Valentine's Freebies at Studio Calico!

There are some fun Valentine's freebies available over on the Studio Calico blog here.  So cute - thanks  SC!!

I decided to make a card out of one of the printables.  I used the Bella Blvd patterned paper from the January kit which was the perfect color and it had cute little tiny hearts on it.   I replaced the "o" in you with a pink heart SC chipboard. 

Super cute and easy!  Have you made any Valentine's cards this year?

Have a good week everyone!

Catching Up

I've been a really bad blogger lately, mostly because of the issues a glass of spilled wine has caused to my poor little computer (see story here)  So today I decided to catch up on a monthly feature that I am behind FOUR MONTHS on!!  I'll be sharing all of the projects that I created with my August, September, October and November 2013 Studio Calico kits that I created during the month of each kit.

August 2013  - Marks & Co

love u - this one was actually picked up for publication - but putting this here as a placeholder!

card - you're the peanut butter to my jelly

card - love u

Puppy Love

September 2013 - Double Scoop

card - Happy Birthday 15

SPIDY & Ice Cream

October 2013 - Antiquary

Enjoy the Ride

card - Happy Pumpkin Season

I love you more than ice cream

This one was based on a Sunday Sketch by Studio Calico. 

November 2013 - Cuppa

This is the only layout I made with this kit, but I made lots of Christmas cards with it.  You can see some of them HERE.

Well, I'm feeling much better getting caught up!  Next week I'll be sharing my December projects as my January kit will be coming this Tuesday!

Happy New Year everyone!!  

Brenda

Pinterest Inspired Holiday Cards

Merry Christmas!   I thought I'd share a few cards that I made this year to send out to friends and family.  I actually made all of the Christmas cards I sent this year - about 50 of them!  I relied on my pinterest board "card inspiration" for the inspiration for my cards, but made them each my own.

For this card, I used the phrase from a card by Lisa Spangler from Studio Calico but then cut out a snowman using my Silhouette Cameo.  The idea came to me from seeing a package of six adorable Studio Calico bows sitting on my desk and thinking that I could use them all up making six holiday cards.

This poinsettia card was inspired by this card on my pinterest board.  I didn't have any other use for the gold doilies from a Studio Calico kit from a few months ago, so I thought this would be a good way to use them.  I used the Silhouette again for the poinsettia.

Finally, I was inspired by this card to create four of these cards using different holiday words from Heidi Swapp.  I actually used bits from the Heidi Swapp "Believe" line on each of these cards.  

I hope every one has a wonderful holiday!

Halloween Cards

For whatever reason, I just love Halloween scrapbook products and making cards for Halloween!  I just don't like anything else about the holiday - I don't even pass out candy!

Here are two Halloween cards that I made recently :

Both cards use shapes cut from my Silhouette and some Studio Calico wood veneer stars that I inked black

My collection of Halloween cards from last year can be seen HERE if you are interested in a little more inspiration

Have a great week everyone!

Brenda

July 2013 Studio Calico kit - Valley High

I'm a bit behind in my posting again - it is time to catch up!  My excuse is kind of funny.  I spilled wine on my computer a few weeks ago and now several keys on my computer don't work.  I took it in to get fixed, but the $800 estimate  was a bit to much for me to spend on a five year old computer.  So to type, I have to copy and paste the letters that don't work from other places and it is a major PITA!!!  So typing out a blog post is not as easy as it seems!

For today's post, I'm sharing the projects that I created with my July Studio  Calico kit, Valley High.  Most of the projects that I created this month have lots of other stuff thrown in from older kits or my stash.  I also just noticed that EVERY SINGLE layout has Crate frames from the Pier collection.  I love them!

Iconic

LHR

4th of July

Lots of Crate Paper from the Pier collection on this one.  

N.E. Aquarium

I  realized that I was kind of on a grid rut when I look at these layouts, but I love grids!  

Have a great week everyone! 

