I adore this building. Not only is the window over the arched door opening gorgeous, but every part of this building is full of ornate wonders. I am currently doing some research on many of the building within Balboa Park. I am fascinated by their ornate beauty. From what I have found, this building, currently known as Casa Del Prado, is actually a modified reconstruction of one of the temporary exhibition halls built for the Panama-California Exposition of 1915-1916. Originally known as the Varied Industries & Food Products Building, to my amazement, I found out that the temporary buildings were made to look like two story structures, but were actually large warehouse type structures. The ornate exterior of these temporary buildings were made of light inexpensive plaster, sprayed with a waterproof concrete paint to resist the weather for the time they hoped to buildings to stand. Due to the resistance of San Diegans to demolish these buildings, they remained and were used by the War Department for a U.S. Naval Training Station during both WWI and WWII. In the sixties and seventies, the building was reconstructed with a steel frame and cast concrete ornamentation, and renamed the Casa Del Prado building, and included two floors of meeting spaces and offices. I find both the structure itself and the history fascinating.

Everything by Anna Aspnes:
Check out what Anna currently has on sale: http://www.oscraps.com/shop/On-Sale/
AnnaRelease 19 April 2013 http://www.oscraps.com/shop/AnnaRelease-19-April-2013.html
ArtPlay Palette Roots http://www.oscraps.com/shop/ArtPlay-Palette-Roots.html
ArtsyTransfers Roots http://www.oscraps.com/shop/ArtsyTransfers-Roots.html
ArtsyTransfer Story http://www.oscraps.com/shop/ArtsyTransfers-Story.html
12X12 Page fotoBlendz No. 8 http://www.oscraps.com/shop/12-X-12-Page-FotoBlendz-No.-8.html
Artplay Palette To the Moon http://www.oscraps.com/shop/ArtPlay-Palette-To-The-Moon.html
ArtsyTransfers To The Moon http://www.oscraps.com/shop/ArtsyTransfers-To-The-Moon.html
UrbanThreadz No. 10 http://www.oscraps.com/shop/UrbanThreadz-No.-10.html
UrbanStitchez No. 11 http://www.oscraps.com/shop/UrbanStitchez-No.-11.html
WaterColor FotoBlendz No. 4 http://www.oscraps.com/shop/WaterColor-FotoBlendz-No.-4.html
ArtsyTransfers Beach http://www.oscraps.com/shop/ArtsyTransfers-Beach.html
ArtsyTransfers Getaway http://www.oscraps.com/shop/ArtsyTransfers-Getaway.html
ArtsyTransfers Story http://www.oscraps.com/shop/ArtsyTransfers-Story.html

Process Notes: My inspiration came from this weeks AnnaLift created by Sexy__Eyes. I have a hard time with dark background pages, so I really wanted to give this lift a try. I began with the dark cardstock, and used Inverted masking to blend the photo unto the page. I added the frame, and ten began adding a variety of stains, masks, artstrokes and splatters from a variety of kits and ArtsyTransfers. I added the 12x12 Page FotoBlendz, changing its color and placing it on blendmode multiply, giving the area around the photo a bit more depth. I added the name of the building, and the stitches, threadz, bow, and dried sprig. I edged the page with a darker cardstock, and placed a paper lace brush in the upper right of the page.

Font: Pretty Script
Thanks for looking