The Color Room Design Team!!

I'm so excited to announce that I have been asked to be on The Color Room Design Team!!  I've been a fan of this site for quite a while now, I just love the inspiration this site provides with it's weekly color combinations and it's amazing gallery of work done by all the awesome members there!

This weeks color palette runs in the teal blues, apple green, sky blue and smokey grey.  You can find the coler palette #61 HERE  The layout above is my take on this color palette.  I had so much fun with this one!  I had this photo of one of my nephews Jared, (he's the daddy of the two little babies you often see me scrapping), in it he was wearing the exact colors in the palette :)  ........What I really love about this design team is that it allows me to go through my old stash and make use of the piles of goodies I've accumulated over the years!  The pretty edge background paper is one that I bought a couple of years ago by Creative Imaginations. The greenish background paper is a Prima paper and the brocade is another Creative Imaginations paper.  The pleated apple green trim is one by Pink Paislee (I just added a crystal strip from Zva Creative), The chipboard is is of course Dusty Attic.  NOTE:  I'm gonig to put up a list in my right side column soon on resources in Canada & the USA for Dusty Attic as I know many of you are wanting to find these products.   I used some glass drops (I picked up from Michaels in the floral department on the page too along with some small glass beads)   Here are some close-ups of this page.....

I painted the above DA pieces with some aqua blue paint and then painted with some bronze 3D paint and stamped with a flourish stamp so the aqua shows up underneath the bronze.

So if you are looking for a great jump off point to start a layout this weekend, come have a peek at The Color Room and join in the fun!

Webster's Pages & Dusty Attic, Playing with Negative Space!

I love trying out many different scrapping styles, so for me doing a page each month that is inspired by the Guest Designer for the month over at Webster's Pages is a really fun thing!  This months Guest Designer is Trina McClune, many of you are probably familiar with her beautiful pages.  The layouts we were given to take our inspiration from were done in the 'negative  space' style of scrapping.....that is to say, that there are open clean spaces on the page.  I have to admit, I thought this page would be quick and easy but I found it to actually be a really big challenge!  Showing restraint is a lot harder than you think!  The title of my layout is sort of self explanitory, my youngest is sometimes hard to coax a smile out of her.  In this pic you can just barely see her smile starting to surface....so I thought Mona Lisa Smile would be a good title! lol!

I used paper from the Country Estate collection from Webster's pages, along with the Princess Petals blooms, Fabric Ribbon, stamps and the pretty Silhouttes/cameo from Websters....and of course my favourite scripted font alpha stickers from Websters...just love that design!

The chipboard pieces I used for this page are of course from Dusty Attic!  I used a couple of the small Baroque Corners #DA0543 to make the framework for the title on this page, and I used one of the smaller Skelleton Clock #DA0430 pieces to frame the photo. I also layered on an extra element to the clock, I used the new Leafy Stems #DA0566 right on top of the frame to create a slightly more ornate look to the frame.  I also used one of the smaller Wrought Iron Trim DA0547 pieces to underscore the second part of my title.  Here is a close-up view of the layerd Leafy Stem on the Skelleton clock design.  ( I simply used some pink, gold (Platinum) and Lime Green Stickles on this piece to add little bling to the design)....

I had to keep reminding myself not to add more and more to the page as is my habit, but I couldn't resist some Princess Petals and Websters Cameos/Silhouettes.....and at the end I couldn't hold back from adding that new Dusty Attic Wrought Iron Trim piece to underscore my title.  Here are a couple of close-up pic's of the chippies I used around the title work (I simply slathered on the Platinum color Stickles for these pieces)...

To see the layouts of Trina's that inspired this page and to see the pages done by the rest of the DT drawing inspiration from Trina's work, check out the post at Websters Pages welcoming Junes Guest Designer, the fabulous Trina McClune!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Join Us!! For the Bo Bunny Blog Hop!!

Welcome to the Bo Bunny Blog Hop!!  As most of you must know by now, the Blog Hop starts at the Bo Bunny Blog and then will continue on the blog sites of 7 of today's featured Bo Bunny Designers.  The Bo Bunny blog will link you to the next designer's blog included in the hop and each designers site will link you to the next.  So if you have come to my site first you may want to hop on over to the Bo Bunny Blog site first and make your way through the list.  I know you will be inspired by the beautiful work of each of our designers! Here is the order of the hop incase any of you have gotten lost along the way....

