Happy Birthday

I LOVE how this layout turned out! The stripe is my favorite PP in this months kit. Overall this kit fits in my style of scrapbooking much better than the previous months. The banner was hand cut, and I also used the American Crafts date stamp to finish off the page. As usual, I am not the best at journaling.. but it is a birthday page from my Niece's birthday so not much really needs to be said!

Family

This is my first layout completed using my November Studio Calico Kit, Sock Hop. This time I got an add-on as well (Poodle Skirt). The alpha stickers were from my stash, I love the ones in the kit, but they did not fit with the colors on this layout. The yellow and white chevron piece is the result of my attempt at letterpress. I inked one one side of an embossing folder with ink before running my CS through. I love how it turned out!

November Studio Calico Kit Video

Ok. I attempted another video this month! This time I am showing off what I received in my November Studio Calico Kit + add-on. I like the camera set-up much better, though I still need to figure out the background noise. The heater/air-conditioner closet is right next to my craft room, and there is also an old computer in the room that has a loud fan. 

Relax

I am really pleased with this last layout using my October Studio Calico kit! The photo is blurry, but I wanted to capture this moment with the girls and the dogs hanging out, and Megan using Jäger as an ottoman. 

I also made a video with an overview of all of the layouts made with my October Studio Calico kit. I have found a better camera set up since I made this, and need to figure out the background noise.

Self Portrait

Another layout completed using my October Studio Calico Kit! Everything is from the main kit except for the ink and the bakers twine. I am trying to incorporate more white space into my layouts, and I used strips of PP that I did not really love, but challenged myself to use.

You color my world

I love this layout that I completed using the Studio Calico Kit! It is bright and cheerful, which is more my style of scrapbooking. I have not journaled yet, as I am not sure what I want this layout to say. I used my PTI Hexagon plate to die cut the hexagon shapes from the PP and some white CS. I used the coordinating stamps to add some texture, and added the Studio Calico asterick stamp to the top of a few. It fit perfectly! I also used the packaging from the MME enamel dots to ground my Title. The title is a mix on stamps ("You"), thickers that were colored and embossed (Color) and alphas from this kit and last months. 

Inspired By:  Source: mymindseye.typepad.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Going going gone

Another Studio Calico kit layout! The photos are dark, but I thought that the wood background paper worked well with the bowling lanes. I added some washi from my stash to brighten up the layout a bit, and to pull in the pink from the photo on the left. Some Mister Huey was misted on and I LOVE the wood grain Thickers and the epoxy dots.

I used this layout as inspiration

                                           Source: mymindseye.typepad.com via Kelly on Pinterest

A desk of their own

This is the first layout that I completed with the Studio Calico - October Kit titled Roller Rink.
The only items not from the kit are the Mister Huey mist and the blue letters in the title. The kit came with blue alpha stickers, but they were not the right shade of blue for this layout. I love the school paper washi tape. It is wide enough for journaling, though i did layer 2 pieces together to fit all of my journaling!

I was inspired by this layout on Pinterest:

                                          Source: sketchsupport.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Piano Play

Another layout using the October Afternoon Sidewalks collection! I was inspired by a layout that I saw on Pinterest, but apparently I did not pin it on my Layouts board because I can not find it now! This photo is a favorite of mine, with my Dad and Megan playing the piano. I used the PTI music stamp on the background, as well as some music note washi tape (Tim Holtz?) I have been trying to include stamping more in my scrapbooking. Lots of punched circles layered together and clustered and I love how it turned out!

Sweet Hugs from Grandma

I decided to take a break from my Studio Calico scrapping and get back to my bright and happy colors! I pulled out my October Afternoon - Sidewalks collection and made this page. It is so much easier to create with colors and papers that you love!

One Christmas Gift Done

I will not say who the gift is for... just in case she finds her way to my blog before Christmas, but my first handmade Christmas gift is done and I am so pleased! I used the Secretary Tutorial from Paper Phenomenon and it was very easy to follow! The paper is from Recollections I believe, and I used a knob from Tim Holtz and some misc trim from my stash. And LOTS of chipboard!

Studio Calico - September Kit

Last month I received my first Studio Calico kit. I had been looking for a kit club for a while and had heard a lot of good stuff about the kit so I bit the bullet. When I received my box I was so excited to open it! When I did though I was a little disappointed. There was a great variety of items in the kit, but not really in the style/ colors that I tend to be drawn to. I decided that I was going to use every bit of the kit and try something new. I am so glad that I did! While these are not all my favorite layouts, I got to use product that I would not otherwise have seen/ purchased and am really happy with the results! 

I really have been scrapping the past month, just not posting. So here they are. All of the layouts from my first Studio Calico kit. I stayed mostly with kit products for these layouts, and only had 1 sheet of cardstock and some scraps of PP left when I was done. I just left the box on my table and worked out of it whenever I sat down to do a layout. 

