Living my dream

Prima Step by Step

So proud to share a blog post with you here that was on the Prima Blog earlier today.

I recently taught a class using an older technique which isn't around as much anymore. Embossing. It went down really well and I thought it would be a perfect idea to show here, reminding us all how cool it looks and how easy it is to add a little something special to your projects....

This is a new LO I've created for you here using the delightful "Nature's Garden" range of papers.

And here's how I created the backdrop of tags.....

First off I cut the tags using a Sizzix die cut. Of course, you can make your own using some scissors/craft knife/trimmer!

Then I stamped the tags with Prima stamps and a versamark stamp pad.

Tipping some WHITE embossing powder onto the ink leaves a great image to heat and set...

I knew I wanted a flower shaped stamp (it matches so well with Prima products!) in the same pattern as one of the other stamps I used, so punched a flower out of some scrap paper, placed the negative part of the paper over the tags, then used my Prima stamp to create the pattern....

Once I'd stamped all the designs I wanted on my tags and embossed them I was ready to colour the tags.

In this case I used Tim Holtz distress ink, but Pan Pastels would work just as well (if you have the right colours ;)).

I was then able to add the tags to the base page of my LO and build from there.

In the last couple of years I've tended to use alot of little photos on my LO's. I find you can fit more of them on a page which means I can tell a story more easily. If I tried to do this LO with 6" x 4" photos, it wouldn't have worked.

Here's how I create my smaller photos (using photoshop - I'm sure there are plenty of other programmes that could help you do this!).....

1. Choose the photo/s you want to print, and change to black and white / process it if necessary.

2. Open a new folder that is size 6" x 4".

3. Change the size of your original photo to 3" x 2".

4. Copy and paste into your new file.

5. Repeat another 3 times.

You now have a 6" x 4" photo/file that has 4 3x2" photos on it. Print it, and cut to separate. Then use on your LO.

Once I had my tags and photos in place it was simply a matter of finding some gorgeous Prima embellishments to fit my ideas of what the final look would be.

I used a piece of Midsummer's Eve paper to cut several flower rosettes to place across the page, then added some gorgeous Prima flowers, clocks, crystals, and trinkets to complete it.

In this instance having so many photos has allowed my title to also be my journaling. But I have also added a date and some private words to the back of the LO. Something I do when I think the asthetics of a LO are better off as they are without any journaling.

And that's it. Another story told using Prima.

Ohhhh! I just noticed my chair on the Prima blog

Did you see it? If not, I'm going to show you now.

I created this project for CHA Winter 2012. I forgot I'd done it to be honest. LOL. But seeing it on the blog reminded me how much fun I had creating it.

I brought this metal chair a while ago. Saw it in a florists and decided it would make the perfect altered item...... one day.

We had just had my MIL's 80th birthday party and I realised this would make the perfect display of a couple of photos.

I loved adding so many little pieces to the chair. Layering and attaching things as I might do in jewellery making.

Prima once again came out with products that I just love. The vines, chipboard, metal trinkets and crystals are just a few that I used to make this project so special.

I haven't been a huge user of blue in my scrapping, but it just worked this time round. I love that Prima bring out such a wide variety of colours and designs. Something to suit everyone.

 

Frizzle chicks

Here I am an hour or so ago trying to get my new babies to go to sleep. They had other ideas.

Just like any baby. LOL.

Unfortunately Wendy hasn't taken to the new babies too well, so I'm bringing them in during the day. Luckily at night, she doesn't seem to notice and they have a lovely warm nest and sleeping area.

The best part about this is how friendly they've become over the day. When I leave the room, they follow me to the door and start chirping REALLY loudly. It's so cute.

They also respond to my voice, coming up to me when I chat to them. When they do want to sleep, they come up to my legs and snuggle in.

I've got to say I'm enamoured by these littlies. Just too cute for words.

PS: And yes, that is poop on my shirt! Sigh.

PPS: I'm trying to grow my fringe out and it's driving me INSANE! Thus the borrowed headband from my 8 year old daughter. LOL!

Something that affected me today.

I've been recovering from the weekend and sickies and watching some tv this morning. I thought it might be a good way to relax. I'm shattered. I even have a coldsore to remind me that my body can only cope with so much.

There was one programme that is always a bit out there, but also quite true to life. I get a few good giggles from it each week. This week, one of the main characters got told their babies heart had stopped. They were less than 12 weeks along so it brought many memories back for me.

Raw emotion just waiting for something to trigger it.

I watched the character lying on the bed where she was scanned and I remembered the same thing. I remembered in my life, watching the technicians face as she announced she was going to get a second opinion. I remember knowing what she was going to tell us even though I can't remember those next few minutes, and the words that confirmed it.

