Canvas album to share...

Hey Friends!
I have a new album to share and I was pleasantly surprised at how it turned out. It started good, then went horribly wrong and I had to bring it back around again.
Sometimes this happens when a look you are going for, doesn't quite turn out like you thought it would in your head. Actually, that happens more often than not and I am OK with that. It's part of the process-right? I just need to remind myself of that when I create...or else it will suck the fun out of anything you do.

So here it is. I have looked at this album time and time again, loving it but not sure what to do with it or how to make it shine like it deserves. This album has gorgeous art work on the cover already. This is a canvas album designed by Donna Downey for Prima. It is made of canvas and holds 5 canvas pages and 5 clear pocket pages inside.

At first I added molding paste (Golden Light Paste), and then added gesso over it. Then I applied a tan colored acrylic paint over that area, then stenciled some polka dots in the corners using Black Magic mist.

Next-I colored the canvas vines with Apple GM, gessoed the manila tag and used the iron on sentiment over a canvas ATC (also from Donna's Prima collection). I layered book paper, the tag and the ATC. Then pieces of washi tape around the layers (Engraver washi and some pretty teal tape from my stash). The oversized Pom Pom trim was also added during the layering process and one the right side of the album cover too.

The flowers are Prima's Au Naturale collection, Poppy's and Peonies Donna Downey collection and Powder Puffs with Grove Vines. Then I sprinkled some Sculpture flowers (Donna Downey) around my clusters for more color. The inside of the album is white, so I added gesso, then molding paste and finished it with Broken China Distress Stain, to give it the same look as the outside cover.

Then I went to town layering more book paper, stenciling, painting and layering on each page. I also stamped little random background images onto my layers and decorated as I went along....

Here is another page, with a stenciled background. I used the 6x6 Hexagon Grunge mask by Donna, with molding paste and colored over it with Apple GM. The color just pops on this page!! Plus I used the Typo Bulbs from the Junkyard Findings collection by Ingvild Bolme for Prima. They are wonderful embellishments to add to your projects....

This book is still a work in progress and I am really looking forward to finishing it and adding photos. I dont want it to end up in the "need to finish" pile. Hopefully I will get it done this week!!

Products Used:

• 921989-Donna Downey Poppy Album
• 922429-Donna Downey 6x6 Art Stencil-Hexigon Grunge
• 920791-Donna Downey Pom-Pom Trim
• 921224-Donna Downey Iron-On
• 921736-Donna Downey Sculpture Flowers
• 922030-Donna Downey Canvas ATC’s
• 922009-Donna Downey Fabric Poppy Flowers
• 921910-Canvas Banner
• 563851-Wood Clips-Sunrise Sunset
• 564957-Wood Buttons-Sunrise Sunset
• 891527-Junkyard Findings-Typo Bulbs
• 562731-Au Naturale Flowers
• 562670-Au Naturale Flowers
• 562724-Au Naturale Flowers
• 552251-Powder Puffs Flwoers-Cassie
• 553708-Grove Flowers-Grey
• 564933-Washi and Fabric Tape-Engraver
• 950439-Divine Paper-En L Air
• Studio Gesso by Ranger
• Broken China Distress Stain by Ranger
• Light Molding Paste by Golden
• Tan Paint Studio by Ranger
• Apple and Black Magic Glimmer Mist
• Ribbons by May Arts

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great week!

Little bit of this and that...

Hey Friends!
Sorry I havent chatted with you in a while. Things have been super busy since Christmas and I finally decided that I need to update this blog of mine. The boys are great! Bryan just turned 11 last week and he is getting ready for Baseball to start...Jack is going on big trip to Colorado with the Younglife group to the Frontier Ranch. He can't wait! And we are planning a much needed vacation in April to Hilton Head. I have never been there so I am really looking forward to it. I just hope the weather is nice for the beach...

So here is where I will be and what I am doing:

I have some classes coming up this Spring  at Auntie Em's Scrapbooking and Beading in Cornwall Ontario!
I will be teaching two layout classes, an Altered Frame and an Album. All four classes will be held April 19th and 20th. This is going to be such a fun weekend and I love seeing all of the girls up there in Canada land...
Here is a photo of the album I will be teaching...

This book is a perfect hybrid of Mixed Media and traditional scrapbooking. There will be loads of techniques and cool ideas with the idea that photos will be added to the pages. This book was a labor of love and has to be one of my very favorite projects to date. And this kit will be loaded....just sayin!

...........................................................................................

