Prima in STAMPtember!!

It's STAMPtember® over on the Simon Says Stamp blog! They have tons of exclusive new products just for this special event! I was so excited to try a few of them out! (Thank you, Stephanie!) You can also try them out with a special discount just for YOU! Use the code above for 20% all Prima products!

It's not too early to start getting Christmas card ideas ready, right? Good, I didn't think so! Besides, you'll want to start early with these so you can make them for everyone "special" on your list! Who wouldn't love to receive a little bit of Christmas magic in the mail? (Click "read more" below to see all the steps!)

Sparkly Christmas Cards!

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)

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!!!

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!)

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!

Happy NSD!!

Welcome to the NSD Prima Blog Hop! Scrapbooking is a hobby that caught my eye shortly after I got married in the 80s. (YEAH! That long ago!) I scrapped my wedding photos, cutting many of them out with decorative scissors. OUCH!) Then life swept over me with it's craziness of having six babies in a row and I had to set the hobby aside for a bit. I picked it up again a few years before I had my last baby and couldn't believe how much the product selection had grown. I was a gonner! (Is that even a word? Well, you know what I mean!) I have been immersed in it every since. Isn't it the best hobby ever?

And....I am so thrilled you made it to my blog! You most likely came from Keren Tamir's blog and will be going down the list to Patricia Fernandez's next! I am so very blessed to be working with everyone on Prima's blog hop list today. Prima has a fun-packed day planned with the wonderful Ambassadors, the talented Design Team, and their amazing Educators! I hope the projects inspire you to dig out your crafty supplies and have fun along with me.

I have a sweet, feminine project to show off today, along with a cute prize to give-away. So make sure you scroll ALL the way to the bottom to catch it all! The complete blog hop list is also included for you. Prima will also be giving prizes away on ALL of their social media outlets, along with a stunning main prize hosted on the Prima blog, so make sure you hop around and then comment on Prima's blog!

Prima is offering free classes today as well! Want to learn new techniques? Chat with other scrappers? Join in on the marathon of "Live With Prima" classes filled with gorgeous projects kicking off at 7 am PT! The first class will be taught by ME showing off a few techniques for art journaling! Click here to watch!

Now on to my project for NSD! Each of us created a 6x6 page with an inspirational quote. With Mother's Day coming up I wanted to create something to let moms know how wonderful, important, and unique they are to their children!


I lost my own mom three years ago so Mother's Day is bittersweet now. It's hard to celebrate the day knowing your own mom isn't here, but God always knows my needs. He gave me the most amazing mother-in-law! She has always been there for me. She doesn't pry, or push, or try to have her own way. And she is adventurous! My hubby really respects her, and I agree 100% with him. She's the kindest, most giving person I have ever met. I'm so glad she's a part of my life, and my children's lives. So I made her this piece, as the quote inspires me to be more like her:

"To the world you are a mother, but to your family you are the world!"

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 The project was simple to put together! I started with a 6x6 paper from the Meadow Lark Collection, added a bit of cheesecloth to it, then added a resin butterfly in the corner.

I printed out my saying (multiple times as I kept printing it slightly TOO large!) Glued it to the back of one of our new resins. And then started decorating the page with flowers and leaves.

 I think it's the perfect way to show her how much we all love her. And her favorite color is purple! (I sure hope some day my children will feel the same way about me!)

And here is my give-away! All you have to do is leave a comment right here and I will pick a winner on May 12th to receive these gorgeous products! Open to all countries! (I would love it if you found me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram as well!)




Now here is the Blog Hop Line-Up! Hop along, be inspired,  and find some give-aways!

Prima Marketing
Olga Vasilieva
Adrienne Ford
Magda Bolinska
Kasia Krzyminska
Kasia Tomaszewska
Felicity Wilson
Delaina Burns
Louise Nelson
Brit Sviggum
Jennifer Snyder

Solange Marques
Kelly Foster
Keren Tamir
Sharon Laakkonen-You are HERE!
Patricia Fernandez
Elena Olinevich
Alberto Juarez
Frank Garcia
Maiko Miwa
Trina McClune
Janine Koczwara
Misty Olsen
Sarinda Jones
Ramona Downing
Candace Hagler
Erin Reed
Sam Ho

Prima-Sizzix Blog Switcheroo

Hello, everyone! My name is Sharon Laakkonen and I am so excited to do a blog "switch" with my wonderful friends at Sizzix in the UK! And to make it even more exciting I will be showcasing some of our new Prima dies. Yes, you heard that right! Prima and Sizzix are a perfect match, right? It was so fun working with both companies to create a few projects just for you. (And they both have fabulous give-aways this week!)

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It's June and I can hear wedding bells all around me. I know at least ten couples who are getting married this year! (Including two of my own daughters:  Brittany and Breanna. They have both found wonderful guys. I could not be happier for them!)

 

So, with weddings on my mind I thought it would be lovely to create a few elegant cards with Prima's Leeza Gibbon's papers and our new Sizzix dies.

My first card is simple and sweet. It showcases gorgeous Wishes & Dreams paper, elegant die0cut swirls and a fanciful shaped border. You could seriously make this card in less than 20 minutes!

• Cut 9 x 6 inch card. Fold in half to create a 4.5 x 6 inch card.
• Die cut swirls, tag and border from white paper. Add to card as shown.

• Tie tulle around card and knot. Add a large Prima flower and tuck in three die-cut leaves.
• Add greeting and crystals.

