Thursday, November 6, 2014

Happy Fall, Y'all!


Every time I receive an email from Stephanie at Simon Says Stamp it puts a HUGE smile on my face! My goal was to create  a shabby-chic piece filled with fall touches. I dug out some of my new favorite Prima products that shouted "FALL" to me and went to work. In the back of my mind I had a dual purpose for this altered birdhouse...my house really needed something seasonal on the entry table. So that is where this sparkly, texture-filled baby is going now!



Make sure you check out ALL the photos, plus the step-by-step instructions, over on the SSS blog! You can find almost ALL of the products there too. I also linked them below for easy-peasey shopping. (Just keep in mind that I scrap LATE at night, when the kids are asleep, and I can chill... so some of my step-by-step pics are not the best! It's a decent trade-off though!)



Prima Products:
Weave Trim- Camel
Lace Trim- Cloud
Ingvild Bolme Junkyard Findings Clock Parts
Finnabair Resist Canvas Sheet
Other: Tiny Attacher, Gold Paper, Fabri-Tac Glue, Craft Acorns, Pine Cones, Gold Branches, 3 inch Ceramic Pumpkin (I found this at Michael's for $2.99!)

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Sparkly Christmas Cards!


Octsharon


It's never too early to start making those special Christmas Cards! Tonight I am teaching a festive Holiday Card Class on LWP! I am HOPING to get two cards finished, with a FUN technique from a bonus card (shown below.)

So...let's pull out the glitter and have the most sparkling time of our lives in this fabulous card class using North Country papers, Color Bloom sprays, new glitters, and other fun, yet fast techniques. 

You can click right here to watch it and join in the chat to ask questions!  (6:30pm PT/ 7:30 pm MT/ 8:30 pm CT/9:30pm ET)

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Celebrating STAMPtember!




Guess who was asked to be a guest for Simon Says Stamp's amazing STAMPtember® month-long party!?! I was so honored...and humbled...again! I knew I wanted to work with a VERY special stamp by my sweet and mega-talented friend, Jamie Dougherty, created just for Prima!

This Bloom Girl is named "Sharon" and I think she is just LOVELY with curly hair and butterflies all over! The stamp is a bit larger than you think, so it is PERFECT for home decor and other FUN pieces. Here's a little peek at what I created. You can catch the whole project, step-by-steps, and full product list all over at the SSS blog...so go check it out!!!!!


Simon Says Stamp  was founded in 2002 with an interest in exclusively selling rubber stamps. It didn’t take long until we realized we couldn’t stop there. For more than 10 years we have celebrated rubber stamping and its glory. We work to bring companies from around the world together in a one stop shopping environment. Rubber stamps still remain the heart of our business and we are celebrating by hosting a “STAMPtember®" event intended to inspire, educate, and celebrate the delight of rubber stamping. Part of the enticement of rubber stamping is that stamps can be used in creating or complementing ANYTHING! From stamping dates on bank documents and postage parcels in the early 18th century, rubber stamping has dramatically expanded to include card making, scrapbooking, mixed media and many forms of altering and expressing art.

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Come Have Some Kitschy-Cute Fun With Me!


Today I am on Live With Prima teaching a few sweet tags, mixed-media style! The new Coffee Break collection is simply gorgeous with all of it's retro touches! Watch as I mix the line with our new Art Basics and Art Ingredients  to create colorful texture on each tag. (I also created an "Art Recipe" for each tag so you can see which products were "mixed" together!)

Art Tag Recipes with Sharon Laakkonen (that's ME! ;))
Tuesday, September 2nd at 11:00am PT/ 2:00pm ET/ 7:00pm UK

Septsharon

Whimsical and fun, these Coffee Break tags are simply perfect for sending to a friend, or attaching to a coffee or tea gift set! Join me as I share how to create each delightful tag from start to finish using Prima's new "Art Recipe" theme! You'll be "bubbling over" with inspiration with two custom "art recipes" created with brand-new, summer releases, while quickly mixing everything together for gorgeous results! Glass Beads, Art Sugar, Glitter, Pastes, and Gels...they are all included in this delicious class! 