For "Keeping Sira Busy" I was lifting a page that had text printed in clouds on the PP background. I used the chevron side of the PP and die cut a cloud mask from printer paper using my Papertrey Ink Cloud die. Then I stamped with Papertrey Ink's Text Type stamp set through the mask making my version of the text clouds. I love how this turned out! I also used the branding strips from the PP to make the anchor strip on the bottom, as well as my off cuts from trimming down the PP for the layouts.

For "Us" I liked the Polaroid in the PP, but did not like how flat it was. So I cut out the Polaroid, added some PP and Washi Tape (from my stash) underneath and then popped the Polaroid with my photo added up on. I sprayed some Mister Huey clear shimmery mist (cant remember the actual name) through a mask that I had made with my Papertrey Ink Happy Hexagon die for a previous project. When I set the mask down on a scrap piece of paper on the sprayed side I noticed the negative image from the paint/ mist from previous projects so I just randomly placed it on the layout as well. The grungy messy style is not my usual style at all, but I really like how this one turned out!

The next 2 pages are the ones that are not my favorite. I was "lifting" other layouts for a Scrap Happy challenge and felt like it hampered my creativity a little. This surprised me since I usually have no problems starting with inspiration!

The last 2 layouts made using the kit went much smoother. For "Family is Love" I used the packaging from the mistable arrows (brown square in the middle) and the Amy Tangerine letters (orange grid) as my starting point. The yellow washi tape and letter stickers (Thickers) are from my stash. 

"Trimming the Tree" was pretty simple. I started with Shimelle's starting point and this simple layout came together pretty quickly, which is good since it was a busy day with Dance classes and Swim lessons!

Not bad! For $30 I made 6 layouts, and have quite a few embellishments left to add to my stash. I just received October's box yesterday and am excited to get started!

She's 4!

I purchased the My Minds Eye - Sweetest Thing - Honey collection from MyCraftChannel.com last month and was so excited to break it out and play! The colors in the collection matched the photos perfectly, and I love all of the patterns! The only items not from the collection is the washi tape!

Strike a pose

Here is another Chinese Whispers layout! This layout will be facing the Fun in the Fountain layout when I get them put in the album, so I used the same My Minds Eye collection and book paper. I added the hexagons again, but this time instead of misting it through the mask that I made from the PTI Happy Hexagons plate, I used the Picket Fences (I think that is what it is called)  paint dauber from Tim Holtz.

Lolo's Animals

Here is another layout that I completed with the Studio Calico kit for the Chinese Whispers challenge at ScrapHappy. I am not really thrilled with the trapped space between the title and the journaling but I was following the lead from the layout that I received. I think that I am going to move the journaling cluster up under the title.

I love Megan's Smile!

I actually got back in the craft room this weekend! I pulled out a Studio Calico kit (it was for a 2Peas class I believe, but I did not take the class I just wanted the kit!) and browsed my Layouts Board on Pinterest and found this layout to inspire me!

Source: prettypaperandchipboard.blogspot.com via Kelly on Pinterest

And here is what I came up with!

Everything is from the kit except for the kraft CS, the threading water punch, the pearls, the prima flowers, the white CS and the Technique Tuesday stamp  - you. It might have been easier to list what WAS in the kit ;) 

For the flowers I did not have any in the right shade of blue/green or peach. For the blue ones I misted it with some mist (October Afternoon - Sidewalks collection I believe) , and the peach ones I stamped on using the PTI text stamp and ink. I then misted all of the flowers in the shimmery Mister Huey mist and added some pearls in the center.

I love how this turned out!

Meeting Lauren

This layout is for the Chinese Whispers group on ScrapHappy. I am so excited to see how these layouts have evolved. I know how much I have changed them to make them fit my style, so I am really looking forward to seeing how each layout started, and the evolution.

I started with the Ecco Park This and That Collection, added some washi tape and some old Dear Lizzie crocheted flowers,and finished with some pearl brads from my stash and some little SU pearls.

I only had one sheet of the background PP, but wanted to use it for the square in the middle also, so I cut an 8x8 square from the middle,used a MS punch around the edges of the bolder print, and inked everything up with Distress Ink before adhering it all together.

Another layout!

Ok, so I was going through my PP stash and found this My Minds Eye paper.. I love it, but always struggled with how to use it without covering up all of the pretty glittery swirls. This is what I came up with. I am not thrilled, and I think that I need to add something to the top left of the page.

Fun in the Fountain

This is another layout that I completed for the Chinese Whispers challenge at Scrap Happy. I used My Minds Eye PP, some book paper punched with the Butterfly Sizzlet for Stampin Up. I sprayed some Mister Huey through a mask made with the PTI Happy hexagon plate, and added some stamped butterflies and little scalloped pieces using the coordinating stamp set (Purchased from MyCraftChannel.com) using PTI inks. 

I love how this one turned out!

Happy Day

Please forgive the blurry photo.. I need to retake this one! This layout uses the Simple Stories Summer Fresh Collection. I created this for the Chinese Whispers challenge on the Scrap Happy boards.

LOAD512 Days 17-21

Day 17 - Play - More October Afternoon and washi tape!