Turquoise Congrats Card:
Prima
Wishes & Dreams paper-970031
Wishful Thinking paper-970383
Leeza Gibbon's Flower-970888
Tiny Alphas-563295
Crystals

Sizzix 
Bigz Die-Classique-Swirl Die-658524
Bigz Die -Arbor-Leaves-658523
Sizzlits -Bordeaux Border-658519
Bigz Die-Elisse-Tags-658526

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My next card is a bit bolder and graphic, but I love how it still has some elegant touches!

 The hardest part in making this card is lining up the patterned paper text with the die cut! You could also just stamp on the label...or use letter stickers!

I just put the paper in place over the die making sure my greeting was centered. (Don't tell anyone, but I added a teensy bit of tape to hold it in place!)

• Once the greeting was cut the card was so easy to put together! 
• Cut a 4.5 x 11 inch card out of Wishful Thinking paper. Fold to create a 4.5 x 5.5 card
• Cut a 4 inch doily in half and add to both sides of the card as shown.

• Layer tags with foam, then add the greeting.
• Decorate with flowers, one brad, tulle, and crystal swirls (cut those in half too!)

Purple One Day Card:
Prima
Wishful Thinking papers-970321, 970383
Wishes & Dreams paper-970031
Wishful Thinking Brad-970451
Divine Flowers-565268
Frost Flowers-565787
Crystals-563622

Sizzix
Bigz Die-Elisse-Tags-658526
Bigz Die-Estate-Label-658527

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The last project is my favorite! Start with the large flower die to create your card base. (Cut two of these, flipping the paper over for the second cut. Glue the two flower shapes together back-to-back making sure they match up.)

Cross seam binding as shown and set on top of the large flower. Adhere a medium paper flower on top to sandwich the ribbon.

Decorate with flowers, leaves, tulle, a greeting, a twine bow, and a butterfly.

Write your personal message to the bride and groom on the back and tape to a gift. The newlyweds can hang this tag around their new home as a reminder that love is everlasting!


Love Everlasting Tag
Prima
Wishful Thinking paper-970383
Wishes & Dream paper-970031
Frost Flowers-565787
Divine Flowers-565268, 565251
Divine Rose-565282 
Papillon Butterfly-543839
Divine Stickers-563264
Precious Metals Leaves-547394

Sizzix
Bigz L Die-Flora die-658528

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I hope you enjoyed the wedding cards and tag! (You could easily use these designs for other occasions by simply switching out the greetings.)



Be sure and check out the Prima blog as we will be featuring three amazing Sizzix designers this week!

My Jump Start Post!!!

I am so excited to be a part of Nathalie's AMAZING Jump Start 2013 Summit!!!

I have a special prize just from me for one of YOU! Just leave a comment on NAT's site where the video is hosted! (not here!!!! Although I would love to hear from you here too!)

So go sign up for Jump Start and get the video emails sent right to you!

And here are a few shots of my projects featured, along with a close-up or two from the video..

Let me know if you have ANY questions, okay?

Challenge-to use NO flowers on my son's page. I always use flowers so lately I have been trying hard to scrap some more masculine pages. Now, my 8 year old son doesn't mind flowers on his pages (YAY), but the 19 year old...that's another story! See the tucked in tag for journaling? I misted lightly over a mask to create some dimension on it.

I also used a few decorative wood elements that I got as a gift from Zarza Laser in Brazil! I loved making the page even more special with them.

Prima's Reflection mirrors are perfect for a guy's page. They are sturdy, yet reflective, adding a unique element to the design.

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Next up is a very special Christmas card I made for Gerry van Gent as part of the Prima DT Christmas card swap! (Shown before, but I love using tags for cards and had these pics handy!) Isn't it exciting to send something to someone who will appreciate all your hard work?

Sometimes when I get stuck making a card I decorate a tag and add it to a card base. It just opens up the path to creativity for me!

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My last project using tags is this sweet layout of my granddaughter's first birthday. I added supplementary photos & trimmed them to fit the chevron bags at the top. I think I stuffed almost 12 extra party photos in those two pockets. Some photos are added to tags for extra journaling space.

The bonus technique can be found on the video using Golden Glass Bead Gel and a Prima mask! You are going to LOVE the glimmer and sparkle it adds to your tags!!!



So-I hope you were inspired just a bit to get your creativity going! THANK YOU for stopping by!

~ Sharon

Christmas Joy Card!

It's the holiday season and I have a "Christmas Joy" tag card just for YOU!



First I started with a tag. Tags are so fun to make, but I run out of ideas of what to do with them...so I added it to a card base!

Then I grabbed a few of my favorite things: doilies, punches, a date stamp, Ranger tissue tape, twine, and LOADS of Prima!

You know I save all my scraps. Do any of you do that? Well, I picked out all of the ones that fit this color scheme and used them here and there on the tag.


Remember the "Got Flowers" jars filled to the brim with gorgeous blooms? I found a bottle, pulled some out, and added crystal centers to them. I also punched stars out of the bottom of the tag to let the red-striped Prima paper peek out.



A velvet trinket and a touch of twine add the perfect finishing touches.



Top off your tag with a white bow and adhere it to a card base (I just used coordinating paper for the base.)

Next send your amazing card to your FAVORITE person in the whole wide world! They will love you forever!

Merry Christmas to each of you! ~Sharon



Prima Supplies:

• Ledger paper
• Velvet Trinket
• Alphabet
• Got Flowers
• SIIC centers

Other:

• Date Stamp
• Ranger Tissue Tape
• Doily
• Thread
• Twine
• Seam Binding
• Star Punch
• Pinking Shears