Prima

Prima and Maiko Kosugi!

 

Today's designer is all the way from Tokyo, Japan! Maiko Kosugi adds so much to our team with her very feminine, very-full layouts that are reminiscent of a gorgeous blooming garden!

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Hi everyone!

My name is Maiko Kosugi. (Also known as Mai*) I am so honored to be a part of Prima Design Team with such wonderful people. Thank you so much Prima!!

I live in Tokyo, Japan with my family.

We live in a beautiful town located 30 minutes by train from the center of the city. Where we live, there is a lot of nature compared to the big city and my children love to play in the wide park near our house every day.

I am married to a professional violinist and together we have 2 adorable sons, 3 and 8 years old.

I am currently working as a piano teacher to children at home. I have about 20 students and I am so happy to feel their growth through my lessons:)

I started scrapbooking in March 2009, and it has become my favorite hobby ever since.

My husband and I both love to take photos of our sons. I love to scrapbook because we can decorate our precious photos in a very beautiful way.

I get inspiration from my son's smiles and from beautiful products.

I always use a lot of Prima flowers for my work. Flowers are indispensable to my work.

My parents also loves flowers. Various flowers are in blossom in the garden of my parent's house all year round. This garden also gives my a lot of inspiration for my work.

I grew up watching the flowers everyday.

I think that is why I love flowers:)

This is a photo of my parent's garden. I always image a flower garden with my son's photos when creating something.

And here are my creations made with 2011 Summer collections.

Prima Products:

• #843441 Romantique "Gazette"
• #843472 Romantique "Crumpet"
• #843410 Romantique "Orchard"
• #843403 Romantique "The Courts"
• #551223 Romantique Chipboard
• #550097 Romantique 8”x10” Alphabets
• #551148 Pixie Glen  Reflections
• #551704 Fleur De Lys - Almond
• #552220 Powder Puffs - Colette
• #552244 Powder Puffs - Beth
• #553722 Tweet Vine - Quail Tendrills
• #890735 Resin - Mini Windows
• #890704 Resin - Old Church Window

I especially love the flowers that have wires on them. It is because the flowers can freely change their direction and natural movement can be expressed when placing them on to creations.

I usually pile up many flowers on my layouts so they always become very thick and heavy! lol

I coordinate the flowers to use from what color my sons are wearing in the photos and from the beautiful papers. I usually combine about 3-4 colors of flowers for my layouts.

 Prima Products:

• #843199 Pixie Glen "Chip-A-Twitter"
  #843236 Pixie Glen "Dartmoor"
  #551216 Pixie Glen Chipboard
  #551643 Pixie Glen Resistant Canvas
  #553227 Pixie Glen Flower Market
  #553319 Pixie Glen Coventry Rose
  #552602 Pixie Glen Jardinere
  #550172 Pixie Glen 12”x12” Alphabets
  #550073 Alla Prima 8”x10” Alphabets
  #551490 Say It In Crystals
  #551575 Say It In Crystals
  #552046 Elysa - White
  #552008 Twisters - Pastel
  #553609 Splendor - Winter
  #890803 Resin - Garden Well

I only have boys, but I love to use a lot of pink, hearts, and laces with their photos. :)

I made this heart using from Twister(#552008.)

Prima Products:

• #843205 Pixie Glen "Rose Arbor"
• #843199 Pixie Glen "Chip-a-Twitter"
• #843175 Pixie Glen "Garden Gate"
• #551216 Pixie Glen Chipboard
• #553227 Pixie Glen Flower Market
• #550073 Alla Prima 8”x10” Alphabets
• #551643 Pixie Glen Resistant Canvas
• #551353 Say It In Crystals
• #552275 Solitaire - Meadow
• #551933 Amore - Cherry
• #552008 Twisters - Pastel
• #553616 Vermont - Ivory
• #552886 Cradle - Sparrow
• #553609 Splendor - Winter
• #552923 Melody - White

 

Even though I say I love flowers with wires, I also love flowers that don't have wires!

Prima Products:

• #843762 Londonerry "Sampler"
• #843113 Londonerry "Finick Finack"
• #551650 Londonerry "Resistant Canvas"
• #551520 Say It In Crystals
• #551490 Say It In Crystals
• #551193 Tiny Treasures - Assorted Charms
• #552275 Solitaire - Meadow
• #552268 Solitaire - Pure White
• #552220 Powder Puffs - Colette
• #890711 Resin - Window Frame
• #550837 Flocked Rub-Ons - Alla Prima

Here is another CHA layout! This one uses new Powder Puff flowers and one of my favorite new products: Shabby Chic Resins!

