Altered Canvas

Hi there crafters, today I wish to share with you a canvas I made using Prima Life Time Collection other Prima Products.  I love dabbling in mixed media almost as much as I enjoy shabby chic and with the Prima Life Time papers, mixed media is a breeze because most of the work has been done for you  You must make a visit to the store and take a look at the awesome papers...I am sure by the evidence of most of my DT projects it is quite obvious how enthralled I am with this collection.

So lets take a look at my canvas...

I love the feminine theme of the canvas; a princess to oneself, family all important and enjoying the little things in life.  Flowers is one of the ultimate loves of a woman and what better way to express that than a bunch of beautiful Prima flowers!

The tree and picket fence was part of a RAK from a friend and the the word sentiments are cut outs from the awesome paper collection.  I added a Prima heart button in the center for additional symbolism . 

The butterfly, sunflowers and mini flowers are from my stash.  A Prima Life Time buttons and smile tag complete that corner

I used a variety of Prima flowers from various collections; all dabbed with white acrylic paint.  The wooden clock and sentiments on the side are Prima and designed by the awesome Finnabair!

Using permanent black ink I stamped the Prima doll stamp on papers from the collection that had a brownish hue.  I also stamped the skirt and bodice on different papers from the collection too, cut them out, added a strip of lace and then adhered to the doll.  I just could not resist adding a glittered Maya Road crown to the stamped crown on the doll's hair - love it!  

I just love the cluster of Prima flowers...who wouldn't!!

I used a variety of masks, stencils, inks, paints and sprays on the canvas before adding my embellishments   As I was using my mod podge, gesso and pastes I had no idea what the final look of the canvas would be...and how do I feel about it??  Love the outcome, will add a final glaze spray to help hold and maintain the canvas so I can keep it for a long time to come.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you find inspiration to create one of your own...Janine

Life Time Mini Album

Everybody knows I love making albums ... could not resist to make a quick one with the awesome Life Time Papers. The album I made is perfect for a family album.  Lets take a look..

This album is so quick to make anyone can make it within a few hours...it is based on the tutorial of Steff with a grin".  The covers are chipboard and uses two 12x12 sheets inside.  What I love about this album is you can "grow" it.  I could take another two sheets, use bigger ring binders and I could add so much more photographs. See the width..how slim.  You could create as many pages as you wish...

The inside pages are also fun to make!  I added more texture and colour on some of the pages

It was difficult for me not to add lace everywhere but I managed "smile".  I adhered either a whole or half a doily to most of the pages. On this mini I used mod podge as my adhesive.  The burlap under the flower also matches well with the Life Time collection.  

The pages of this collection is absolutely amazing.  If you are uncomfortable working with mixed media this collection has already done it for you - all you have to do is cut and embellish.  Most of the embellishments in this mini album are from the Life Time collection but all of them are Prima!

Play around with some Prima masks and stencils...add some glimmer mists, distress inks, Prima flowers and Life Time stickers and cutouts and you have a awesome page. I have cropped the right hand bottom corner - see image below to provide a few more details 

I used half a doily and half of a Starbucks coffee sleeve to act as a pocket.  The flowers are all Prima (various collections).  The typewriter wooden piece and the wooden X are all part of the Life Time Collection. I used Victorian velvet distress ink to colour the X and white washed the typewriter with white acrylic paint. See ladies, the possibilities are endless... 

The back of the album has a strip of lace down the center (can't help myself "grin") and a lightly stamped pattern - the beautiful papers from this collection do not need much help!!

Because this album is so easy to make I am thinking of creating a kit (any collection) and PDF instructions.  All you have to do is purchase it!  Let Paper Lane know if you are interested...it is easy ladies...you will be glad you made one for yourself!

Take care and happy crafting...Janine

Altered Photo Frame

The Life Time Collection by Prima is so versatile I felt inspired to alter a photo frame this time displaying a photograph of my husband instead of my daughters.  The papers is so versatile it can be used with both feminine and masculine projects.  I am totally in love with these papers - they are awesome!  My blog will be overflowing with projects using this collection; so keep a look out!

I used a normal cheap wooden frame; I chose this frame because the wood surface was broad and not narrow like most - this space gave me plenty of room to experiment with some mixed media techniques.  Of I started by applying a coat of gesso, then white paint and then another coat of gesso - I wanted to really prime the surface before starting all my layers of texture, mediums, mists and embellishments.

I cut out the petals individually from the flowers the "Blue Bayou" sheet and adhered them with mod podge at the top left hand corner, in the middle of the the left panel and at the bottom right hand corner.  I used Martha Stewart texture paste on small strips of a thin netting I found, a left over piece of lace and some bubble wrap.  

I positioned my elements with mod podge and once dry covered all of it with a layer of gesso I left the gesso to dry for an entire day before spraying various glimmer mists and paint dabbers.

On the left panel I positioned a Prima flower spray so that it gives the effect of being outside and inside the frame. The wooden bird and branch are also Prima embellishments.  I cut a dusty attic heart shaped die in two and as you can see by the image below, I positioned them on different places within the frame.  

On the right hand panel I adhered antique brass loops and hung a Prima wooden key on it.  The flowers are all from the Life Time Collection and the wording/phrases all over the frame are fussy cut from the "Familia" sheet.  

I love how the completed look is feminine but totally suits a male photograph too.  The flower collection has browns, grays and blacks too so I choose the black specifically because hubby's favourite colour is black.

I hope I inspired you to create your own photo frame...happy crafting!  Janine