Helmar January 2012 Guest Designer "HOME"

Hi everyone!  I am so HAPPY to announce that my first post as HELMAR's January 2012 Guest Designer is UP on their Blog!  Check it out at over there or below!

I'm Sherri Caramico and I am SOO EXCITED to be here - as this is my first post as a GUEST DESIGNER for my most favorite adhesive company HELMAR !!  I am very grateful for the opportunity, and I LOVE  working with Helmar products! 

Before I get to the "sticky, crafty Helmar Goodness" let me first tell you a little about myself.

I am a mother of 2 wonderful sons, who are 22 and 17, and the wife to my amazing husband of 29 years-my high school sweetheart!   Both my husband and my sons support my scrap habit and endure my endless requests to take their picture! I know someday they will thank me when they can look back on all the wonderful memories I have preserved!

I work full-time in the corporate world, but enjoy a creative escape whenever I can fit it in. I've been scrapping since @ 2004, and I guess you would say that my style is full of dimension, texture and color. I am a scrapbooker who has become more and more interested in altered art and mixed media projects. I am not afraid to stretch and reach outside of the standard box - although I will tell you a little secret, I still remember that fear and the funny feeling that came over me the first time I ever cut and tore a 4 x 6 photograph!! ( I know you know what I am talking about!)

I am a member of the Scrap-a-Doodle Doo Design Team in Ramsey, NJ, and one of the lead educators at the store.(one of the few LSS left in our area.)  I was selected to be part of Cheerio's Eat Healthy campaign, and made a video about my "Passion for Scrapbooking" which was filmed at the store back in 2009. You can view the video here: Cheerios ~ Youtube    I LOVE meeting people and teaching them new techniques. I always try to gently push them to reach outside their comfort/creative zone, to try something new-usually the messier the better! I feel a sense of accomplishment when I can help someone who once said "I could never do that" change their thinking to "Wow, I did that!" after trying something new in a class that I was teaching. 

Since I won Helmar's facebook contest to secure this coveted spot back in November with my "HOME" reverse canvas project ( for which received the most votes - and lots of wonderful compliments too! THANKS!)- I've decided to share some info on how it was made -with hopes to inspire you to give it a try!

First off, I started with an  8" x 12" blank canvas  - and turned it over to work on the back.  It becomes a frame/shadow box this way.  I painted a nice thick coat of Gesso on the frame and sides - and just kind of brushed the center canvas portion "here and there."

Next I took the scrap or punched out piece of chipboard from The Dusty Attic "Wrought Iron Trim Set" # DA0547  ( I save everything!)  and literally filled it with an nice thick layer of Gesso that I applied very liberally - okay - kind of in gobs!

here is the beginning of that step

Here is one completed side - see the texture! It is going to LOVE being sprayed with Glimmer Mist!

I also brushed some gesso on the Grungeboard letters that I cut out with my cricut, and on the chipboard embellishments, and allowed everything to dry well overnight.  The letters were later sprayed with Olive Vine Glimmer Mist ( one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE COLORS!) 

Next it was time to add some Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist  to the frame - I love blending and adding LOTS of color - I always start with the lightest color ( in this case Wheat Beer in the bottom left corner) and added Candy Apple Red and Chocolate Covered Cherries for the brown tone.  I also distressed the whole frame with Ranger's Black Soot Distress Ink pad.

Here is a close up of all that Glimmery Goodness!

I made paper flowers out of white cardstock that I colored using the same Glimmer Mists that were used on the canvas - I used a paint brush to add the color to the edges of the flowers - If you've never dipped your paintbrush into a bottle of Glimmer Mist - you don't know what fun you are missing!! LOL! The flower was glued together with Helmar's 450 Quick Dry Adhesive, which was also used to adhere the Grungeboard "HOME" to the canvas too!

LOVE THIS STUFF!

All of the elements on the frame were attached with Helmar's 450 Quick Dry Adhesive, and Helmar's Liquid Scrap Dots worked PERFECTLY for the metal button centers on the flowers - I think this is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE products!  

A definite MUST HAVE to add dimension with ease!

Here is my finished piece.  I really hope you like it and it inspires you to try a reverse canvas too! 
So much fun!

Thanks for looking!  

Now go CREATE SOMETHING!!

Sherri