 

Prima Products:

• #843762 Londonerry "Sampler"
• #843113 Londonerry "Finick Finack"
• #843106 Londonerry "Parlor Games"
• #551605 North Country Resistant Canvas
• #550172 Pixie Glen 12”x12” Alphabets
• #550073 Alla Prima 8”x10” Alphabets
• #552510 Londonerry Essentials 11
• #552497 Londonerry Avon Rose
• #552138 Fantasy - Snow
• #552220 Powder Puffs - Colette
• #553036 Gillian - White
• #552046 Elysa - White
• #551834  Crystal Palace - Black Snow
• #551926 Amore - Frost
• #553609 Splendor - Winter

Finally, this is my canvas project. Canvas suits the Prima products very much!!

I masked the pattern to Writers tape with Prima mask.

Prima Products:

•   #552466 Pixie Glen Avon Rose
• #551636 Romantique Resistant Canvas
• #550073 Alla Prima 8”x10” Alphabets
• #553722 Tweet Vine - Quail Tendrills
• #552053 Elysa - Wheat
• #550806 Writers Tape
• #551384 Say It In Crystals
• #890698 Resin - Window Shutters

Thank you again, Prima, and thank YOU so much for taking a peek of my creations!! I will always love Prima and will keep making creations with them!  ~~ Maiko ;)

International Class tonight on Live with Prima!

We have a fabulous International class tonight with Louise Williams! She is one of our talented Prima Educators, joining us from New Zealand. Tonight's class is all about layering and unqiue techniques using Prima products to create a one of kind layout.And September classes start this week, with a gorgeous altered book from Marion, filled with techniques and beautiful hues of color. See all of the class details below!

Visit our Live with Prima website for additional class information, store locator and check out some of the new features that have been added to the site. One of the newest features is a Prima Value Pack with a retail value of $80.00 for only $34.99!

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Pretty Cheeky Layout with Louise Williams-New Zealand

Tuesday August 30^th at 3:30pm PST/ 10:30pm GMT/ August 31^st 10:30am NZST

 
 

 Join Louise live as she creates a beautifully dimensional layout full of Prima goodness, including lots of distressing and layering to create dramatic impact in your pages.

Prima Products:

• 536923 Times Alphabet
• 535100 Raja Center
• 544140 Scrapbook Jewelry- Malachite
• 546045 Innocence Collection 2
• 841812 Annalee Collection- Romance
• 841836 Annalee  Collection-Poetry
• 602406 Paintables
• 530389 Say it in Pearls-photo corner swirls
• SA-01-A-17-1 Flowers-small white-10 pieces for project
• 519735 Yellow Ribbon

Extra Supplies:

• Gesso
• Glue
• Distressing inks

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From the Heart Altered Book with Marion Smith

Thursday, September 1^st at 6:30pm PST/ 9:30pm EST

 

This class is so fun, it's filled with painting and distressing techniques you are sure to use over and over again. We'll take a vintage book and its pages and turn it into a truly unique mini album!

 

Prima products:

• 547539-Lovely Leaves
• 546090-Innocence 2
• 544782-Say It In Crystals and Pearls
• 930011-Vintage Trinkets
• 545123-Clear Stamps
• 545109-Clear Stamps
• 842864-Happy Easter Jack-Celebrate with Jack and Jill
• 842871-Be Mine-Celebrate with Jack and Jill
• 842888-Happy Easter Jill-Celebrate with Jack and Jill
• 842963-Sweet Valentine-Celebrate with Jack and Jill
• 842956-Beach Party-Celebrate with Jack and Jill
• 842949-Seasons Greetings-Celebrate with Jack and Jill
• 842932-Lazy Days-Celebrate with Jack and Jill
• 842901-Happy Birthday Jack-Celebrate with Jack and Jill
• 842895-Up, Up, and Away-Celebrate with Jack and Jill

 Extra Supplies:

• Vintage book
• Distress ink in Brown
• Permanent ink in dark brown
• Cream acrylic paint
• Light brown acrylic paint
• Wet glue
• Edge Distressor
• Matte Multi Medium or Matte Modge Podge
• Accu-Cut or Bigshot (Optional)
• Heart lock die or heart die (Optional)

Lookey Here!