Day 18 - I was bad... I did not do a layout on Friday. We had a great time with good friends though!

Day 19 - My favorite photo of the girls using the Everyday Moments collection

Day 20 - Playtime with Papa - October Afternoon!

Day 21 - Sisters - Simple Stories Fabulous Collection

LOAD512 Days 12-16

I have been keeping up.. I promise! I just have not been good about posting the layouts here. I have been using a lot of the October Afternoon- Sidewalks collection and the Simple Stories - Fabulous Collection this LOAD. I think that I will try to use every bit of the two collections during this challenge.

Day 12 - Valentines Day 2010. Horrible lighting but cute pictures!

Day 13 - Bowling Fun using more of the October Afternoon - Sidewalks collection

Day 14 - Megan's 1st grade photo using Simple Stories Fab-U-lous Collection

Day 15 - Spring using October Afternoon - Sidewalks collection

Day 16 - Lauren's pre-school photo. This layout will go next to the one of Megan above in the album

LOAD512 Days 10 and 11

Day 10 - Missing Emily. I used the same supplies as the Bubble Fun page since this photo was taken on the same day and will likely face the other page in the album. I added my fav. Martha Stewart butterfly punch and some washi tape and bling.

Day 11 - Observations of homework time. This layout took me forever to do! Well over an hour at least. I struggled with it until I decided to just stick stuff down and not think so hard about it. After that the clustering helped to pull the photos and title together much better than I had thought.

LOAD512 Days 7-9

I have been keeping up, I promise! Apparently I have been on a kraft and inking kick this month.

Day 7 - Another layout using the Simple Stories Fab-U-lous Collection by Memory Works

Day 8 - I am not done with this layout. I have a 6X12 page that will go to the left that will have the story of how my Grandparents met and married. I just have to type it up in the correct format and print it out! The sheet music is vintage, and the white flocked damask square is from a gift bag! Prima bling, and I made the flowers myself from some fabric in my stash. The lace is from a thrift store.

Day 9 - October Afternoon and Thickers, with some vintage sheet music as mats under the "bubble" photos.

LOAD512 Day 6

This layout uses the Simple Stories Fab-U-lous Collection by Memory Works. I love this collection!

LOAD512 Days 4 & 5

LOAD Day 4 I decided to make a layout of meeting Evan. Sira was the first one to get to hold him when we went to visit Sarah and Evan in the hospital.

Day 5 I really wanted to play with these October Afternoon papers so I pulled some pics of the girls with Jäger. Now I just need to look up the date and add it.

LOAD512 Day 3

Last night I decided to make a page about Sira's 16th birthday party... and managed to fit 11 photos on a single page layout! The bottom right photo pulls out to reveal an accordion type section with an additional 9 hidden photos! Now I just need to figure out how to rig the page protector so that we can get to these pictures easily but still keep the accordion in place when not looking at the photos. I made the mistake of having the front photo flip down instead of up which make setting the layout up for a photo a challenge! Maybe I need to add a decorative paper clip to the side...

LOAD512 Day 2!

Day 2 LOAD layout is done! I used the Everyday Moments collection from Teresa Collins. I love this collection!

Another LOAD begins!

Load 512 started today and I was not prepared! My island was a mess, I was not feeling well, and I had not even pulled out the pizza box that I store my LOAD layouts in until the end of the month! This LOAD will end for me on 5/24 since we leave on the 25th for our cruise (yay!) but I still want to participate!
Today's prompt was to scrap a photo of yourself. I pulled one out that Sira took and pulled out my DCWV paper pad and started layering! I actually had one of Shimelle's starting points sketched out on a post-it on my island so decided to use it as my starting point! After I finished this layout tonight I cleared off my island, pulled out the pizza box, and even started a Mother's Day gift!

Using Scraps

Before cleaning up my workspace from the mini album I decided to make a coordinating card to go with the gift. The CS, stamp and ink is from PTI. I misted the Melon Berry CS with some homemade perfect pearls mist and ran it through my cuttlebug with the Damask Impression Plate. I layered the Teresa Collins PP, a sticker form the collection and a strip of CS that I stamped the sentiment (also PTI) on. I added a couple of the butterfly die cuts from teh collection and some SU Pearls.

On the Scrap Happy forum someone started a "Chinese Whispers" challenge of sorts. We each start with a Sketch which we send to the coordinator, and then we complete a layout based on that sketch. We then send that layout to the next person on the list who will complete a layout based on it. The layouts will keep getting passed around until they reach the "end" and then the original sketch will be revealed. It will be interesting to see how the layouts progressed compared to the original sketch!

This is the layout that I sent to the next person on the list. The PP and banner is from Little Yellow Bicycle. The butterflies are cut from the SU butterfly die, in both blue (PTI) and a printed vellum that has been in my stash for years, and layered together. The sketch that I started with is Sketch 288 from Scrapbook Challenges. As you can see I already deviated from the sketch by moving the title to the top instead of under the photos, and using the curly frame instead of a circle.