Robbie http://robbiesphotoblog.blogspot.com/


Jolanda http://www.jolandameurs.blogspot.com/

Luz http://luzmasscraplace.blogspot.com/

Patti http://pattimilazzo.blogspot.com/

Gabi http://gabriellepollacco.blogspot.com/

Mireille http://amberennoah.blogspot.com/

Shanna http://artmadewithheart.blogspot.com/


And now for the Blog Hop prizes! Leave a comment on each designer's blog. Bo Bunny will choose one designer's blog to pick a comment at random. You don't know which blog they will picking from so make sure to leave a comment on them all. To be eligible for the second prize leave a comment on the Bo Bunny blog too as one winner will be chosen at random from the Bo Bunny blog site too.  The winners will be announced next Wednesday on the  Bo Bunny blog.

For my project for the blog hop I thought I would share a layout (above) I made for a Creating Keepsakes ad using the new Barefoot & Bliss collection.   I just love the fun fresh colors in this collection, I could almost smell the beach while working on this layout!  I didn't have all the amazing embellishments that come with this collection at the time of making up this page so I improvised by making some handmade blooms using recycled dryer sheets (lightly tinted with some food coloring & water).  I just cut some strips and gathered the long edges to make the sheer appricot color blooms.  I used some Bo Bunny trinkets and pearls as centers for the blooms.  Here are some close-up pic's of the page....

 I recently got all three of the new Bo Bunny collections in the mail and I can't wait to play and share my projects with you all using these gorgeous collections! 

Okay, ....on to some more inspiration!  Don't forget to leave a comment to be eligible for the prize and then hop on over to see something awesome by my dear friend and team mate, the oh so talented.....

Mireille's Blog

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

~Gabrielle xx

Bloom Tutorial done with Websters Pages Netting & Whimsies!

I recently had some fun with the Websters Pages Netting/Fabric Swatches and the cute pink rosettes called Whimsies also by Websters Pages.  Here is a step by step tutorial on how I made these folded blooms.....

Here is a picture of my finished layout using these blooms.  I also used some of the Websters Country Estate collection to make up this layout along with one of their cute cameo's, their Unity Stamps and some of their Fabric Borders. 

I also added a few Dusty Attic laser cut chipobard pieces to this layout!  The top right corner design is one of the newest DA pieces.  I was going for a sort of Shabby Chic look for this page so I wanted the look of aged white paint on the pieces (the corner design and frame)  Here is a quick step by step on how I did the finish on the chipboard pieces.....

Here is a close-up of what the finish will look like (I just LOVE the Tim Holtz Rock Candy, it works quick and easy!  I used a blow dryer to quicken the dry time and still got a good crackle effect! ....NOTE:  The thicker you put the finish on, the larger your crackles will be....also, try to swipe on the crackle medium with the least amount of brush strokes as possible as the more you go over it, the smaller your crackling will appear).....

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope everyone is enjoying the balmy Spring weather!  (We just got our new puppy and boy! is she a handful! lol!)

~Gabrielle xx

A little more Bo Bunny...

I made this one for a Bo Bunny assigment to make a l/o after a sketch.  This sketch was made up by Tara Orr, one of my fellow designteam members.  I used a combination of collections here ..Timepiece, Gabrielle & Vicki B.  I thought it would be nice to do a layout for my dear husband because it's our 30th wedding anniversary this month.  The crochetted bloom is the bottom part of the Gabrielle bloom, I tinted up the center part with the some pink Perfect Pearls.  I just took a paint brush and dusted on some in the center and smudged it out....

If you would like to see the sketch and more layouts done by the designteam using this sketch you can check out the Bo Bunny blog for today ~~>  Bo Bunny Blog

Bo Bunny Products used for this layout::
Timepiece Dot, Gabrielle Mocha Die Cut, Gabrielle Elegance, and Vicky B. Perky Patterned Papers; Gabrielle 6x6 paper pad; Timpiece Chipboard; Gabrielle Grow Love Cardstock Stickers;
Gabrielle Layered Chipboard; Gabrielle Petals (doily); Timepiece Combo Stickers

Thanks for having a peek!

