Monday, January 21, 2013

Scrappy Resolution 2013 - January

A couple of weeks ago, I posted here about my scrappy resolution for the year.  Every month, I'm going to create a layout or card (or both) using a previous Studio Calico kit from that month.  I have been a subscriber for three full years now, so I have a lot of product to choose from!  
This month, I ended up using product from January 2010, 2011, and 2012 on my layout (yay!)  My inspiration came from the wood veneer letters in the 2012 kit.  I had used a lot of them and when I put them away, I had written down a few words that the remaining letters would spell.  The words "SUMMER" and "WI" were both still possible, so I thought I would use those in my title.
I had taken photos when we were in Wisconsin at my parent's cabin last summer of my family playing a game of "yard toss." Outdoor games involving bean-bags are very popular in Wisconsin for whatever reason!  I combined papers from the kits and cut and used a wood-grain paper for the background.
I cut out a sun for my title and hand-stitched a few sun rays.  It was a fun challenge and I'm happy with the results!
I also decided to see what I could do with a couple of remaining items from the 2010 kit.  The kit came with some little school themed cards.  I knew the two that I had left would never work on a layout for me, so I decided to make a card with one of them.  
I also used the last flower sticker from the set, some leftover black cardstock, and patterned paper from the 2012 kit.  The other stickers were from my stash.
How are you doing on your resolutions?  Would anyone like to join me in my resolution?  I'd love to hear about it if you do!
Have a great week everyone!



Monday, January 14, 2013

December 2012 Studio Calico - 34th Street

This is my last post of the year with my monthly feature "what I created with this month's Studio Calico kit from the time it arrived until the day next kit arrived." Ok - I never actually called it that, but that is the easiest way to describe what the post is about.  I've enjoyed this feature and plan to continue it in 2013!
This month, I only created two layouts with the kit.  I'll use Christmas as an excuse, as I really did like this kit!  I will definitely be using it more.
The first layout I created using a photo I took using instagram.  We have a hibiscus that we bring indoors every fall and it had a gorgeous bloom on it a few weeks ago.  I added a few bits from the Studio Calico "Pop Off the Page" class kit.  I am still loving sequins! I also can't get enough of the American Crafts POW glitter paper that I used for the word "hibiscus."
The next page that I created I used a photo of my kitty Sumner laying in front of the fireplace at our cabin in Vermont.  He just LOVES laying there and being all warm and cozy!
I used more of the glitter paper on this page and my Silhouette to cut the title.  
I'm excited to pull out my January kit and see what I can do with it.  I've had it for a few days already, but I've been working on a couple of other projects, so I haven't had the chance to play with it.
Have a great week everyone!



Monday, January 7, 2013

First Post of the New Year!

Happy New Year to everyone!  I haven't been around here since before the holidays - I hope it was a wonderful time for everyone!
I'm not big on New Year's resolutions, but there was a post on Studio Calico that made me think a bit.  The post was was asking if anyone had any scrappy resolutions.  I didn't at the time, but I was looking through my past Studio Calico kits trying to find a kit that would go with a photo that I wanted to scrap and I came up with a fun scrappy resolution.  I decided that I would create one layout or card each month using past kits from that month.  I might use one kit, or any combination of the three years of kits that I have.  Fun, right?
The kit that I found to go with the photo that I wanted to scrap just happened to be the December 2011 kit, which was perfect as it was December when I started working on it.  Brooklyn Flea was a kit that I loved, but that I just didn't get a chance to create much with it, so I was excited to work with it again!
The photo that I wanted to scrap was an instagram photo that I took of a piece of furniture in the store after Craig and I decided to buy it.  I was so excited that we finally found what I had been looking for for more than three years - a piece of furniture for our kitchen to store my cookbooks in.  We remodeled our kitchen a few years ago, but never really found the right piece of furniture that we both liked.  We both loved this though!  I can't wait to get my cookbooks out of storage from the attic.
I went with a vintage feel for the page and just added a doily and a clothespin from my stash.  Everything else was from the kit and the add-on that I bought.  I stamped the blue cardstock with the linen background stamp to tone the color down a bit.  I printed my journaling on the vintage statement that was included in the kit which always makes me a bit nervous.  It came out fine though.
Does anyone else have any scrappy resolutions?  I'd love to hear if you do!
Have a great week!