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Love in the Summertime!

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Posted by Gabrielle Pollacco

6 August, 2016 - , ,

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Love_watermark

Hello Maja Fans!  It’s Gabrielle here with you today to share a layout and video tutorial with you using the absolutely gorgeous new summer collection by Maja Design called Summertime.  I was delighted to be asked back again to do a guest spot using this fresh beautiful new paper collection!  ….Has your summer been a good one so far?  Ours has been busy and lots of fun!  And I have some big news to share….my oldest daughter got engaged a few weeks ago! It’s still hard to absorb that my little girl is so grown up now.  But we are all so happy, he’s an awesome guy and they are so very happy together!  Every photo I have of them, you just see they glow with joy, so I thought I would use one of these pics to scrap with this lovely summery paper!

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I used a variety the Summertime collection papers for my layout…’Light Scarlet’ as my matting paper, ‘It’s Always the Best’ as the main background design, ‘Flowers Everywhere-bs’ for the heart design, ‘Smell the Roses’ for the matting for the heart and ‘Light Scarlet-bs’ for the gingham inserts.  I thought I would share a video tutorial with you all on how this page was put together, so get yourself your favorite summer drink (my favorite is strawberry lemonade), take a load off, relax and enjoy!….
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37nolY7JX4o?rel=0]

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial and hope this inspires you to play with this beautiful collection for your own summertime photos.  Here are some close-ups and details of this page that you can enjoy at your leisure.

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Since this is a love story, I thought I would use lots of heart images throughout the layout.  I used the ‘Circle Stitch Stamp Set’ I designed for The Scrapbook Diaries, using the stitched heart stamp on a variety of the Summertime patterned papers and added Prima Mechanicals (hearts) to the centers to create fun and unique little embellishments for the page.

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The flowers are also from 49 and Market, the roses are a floral stem that I cut up and used in various places on the layout, and I used canvas blooms from their Rustic collection to tuck in around the photo area.  For my mixed media product I used two crayons by Faber Castell called Iced Rose and Iced Currant (see video for various ways I used this paint crayon).

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The cogs chippie is from ScrapFX, and again the metal heart is by Prima.  (this whole page design, including chipboard, mixed media products, stamp and papers can all be bought as a kit from The Scrapbook Diaries).

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Another product I’ve had a lot of fun with lately is those little colorful pebbles called Prills, here I used Tutu Pink Prills to accent the wooden floral accents from Scrapeniec and to accent my heart designs.

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I just love to layer all the pretty paper designs in this collection.  For me, the gingham design on the backside of ‘Light Scarlet’ paper just speaks of summer.  Here I tucked it in a tear I made in the background paper “Is Always the Best’. Tucking in a little lace and burlap, I think adds a nice rustic look.

I really enjoyed working with these lovely papers and I think you will too!  Would you like a chance to win this beautiful ‘Summertime’ collection?  Be sure to pop over to my post at my blog and leave a comment, I will choose a winner on August 31st, it’s that easy!

Have a happy Summertime!

Gabrielle-sign

Vintage Romance Layout & Video Tutorial

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Posted by Gabrielle Pollacco

16 May, 2016 - , ,

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Relax_main photo_withwatermark

Hello everyone, Gabrielle here with you today!  Yup, I’m back for a little guest spot!  When I received the gorgeous Vintage Romance collection in the mail a couple weeks ago, I felt compelled to make up a layout & video tutorial with these stunning papers!

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I used ‘Happily Ever After’, ‘Together Forever’ and ‘Words of Love’ for my page design.  I was going for a fabricky (is that a word? LOL) look on this layout, so I added a little machine stitching on the background design, this is optional, I think it can look equally as nice if you leave that off (if you are not a sewer).

So grab your favorite beverage, take a little break and enjoy!….
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU7IfCNV9LA?rel=0]

I hope you enjoyed my little tutorial!  Here are a few close-ups you all can enjoy at your leisure….

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I have this close-up turned on it’s side just so you can get a more close-up and personal look at it.  I simply followed the pattern in the paper to create my button hole design…makes it easy to space out the design.

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The next step was to add a little color just directly behind the photo area using some Shimmerz spray called ‘See Ya Latte’ Spritz….then I applied some home-made texture paste through a Dusty Attic stencil called Flower Power.  I was going for a kind of Bohemian-chic look and I thought this daisy design would work well with it.  I also matted my photo with the backside of the ‘Words of Love’ paper, I do love browns with blues!