Recipe 1: Love Your Life Tag


Recipe 2: Read, Drink, and Be Merry




Extra Materials:
  • Sizzix Floral Grande Butterfly Die
  • Black Seam Binding
  • Turquoise Tulle
  • Circle Punches (Marvy Green Scallop, Marvy Pink Circle)
  • Fiskars Border Punch
  • Corner Rounder

Monday, August 25, 2014

Happy Birthday, POM!


Today is Prima's fearless leader's birthday!  She is the beautiful founder and visionary force behind the whole company. Her positive "let's try it" attitude keeps Prima on the cutting edge with new products, programs, ideas, and energy! Please join in and help us wish Pom the very HAPPIEST of BIRTHDAYS ever on the Prima blog!!!

Pom copy

Today is YOUR special day, Pom! Enjoy it to the limit! I made a little tag for you from our NEW Special Delivery kit! (Thought you'd like that extra promotion, hehe!)
Pom card sharon2
So Pom and I go a ways back. I have known her for about nine years now. We have some CRAZY memories together...from working trade shows all over the states (and she will help from start to finish!), laughing uncontrollably at everything when out with Josie, Sally, Tami, Cari, and the girls (remember that ONE time talking about noodles???), to hitchhiking in Moscow late at night (yeah...who would ever think we would do that?)

I do treasure each memory though. So today, Pom, I hope you have the most blessed birthday ever!



Monday, July 14, 2014

BIG News!




We've had some EXCITING news recently! My son, Billy, recently got engaged so I wanted to create a little journal for him, and his sweetheart, Bethany! (YES, our family seems to be in a continuous wedding-planning mode!)



I started by painting one of Prima's fun journals with white paint, then spritzed a bit of Gold Foil Color Bloom spray on top for a soft, shimmery effect. (I took the journal apart to complete this step.) Once it dried I put it back together, then added layers for the cover with the Enchanted Framelit dies from the Flora Grande set. Set each layer on foam squares for extra dimension on your journal front.




Tip:
Use the framelits for your photo too. Everything will nestle together perfectly, making the photo the star of the project.


Top your framed photo with beautiful Prima flowers, and a few glistening butterflies cut with the Winged Beauty Thinlet Die and gold vellum! I just adhered the butterflies in the center so they look like they are barely landing on the project!

Thank you, Sizzix & Prima, for letting me play with the new dies! They are absolutely marvelous and so versatile no matter what type of project you want to create with them! (Click here and comment by the 18th for a chance to win a Big Shot and new Dies!)


Prima Products:
Princess Flowers 574406, Shabby Chic Treasures Metal Nameplate 892319, Something Blue Flowers 575274, Fairy Rhymes Journal 950644, Gold Foil Color Bloom Spray 573805, Wood ATCs 572921, Annalee Paper 841812

Sizzix Products:
Winged Beauties Butterfly Dies, Enchanted Framelits Die Set

Other:
Tulle, Gold Ink, Gold Vellum

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Announcing the 2014-2015 Prima Design Team! EEEEK!

Primadt
So we have a little announcement on the Prima blog today! Coordinating the Prima Design Team is one of my FAVORITE jobs! :)

I love working with the super talented designers all year long. From opening their emails and gasping at their gorgeous creations, to becoming friends with them online, the whole experience is surreal. And sometimes, when I am REALLY, REALLY lucky, I even get to meet them in person! (That is saying a lot as we have a HUGE global team representing the entire world!) To say that I am SLIGHTLY excited today is an understatement!

So here is the Prima announcement in it's entirety:


First of all: a special THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who applied! We were humbled beyond words to see so many talented people apply for our design team. Your creativity, beautiful projects, and sweet words about our company are all appreciated so much.
We know that along with the excitement for the new team there will be some disappointment too...and we hurt right along with you. If there was ANY way we could add everyone who applied to the team we would do it in a heartbeat! So please know we appreciate YOU. We love seeing your work, we know you put yourself out there, and we THANK for it.  We will always consider ALL of you as part of our Prima family!

So: after spending hundreds of hours going through gorgeous design team applications, poring over blogs filled with beautiful projects, and repeating this process multiple times, we FINALLY have our new team narrowed down! Please help us give these gals the warmest welcome ever. (Click on their names for a wonderful creative journey around the world.)

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Adrienne
 
What music do you listen to when you scrap? I usually don't listen to much music when I scrap. I have two little ones, and the silence after they go to bed is GOLDEN :) I do sometimes however turn on Pandora and gravitate to 80's music. It's spunky, moody and really gets me in a creative mood. 
 
