Brand NEW PRIMA!! ~ Sneak Peeks at September's MCS Kits!!

Oh yah! That's right I said it!! Pam has PACKED the Limited Edition kit for September with brand NEW PRIMA goodies and they are sooo fine!! TWO of every paper in the gorgeous Annalee collection! ....and don't get me started on the embellishments!!.....blooms, blooms & more blooms!! But that's not all! Beautiful new crystal flourishes, lace trims, gems, pearl & gold bead strands, glass flowers and wait for it......DUSTY ATTIC Gate chippies too! All of it in one kit.....no extra (add-on) purchase necessary....all the blooms & embellies you see are in the one kit! (Although Pam has now come out with a Prima Flower add-on kit starting in October for those of you who want MORE MORE MORE blooms! lol!) Here is a little 'Peek' at the page's I made up using this awesome kit this month (the reveal of the full pages should be up on my blog in a few days).....and I've got some great news for those of you who don't care for 'wait lists'....see the end of this post!!!.....







I've got one more sneak peek for you all .....a little peek at the September Main kit!! It is out of this world beautiful! ...so feminine and pretty!! This kit includes some of my favourite papers from this Summer's CHA.....MME 'Lost & Found!!' ....these papers have to be seen in real life! So glittery and beautiful! Here is a picture of the kit....

Here are some little peeks at the layouts I've been working on with this kit, I'll share the full pages in a few days!!....






Now here is some exciting news I have to share with you all! Pam has let me know that she has kits available for both the Main & Limited Edition kits for SEPTEMBER!! This means you won't have to be on a waiting list!! you can get these kits right away! She knew these kit's would be in high demand so she made sure to get plenty of stock on when she put in her order at CHA! So if these kits make you 'sing', be sure to drop Pam a note and get your order in before the are all gone! Pssst! She said she will take pre-orders before the reveal date (you can send your inquiry to her at mycreativescrapbook@gmail.com ) To view pricing on the different kits you can take a look at the My Creative Scrapbook site.....note: you'll see the August kits up right now, pic's of the Sept. kits should be up in a few days.....to view the Limited Edition kit scroll to the top of the page in the right hand corner and click on Limited Edition Kit.

I'll post my full layouts along with tips & techniques in the next few days! Hope everyone is gearing up for a great long weekend!!

~Gabrielle xxx

Flower Tutorial ~ Making Water Distressed Cardstock Blooms!!

So recently Chloe hurt her foot (I think she might've broke her baby toe)....she's on the couch, bored, with her foot up on the ottoman. So I thought I would pull out some cardstock (if you girls are anything like me you have tons of scrap cardstock!) and a few flower punches and a bottle of glimmer mist and try out a new bloom making technique with her.

I've seen this done with all sorts of different punches, die cutting machines etc. but the basic idea is wetting your cardstock pieces with paper to give it a more crumpled vintage look. I simply used 2 different sizes of my Retro Flower Punch to create the ones I made here. So for those of you who haven't seen this technique yet I thought I'd share the steps here.....I kid you not, these are addictive!!!

Step 1 ~ Punch 3 Large blooms out with your flower punch or die cutting machine. Then punch out 4 smaller ones. (My large flower punch is not the largest in the group of Retro flower punches, there's an extra-large punch too but I used the large and medium) ....You can use all the same colours or as I did above use a couple of colours that compliment each other......

Step 2 ~ For step 2 all you need is a spritz bottle of plain water or a glimmer mist if you'd like some shimmer. I couldn't find my water spritzer so I grabbed a Glimmer mist I had on the shelf that has clear water in it with some pearl glimmer in it. But just plain water works just as well. Lightly spray them on both sides, they do not have to be really wet, just slightly damp. (you could also tint the edges of the blooms with some chalk in before you spritz for an added color depth).....

Step 3 ~ This is the fun part! Just gently crumple them up! They will look like little crumpled up balls of paper.....


Step 4 ~ Now gently undo the petals letting the crumple shape stay in the petals. Leave one of the smaller pieces in a tight bud for the center. They will look something like this.....


Now glue the pieces with a little dab of glue in the center one inside the other, making sure that the petals on each layer alternate with the layer below it......the result is the bloom you see at the top of the page.

You can also slightly twist the petals when they are damp for another more distressed look to your bloom.....here is a picture of a purple bloom Chloe was working on. She lightly twisted each petal after she opened up the crumpled ball (just use your fingers to twist the petals)......


Here are a bunch of blooms Chloe & I just finished making!! Play with different color combinations and inks for different effects! You'll also get different looks by using different shaped punches! There are no rules to make these, any punch/die cut will do and and number of petals on the punch. Chloe made some with extra layers for some really fluffy looking blooms too!