4th of July Projects

I thought I would sneak in these two projects before the month of July came to an end.  Craig's brother, nephew, and his nephew's friend came from France to spend three weeks in the USA during the month of July.  They arrived in Boston on the 3rd and spent the 4th of July holiday with us.  We took them to a Red Sox game, out for BBQ and to the Boston fireworks.  It was great but it was so extremely HOT! We snuck in to see a movie in between the dinner and fireworks just to cool off.

I started with the Crate Paper "The Pier" collection because I want to use as much of my supply up of that before the next collections come out.  I added a few items from July's Studio Calico kit and a few older kits as well.  One of my favorite items on the layout is the "4th of July" printable.  I had never printed or used one before and I may be hooked!  It added just the right touch to my page.  This one was a free one from the Two Peas digital store.

I made this card a while ago in an attempt to use up a huge roll of washi tape.  I put two strips of washi tape on the cardstock and then used my Silhouette Cameo to cut out the flag shape.  I backed the card with the red and blue patterned papers.  Unfortunately, I forgot to send the card out this year.  

Did you create any projects for the 4th of July holiday?

Have a great week everyone!

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!

Pop Off the Page II

I was really excited when a second Pop Off the Page class was announced at Studio Calico.  I really enjoyed the first class and I knew that the second would be just as good.  I really enjoy participating in the weekly challenges.
The first challenge from Jen was this:

 For this week, we're going to start small. I want you to lift one of the layouts in the first PDF. You can choose to lift the entire page, or just a small technique or detail - it's entirely up to you!

I lifted a part of Lilleth's layout by using the heart die cut (that I really didn't like until I saw her page) and backed it with a different paper.  I still have to add the journaling to this page.  

You can see here that I cut out a few hexagons from the paper and adhered them with pop dots for some dimension.

The week #2 challenge was this:

Hi girls!! This week is all about mixed media. I can't wait to see your mixed media projects! 

I don't really 'do' mixed media, but I do have one little trick.  I actually learned this from a problem I was having  - I had used multi medium on a project and I wanted to use spray mist on top of it, but it just pooled.  I posed the question on Studio Calico and someone suggested that I mix the multi medium and the spray mist together first.  That solved my problem!

For this layout, I took multi medium, mixed it with Mr. Huey and then pressed some bubble wrap into that mixture and put it on my page.  I love the texture and messiness it adds!

Here's a close up of my technique:

Are you in class with me?  Are you enjoying it so far?

Have a good week everyone!

Shine

I love Crate Paper products and buy most of their entire collections and use them a lot.  I had decided to pass on getting the Maggie Holmes collection that was released at CHA this January though.  Then I went to my LSS and saw it in person - LOVE!!!  The product that sold me was the stitched fabric frames.  So adorable.  Since I had to have those, I had to buy matching papers and some stickers.  After I got home, I decided I really needed duplicates of some of the papers and added them to my cart at Two Peas.  I have used bits of the collection on my last three layouts!

I'm also excited about a second Pop Off the Page class being taught by Jen Jockish at Studio Calico.  I loved the first class and signed up for the second right away!  I created this layout in the spirit of that class.  

I started with a Maggie Holmes patterned patterned paper and stitched fabric frame.  The rub-ons and "E" are from the March Studio Calico kit.  Everything else was bits and pieces from a previous kit or from my stash.  I'm in love with gold POW glitter paper right now and used it for my title and some punched butterflies.

The photo is of my niece from France who I saw last month when I went to my husband's cousins wedding in Nice.  I love how happy and beautiful she looks in the photo and thought "Shine" was an appropriate title.

Have a great week everyone!

  

Lather, Rinse, Repeat

My sister and I were discussing project life one day - she does it, I do not - and it gave me an idea for a scrapbook layout.  I told her that I couldn't do project life because my weeks and days are basically the same for a good part of the year.  I'm a tax accountant, so I work long hours January through May.  (I specialize in non-profits, so my big deadline is May 15th - not April 15th.)  I wake up, commute to Boston, work 10, 11, or 12 hours, commute home, go to bed and do the same thing the next day.  At some point this year, I started waking up when the alarm rings at 5:20 and the thought "lather, rinse, repeat" went through my head.  Now it is my first thought every morning, so I thought it was a fitting title for this page.

