. Plus, we will be adding Prima lumies to the inside so that you can light it up and see all of the amazing details that really make this project shine! Not to mention that this would make a wonderful gift for the holidays too. 

Here is the project with all of the lights on! Doesn't it look warm and cozy? It's such a fun feature to add to the project...

Tool Kit for Attendees: 

Craft Mat

Heat Gun

Trimmer

Paint brush

Quick Grip or E6000 glue

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CARD BUFFETT #2
SATURDAY, NOV. 7th 7PM ~ $45+HST

This card class was a huge hit last time so we decided to have it again! In this class-you will have a buffet of fabulous embellishments, papers and more to create beautiful cards. We will create a wide variety of cards for baby, wedding, watercolor and friends just to name a few. Plus-you can create as many as you wish, from the large supply of goodies per station within the three hour class time. Join us for this fun filled carefree class of card creativity!

Tool Kit for Attendees:

Trimmer

Foam Tape

Tape Runner

Glue

Ink for edges optional

Thanks so much for stopping by! Feel free to email me with any questions: cari@primamarketinginc.com

Have a great day!

Party Hats!

Hello friends!

Today, I am going to share with you some adorable party hats and a crown I made a while ago by request for a photo shoot. They were a lot of fun to create, using some of my stash and some of my very favorite embellishments by Prima. I have been on a white flower kick for the past year or so-I just love the look of crisp white flowers on my projects.

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This paper crown was so fun to create! I used one piece of 12 x 12 paper, folded it in half and hand drew the peaks. After I cut it out, I unfolded the paper and slid a headband in the fold. I covered the ends of the headband with silky ribbon and added extra ribbon so that you can tie it in the back to fit their little heads. Then everything is glued into place, making sure the peaks line up and all...

You can decorate to your hearts content! I added glitter to a chipboard letter and around the top. Then layered tulle and flowers on the front for a soft, shabby chic look. 

Here is a shot of the back, so you get an idea of how it was put together..

Then, I created three adorable little party hats. I wanted to create a variety, to show a few samples of what you can do with flowers, lace, gems and more. I actually bought a set of kids party hats, took them apart and used it as a template to make my own. 

Each hat has it's own personality even though they were all created to make a set. I used a variety of papers from the Prima collection-Tea Thyme. I added lace around the bottom, then had the flowers cascade up along the front with gold leaves and pearl swirls. At the top, I added a genie stone for a finished look...

For this hat-the design is pretty straight forward, with leaves framing in the white flower and a gold glittered chipboard piece in the center. Then I added lace along the bottom and pearl swirls. At the top, I added fun little gems and wire spirals with lace for a finished look. 

And I have to admit-I think this third and last one is my favorite. I just love the pastel colored pearls with the white flowers on the cream colored newsprint paper. It's soft, with a monochromatic color scheme and yet rich with texture from the added embellishments.

Here is another look at the trio. I added gold silky ribbon to the sides to tie them around the chin, so they stay in place. You can leave the strands longer so that you can tie a cute bow. 

These are really fun to make and for any age too! Customize for your color schemes or themes for your parties. And just think how adorable the kiddos are going to look on their special day!

Prima Products: 

577399-Avalon

571450-Charlotte

547424-Precious Metals-Gold leaves

Tea Thyme Papers

556679-Genie Stones

549367-Candy Gems

549381-Candy Gems

553951-Pearl Swirls

961596-Glitter-Art Ingredients-Luminous

Thanks so much for stopping by! 

xoxo Cari

Baby Project!

Hey there friends!
Today, I am sharing a project that I created for my brother and SIL, for their upcoming baby shower that I am helping with. This was a fun and easy project to create, but just took a little bit of time to prepare.

This project is a great way to make a statement for the decor and it can easily be made for any occasion or for home decor for personal use. This is not my original idea. I saw similar projects on Pinterest and decided to make my own.

I bought the paper mache letters from Hobby Lobby. They have different sizes to choose from and sell the letters individually. Around 2.99 each.

They are block letters, so I removed the fronts of the letters using a craft knife and very carefully cut around the letters. Add gesso to the outside surfaces to prep and then paint using your desired color. I used Prima's Egg Shell chalkboard paint. And there are a variety of other colors to choose from too! I added a few coats and allowed the paint to dry in between applications. I also made sure I did the inside edges, where it may show through a bit.

Once all of this was complete-then I added a layer of plain white flowers inside the letter with a glue gun. It added dimension for the fancier flowers to sit on, plus it also meant that I didnt have to paint the whole inside of the letter too. This pillar pack can also be found at Hobby Lobby.

