May 2013 Studio Calico kit - Planetarium

Well, I don't know where the month has gone, but it is way past time for another "what I did with the month's Studio Calico kit from the time the kit arrived until the next month's kit arrived."  So here it is!

This first one is my favorite of the month.  The photos are from a cruise that my hubby and I went on several years ago.  

The page just didn't seem complete until I added the hemp twine across the top.  I think it looks a bit like a fisherman's net - perfect for an ocean page!

This next page documents our New Year's Eve tradition.  We always make Cioppino (a seafood stew) for our dinner.  Sometimes it is the two of us and sometimes we have a party, but we always serve Cioppino!

This next page just documents a Saturday we spent together recently.  I told my hubby that we could do whatever he wanted to do for the whole day.  We ended up going to a concert, going out for lunch, and then going to a movie.  My hubby loves to be out and about!

My last page has a lot of gold, glitter, and sequins!  We went to see the musical "Rock of Ages" when we were in London last month.  Towards the end of the production, there was gold confetti being thrown into the audience.  Of course, I had to pick some up to save for a scrapbook page!  The next day, we went back to take a few pictures of the front of the theatre since we couldn't take any pictures the night before.

I decided to play up the gold and cut my title out of gold POW glitter paper, used the gold and craft paper from Studio Calico, gold sequins and I punched out some more confetti out of the POW glitter paper.  Not my "normal" style (which I'm not sure what that is), but I think it turned out fun!

How many projects were you able to make with Studio Calico's May kit?

Have a good week everyone!

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!

June 2012 Studio Calico - So Cal

I only got two layouts done with June's Studio Calico kit, So Cal.  (I've been averaging about 4-6 this year.)  It is partly that I was away on vacation for a week and partly because I just wasn't feeling the kit - even though I really love the looks of it!  Oh, well, it happens!

The first layout I created was pictures of me, my husband, and my nephew being silly while spending a few days on the Cape.  I though the MME "White Wash" paper was perfect for the background and then just went with the colors from the photos from there.  

I used Mr. Huey to color the American Crafts Thickers and the color was way too bright at first (I think I used sunshine  - possibly orchard?)  I put a layer of Mr. Huey in white over that and the color came out perfectly.

The next layout is of me and my cat, Elliott.  He likes to lay on my chest, peering into my face when I am trying to nap.  I thought this would be a good photo to use as a 12" X12" that is so popular right now.  I printed the photo on American Crafts vanilla cardstock as I didn't have photo paper that large.  

I kept the embellishments pretty simple for this one, using my Silhouette to cut out a few hearts, and coloring the American Crafts Thickers for the title with Mr.  Huey again.

This layout was featured in the Studio Calico So Cal Member Picks video.  It was so fun to see my layout there!  You can see it here along with other great layouts created from So Cal.

That's it for June's Studio Calico kit.  I have July sitting on my desk and already have a few ideas for this one so I hope I have more to share next month.

Have a great week everyone!

Booth Family Photo Shoot

tQuite a few years ago, I saw a layout in a Creating Keepsakes magazine that had a great idea.  I think it was the 4th of July or some other summer event and they used a flag as a backdrop and took photos of each family member.  That idea stuck in my head and in 2009, I did a similar photo shoot.  My family is usually only all together once or twice a year.  When I went home that summer, I borrowed a quilt from my mom, hung it over a swing-set in my brother's back yard and did a family photo shoot.  I took photos of each individual, each family and then the entire family.  It was a lot of fun and I love that I have these photos!

The layout was created with the March 2012 Studio Calico kit, Story Hour.  I used the Silhouette Cameo for the letters "BOOTH FAMILY"  - the font is Dream Orphans.  I also cut the leaves out with my Sil and then hand-stitched the lines in the center.  The flowers were made by Amy Tan exclusively for the Studio Calico kit.  I really need to make some of these!  

Creating this layout made me realize that we haven't done this the past couple of years.  I really hope that we do a Booth family photo shoot again this summer!  

Have a great week everyone!

Florida Trip

I have these great photos of my Great-Grandma, Leah Gerber.  In the photo on the left, she is standing outside one of her daughters' houses, with her packed suitcase, saying good-bye before traveling to Florida on a bus to see relatives.  

The photo on the right has her handwriting on the back of it and it says "that is a banana tree I standing under."  She is holding a little boy in the photo and we haven't been able to figure out who it would be.  I asked my mother and my cousin Sharon to help with anything they knew about the photos or her travels to Florida, and that is all they came up with.  We're not even sure who she would have been visiting.

I used one of my all time favorite Studio Calico kits, Glee Club, for the layout.  I added lots of other embellishments from my stash including my new favorite - mini-clothespins - and a vintage flower from my mom's stash.  I wanted to create a little more layering and texture than I normally do, so I had this idea to take vellum, wrinkle it, and use it as a matting behind a photo.  I took out the vellum, crinkled it, and it basically just broke and teared.  Silly idea.  But then I tried wetting the paper first, crinkling it, and then letting it dry.  It worked exactly like I hoped.  It is under the photo on the right.  I used foam dots to give a little dimension.

I also created a hidden journaling card, which I have been loving lately.  The Slice has a perfect little tab design and I cut that out of the Studio Calico advertising cards that come in kits.  I used more of the advertising card on the bottom.

Have a great week everyone!

Happy Holidays!

I was in Target recently in the cat litter aisle - so exciting, I know.  I saw the most adorable Christmas gear for cats - I immediately thought about dressing up my kitties Sumner and Elliott and taking photos for our Christmas cards for the year.  I didn't buy the outfits that day, I wanted to get my husband's opinion first.  Of course he thought it would be hilarious, so I went back to Target last weekend and bought a Santa hat and beard.