But worst of all I remembered walking down the hall sobbing, tears streaming down my face, walking through the waiting room where about 4 other mothers to be (although it seemed like the whole world) were waiting, all looking at me with looks between pity and 'thank goodness' on their faces. They all knew just like I did.

And I remember going home and waiting. Waiting for it all to end. Wondering how I would know, then knowing how I would know.

I remember the ambulance people carrying me down stairs and the short trip to the hospital. I remember lying in hospital for hours, worried about my baby. What would become of it. I remember finally saying 'what's happening' and finding out they'd forgotten about me. There I was all alone in a room without anyone around when I should have at least had Andy or a friend there. I remember going home because I just couldn't handle anymore waiting.

And then how that became a mistake and having to go back to hospital. Being put under and crying even as I was going to sleep.

You see the hope stays with you. Hope is the most powerful thing in the world. Even though I knew my baby was dead. It was no longer inside my body. I hoped that it would be ok and having that final operation ceased all hope.

My life now is wonderful. We have another little one who keeps me on my toes (especially now that he is at school learning to read and write!) and a full and (mostly) happy family. However 7 years on and it's still incredibly vivid. And I'm amazed at how a tv programme can reduce me to tears so easily.

Miscarriage is something that isn't talked about much. But as I'm finding, it affects you the rest of your life.

If you know someone who has been through this, when the time is right, send them a little note. Let them know that you remember too. That it wasn't just 'nothing'. That those memories while hurtful are real and matter. Give them a smile, a hug an acknowledgement. You will be surprised at how much it will mean to them.

 

Prima Shares

Well, I'm a bit slow this month, but doesn't mean I didn't love these challenges any the less.

Go on over to this post to see Prima's March BAP and some beautiful designs by the Prima team....

Here is my version:

I have often created all white LO's and wanted to showcase another one this time using Prima's wonderful white flowers and pearls.

I did add some colour. I think it works well with the photos and helps draw your eye across the page... and the stamps on the flowers are so cute!

You can also see the March PPP right here. To see more designs by the Prima DT, just click on the link and check it out. In the meantime, here is my version.....

I've got to say I just LOVED the palette this month. Purple, pink, yellow, teal, grey. Perfection.

You can see above I've used some Spellbinders dies here too....

Don't you just love the huge flowers and wood pieces? Prima really knows how to make scrapping products!!!!

If you give these challenges a go, make sure you enter the competitions. You could win some yummy Prima goodness.

Big Picture Giveaway

I have to admit I totally forgot about the Big Picture Giveaway.

My apologies.

But I did do a draw and Mich you have won a place in my class - You changed my life.

Flick me an email and I'll get the details to you asap.

Thanks so much!

Trina.

Scrappin Patch retreat

Wowee, what a weekend! Totally fun. Totally beautiful. Totally fattening. Grin. It was truely a perfect weekend. Thanks everyone for making me feel so welcome and including me as part of your inspiring community!

I've just put a post up on the Scrappin Patch retreat blog with photos from the weekend, but thought I'd put another post here with photos of the two classes I took....

Here is the LO from my LO class.

That's Matt with Tige one of our new chicks. The kids so love our pets.

I used My Minds Eye papers, Prima embellishments, and Jillibean Soup alphabet stickers.

The Smash Album was a huge hit. It's such a fun project for anyone to complete, and best yet, once finished it can be used for anything! Some women were making them for friends, some for vacations, some for themselves. It was exciting and wonderful.

There were a ton of pages so bear with me as I show them to you....

The front cover

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4 - the stripy page is a full length pocket.

Page 5

Page 6

Page 7

Page 8

Page 9

Page 10

Page 11

Page 12

Page 13 - the stripy page is a full length pocket

Page 14

Page 15

Page 16

Page 17

Page 18

Page 19

Page 20

Page 21

Page 22

Page 23

When I designed this album, it was with simplicity in mind. I wanted to teach lots of techniques that could be transfered over into scrapbooking / cardmaking or anything else but stayed true to the idea of a smash album. Lots of room for 'smashing' stuff in. Grin.

The main products we used were from Glitz, My Minds Eye, Pink Paislee plus for those at the retreat, we were sponsored by both Prima and 2 Crafty. Thanks so much to both Prima and 2 Crafty, your gifts really did make a difference to the classes!!!!

We had so much fun during the weekend. If you want to see more pictures, then pop on over to the Scrappin Patch Retreat blog.

Big Picture challenge

Are you a member of the Big Picture Classes community? It's such a cool place with wonderful ideas on their blog and challenges / daily quotes in the 'inside access' area of the website.

And today you can find a challenge by moi.

Here's my LO to go with the challenge:

and a close up

I adore this new range from Prima and used a mask from them also!

