Prima

A Beautiful Calendar!

Heather Scott recently posted a fabulous calendar idea on her BLOG! With her permission we used her basic instructions and put a Prima twist on it!

Make sure you check out her amazing step-by-step photos for tips on re-creating the original calendar shown here.

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For Prima's twist on the calender, Sharon started out with the tagboard sheets from three Prima flower packages!

The sheets are a wonderful kraft color, have gorgeous die-cuts and were created by Prima to be re-used! Simply trim off the Prima logo at the top and then cut each piece in half so the die-cuts match up. (If you would like one on the covers save one more flower package.)

Also needed are two sheets of thick chipboard. Since our embossed books come with 10 whopping pages, Sharon sneaked two out of a new book and cut them to create the outside covers of the book. (Cut each chipboard piece 4.75 x 3.5 with a trimmer. Score each side and snap the chipboard on the scored lines.)

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Cover each side of the chipboard with paper.

Using a Bind-It-All, punch holes through the calendar pages and chipboard covers. (If you want to have an extra spiral on each side of the calendar pages for ribbon like Heather did just add more width to the covers only.) Secure the rings on the book- threading per instructions on the Bind-It-All.

Next mat each of your calendar pages and adhere to the recycled Prima pages! (Sharon used Cavalier & Whispers papers.) Add January through June on the front of each kraft piece and then flip the book around and put July though December on the back sides.

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Decorate each month as desired with flowers, crystals, cut-out hearts, etc! This is the fun part as you can personalize your favorite months for each person you give it to!

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Since the cover will be flipped open feel free to add a photo to that side! (Make sure the orientation is correct before adhering photo.) Sharon added Prima's collage flowers and leaves, crystal centers and Sweet 'n Sassy flowers to the photo area. (The fancy edge was created with an edge punch.)

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What a great way to take Heather's very creative idea and personalize it for a Christmas gift! This calendar uses a minimal number of supplies (many are just left-overs) so it is very cost effective too.

If you have any questions feel free to post them here.

Prima project and photos by Sharon Laakkonen

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A Christmas Gift Idea and Recipe!

With Christmas quickly coming up we would love to share a favorite recipe for Peppermint Bark with you. Along with the fast and easy recipe we are including a festive decorated tin idea. The recipe is enough to fill three of our Minnie-Cans (along with a bit left over!)

Project compliments of Sharon Laakkonen

Layered Peppermint Crunch

• 22 oz good-quality white chocolate (Lindt, Bakers, etc)
• 6 oz crushed peppermint candy (candy canes)
• 11 oz semi-sweet chocolate
• 6 Tablespoons whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Preparation

1. Line a large baking pan with aluminum foil (at least 9x12).
2. Melt white chocolate in a double boiler or slowly in the microwave (be careful not to burn!)
3. Spread 3/4 of the melted white chocolate on foil with a spatula forming a 9x12 rectangle.
4. Immediately sprinkle half of the crushed peppermint candy on top. Set pan in refrigerator to cool.
5. Melt semi-sweet chocolate with double-boiler or in a microwave, Stir in cream and peppermint extract. Stir until mixed in and smooth. Cool for 5 minutes.
6. Spread semi-sweet chocolate mix over the white chocolate layer. Layer will be thin. Refrigerate.
7. Re-melt the remaining white chocolate and spread on top of the semi-sweet layer**. Sprinkle with remaining peppermint candies. Chill until firm.
8. Lift hardened bark off of foil and break into pieces.
9. Fill decorated Minnie-Can and give to your favorite person!

**For a decorative touch scoop melted white chocolate into a baggie. Seal and snip the corner off. Squeeze white chocolate lines back and forth over the chocolate layer in a diagonal pattern.

Minnie Can Materials List:

Prima Minnie-Can (517618), lace (527983), glittered ribbon (527945), Christmas flowers and leaves (527563), Say It In Crystals center (521899)

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Prima Design Team Reminder!

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Don't forget the deadline to apply for the 2009 Prima Design Team is sneaking up on us! All entries must be received by December 31st. See full details here.

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Our Latest Guest Designer....

...is from the United States! Let's meet the talented Gwen Lafleur!

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1.  When did you start scrapbooking and how did you get started? I’ve been scrapbooking in one way or another since I was a little girl, but I really got started with scrapbooking during the summer of 1995 after I came back from an internship in Belgium.  My mom had discovered scrapbook supplies in the craft aisle of a local store and got me hooked… I’ve been scrapbooking ever since.

2. From where do you draw inspiration? Everywhere!  From online galleries, blogs and magazines for scrapbooking, cards, interior design, illustration and graphic design… billboards and commercials… even my shampoo bottle is inspiring me right now :)

3. Describe your style for us. I like my layouts to have a clean and graphic foundation and then I’ll add fun touches or layers until it feels right to me.  I guess maybe it’s kind of graphic eclectic?