~Gabrielle xx

Botanicals & Butterflies! & Awesome Webster's Pages!!

This will be my last post for My Creative Scrapbook kit club, I made the decision last month to step down from the DT and make a few changes.  It was such a hard decsion to make as I've been designing for MCS for exactly 3 years now.  I've grown so close to the girls on the design team and gotten to know so many wonderful people through this experience.  Happily I know I will keep in touch with the dear friends I've made through my blog, galleries and other design teams.  Thank you to all my dear friends for their kind words and support, they've meant a lot to me.

So, moving on, I have to say it was nice to go out working with some of my favourite things, botanicals and butterflies!!  I just love Pink Paislee's Butterfly Garden collection!  The photo above is one I took of my two girls when we were out on a walk a few weeks ago.  We've been having strange weather but this was one of those balmy lovely days just cast into the middle of a whole lotta rainy miserable days.  I love the butterflies that coordinate with this collection...the transparent layer over the butterfly image is so beautiful in real life.  Here are a few close-up pic's of this layout....

  I often hear people say how much they like my photo's and how cooperative my girls are about having their photo's taken.  But I  always say...I take a ton of pic's to get the ones I actually use.  Below is a l/o I made to give you a little more accurate idea of how things go when I'm trying to get pic's of my girls.....

This was the next shot I got  after the one I scrapped above lol!  Hence the title 'Real' Sisters. Ah well, they still make me laugh with their silly antics and aside from the odd spat or two they do get along pretty well.  I used the Webster's Pages Ladies & Gents collection for this one.  This is such a versatile paper collection because it allows for both masculine and feminine style pages.  For the little dress forms in the corner I gathered some sheer ribbons to make the skirts and painted the dress forms white.  I inked the edges of the dress forms with some brown chalk ink and then put some Stardust Stickles over it to give them some shimmer & shine. The vine I made from some of the loose stemmed blooms, you can find a little demonstration I made up on how to make your own vines HERE.   Here is a close-up pic....

Another photo I took on our outing together was this one below of my oldest daughter Chloe.  I used the Prima papers (Botanicals collection) mixed with some more of the Pink Paislee Butterfly Garden collection to compliment the soft floral top she was wearing in the photo.

It's been a while since I've done the corset lacing design on my layouts (a couple years ago, I used the corset lacing on so many of my l/o's, funny how you move on to different things for a while and then pull out a favourite again!)  Although I used a ribbon for my corset lacing, I recommend you use something a little less thick, like string, cording, something finer as trying to get the thick ribbon through the eyelets is not so easy!  The button I used in the center of the brown bloom was in the kit, but the center was missing....I guess it had popped out?  So I created my own 'jewel' for it by adding a couple of layers of blue 'Waterfall' Stickles, let it dry and then added a nice mound of Tim Holtz Glossy Accents.  The finished effect is almost like an opal!  Here are some close-ups of the above page....

The frayed bit beside the large bloom is sort of an accident thing lol!....I was fiddling with one of the trims in the kit and it just started unraveling on me before I could tape off the end.  So I chopped off the ravelled bit and just stuck it on the page....almost like a little bit of nest :)

I really love the pretty botanical design in the PP paper below;  The frame around the photo is made from a sheet of lace paper by BasicGrey layered over some simple pink cardstock.  The edging around the photo was made with another style of decorative scissors and a white gel pen (Signo Unibal)

The tiny white/yellow blooms were made using the EK Success retro flower punch in the mini size.  I just inked the centers with some yellow chalk ink and added a liquid pearl drop in the center. Here are a couple of close-up shots of the above page...

And finally the last page I made was of me and my girls, my dear husband took this photo of the 3 of us while we were out on our little beach/forest walk.  I used more of the beautiful Ladies & Gents collection to make up this page.....

The lolipop blooms on this page of course are the Websters Pages Pincess Petals (LOVE these!) and the soft pink blooms are ones I again made using recycled dryer sheets (see some tutorial instructions in the rightside column of my blog)...

If I've missed explaining anything I did on these layouts or if you have any product questions don't be shy to ask I'm always happy to answer any questions! :)   ....thanks for stopping by again, I'm always happy to hear from my friends here!

~Gabrielle xx