Option #2

Okay! ....this is for you girls who don't have a flower punch! or any type of die-cutter!!! I tried this technique by just cutting out a few circles with a pair of scissors.
Step 1 ~ Cut out a large jaggedy edge circle out of some cardstock. Then cut out 2 more slightly smaller circles. Then I chose a lighter shade of cardstock and cut out 2 more smaller jaggedy edge circles.....


Step 2 ~ Create a slight petal design by cutting small 'V' slits into the edges. I start by making one slit, then I do one on the opposite side. Then I cut 2 more between the 2 I just made. This will give you 6 petals (ink the edges for more depth to your bloom).......


Step 3 ~ Just like above spritz both sides lightly with some water. Then bringing the petals up from the center give them a good scrunching!! .....


Step 4 ~ Open them up and let them dry, they will look like this.....


Glue them all together with a dab of glue in the centers, leaving the center one tight (or you could put a pretty gem in the center for a different look) Here's how mine came out.....


And for you girls who worry about clunky things on your l/o that don't sit flat enough....check this out how nice and flat it is (and believe me, when these are dry, they really hold their shape!)......

So, no need for fancy punches!! this technique can be done with a pair of scissors and water! I had a lot of fun using this technique on some of my upcoming l/o's for my design team work for MCS. I'll be posting the layouts on the 5th, hope you come back for a peek!

~Gabrielle xxx

OMGOSH! I made the Bo Bunny Team!!!

Well, you could've knocked me over with a feather this morning! I logged in to do a little uploading and found all these congratulations PM's! I had no idea I'd made the design team for Bo Bunny until a few minutes ago!! I was so excited!!!! Boy can they ever keep a secret! LOL! And what makes it all the more sweet is that 2 of my fellow design team members at My Creative Scrapbook made the team too!! Robbie Herring & Mireille Divjak!! It was so exciting to see all our names up there! I was also thrilled to see so many other friends I've come to know over the years up there too ~ Luzma Bruna, Jolanda, Tara Orr, Debbie Sherman, Janis Medina and Irene Tan! I'm looking forward to getting to know the other DT members too! Here is the list of the new Bo Bunny Team!

Our returning team members:

Juliana Michaels

Patti Milazzo

Carole Janson

Shanna Vineyard

Our new USA team members:

Becky Williams

Robbie Herring

Debbie Sherman

Sarah EclaveaFrances

Sylvia

Our new members from around the world:

Mireille Divjak - Netherlands

Jolanda - Netherlands

Irene Tan - Malaysia

Tomoko Takahashi - Japan

Luzma Bruna - Chile

Malin Wiggur - Sweden

Agnieska Piskorz - Poland

Christiane Miller - Germany

Kathleen Glossop - Australia

Michele Beck - France

Celi Mara - Brazil

Carin McDonough - UK

Samantha Wright - South Africa

Janis Medina - Philippines

Tara Orr - Canada

Gabrielle Pollacco - Canada

Before I close I wanted to let you all know about a challenge I'm hosting over at My Creative Scrapbook. It's the 'Lift the Designteam' Challenge!! with a wonderful Prima Prize, check out the Prize!.....

The Prize includes:
**1 can of Prima flowers with trim and rhinestones
**American Craft Dear Lizzy ribbon roll pink and red
**K&C fabric covered brads
**Prima Pebbles
**Prima Flourish
**Prima flower mix
**and Prima pink sprites pkg.

You can find the link here ~~~> http://mycreativescrapbook.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=2338 So come join us for some fun (you can lift any of the work of the Design team from past months!) and have a chance at an awesome prize! I always love to see everyones take on our designs!!

~Gabrielle xxx

Summer is in Bloom at My Creative Scrapbook!!

Before I begin I just want to let you all know that I'm hosting a challenge this month at MCS ~ "Lift the Design Team Challenge" ~ this has been such a fun and popular challenge in the past, so take a moment and see if you feel inspired to lift one of our layouts and have a chance at winning an awesome prize (Pam always sends out the terrific prizes for the challenges!) You can click the above link or this link HERE to take you to the challenge :)

I'm a little late in getting the reveal up for my August designteam work for MCS, we were off to the cottage last week for a little R&R. But now I'm back with loads of photos and memories to scrap!

You had to see my face as I was opening this months Limited Edition kit from My Creative Scrapbook. I tell ya, it never gets old getting these goodies in the mail! This kit was not only loaded with some of my favourite papers but the embellishments, wow! they were out of this world gorgeous.....packed, and I mean PACKED with Prima blooms (20+ blooms!).....and YES! some amazing Dusty Attic laser cuts too! I made the above l/o using those pretty DA corner brackets and a bunch of the pretty blooms in the kit. I cut out one of the papers to make the branch stand out and cut out the photo of my litte great-niece Kiera to make it look like her little bundled blanket was hanging from the tree branch. (photo was taken by Stephanie Robin Design Studio) Here are a few close-ups.....



A second l/o I made with this beautiful kit is this one with a photo of Kiera's older sister Jade. She's such a little cutie, I just love this age when they are all sweet-cheeks!