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To continue the fabric idea of my page I also included a pretty strip of lace that I got from Tresor’s de Luxe, which I adhered with Tombow liquid adhesive.  I prefer this glue as it allows you to readjust your placement if need be without making a big mess on the paper (let the glue sit for a few minutes to set up before you apply your embellishment to the page.

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I had a little fun with my embellishments on this one….I tried a new product (at least to me) called Prills, they are these little balls that come in different colors. Here I using the color called A-maized. I just applied a little glue to the tops of the blossoms of the Wild-Flowers #4 chippie by Dusty Attic and poured the little pebbles onto it…..I really love the effect!

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I finished my design by adding some layered floral and butterfly stickers by K&Company in a few strategic areas of my photo area.  Added a small shabby-chic bench embellishment by Prima and a few adhesive pearls on the lace panel.  Done!

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial today and hope you feel inspired to try your hand with the gorgeous new Vintage Romance collection, I know I’m going to keep playing (I’ve got me some of those pretty pink papers ear-marked for another layout)!  Thanks for stopping by the Maja Design blog today, we appreciate and read all the lovely comments and feedback! xo

Gabrielle-sign

 

Saying Farewell ~ All Smiles

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Posted by Gabrielle Pollacco

23 March, 2016 - , , , ,

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All Smiles_resized

Hello Maja Fans, Gabrielle here with you today to share a very special project, dear to my heart.  As many of you know I have been with the Maja Design team for over 4 years now.  Today will be my last post for this wonderful team.  It was very hard for me to come to this decision as I have very much enjoyed creating with these beautiful papers.  But as I have a lot on my plate as of late, I felt it was time to make a few changes.  I decided to end my journey as I began…..the very first project I did for Maja Design was using their signature blue’s and neutrals….so today I finish my journey using these classic colors.

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As always I used a variety of collections in one layout (5 in all), but I mainly chose papers from the Life by the Sea collection.  I drew my inspiration from the navy and white stripe top my oldest daughter is wearing in the photo above of her and our dog.  These are the papers I used on this project:  Life by the Sea (Seaside Cottage, Bottle Message), Vintage Summer Basics (1945-bs), Vintage Autumn Basics (XXIII-bs, XVI).

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I chose the fresh and pretty ‘Seaside Cottage’ strip paper as my matting paper….and the softly scripted ‘Bottle Message’ paper as my background.  I decided on my photo and embellishment placement and then softly tinted the surrounding area with some Colorbox Mixed Media Inx in a Patina color.

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Before adhering my background paper to the matting paper, I added a little accent by tearing the two papers and curling back the edges to reveal the pretty check paper from the Vintage Autumn Basics collection with a little peek of lace as well. I added a small zipper pull from Prima Marketing to finish the look.  I also sandwiched a strip of burlap between the two papers before I finally adhered the two pieces together.  As an added finishing touch I added two ‘hinge’ designs by cutting a Dusty Attic ‘French Flourish’ chipboard design in half and glued them to the top and bottom of the right side.

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I double matted my photo with papers from Vintage Autumn Basics and Vintage Summer Basics, sandwiching the Dusty Attic ‘Vintage Frame #4’ between the two layers.  Then I added some butterflies (just some images I printed off from the internet), blossoms and clock images that I fussy cut from the Vintage Autumn Basics XVI paper, and applied with pop dots, adding a border with Platinum Stickles (glitter glue).

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I also added some randomly cut sections of Dusty Attic chipboard Lattice…..and as a final touch used some Dusty Attic Clear Gloss Varnish to attach some seed beads in around the lattice (Prima – Licorice seed beads).

I hope you enjoyed checking out my project as much as I enjoyed creating it!  It has been my absolute pleasure being on this wonderful design team and want to thank Marie Janson for her kind generosity and support all these years, as well as Camilla Lillieskold, our awesome design team coordinator and Jennifer Snyder, our social media coordinator for all their hard work on our behalf.

Suffice it to say I will be using all the lovely product I still have in my stash for years to come! xo

Gabrielle-sign

 

Window Easel Card {Maja Baby}

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Posted by Gabrielle Pollacco

24 February, 2016 - , , , ,

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Baby card photo4

Hello Maja fans! Gabrielle here with you today to share this uniquely shaped baby card I recently made.  I tend to be a bit frugal with scrap supplies, I save everything!  Those plastic/transparent pieces that many of your embellishments come on (blooms etc.), I don’t throw them out, just in case I can use them later.  I recently found a fun use for them….making easel cards with a peek-a-boo window.  The Maja Design ‘Vintage Baby Collection’ had all the perfect elements to create the card I envisioned.

