Come Meet Anna Dabrowska!

Today is going to be a GREAT day!

First up:

We have a winner for the BPS $50 Gift Certificate! The lucky winner is:

Juste Zastartiene!

 

Wonderful IDEA!!!

Posted by: Juste Zastartiene | July 27, 2011 at 08:30 AM

 

Congrats, Juste-please email us within 7 days to claim your BPS prize! sharon@primamarketinginc.com

Next up:

We recently chose a fabulous new design team and we would love to have you get to know the gals and their work a bit better! We are starting off with the mega-talented Anna Dabrowska (AKA Finnabair) from Poland!

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My name is Anna Dabrowska - Pekocka, but on the net I tend to use my nickname – Finnabair (pronounced Finavar) or Finn to make it shorter. I’m 31 at the moment, I live in Warsaw, Poland, with my dear, supportive husband – Jedrek, who understands my passion. We don't have children yet, but there's a lovable beagle and 2 parrots at our home. I work almost full time in a local Cultural Center as a teacher, PR worker and many many more in one, but I'm also teaching scapbooking and mixed-media classes in Poland and abroad. It gives me a lot of good energy, great experiences and satisfaction – I'm an educator, so I just love this kind of work. I like new challenges in my life, creating with friends, books, photography and I have to have a cup of black tea somewhere nearby;)

My “crafting story” is rather short: I've tried several techniques when I was studying at the university but at the end of 2007 I found information about scrapbooking and in 2008 I made my first pieces – and I fell in love. Next step was trying some altered art and mixed media - and my love got even deeper! Now I'm totally addicted - especially to layouts.

I'm a totally moody scraper and mixed media artist. I create different projects starting with grungy, eclectic through funky and freestyle and finishing on detailed collages, mixed-media canvases and altered art. It all depends on my current mood or source of inspiration. If I have to say which things are typical for my projects I'd say it is using of different medias – Glimmer Mists, gesso, gel mediums, inks combined with machine stitching and adding a lot of details. I'm in love with found objects, especially metal ones and I usually incorporate them into my creations, mixed with scapbooking embellishments like flowers, buttons and crystals. I prefer making my own custom background for the paper page or canvas layout.

My inspiration is everywhere: I love to collect everyday object and than giving them “the second chance” somewhere on my projects – their textures, shapes, colors are an endless source of inspiration. It is my way of life now: I can't stop thinking about creating, even when I'm tired there are some ideas coming to my mind. I just don't stop it and let it happen :) I believe that if you let yourself to have fun, look at the world with your eyes wide open – there's no other possibility – you have to be creative:) Most of the times my creations are impressions of that I feel at the moment or visualizations of some memories, ideas and plans. I hope people watching them can see that creating is fun for me, it is a way of expressing myself and giving a piece of my heart to others. I think the need and emotions are the best reasons for creating and as long as you feel pleasure doing this it is all right – you give a bit of happiness to yourself and – possibly – to the others. ~ Finn

 

 

The new beautiful "Romantique" paper line was my great inspiration for this page - I loved the colors, which brought to my mind the images of old laces, newspapers and ribbons in delicate, muted colors - treasures from  grandmother's attic. As usually, I used some of Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists to cover my page with different shades of browns, greens and blacks.

Detail 1:
I love tapes and laces of different kind, so I couldn't resist using a lot of them in my project - they helped me a lot with building the layers and adding dome "extra touches" to the composition. I also mixed in some of my favorite found objects, which I call usually "rubbish" - gears and other clock's parts, some buttons, acrylic elements and wire. In my opinion - they work together perfectly with beautiful roses, flower petals and elegent shabby chic resins.

Detail 2:
As I said before, tea is my biggest addiction - I don't drink caffee at all, but 8 to 10 cups of tea during the day. I usually make fun of this habit and create journal pages and layouts inspired by tea  - with "tea" elements included. On this layout, next to gorgeous Prima flowers and crystals there are dried teabags formed into banner and some more of them peeking here and there. Simple idea - but very cool effect!


Products Used:

• Romantique papers:
• - Estella #843434
• - Courts #843403
• Essential Flowers #555265
• Coventry Rose #553302
• Avon Rose #552503
• Alphabet #550172
• Typography Alpha #550103
• Art Tape #550790

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I think my favorite kind of creations are collage layouts - usually very rich in layers and details. Most of the times they reflect my emotions or are inspired by nature, art or literature. As they are very surrealistic, the composition is usually a suprising mix of natural and industrial elements, beautiful flowers, petals, leaves and branches with cold, metal, plastic or acrylic findings.

This canvas is called "Winters' night" - I hope you'll enjoy spying all the elements I put on this creation :)

Detail 1:
I use tons of Prima flowers and leaves to create detailed, even messy collage which should bring into mind a fairy-tale character, whose hairstyle is an artisitic construcion of very different elements. To find a common ground for the nature and the industry I use a very narrow color palette, which helps to focus on the texture and detail instead of color scheme. I love cutting flowers and branches into pieces, using them in a different parts of the composition - they give so many possibilities and they look just beyond amazing. Prima products are just perfect for "altering" a bit and finding new ways of using them in the project!

Detail 2:
The background is also made step by step with adding amany layers of fabirc, canvas and beautiful lace. If you are patient, you can get breathtaking effects with using just a bit of gesso, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists and canvas torn into pieces - embellished a bit with tape and lace. Experimenting is fun and you'll be amazed with what you can do!