Would love it if you played along!

T

Kitting

One of the fun (and also if I'm honest, a bit boring after about the 15th) things of putting together kits is seeing it all come together....

I've had these paper bags since the charity crop day I ran last year (they arrived a bit late to use) and I've been wanting to use them ever since. They are so perfect for all the little bits and pieces that are part of my smash album class!

And I LOVED vacuming up these bits of mess....

They make such a cool noise going up the vacum tubing and it's so much fun making the floor messy like this! Is there anything quite as liberating as flicking tiny bits of paper everywhere and not caring? I don't think so! However I did get told off by my kids for making such a mess and not cleaning it up straight away, ROFL (I have a jolly good excuse! I was going to keep making mess, so why clean up twice?!).

So now all the kits are packed. The LO kits were sent today so will be in Ch/Ch tomorrow. The smash album kits will be sent tomorrow (gosh that was an interesting one to kit!!!).

I'm so looking forward to hanging out with some cool ladies, making new friends and catching up with the old.

But I've got a few more days to go and a few more fun things to prepare....

More scrap happy news....

Recently I entered the Spellbinders DT call. It was a couple of months of nervousness, but was so worth it.... I am very excited to be part of their International Spellbloggers team.

This means you'll get to see my work using the amazing Spellbinders dies regularly on their blog and of course right here, just like normal.

As anyone who has taken my classes and seen my work will know I adore Spellbinders dies and I can't wait to share more of my creativity with their dies as soon as possible.

In the meantime, check out the other amazingly talented girls on the Spellbloggers team:

Bette Johns

Linda Lucas

Karen Taylor

And the International Spellbloggers team:

Sylvia Blum - Germany

Monika Martinson - Sweden

Astrid Maclean - UK

and me (you're here!).

Congrats ladies, can't wait to work with you all!

PS: I forgot, while we're talking Spellbinders, I thought I'd show you my entries as part of the DT call....

First was a LO....

Second was a card....

Third was an altered item / Mixed media....

I had so much fun making these. And big thanks to Vicky for giving me the little house to decorate. Loved it!

Very excited!

I'm very excited to announce that I'll be in Nelson on 12th May teaching for Lyn at The Scrapbook Store.

We are still working through the nitty gritty of classes etc, but we'll be announcing those shortly.

Yay!!!

Trina's smash album

Well, I got my product on Friday and have been working on the smash album ALLLLLLL weekend. It's been so much fun! And finally I'm able to share some sneak peeks....

 

We're going to be using all sorts of mediums. Paint, ink, mist. Ahhhhh, the fun of those wet mucky hands! 

Pockets are a big part of standard smash albums and in our one, it will be no different! We have a ton of cute pockets to enhance the look of our albums. 

I got asked if we could use masks, and well, who am I to turn down such a reasonable request? We're using a couple of masks and I hope my ideas will help open the creative mind to different ways of using them. 

Tags too. Always a fantastic staple in a smash album. Ready brought, home made. It's all good! 

I'm really glad I held out for the new stock. It's so cute! We will be using new papers from Glitz and My Minds Eye. Yummo! Plus a ton of other fun and funky papers and pockets and well, all sorts! 

Yes, there is some pink, but there is a ton of other colours too (as you can see). I LOVE that about smash albums, they're so eclectic you can put together any combination of papers and colours and it works. 

For me, a smash album just wouldn't feel right without a doily. 

Or for that matter a little white tag that I'm known to use. Perfect. 

I am so excited about this album. I knew it was going to be fun when Adrienne and I first talked about it, but man, it's so much more fun than I ever thought!!!! 

And there are just so many possibilities for how each page can look. 

Speaking of which here is what you are going to need to bring to make those gorgeous pages: 

Your standard scrapbooking kit

A variety of adhesives (I used a glue gun, double sided tape, glossy accents).

Stapler / staples.

Brown ink (plus any other of your favourite colours - bring your ink stash!).

Your favourite paint/s.

Your favourite glimmmermist colours.

Things to bring IF you have them:

Cuttlebug.

Crop a dile.

Foam Brush/s.

Heat gun.   **added**

Corner rounder.   **added**

Sewing maching (Adrienne is supplying one, but if you are happy for others to use yours, please let Adrienne know and bring it along).

Baby wipes.

Additional items/scraps you might like to add to your album.

This class contains product/supplies for you to complete 22 pages (thats 44 pages all up) and your covers, the additional paint/glimmermist/ink that I'm recommending you bring are so you can ensure the feel of your album is exactly right.

There are a ton of techniques we're going to be using during the construction of the album, from stamping to masking, making our own pages to making our own pockets, from die cuts to trimmers, from paint to glimmermist. It is chock full of  F . U . N.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

See you there!

Trina