We have two exciting things to share with you!

 

Look where Prima is going to be featured NEXT!

Be sure and check out the October issue of Scrapbooks, Etc. for some amazing peeks at Prima products!

 

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Second-we have a lucky winner to announce for the Scrapbooking from the Inside Out kit give-away. (Thanks to all who took time to leave a comment!)

 

Wendy Crowe!!!

What a gorgeous kit! So many color combos! This kit would certainly go a long way! THanks for the chance!

Posted by: Wendy Crowe | August 27, 2011 at 08:20 AM

 

Wendy-Please contact us within 7 days to claim your kit! sharon@primamarketinginc.com

 

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Prima and Leslie Ashe!

Leslie Ashe is new to our team this year, so we are excited to show off her fun projects with you! We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

 

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Hi there, everyone! I’m Leslie Ashe & I live in Fort Worth, Texas (home of the Stockyards, the best Tex Mex ever & some serious HEAT!) with my husband, Alan. We’ve been married 21 years (yes, I started young!)

...and we are blessed with 2 of the most amazing kids – Savannah (who’s 20) and Shaypher (just turned 19). They both just headed off to their colleges which makes us have something we’re not quite used to yet...an empty nest. It’s been quite an adjustment around here...hard to get used to. At least we know there’s always holidays, fun weekend visits or trips to see them anytime we can. I’m just glad they’re both in Texas!

Even though they’re off to their own schools, doing their own thing, I’ve become busier than when I was a stay-at-home mom taking them everywhere they needed to be. Funny  how that works.  I LOVE our crazy, busy life.  I’m not sure I’d know what to do with a day where busy wasn’t part of it.  It’s what completes me...living the life we love. Crazy or not! ;D

 

Some fun facts about me:

• My newest accessory, my iPhone is attached to me at all times. I can’t put it down! It’s an addiction. My guilty pleasure, that’s for sure! 
• I was a preschool teacher for many years. I LOVED teaching then...it was such fun. My kids went to the same preschool and later would come help me with my class. I loved those days!
• I met, fell in love & married my sweet husband 21 years ago & he still makes my heart skip a beat! Not a lot of people know this but he moved from beautiful California to Texas...just for me.
• Contrary to popular belief, I didn’t name my daughter Savannah because of the movie “Savannah Smiles”. I had a totally different name picked out actually, then while driving through Georgia, it hit me...and stuck!
• I’m a HUGE book junkie. I love book stores, I love the smell of books, I love reading. when I’m not scrapping, that’s what you’d find me doing. Curled up with a good book in my fave chair.
• Starbucks is my downfall in any season. (just give me a non fat, no whip, caramel frap or a passion tea lemonade & I’m a happy girl.) The smell in there is divine!
• Even though I’m blind without my glasses, I’d never have lasik done. I live for cute glasses...I know, weird!

 

Scrapbooking is my life! I love it. I’ve been doing it now for over 16 years. I’ve seen so many styles come and go. Especially mine! I started by going to a scrapbook party with a friend and just never looked back.

I became HOOKED. I’ve actually been doing it my whole life, being inspired by my mom at a young age. I used to watch her take our photos and put them in memory books.  She’d tell me all the stories of each picture and what it meant to her.  Through the years, I kept memory books of my years growing up. Yes I even had a book full of just....stickers.  I love the memory my mom gave me and I have carried that on to my children.

 

 

Although I wish I had a definite scrapbook “style”, I’m not quite sure I do.  I wouldn’t know what to call it other than sassy with a little bit of shabby?!

I love color. I am so inspired by bright, fun colors and textures.  I love layers. Clusters too. If I could layer and cluster everything I came across, I would. My inspiration comes from my photo’s, or places I’ve been, websites I’ve visited and/or clothing ads...I love to be inspired by everyday things.

 

 

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Let me share a couple of creations I made for the Prima booth at CHA this summer.

First up is a layout of my beautiful daughter, Savannah:

The colors in the Romantique line just screamed “GORGEOUS.”. I love the bold patterns, the beautiful floral design & the colors..they are divine!

 

A technique I used here:  I backed the beautiful heart with paper. I think it gave it that extra pop of dimension that is just what my layout called for.
I then added more and more flowers plus a sentiment sticker for the final touch. 

My background was made using a Prima mask & spray mist. I love the effect it gave – I was trying to draw attention to my daughter’s photograph.