4. How do you go about designing a page? I start with photos that I’m in the mood to scrapbook (I’m definitely not a chronological scrapper) and I figure out which ones I want to use and what sizes I want them and then I edit and crop them and print them out.  From there I decide how much of a story I want to tell so I can plan journaling space.   Once the pictures are ready, I kind of lay them out and move them around until I like the layout and then I go through and pull out a selection of paper and embellishments and just go to town!  I don’t have much fear of ruining or wasting supplies so I’ll play with things until I like them and then glue down… then I’ll play some more and add more stuff or take things away.  I do a lot of re-adhering while I’m working… lol.

5. In general, how long does it take you to do a page? Depending on what I’m working on, it can be anywhere from thirty minutes to three or more hours.

6. What is your favorite Prima product?  Flowers!  I’ve been collecting and using Prima flowers on my pages since I first found them in the stores a few years ago.  I use flowers as often as I can on my pages.

7. What are 3 other products that you can't live without? I’m addicted to the Kokuyo Dot ‘n Roller – it's my favorite adhesive.  I have to have lots of patterned paper – it’s very rare for me to make a layout without at least a little bit.  I also love rub-ons; they’re perfect for adding just the right touch to just about any layout.

8. What is/was one of your favorite scrapbook trends/fads? I guess I’d say using circles on layouts.  I used to do it all the time and I still love doing it – I just really like circles so that was / is a trend that was something I could definitely get in to.

9. Is there anything else you'd like to share with us? Just a huge THANK YOU! to Prima for this opportunity!  I’ve been a big fan of all things Prima for years so this was a thrill.  If you’d like to see more of my layouts I post lots of projects on: Gwen Lafleur's Blog.

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Gwen loves to travel and often scraps her gorgeous photos from all over the world! For this layout Gwen started out with some Peaches paper (880583). She punched additional circles out of coordinating paper to carry the theme throughout the design.  The pre-printed flowers (on the background paper) were a perfect guide for  building beautiful flower clusters (513986, 527853). After adding lime green Stickles on the edges of the green flowers to tie in with the glitter on the paper, Gwen journaled on a Dude note (820664) to pull it all together!
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Hark The Herald Angels Sings is filled with winter wonder! Gwen used her Silhouette cutter to create perfect snowflakes that compliment the Prima flowers (523978) and dove-shaped Say It In Crystals design (525101)! A length of Angelique crushed velvet ribbon (810184) adds lots of gorgeous texture to the page, while Christmas Poinsettias and leaves (527563) add a touch of festivity!  Gwen did not have any pink crystals centers so she used a Copic marker to color our clear ones (524951)! Since the markers are alcohol-based they work wonderfully in customizing the color of the gem.



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'O Christmas Tree is filled with lots of SPLENDOR and SPARKLE!  Gwen uses ribbon to create little window shops with her photos (she cut the windows out of the cardstock. Gwen added a few sparkly Prima transparencies behind the windows-821418- for a soft effect). Voila! felt trees (881191) accent the page while a cluster of glittered flowers (with a Prima Beauty Mark-840211) and ribbons create a gorgeous focal point that just makes the whole creation SHINE!



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 Gwen created this adorable Panda album using left-over acetate sheets from stamps (what a great way to re-purpose them. Simply trim the sheets to the same size and use a Bind-It-All to pull it together.) If you want to create a similar album, but do not have acetate sheets feel free to use one of Prima's clear Build-A-Books (890063)!

Not only did Gwen re-use packaging, she also added some bamboo pieces to her album and stamped on them. What a creative way to use a renewable resource that carries the "panda" theme throughout her book!

Prima's Peaches line (6x6 paper pad-880576) was used as a base throughout the album, while Gwen added lots of Prima flowers and crystals for sparkle (517304)! To make the crystals go further Gwen cut them apart to create smaller swirls on her pages. Also included is a beautiful Voila die-cut ribbon (880279) and flower collage!









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Thank you so much, Gwen, for guest designing for us! Your pages and mini-album simply shine with your love for adventure!

Stay tuned as we will soon be featuring another guest designer who will focus on Christmas projects and cards!

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Prima's Newest Tutorial-Paintables by Cari!

Cari Fennell brings us a brand new tutorial showing hints and tips for using Prima's paper Paintables! These are a very fun product that allow you to color the paper to customize your layout! Any art medium can be used. Cari uses Adirondack ink pads and a waterbrush, Permapaque pens by Sakura, as well as walnut ink, but feel free to branch out and use any medium of your choosing! (Be sure to check out additional Prima product tutorials by clicking on the category list on the right of this page!)