What is one food you cannot eat? Lima Beans. BLAH.
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Amélie Mordret-France
Namecard

When did you start scrapping? I started scrapbooking after the birth of my first son. I wanted to make him a baby book, and I have been addicted ever since. I have always been really creative, and I enjoy drawing & painting. Scrapbooking has been a great avenue for me to express my creative side. 
When do you scrap? I scrap whenever I can find free time. I don’t really have a particular style, it really varies from project to project.  I just love playing with different papers and trying new techniques.  My projects always include stitching and lots of layering. My favorite color is Blue and my favorite Prima products are Color Blooms and obviously flowers!
Line
 
Aniacollage
 
What is your favorite Prima product ever?   Definitely flowers! I love them! I have used them for many years for various projects. They have fantastic forms, colors, and they are very flexible.
 
What's your favorite movie?  I don’t have one favorite. I like dramas, comedies and cartoons for children. Recently I watched, with my kids, "Transformers"... all the time. You know ... day after day! :)
 
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Camilla Ekman- Sweden
Camillacollage

Tell us your favorite thing about living in your country? I love the nature, and the fact that we have four seasons. Through my small country you can experience so many different kinds of nature. Most of all I love the sea and the forests.
What's your favorite color? My favourite colour is blue, even though a lot of my clothes are white or black. Blue comes in so many beautiful shades and reminds me of both the sea and the sky.
Line
 
 
Delaina

Tell us your favorite thing about living in your country (compared to other countries)?  I love living in the United States for so many reasons, and especially my part of the U.S. My town is a little slower pace than most places. We have wonderful southern cuisine, beautiful scenery, and down home, genuine hospitality.

What is one food you cannot eat? I am an extremely picker eater... too many "will nots" to name. LOL!
Line
 
 
Erincollage


What is one food you cannot eat? Cooked spinach. My mom forced it on us over and over again as kids. I never liked it then and will never touch it now (that I have a choice!).

What is your favorite movie? Oklahoma! I'm old-fashioned and I love my old musicals. My sister Kelly Foster and I used to watch it ALL the time. Act it out. Every song memorized. Still love it!
 
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Francollage


What is your favorite Prima product ever? This is a hard one! Probably the Junkyard Findings Small Typo Bulbs. Or the Romance Novel clear acrylic stamp.
 
Tell us your favorite thing about living in your country (compared to other countries)? I think it's got to be the self-deprecating humour!
 
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Georgia Heald- Australia
Georgiacollage

  • What is one food you cannot eat? I cannot eat any type of seafood. Even just smell of it makes my stomach churn. My first Valentine's Day with my hubby, he took me to a seafood restaurant. Yes, that went down well...NOT! lol.
  • If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world where would you go? That would be Spain. We went on a family holiday there in 2007 and totally fell in love. The food, the people, the weather, the landscape...all pure heaven!
Line
 
 
Jennifercollage

What music do you listen to when you scrap?  I actually listen to audio books when I scrap.  It’s too difficult for me to sit and quiet myself to read so this is a great solution for me.
If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world where would you go?  Wow – just one place, huh?  Difficult to narrow the list, but I’d really love to go to Spain. 
Line
 
Kasiacollage2
 
Tell us your favorite thing about living in your country? It's just my home and even if I'm dreaming about other countries I will always think about Poland like "Home Sweet Home". The most beautiful things here are: warm and calm nights in the summer; beautiful autumn; the scent of meadows; how much we Polish people treasure our ancestry; and how much we like to gather together. That's what I love about Poland, but there is much more.

If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world where would you go? As for now I would want to go somewhere in the deep forest. I'm a little tired of the city for the last few weeks, so the only thing I'm dreaming about is a few weeks somewhere far away from the noise.
Line
 
 
Kasiacollage
 
What's your favorite color? I love all shades of blue- from soft pastels baby blue to strong and vivid turquoise- blue makes me happy
 
If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world where would you go? I would love to go to Bali, rest in amazing bungalow on the water, and do nothing (apart of snapping tons of photos while sipping refreshing drinks!)
Line

Kellycollage
 
What is your favorite Prima product ever? My first reaction was FLOWERS - all of them!!! But then in close second, comes Prima's stencils and stamps!!! I use them on nearly all of my projects, and I love that they are "forever" products that you can't use up!!