 

 

Supplies:

• Romantique Papers:
• Orchard – 843410
• Estella – 843434
• Hedgerow – 843458
• Alphabet Cardstock Stickers – Typeset – 550158
• Alphabet Sheet Typhography – 550097
• Chipboard Pieces – 551223
• Flocked Rub-on – 550844
• Coventry Rose – 553302
• Jardinere – 552572
• SIIC – 551391
• Amore: Topaz – 551957
• Vermont: Brown – 553630
• Mask: 550028

 

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Have you SEEN the gorgeous, colorful, whimsy Ruby Violet? I about DIED when I saw this fabulous line. It’s just fun, full of color and I couldn’t wait to create with the papers and beautiful accessories.

I created 3 little notebooks for any girl to carry in her purse, bag or just keep out on the desk to use anytime:

 

See what I mean about fun and whimsical?
I put each notebook together with a different theme in mind – but somehow tie to each other to send a message:  have a “happy lovely life”.

 

Ruby Violet Supplies:

1) Lovely Supplies

• RV Paper:
• Ditzy Floral # 940003
• Hoot Scoot – # 940010
• Embellishments: # 940171
• SIIC – 551360
• SIIC – 551353

 

2) Happy Supplies

• RV Paper:
• Bits & Bambles – # 940072
• Hoot Scoot – # 940010
• Mini Marvels – # 940027
• Embellishments:# 940171, # 940294
• SIIC – 551360
• SIIC – 551353

 

3) Life Supplies

• RV Paper:
• My Green Life – # 940034
• Hoot Scoot – # 940010
• Ditzy Floral – # 940003
• SIIC – 551360
• Embellishments:# 940171

 

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And my 2nd layout is of my handsome son, Shaypher.

The Printery collection is PERFECT for his Senior photographs. The elements in the designs like the clocks are reminiscent of how fast time flies:

 

I can’t say ENOUGH about the Toggle wood buttons, the resist canvas, the lovely Typography letters...they are some of my very FAVORITES!

they all make such a statement on any creation. 

 

I feel that the colors in this line really made my photographs stand out!

 

Supplies:

• Printery Paper:
• Love Ledger – # 843540
• Folio – # 843557
• Page Four – # 843526
• Pressman – # 843496
• Negative – # 843502
• Art Tiles – # 551308
• Mask – # 550042
• 8x10 Alphabet Sheet – Typography – # 550103
• Ornamental Edgings – # 550455
• Ornamental Edgings – # 550479
• Toggle Wood Buttons – # 550431
• Toggle Wood Buttons – # 550488
• Vintage Buttons
  

Thanks for letting me share!  ~Leslie

Want to Win a Free Kit?

Scrapbooking From the Inside Out has a gorgeous kit this month and they want to give our readers a chance to win one!

Just leave a comment for us right here and we will pick a winner on Monday, August 29th!!!

 

More about Scrapbooking From the Inside Out:

How does your inner garden grow? This month we'll be exploring themes of maturation, progress and self-improvement. Do you tend to yourself, or do you allow your spirit to wither? Cultivation of your goals, growing up and growing old, and your emotional evolution will be our focus. Who are you growing into? Find out with us and Explore Your Inner World. 

The GROWTH kit includes Prima's lush Madeline collection papers, Madeline Flocked Rubon, Matriarch Demi and Via Flaminia Dolce flowers, and much more.

 

Every month Scrapbooking from the Inside Out creates an emotion-focused kit that brings you the freshest supplies along with symbolism that will help you tell your real story. Each month’s delivery is a unique, stylish creation that will take you to new places in your heart and your crafting. Our industry-exclusive FREE Inspiration Page each month provides you with a multimedia support system - including deep journaling prompts, a music playlist, quotes, photos and evocative challenges to make your tender heart and creative mind and hands flow. Our kits are so much more than pretty - they're all about a deeper experience of scrapbooking - insight, emotional release and real understanding.

 

Registration is also open now for our premiere boutique in-person event, CRAFT: Creating Reflective Art for Transformation. This magical creative experience, sponsored by Prima, Creating Keepsakes and more  will be held in beautiful Santa Monica, CA, November 11-13, right on the sand. Join Prima DT member Stacy Cohen and other inspiring teachers for six meaningful and personal workshops and creative surprises and fun. Our proven, supportive, emotion-based curriculum will give you the tools to be more fully expressed in your life. Click here for all the amazing, deep and CRAFTy details.