Friday, May 4, 2012

All about the Girls with Prima and Authentique

Prima Almanac Layout
by Ngaire
 
I love Almanac - I’m not totally sure I know what to do with it – but I love the peachy-pink and black of it. The butterflies, the damask patterns, the bird’s nests – just love it all. So classic. Putting this together has exhausted my most immediate ideas of what to do with it all though – (I do have some others, but I need to think about how to put them together before I tackle the next layout) – but I love the way the layout has turned out.

Anyway – the colours and paper patterns screamed out for a shaped layout with frame layers and stitching. That bit was the easy part.  I used Shaffer as the base paper – cutting it out into one of my favourite die cut shapes. Over this went a slightly smaller (I trimmed it down about 1cm – but this becomes wider when you then distress the edge) piece of Edison. This has to be my favourite paper in the range – so very pretty. A hand-stitched border in black thread and the base for the layout is all done.


I’ve gone for the ‘cluster’ approach as far as designing the layout goes. I had all these gorgeous embellishments – the roses, the cut out shapes, the larger blossoms and other bits and bobs. Underlying it all are some patterned paper doilies I cut using my new dies. I’ve been admiring them on other layouts in the blogosphere and wondering how they did them – and now I know. ;) 

In the bottom left-hand corner of the layout I popped a patterned paper paper doily (I used the bottom damask strip from Edison) under the edge of the photo and then arranged my cluster of embellishments so that they took up most of the space on the doily and only the pretty lacy edges were showing. The small roses and the larger blossom are both from flower packs in the Almanac range. The peachy-pink small rose you see has been altered – the orginal one is cream - by the addition of some Tattered Rose Distress Ink applied with a brush to give it a deep colour. The larger flower has also been altered slightly – I’ve wiped the last of the Tattered Rose Distress Ink off the brush onto the petals to give them that interesing blotchy look.

The clock face has been cut out of the Edison paper and overlaid with an altered  clear cabochon. The design is a section of the previously mentioned bottom damask strip from Edison - I’ve just smeared some clear-drying glue onto the base of the glass cabochon (Tracy has a variety of sizes) and then popped it onto the section of pattern I wanted. When the glue is dry, simply cut around the cabochon and voila – you have an instant embellishment.


I love, love, love the metal flower. I ambushed Tracy and made her let me into her Embellishment Class a couple of weekends ago just so I could learn how to make one of these little beauties. (ok – I paid for my MIL to go to the class and then came with her as a surprise) I’m not going to spill the secret on how to make them – but they are way too easy once you know and oh so addictive to make.


The embellishment cluster at the top left of the photo has more of the same basic elements – with the addition of a couple of Almanac chipboard pieces. There are 2 patterned paper doilies this time - one of the pink reverse of Shaffer overlaid over a slightly larger one of the face side of Shaffer . Again, the larger Prima blossom has been inked with some Tattered Rose Distress Ink applied with a brush to give it a deep colour.


The chipboard alphas in the title are some old Heidi Swapp She alphas (soooo love them – am dreading when I finally run out). Because there is so much going on with all the damask pattens in the layout – I left these alphas pretty simple – only inking. I’ve applied more to some sections than others – to give it that slightly blotchy look you see.




On the right hand side of the photo I put the main cluster of embellishments – again all the usual suspects are there. At the top went another pair of the doilies – I left a little more of them showing here. Over them I popped one of the chipboard stickers, which I then further embellished with a black rhinestone.
More of the Prima flowers from the Almanac range; and another altered cabochon. This time it made the perfect flower centre for the Prima blossom. Next to it I have placed a piece of cut up Antique Bronze Flower Filigree – placed like this it looks a bit leaf-like.
At the bottom of this close-up you can see another of the chipboard stickers.




At the bottom of the cluster there is another of those gorgeous ‘Tracy special’ flowers and one of the bee/pocket watch charms that I adore. The LOVE charm you see there was originally silver, but I altered it with a little Gesso and ink. It was a bit of a fail for its original purpose – but it did look super cute here.
The words laugh, dream, love are all cut out from the Edison patterned paper. I told you this one was a keeper. I got sooo much out of the two sheets I had of it. The bits of ‘ruler’ you see are also from that paper – as is the strip of patterned paper underneath them.


And I have to add just one more close-up – love the angle on this – it really makes 2 of my favourite embellishments pop – the blossom with its cabochon centre and one of those glorious Tracy metal flowers.


Check out my2angels and see what Tracy’s latest and greatest includes. (Hint: I finally got my wish and she has made some pins to sell – so run in and see if you can get them before I do.) ;) 

Ngaire





and from Geli

I used the last scraps of Authentique paper (the rest is on Hugs and Kisses) and some pretty my2angels embellies on it. 
The sweet little camera charm is one of my favourites. It goes with so many looks. I put a little bit of Liquid Pearls in the middle to give it some contrast. 

The red felt heart  (comes in several colours) with a charming pin, an old cotton doily and a die cut doily:

I love it when the girls put on impromptu fashion shows. All their idea, I swear!
GELI




and from me, Tracy
I am currently away at the Scraplounge Retreat down in Lennox Heads so all orders will be posted on Tuesday (Monday is a public holiday here in Queensland)

Don't forget to enter Sarah at checkout to receive 18% off your order

Hope you all have a creative and fun weekend




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