I made my own shimmer spray for this l/o by mixing a few drops of Tim Holtz Alcohol ink (Pink Sherbert color) with some Pearlex shimmer dust (gold) and some water, and gave the background paper a spritz here and there. I added a few of the pretty blooms from the kit and there you have it. Here is a close-up pic.....

A 3rd l/o I made for the LE kit was made with this beautiful pre-stitched Prima specialty paper (also in the kit) I just love the almost fabric-like texture of this paper!

I just added a whole bunch of the pretty blooms included in the kit, ...these glittery blooms with the pearl/jewel centers! ...so pretty in real life! Here are a few close-ups....


And a 4th l/o I made from this kit I used this really fun lace doily transparent overlay. I cut a section of it off and then stitched it back together with some corset lacing with this really rich and pretty wine color ribbon in the kit. There is also this really cute MME shabby-chic looking frame in this kit that I just LOVE! Here is the l/o with a few close-ups.....



And finally in a 5th l/o I made for this kit I used a beautiful Photo my brother-in-law, John, took in Malta (my DH's home country). I just loved the casual beauty of the old crumbling brick wall and all the blooms in this entryway!

I just punched a bunch of little blooms in 3 colours of cardstock with my Retro Daisy punch to try and imitate the blooms in the photo. The brick design on the background paper I doodled with a simple brown fine-tip pen. The girls on my DT thought it was a stamp, but really it's just an easy-peasy design I doodled. I thought I would show everyone how easy it is to do by doing a little video clip, unfortunately the video came out a bit blurry so instead I've shown how to do it in step by step photos (I've also included the video in the tutorial as an extra to show how quick and easy it is to do)....you can find the tutorial in the 'Tips & Tutorials' section at My Creative Scrapbook in the 'How did they do that' post for August. <~~ Just click on this link to take you to the tutorial and more tips from our DT.



I also had a chance to play with some of the wonderful Travel/vacation papers and embellishments in this month's Main kit from My Creative Scrapbook. Here is a layout I added a few dry grasses from our backyard to embellish this page and painted some of the blooms with a wash of white paint to soften them a bit. Here is the l/o and some close-ups....



And a final page I made up this month is another for the Main kit. I wanted to use the travel words in the kit but use them in a different way, more about traveling through life (words of advice for my DD) I wanted her to appreciate that sometimes choosing the harder 'less traveled' road can be more challenging but that in the long run it is what will lead to more success and happiness.

I used two tutorials that I have shared with you all in the past to make up this page. The Torn Cardstock Blooms and the Faux Polished Stone tutorials (you can find them in the top right column of my blog.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read through my loooooong blog again! Now I'm off to get my vacation photo's ready for next months kits! And let me tell ya there are some eye-popping gorgeous kits coming out to you all!! I know there are a whole lotta you girls who signed up for the kits starting in September, and Pam did not disappoint, these kits are going to be amazing!! ....lol!, I know, I'm a tease!

~Gabrielle xxx

Dusty Attic with Page Maps! ....And a Chance to win DA goodies!!

Recently the Dusty Attic Design Team was asked to work with Page Maps to work with some of Becky Fleck's beautiful sketches for the August Newsletter! We were each given a sketch to work with and were asked to create using some of our Dusty Attic Laser-cut chippies! The above l/o is what I came up with for the sketch I was provided! I used one of the new Dusty Attic Butterfly chippies for an embellishment. I painted it white and added some rose and chestnut chalk ink to the edges and then just a touch of Stickles glitter glue in Platinum color. I added a tail to the butterfly using the pretty gem flourishes from Zva Creative. Here is a close-up of the embellishment....


I also used 2 other Dusty Attic pieces on this l/o...the bracket flourish at the bottom of the l/o (simply painted white and edged with some chestnut chalk ink (Colorbox, and added a couple of stickon pearls......

And the scallop chip circle frame is another Dusty Attic piece I used. I painted it white, edged it with a little bit of rose chalk ink and then lightly stamped with a script stamp.....(the same one I used on the pink background paper) Here is a close-up pic.....

The papers I used here are some left overs I had from my June LE kit from MCS, the collection is by Girls Paperie, and the alpha's are my favourite alpha stickers from Webster's Pages.

Here is the sketch I was given to work with from Becky Fleck, the format was 8.5" x 11" for the newsletter but I think it could be easily used on a 12x12 page.....

You can find the August Newsletter for PageMaps HERE ......and some more awesome news for those of you who cannot get enough of the Dusty Attic Chippies!! Check out the sketch contest Becky has posted at the PageMaps site!! Dusty Attic has provided an amazing prize package for it!! Check this out.......

For contest details check out this blog post at PageMaps Blog for your chance to win!! CONTEST. Here's your chance girls to have some fun playing with a lovely sketch and win some amazing Dusty Attic goodies!!

~Gabrielle xxx