I used the February Studio Calico kit, Front Row, with a few other items from my stash.  I thought the Days of the week washi tape from October Afternoon was very fitting.  The repeated the stamp from the kit across the bottom of the page represents Boston.

Have a great week, everyone!  Mine will be pretty much the same - lather, rinse, repeat!!

January 2013 Studio Calico kit - Block Party

I've enjoyed putting all of the layouts that I create from the current month's Studio Calico kit all in one post, so I'll continue this monthly feature in 2013.  I only post the layouts that I create from the time I get the kit until the next kit arrives at my door.  This challenges me to get as much done with the kit before I put it away.  I created four layouts and one card with the January kit.

This layout is probably my favorite of the month.  I love the photo of my kitty snoozing in the sun!

I did a lot of hand-stitching on this layout which was time consuming, but a lot of fun.

For this layout, I decided to try using circles.  I had cropped with Jennifer Larson in December and she said she loved using circles on her layout. I never really do, but was inspired to try.  I did some hand-stitching on this layout also.

This patterned paper was bright and fun - I thought it would be perfect for a birthday card.  I cut a circle out of the front of the card with my Silhouette.  The word "birthday" is layered over the empty space.  The word "happy" is actually on the inside of the card.

The last layout "Best Vacation Story Ever" was picked up by Scrapbook Trends to be published in the July 2013 issue, so I can't share it here yet!  

I was pretty pleased getting these five projects done with this kit.  It has been a few months since I got this much done.

How did you do with January's Studio Calico kit?

Have a great week everyone!

Cat Nap

Once in a while, a question will pop up on a scrapbooking message board asking if people create projects specifically to fit a particular call or if they just submit what they have already created.  It usually seems like it is looked upon negatively if you create pages specifically for calls - like somehow it is not as meaningful or something.

I do both - if I happen to have a layout that I have already created that fits the call, I'll submit it.  But lots of times, I'll read the call and it will spark an idea and I'll create a page specifically for that call - and I'm not afraid to admit it!  Some of my most favorite layouts have been created specifically for calls!

The latest call for Scrapbook Trends totally inspired this page.  The call reads:  

Real Life: I Love My Pet - Our pets become members of the family so create a layout to detail your pet's place in your home. Does he/she have a special place to sleep or eat? Any funny quirks? Get them down on paper!

The call made me think of my silly cat Sumner and how he loves sleeping in a sunny spot on the chaise lounge in our dining room.  He will keep moving closer to the edge to follow the sun as it moves and more than once has fallen off of the edge!

I used mostly the January Studio Calico kit on this page, but just a couple of bits from older kits such as the wood veneer "S."  Studio Calico recently stopped giving store credits for getting published in Scrapbook Trends using their kits, and I'll admit that it is kind of freeing!  Even though my main purpose  for getting published was never the SC credit, it was nice.  But now that it isn't an option, I have been finding myself digging through other supplies for something to add a perfect touch.

I put the journaling on a hidden journaling card - I loved the little Pebbles envelope that was included in the kit! 

I love this page to bits even though I created it specially for a call! (Wish me luck!)  So what do you think - is there anything wrong with creating a layout specifically for a call?  What do you usually do?  I'd love to know!

Have a great week everyone!

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!

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!

Doors

I seem to take a lot of photos of my husband in front of cool looking doors when we are traveling.  I don't know  when I started, but when I look back through vacation photos, there are always photos of him in front of doors.

 Craig in front of an old barn door at his grandparent's farm when we were on vacation in Wisconsin.

Craig in front of a door in Florence, Italy.  He doesn't always cooperate when I'm taking photos.

In front of a door in Barcelona, Spain (yes, that's a cigar in his mouth - yuck!)

I decided to create a layout with this door vacation photo after looking through my November Studio Calico kit and seeing the woodgrain paper.  There were enough dark colors in the kit to make a masculine layout.  I added the sticker letters from a different kit because they were the perfect color.

The stars were cut out with my Silhouette Cameo with a design from the "Cut it Out" class from Studio Calico.  I used a few wood veneer stars now that I safely have a package on its way to me from Two Peas.  I didn't know how much I would love them!

Have a good week everyone!