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I used a variety of papers from the Vintage Baby collection (Die Cuts, Die Cuts-bs, Ephemera, Expecting, Our Little Miracle and Flowers for Mom), I also did a little fussy cutting from Vintage Spring Basics (5th of May) and Coffee In the Arbour (Butterflies are Free).

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The bottom part of the card has an area for you to write in your own personal thoughts.  I added some fussy cut blossoms attached with foam adhesive dots so that the window part of the card has something to prop against.

Baby card photo1

Here is a picture of the card with it’s folded shut.  To make the card I cut out the framed baby design from the Vintage Baby Ephemera paper, also cutting out the area behind the baby inside the frame with an exacto-knife. I then laid the card cut out on the brown gingham paper (backside of the Die Cuts paper) and cut a piece slightly larger in wide to the frame piece…and kept the length of the strip the full 12 inches.  I then cut a second piece of the gingham paper to frame the baby frame piece, making sure there is about a 1/4 inch edge.  I then made a fold crease in the long strip at the 6″ mark and at the 3″ mark.  I cut out the center of the upper part of the 6″ rectangle and also out of the matting piece I cut for behind the baby frame.

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I then put the card together by attaching the gingham matting paper to the upper 3″ of the long card strip and then sandwiching the transparent plastic piece between the matting and the actual baby frame piece.  Now you have a cute peek-a-boo window on your easel card.  The last steps are just adding a few decorations.  I cut out a second baby image from another piece of the Ephemera paper and added it with foam pop dots, I thought it gave the card that extra pop.  I also fussy cut some flowers from the Vintage Spring Basics paper and butterflies from the Coffee In the Garden collection and added them as decorations to my card front.  A few seed beads for my flower centers and bingo, your unique baby card is done!  The cool thing?  Maja also has a beautiful baby boy framed image in this collection so you can make the card for either sex.

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It’s hard to show in a photo the effect of the see through window so I thought I’d post an extra pic from the other angle, but believe me, in real life the effect is quite striking.  I had a lot of fun creating this special baby card and think you’d enjoy it too!  Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by the Maja blog today….as always we enjoy hearing your comments and feedback on our projects! xoGabrielle-sign

Live Love Laugh

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Posted by Gabrielle Pollacco

10 February, 2016 - , , , , , ,

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LIveLaughLove_GabriellePollacco_Maja

Hi everyone! It’s Gabrielle here with you today to share a special page I made for my parents anniversary this month.  They are having their 58th wedding anniversary, such a wonderful milestone.  For this page I combined a number of paper collections, using 5 different papers. (Vintage Summer Basics 1922, Nyhavn-Strolling Along the Canal, Vintage Summer Basics 1923, Ska Vi ta en Fika-Pratstund, Vintage Autumn Basics-XVI).

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I began by using the Vintage Summer Basics 1922 paper as my matting/background paper. I then cut the corner and 1/4 inches off the edges of the Nyhavn paper, which I then painted with some Shimmerz paints (Black Cherry Soda Creameez and Onyx Inklingz) and stamped liberally around the photo area with some stamps that I designed for The Scrapbook Diaries.  I then layered on a crocheted lace Doily from Tresors de Luxe and a chipboard frame from Dusty Attic (Swirly Frame and Laurel Leaf chippies).

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I created coordinating blossoms using the Rose Creations dies from Spellbinders, using the scraps from the Vintage Summer Basics 1922 and 1923 papers.  I cut the smaller inner petals from the darker pink paper and the larger petals from the light pink paper.  I also cut out a few green leaves using the Ska vi ta en Fika paper (leaf dies are from the Rose Creations set).

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I added a cluster of embellishments in the bottom right corner using a couple of Dusty Attic chippies (title and scroll).  I also added some texture using a Prima flourish stencil and home-made texture paste. And as always I love to tuck in a little clock here and there from the Vintage Autumn Basics XVI paper.

I hope my parents enjoy this layout, I’m forever grateful to have them in my life and hope they will see many many more anniversaries.  Thanks so much for stopping by the Maja Design blog today!

Gabrielle-sign

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