Then add the fancier flowers and begin layering. I added largest flowers first, then medium and tucked in small flowers where they were needed. This is a great way to use up your stash of leftover flowers from other projects too!

The flowers that I used for this are from our brand collections-Royal Menagerie and new Specialty collection.

I dumped all of them in front of me on the table and just started placing them where I wanted them. Once I was happy, then I glued them in place with my glue gun. 

Here are some more photos so you can see how the flowers were arranged inside the letters. Make sure you spread out the colors. You may not want one side too heavy with teal colored flowers for example.

I hope that this post inspires you to get creative and make beautiful letters of your own! There really is no right or wrong way to do this. Have fun!

xoxo Cari

Where have I been?

Hello friends!
I have not blogged in ages. Work, life and traveling have ruled my world. Jack is getting ready to graduate from high school, Bryan is in baseball mode for the season and work is always busy! So all is great in our world...just super busy!

And speaking of traveling-I will be heading to Cornwall on June 12th and I will be spending the weekend at Auntie Em's! Emma invited me to teach Prima classes and I am so happy to see my friends up north...

Here are the classes I have on the schedule (all the prices are in Canadian dollars). Call the store to reserve your spot, 1-613-938-4888!

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Card Class Friday, June 12th 6pm
$35+hst
Build A Card Buffet:
Cards are so fun to create and even better when you can add your own special touch. Each card you create in this class, will be customized by YOU! I will share techniques and ideas on the base of the cards and then you are free to add any embellishments you like to finish it off. You will also have an opportunity to try the new watercolor pencils, stamp with new images, play with art mediums and choose from a large variety of gorgeous embellishments.

Sparkle and Shine Layout Class
Saturday, June 13th ~ 9:30am
$65+hst
Let’s explore a variety of elements to create the perfect background for our layout. We will add interesting layers and dimension using a variety of mediums, tools and embellishments to customize this project. Cari will guide you through each and every step using stencils, pastes, color bloom sprays, stamps and more for a one-of-a-kind look that is sure to make your photos shine!

Lush and Layered Layout
Saturday, June 13th ~ 2pm
$65+hst
Join Cari for this multi-layered layout class, filled with lush flowers, cameos and greenery. All of these elements together will make the perfect backdrop for your special photos. Plus I have a few surprises up my sleeves for adding extra photos or hidden journaling within our “garden”. Don’t miss out on this class filled with techniques and neat ideas.

Vintage Chic Canvas Album
Saturday, June 13th ~ 6pm
$80+hst
This gorgeous little album will be the perfect backdrop for those special occasion photos-new or old! On the canvas covers, we will create a dimensional background plus add a subtle color scheme and finish it off with a beautiful cluster of flowers! On the inside of the book, we will create custom pages and adorn them with floral and pearl embellishments with a hint of glitter throughout the book. We will have so much fun creating these little masterpieces with all of the Prima pretties packed in this kit!

Thank you so much for stopping by! I really hope to post more often from now on and share what I am up to! Have a great weekend!

xoxo

Mixed Media Collage Canvas on Live with Prima

Hello friends!

I am adding a post about my Live with Prima show that I hosted tonight and I have a little giveaway too! At the end of the show-I announced that I would be giving away the second canvas I made on the show, so here it is!

I created this lovely garden style canvas using brand new Prima flowers, glitter, vellum butterflies, bling and more!

You can see all of the steps and techniques right HERE on the show! So leave a comment and I will choose a random winner from the comments on Monday the 19th at 12:00am ET. Open to all!

And here is a list of products that I used. Some are new and will be in stores in February and some are available now, ie: Color Bloom Sprays, 12x12 Bamboo stencil, threaded wire, glass beads, pastes and gels.

Prima Products:
962715-Midnight Blue Glitter
961688-Glass beads-Licorice
579401-SIIC Timeless Memories
579746-Wood with Gold Foil-Hearts and Phrases
581213-Allure-Defina
581848-Pura-Alexa
580957-Sylvan-Espen
581428-Kindled-Lush
573898-Cobalt Color Bloom
573782-Soft Teal-Color Bloom
573850-Lime Wedge-Color Bloom
580322-Deep Teal-Color Bloom
961411-Modeling Paste
961381-Art Basics 3D Gel
572013-Wire Thread-Sage
572174-12x12 Bamboo Stencil

Extra Materials:
8x8 inch canvas from JoAnns
Palette Knife
Fabri Tac

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you enjoy the class...xoxo Cari