Friday 27 February 2015

"Life is not a Competition" Layout -
Prima Product Pick - February 2015
Plus advice on Inks, Backgrounds
& Choosing your Base Paper







You didn't think I had forgotten about the PPP now did you?!
I couldn't let that happen, despite February cheating us all out of
an extra half a week or so!!  So here it is - done last night!!!


LOVED the inspiration images & the colours BUT for me purples
 don't come so easy & I don't have a lot of purples in my stash.  
I don't think I have EVER bought purple flowers so had to 
settle on pink, blue & pale yellow (to represent the cream).


For colour challenges I always choose my photos first.
It's the ONLY time I do this as for product challenges
I choose photos to match the product & for sketch
challenges I choose either or first,


Believe it or not the base paper is actually "Marveilleux"from the Cartographer 
Collection.  It's a lovely pale cream base with a pale grey Damask print.
These "wallpaper prints" as I call them are ALWAYS the easiest ones
to work with for backgrounds as they regress rather than leap out,
that's why a pale base with ALWAYS look more sophisticated 
than a loud one & colours DON'T WORK for backgrounds.


I used the Finnabair doily stamp with grey ink for my stamping.  Staz-on ink
 pads are best for background stamping.  They are colourfast/archival
 & produce the crispest images.  Ranger should work just as well but doesn't. 
 Stone Grey is a great colour to own as black is sometimes just a bit too harsh.


That background technique may look thrown together in all of 5 minutes
 but it is not.  Achieving a "mild" mixed media background is something 
that takes months to perfect.  Gesso is a must as your initial layer then
 to achieve the pinks, purples, blues & browns I used Color Bloom 
Sprays along with a water brush & absorbent kitchen paper. 


 It's a delicate addition/subtraction process that should take you at least 
30 minutes :)  If you have no idea what I am talking about Christin 
Gronnslett demonstrates it very well on You-Tube HERE . 


I used layering papers from Prima Free Spirit & Evergreen & embellishments 
from Prima Epiphany, plus Prima flowers of course!  Also a crochet icon
 & a paperclip from the Seashore Collection.  I love the way that it is so
 easy to match Prima collections, unlike many other American 
companies, their prints are subtle & delicate enough to do it :)

  Take care & have a lovely weekend xo




7 comments:

Lizzy Hill said...

This is great a fabulous page Helen...I'm with you, Stazon all the way! Never used the Prima sprays...got too many others to try & use up, LOL!!!!! Love that you don't have a lot of purple ... Pesky colour!!!!!!!

Val-Belle said...

Fabulous layout and I love the background. Went to watch Christin's video too... it was amazing.
Another one who is not mad about purple. Looks great here. Such a nice pic of your kids and I love that quote.

Jean Bullock said...

Wonderful page as usual. I love the soft background colors.

Athanasia said...

Very very beautiful page, I love it!!!

Julie Tucker-Wolek said...

Gorgeous! LOVING the flowers and the doilies!!!!!

Margaret Mifsud said...

Love this page!! Gorgeous soft colour and just enough mm on the background for interest!! Beautiful photo of your kids and I love the quote!! (Going to pinch that actually! LOL!!) Going to check out that video now!! ox

Mitralee said...

Spotted this page on Facebook first and then got it in my inbox for a nice read and close up! I really did that new star doily die cut you got your hands on. The purple really works so well on this page! Love this page!