Elliott was really good about wearing the hat and beard.  He seemed to forget that he had them on and just sat there and let me take pictures of him.  Sumner was good for about 30 seconds before he started to try to get the hat off.  I got a few pictures, but he looks pretty angry.  Normally, he is the sweetest kitty!

I used Shutterfly to create the cards and they are pretty adorable.  I'm happy to be getting them out on time this year!  I decided to make a layout with the photos.

I used the Studio Calico December 2010 kit, Metropolitan.  When I was in the beginning stages of planning this layout, I decided to take a peek at the SC Sunday Sketch which I rarely participate in.  The sketch made the creation of my layout really easy!

My favorite  item that I used was the green glittery trim from the kit.  I never would have thought that I would use this embellishment, but it worked perfectly on this page.

I'm heading to Wisconsin on Friday to visit my family for the holidays.  I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!

Brenda

Thanksgiving Menu

I'm never very good about getting photos of our Thanksgiving Day and this year was no different.  I took one photo and it was of the turkey that we smoked.  I decided to make a layout with a post card that my mother sent, the photo of the turkey, and our menu.

Just a disclaimer - that 11 pound turkey and the entire menu was for two people.  Just me and my husband!  We've been doing really good eating the leftovers.  My favorite way to use Thanksgiving leftovers is to make turkey empanadas.  So yummy!

I used mostly the November 2011 Studio Calico kit for the layout.  The frame was from an earlier kit and   I used some older Making Memories letter for the word 'pull.'  My mother had written a note on the back of the postcard and I wanted to include that on the layout.

I created a little tag with her note printed on it and hid the journaling behind the postcard.  

Have a great week everyone!

Potato Lake Theatre

We live half-way across the country from both my family and my husband's family.  We spend most of our vacation time for the year heading to Wisconsin to visit them, usually twice a year.  Another week of vacation time is usually spent in France, visiting my husband's brother's family - lucky us!  The two sides of our families live on opposite sides of the state, making our vacation time a bit tricky.  Once in a while, we are able to bring the two sides of our family together, which makes it a lot easier on us.

We were able to do this four years ago when my family, my husband's family - including his brother's family from France - spent a week together at Potato Lake.  My parents have a cabin on Potato Lake and then there are cabins at Rose's Bay Resort across the lake that we rent.  

We had a great time, especially my nieces and nephews who were meeting each other for just the second time.  The first time was at my wedding at Potato Lake four years earlier.  Kaylie, Olivia, Paul, and Elisabeth spent an afternoon creating a play and then they presented it to everyone after dinner that night.

I don't remember exactly what the play was about except that they were poking a little fun at my parents, Marvin and Jean, and that there was fishing involved (big surprise if you knew my dad!)

I used the July Studio Calico kit, Mid the Gap, for the page.   I also used my Silhouette Cameo that arrived in the mail last week!  I have to say, I am impressed with how easy it is to use and how great it works.  I'm hooked!

Have a great week everyone!

Welcome Baby

I created this layout for some friends of ours with the birth announcement that they sent to us when their son, Cooper, was born.  The birth announcement was so cute, I just couldn't throw it out.  We finally got to meet Cooper last weekend (what a sweetie!) and I was able to give this layout to them.  I realized that I had never shared the layout here, so here it is:

I used the July Studio Calico kit, Mind the Gap, along with some letter stickers from an older kit.  I used a lot of Zing! on this layout!

Have a great weekend everyone!

He Plays Guitar

My husband loves to play guitar and he usually does 3-4 nights a week.  He usually plays with a friend or two, so it gets a little loud at our house some nights!  I really enjoy listening to them though.  They play a lot of Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, and Pearl Jam.  I usually hide away in my scrap room on these nights, so it's all good.

A couple of weeks ago, he came home on a Friday night, started a fire and played all night outside.  He so enjoyed himself!  I love the way this photo turned out with just the fire as the lighting.

I used the September 2011 Studio Calico kit for the layout.  I really had a hard time cutting into some of those papers - I liked them so much!

Enjoy your weekend everyone!  

Brenda

Favorite Farmer's Market Recipes

When Craig and spend a weekend in Vermont, we usually head to the farmer's market in nearby Rutland on Saturday morning.  It is the largest farmer's market in Vermont with almost 100 different stands.  I love it there!  We were there one weekend in August and I took a photo of some baby squash in an egg carton that I thought was adorable!

We usually go to farmer's markets at least once a week during the summer and fall have have lots of different recipes that we like to make with the produce.  When I saw the American Crafts chalk labels that came in the August Studio Calico kit, Boardwalk, I thought it would be a fun idea to post some of my favorite recipes on them for a layout.  All of the supplies are from Glee Club except for the green American Crafts thickers were from a previous kit.  I used my Slice for the cob of corn and for the picket fence around the word recipes.

Hurricane Irene hit Vermont pretty hard last weekend.  We are not able to go to our condo until further notice because the only road that leads to it was washed away.  I have no idea if that means days, weeks, or months.  I really hope that the roads are repaired soon.  Leaf peeping is right around the corner and the tourism that it brings to the state is very important to the economy.  Vermont in the fall is amazing if you have never been there!

Have a great Saturday everyone!

Almost Twenty Years Later

Almost twenty years ago me and my now husband were in college and ended up at the same house party drinking.  That's all I'm going to share about that night....

I used the July Studio Calico kit on this and LOTS of butterflies and flowers.  I love the background paper from Sassafrass.  I hand cut the yellow flowers from a piece of American Crafts paper.  I love my new photo printer (well, not that new, but recently began using) as I can use it to print journaling on a 12"x12" page.  

Have a great weekend everyone!