Next on the list: Art du Scrapbooking in Terrebonne, Quebec! Stephanie and I have been working together like crazy to plan a fun filled Prima weekend in Quebec. I am teaching there on May 18th and 19th and I am teaching four classes all weekend. I will have a translator there for my french speaking attendees!

We will be creating this cute Tag mini album using the new Lyric collection with chipboard, flowers, metals and more! This is great for a series of little photos...

........................................................................................

Then in June: I am teaching at the Sweet Retreat event in Pittsburgh! I am offering two classes for the attendees and also teaching at the event will be the ever talented Eileen Hull from Sizzix! This is the album we will be creating that weekend....

It's a really sweet project (haha-no pun intended) and I am using some unique embellishments and ideas to make this whole project POP!

............................................................................

So thats what I have planned for now! The other exciting bit of news I have is that I will be returning to Brazil this fall, in November with Craft and Scrap Brasil! Rommel and I are planning this tour as we speak...I have so many ideas in my head for the classes! So be on the lookout for news on that in the future and if you wanted to be included be sure to contact Rommel or myself (I can forward information and inquiries to him directly). Email me cari@primamarketinginc.com

Thanks for visiting--I appreciate it so much! xoxo Cari

New Winter Tags

Hey Everyone!
Are you ready for the holidays? I have been busy getting the house ready for Christmas and I can't believe it's only a week away!
I was determined to create some holiday tags and they are finally finished. I used mostly what I had in my stash and a couple of finds from Michaels. They had little packs of snowflake and deer chipboard shapes for 1.00. I believe you get 10 of each shape in the packs.
.............................................................................................................................................................

I covered the shapes in silver glitter glass and sprayed them with Perfect Pearls Heirloom Gold spray to antique the glitter. The color combo is a little different from the traditional colors of Christmas and I think it worked great. I used Songbird papers from Prima, along with crystal swirls, Poinsettias, Splendor leaves, North Country stamps and Au Naturale flowers.  

I colored the leaves with Lettuce Adirondack colorwash by Ranger. I also colored some of the seam binding with Ranger Tattered Rose Distress stain and the doilies were colored with Antique Linen Distress stain. Cover six manila tags with coordinating papers from the Songbird line. Then add strips of the papers along the bottom of the tags or make your own banners and use punches with the scraps of paper. Here I used my scallop circle punch by Marvy. I added an Au Naturale flower to the center and then topped it with a glittered snowflake and crystal center.

I covered the deer chipboard shape I found at Michaels with Wendy Addison Emporium glass glitter. I found jars of it at Tinsel Trading Company in New York. They have a wonderful color selection for all kinds of projects. Then I mixed in peachy/pink colored Poinsettias from Prima with crystal swirls and a little stamped sentiment from the North Country stamps.

I used one of my colored doilies on the background and wrapped some seam binding around the tag with a bow on the side. I added a chipboard snowflake to the center of the Au Naturale flower and finished it with a Jenni Bowlin button. I also stuck some pretty stick pins in some of the tags-love the look!

This tag also has a doilie in the background but I placed it off to the side and added my seam binding around the tag. Then I also added an Au Naturale flower with a poinsettia and snowflake to the center. I added twine to my bow with a Genie stone and smaller holly leaves tucked in around the larger ones. 

This tag is pretty straight forward. I wrapped the seam binding around the tag, punched a circle and added different sized snowflakes to the center with a poinsettia. Then finished it with leaves, pins and a little holiday sentiment.

I created banner from a scrap piece of paper and adhered it to the background. Then I wrapped a doilie around the center of the tag, added a flower with a snowflake, poinsettias, leaves and pins with a little sentiment stamped on a tag. Finish it off with some crystal swirls and it's done! 

Hope you like the tags! And I want to say-Thanks Kristina for reminding me that I needed to post these :)

Here is a list of everything I used in case you want to create some of your own...

Ranger Colorwash-Lettuce

Distress Stains-Antique Linen, Tattered Rose

Walnut Distress Ink by Ranger

Perfect Pearls Heirloom Gold Spray

Prima Poinsettias-here

Prima Splendor Leaves-White

Prima Songbird Collection-Collage, Title It, Sunrise

Prima Au Naturale Flowers

Prima Tea Thyme Swirls

North Country Cling Stamps

Prima Genie Stones

Say It In Crystal 18pc

Snowflake and Deer Chipboard Shapes-Michaels

Holly Leaves-Michaels-Recollections

Doilies-Michaels

Decorative Pins

Seam Binding-Camel Hair

Twine

Manila Tags

German Glass Glitter-Wendy Addison-Silver

Tag Punch-EK Success

Circle Scallop Punch-Marvy (pink)