Supplies:

• Carlotta #552794
• Elysa #552046
• Rock Candy #552190
• Splendor #553609
• Meredith #552077
• Ornamental ending - #550509
• Resins #890773 - Small Birds
• Resina #890704 - Old Church Window

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I love detailed, clustered look, but from time to time I also like to make something more flat, more traditional. To be honest - I'm not a great fan of patterned papers, but I do love patterns, which I can make by myself - with masks and stamps. Prima has got an amazing line of both of them and background stamps are surely to die for!  With a bit of Glimmer Mist, some ink and background stamps you can really make everything you want on the plain paper. I love crazy stamping  with several different patterns in the background - to finish the page you need just a bit of embellishments and you get a nice looking, freestyle and funky layout.

 

Detail 1:
What can be more exciting than a cotton tape mixed with crystals and a bit of metal brads? When you combine it with machine stitching the effect may be very interesting! The titles are cut out from Pixie Glen paper and they go beautifully with a color of the tape.

Detail 2:
To add even more metal you can always use your office supplies like staples or paper clip. To get more 3D effect use some foam tape with your paper elements.

 

Supplies:

• 843175 Pixie Glen Paper
• 843236 Pixie Glen Paper
• 550172 Pixie Glen Alphas
• 550790 Writer's Art Tape
• 551025 Clear Stamps
• 544980 Clear Stamps
• 536275 Clear Stamps
• 551322 Say It In Crystals

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Thansk for stopping by! We hope you have enjoyed getting to know Finn better!

 

 

 

Comments

[Linelle]

I just love, live, love Anna's work!! She is very much an artist who inspires me!!

[mary puskar]

I'd love to know how Finn stores her pages since they are sooooo dimensional. I absolutely LOVE and ADORE the Time for Tea page. Will be definitely using some of her ideas on future LO's.

Mary

[Tara Orr]

Finn you are seriously beyond talented - but you know how much I adore your work! You have a style all your own my friend and your attention to detail is over the top amazing. You have perfected the shabby grunge style. Prima is very lucky to have you! Love the feature - big hugs!! Tara

[nowalinka]

Yes, in Poland we Love Finn! :)
Finn, gratuluję, zdolniacho Ty :*

[finnabair]

Thank you so much to you all :*

[Tusia]

Finn - your works are breathtaking! But what I can say is that not any single photo can show the mastery of your talent! I know, what I am talking about :D

I am very happy, that you are Prima girl - very very mixed media Prima girl :**

[Maryangella]

Finn's work is SO inspiring & unique, it has made me look at Prima in a totally different way! She is the perfect gal for Prima!!!

[Fran Brunke]

Prima + Finn - this is a match made in heaven and I look forward to getting to know Prima a bit better this way.

[Michele]

Amazing, brilliant, gorgeous....great choice Prima!

[Patty O'Malley]

So nice to get to know you, Finn! Your work is so amazing! My grandfather was born in Warsaw. I agree with you that I have to have my cup of tea throughout the day. Love your idea for the tea bags.

[Astrid]

Stunning work, you are total inspiration! You take scrapbooking from crafting into the realm of real art!

[Martha Richardson]

I {HEART} Finn's work...it blows me away & I'm so glad to see her on the Prima team...she will ROCK!!

[CariCreates]

Oh wow! Absolutely love Finn's work! Thanks for the intro! :D

[Julie Tucker-Wolek]

I loveeeeeeee Finn's work!! Just AMAZING!! And CONGRATS to your winner! :):):):):):):):):)

[marianne/skorpionen]

I'm so happy that Finn now is on the Prima team!! I just love your work Finn!!
The canvas above - just gorgeous and my special favorite colors. Love the way you use few colors on you projects!

[JaMajka]

I love Finn's style, she is a great artist and such a creative woman! I love her blog and I adore her work :) I'm her big fan!
To mówiłem ja, Jarząbek vel JaMajka :) Finn, szacunek, jesteś WIELKA!!!

[AnnaMarie]

SO blessed to be on the team with this amazing talent :) - Finn, you are just SO awesome!!! *Heart* your creations - and now I know you are a massive tea-drinker like me too! :)

[annie!]

Bravo Finn!

[finnabair]

Once again - thank you so much for visiting and all your kind words. You are the best!!!
xoxoxo!!!

[corinne de france]

bon mon 1er message n'a pas pas été édité? Alors je recommence, votre travail est une pure merveille, vous avez de l'or dans les doigts, bravo encore ^^
corinne de france

[stan]

hey buddy, respect for your work, it helps me with букмекеры and was interesting to read

[cat lacigale]

Finn is incredibly talented. I am a faithfull follower and I pray every single day... I am desperately waiting for the day she comes to France for some classes ! I will be the first on the list ! Anywhere in France ! I love your Art, Finn !!!!

[Monica Lowrance]

Wow!

How awesome to get know more about you and your inspiration. I love how in touch and free you are to create. You give us all hope and inspiration.

Thank you for sharing your thought process and how you incorporate everything into your work.

You sound like one busy woman!!! Have an amazing day.
All the best.
Monica

[Ivan]

beautiful photos!too many interesting things Puppy training