What is one food you cannot eat? I have to pick just one?! I am a super picky eater. I could never, ever, EVER - try sushi. NO way. Never! Haha!! The thought of it makes my stomach turn!!
Line
 
Keren Tamir- Canada
 
Kerencollage
  • What is your favorite Prima product ever?  My favourite Prima product ever is definitely flowers. I really can't pick just one, they are all so gorgeous and I can't design without them.
    .
  • If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world where would you go? If I could go on vacation anywhere  in the world I would probably want to go to somewhere exotic like Fiji. I love the ocean so it needs to be present in most of the trips I take.
  • Line
Louise Nelson-Australia
Louisecollage
What is your favourite Prima product ever?At the moment that would have to be have to be the new resin frames from both the Ingvild Bolme and Prima Marketing ranges, aaaaaand the Color Bloom spray mist [especially the gold]!  :)
 
What music do you listen to when to when you scrap? I have a small selection of artists/movie sound tracks, whose songs play randomly and they include; Adele, Tracey Chapman, Jack Johnson, Gypsy Kings, soundtrack from the movie the Big Chill, and Annie Lennox.
Line
 
Nadia Cannizzo- Australia
 
 Nadiacollage


What is your favorite movie? Schindler's List
 
What music do you listen to when you scrap? sad and nostalgic music 
 
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Nine Mendella- France
 
Ninecollage
 
What is one food you can’t eat? I hate leeks .... Since I was little, the smell makes me nauseous, but my mother cooked them every week. I would rather starve than eat these vegetables again and I swore to my children that they never would have leeks for dinner.
 
What music do you listen to when you scrap? When I work I can not listen to music. I have no room- just a desk in the living room. The only music I can hear is the sweet melody of my kids games or cartoons that they watch on television.
 
Line
 
 
Olgacollage
 
What is your favorite Prima product ever? - I really can't do without Prima flowers and stamps! I use them in each project! :)
 
What's your favorite movie? - It's hard to choose just one...I like romantic movies and comedies like Notting Hill, Love Actually, Bridget Jones’s Diary and Back to the Future.
Line
 
WaiSam Ho- Malaysia
 
Samcollage
 
What is one food you cannot eat? I love, love chocolate, but recently I found out that I cannot drink Milo drink. Milo is a chocolate and malt drink by Nestle which is extremely popular in Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia. I have been growing up drinking this everyday. But after I gave birth, it gives me a tummy ache whenever I drink a cup of hot Milo drink. I was thinking I might be allergic to milk protein or I might be lactose intolerant. Apparently I am not since I have cheese and dairy products once in a while in my regular diet. Weird, huh?
 
What are your favorite Prima products ever? Hum.. this is really tough. I could spend hours and hours telling you what is my favourite and how I use them in my projects. However, the new Insta-Scrap collection with all the different sizes ATC cards is by far my favourite. I can use them in pocket-style scrapbooking, make a quick card, or even use it to add layering to my layouts. The sky is the limit when it comes to these cute ATC cards!
 
Line
 
Shirel- Switzerland
 
Shirelcollage
 
 
  • What music do you listen to when you scrap? Love 80s music! I put the volume up and sing very loud (I would also like to dance but with brushes is not practical!). I realized only after that the window is open and all the neighbors probably heard me!
 
  • If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world where would you go? I have two big dreams: 
- Visit California by car; take my time to explore, contemplate, swim in the ocean; find a hotel on the road; visit secret places. I love to meet people, discuss, share our impressions of life.
- Go to New Zealand and Australia, rent a motorhome, and go on adventures. I love the great outdoors and different landscapes, listen to the silence, and feel at peace with myself (but my Art Journal is never far away!)
 
Line
 
 
Wendycollage
 
What's your favorite color? Yellow. It’s full of life, light, brightness, joy and vitality.

What's your favorite movie? Eat, Pray, Love.  Simply because it’s been the story of my life.  Seriously.

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Sharon Laakkonen- USA: DT Coordinator
 
Sharon collage
 
So let's all give our new Prima DT a warm welcome! I know these gals are going to inspire you like crazy over the next year! And stay tuned for tomorrow...when we announce our 12 Guest Designers! We are super excited to share their names with you too! ~Sharon