Studio Calico

weekly challenge | Catherine Davis & MaryAnn Perry

Catherine Davis - We love our triangles around here! For this layout, I thought I would incorporate Atlantic papers with triangles and the Roundabout Triangles Digital Template. After masking some of my photos in the 8.5x11 template, I printed it out and added patterned paper on top of the remaining triangles.

I wanted some dimension on this layout, so I made two of the triangles slightly bigger and cut angles on the edges to fold up. Love the effect. I used this same idea on the edges of the background papers as well.

For accents, I cut off points of the Atlantic Glittered Stars to make little sparkly triangles that I placed around the page. A few splatters of Mister Huey's, some white journaling and a punched out anchor finished things off.

P.S. Look at that shine on the Gold Kraft paper. One of my absolute favorite papers ever!

(Supplies -Studio Calico Atlantic Gold Kraft Paper; Plymouth Paper; Scarbourough Paper;Bridgeport Paper; Portsmouth Paper; Atlantic City Paper; Glittered Star Stickers; Mini Anchor Punch; Mister Huey's Silver; Roundabout Digital Triangle Layout Template.)

From MaryAnn Perry - my Project Life Spread I decided to have fun with triangles in a variety of ways. I incorporated both Studio Calico's Atlantic Collection and the Roundabout Kits to create my week 13 in my Project Life Album.

I used the Roundabout Triangles Digital Template for my title card. I printed the 4x6 card as is and cut out the triangles. I then traced & cut the triangles onto various patterned paper from the Atlantic collection and arranged them to my 4x6 card. I used my sewing machine to attach a 4x6 piece of vellum paper above the triangles. 

I used the Roundabout Triangle Cut Design as a png file in photoshop (instead of cutting it on my cameo) so that I could add journaling right on the Design. I printed Weekly Review Triangle as a 5x7 onto transparency paper and then placed the Atlantic Vellum paper behind it. I used the Atlantic thickers for the #13 beside the week. The week in review protector is sandwiched between two design A page protectors. 

On the second part of the layout I used the 3x4 Roundabout digital template and repeated the same process as I did for the title card.

(Supplies - Studio Calico Atlantic Collection: Atlantic Collection Bundle ; patterned paper: Studio Calico Atlantic Atlantic City- 12x12 double-sided paper , Bridgeport - 12x12 double-sided paper , Scarborough- 12x12 double-sided paper , Atlantic 12x12 Vellum, Atlantic 6x6 paper pad , Letter Stickers: Atlantic Rockabye Thickers ,  Studio Calico - SC alphas-gray , 4x6" Alpha Stickers in Vanilla (Basic Grey)  , Embellishments:Atlantic Burnished Circle Wood Veneer , Atlantic Cork Circle Stickers , Atlantic Cork Arrow & Chevron Stickers , Atlantic Vellum Die Cut Shapes, Atlantic Variety Sequin Pack ; Digital Elements: Atlantic Digital Printable #1 , Atlantic Digital Printable #2 , Roundabout Digital Triangle Layout Template by Catherine Davis , Roundabout Triangle Cut Design by Kinsey Wilson ; Journaling Cards: Currents Card Set ,  BlinksofLife Prompt Cards , 4x3 more grid cards ; Page protectors: Photo Pocket Pages- Design A 12 Pack , 5x7 Page Protectors Becky Higgins; Tools: Tiny Attacher, EK Success Large Photo Labels Punch)

For this week's challenge, we want to see YOUR triangle love! Make a project for this challenge, then share it in the Studio Calico gallery. Leave us a link to your project by June 10th in the comments here to be entered to win a $5 GC to the Studio Calico Shop.

-Catherine Davis & Mary-Ann Perry

Bright Idea | Scissors die cut file

While working with the Roundabout kits, Catherine Davis created this cute scissors diecut as an accent for one of her pages. This adorable design is perfect for documenting your love of papercrafting, and she's letting us offer it to you here as a freebie. Click here to download this file in .png, .svg and .studio format.

Link us up if you use it, we'd love to see what you make!!

NSD at SC | 2013 | PL team challenge 1

Our Creative Teams have fallen in love with the Studio Calico digital stamps, printables and templates as a way to stretch their kits even futher. For this challenge, they want you to try a digital element or two on your next project. And to make it even easier, we've even got a free printable for you right here.

Catherine Davis | I used the Planetarium Spring Snaps Digital Layout Template in the 6x12 size to make an insert for my album. Love how inserts can really focus on a specific event or theme. For the back of my template, I used the heart and text elements from the template again to anchor my journaling and added a strip of patterned paper.

Shanna Noel | It was natural for me to sign up for the digital challenge. I love all the ways you can use digital elements in your pages, but brushes are my favorite. I love taking an element on your page (for me it was the salmon color in the paper clip) and matching it to the brush you want to use. I simply added a brush from the Planetarium kits to the photo to tie the colors all together a bit, plus can you really have too much of that adorable stamp? No, I didn't think so either!! :) I can't wait to see what you guys do with this challenge, I am always so inspired by you!

Deb Duty | I created this layout with the soft blues and yellow found in the Planetarium kits. The arrow that says "the little things" is from the printables that are available to go with the kits this month. It was the perfect addition to the cluster of elements near the photo of my son as a tiny baby many years ago! 

Lucy Abrams | I love using digital products, and I love to alter them too. For my card, I used the Cross Pattern and Cut Out People stamps from the Project Life Digital set, and a sentiment from the Paislee Press Digital set. First, I altered the Cross Pattern brush to pink, then stamped it repeatedly to create a fun patterned paper background. Then I added a row of Cut Out People, and finally, the cute sentiment. After printing, I added some stitching and a cork arrow sticker to give the card a bit more dimension and texture.

To be entered to win a prize from the fabulous Studio Calico prize stash, leave a comment here with a link to your new layout, card or PL spread/cards in the Studio Calico gallery by May 13th. We can't wait to see what you make!

NSD at SC | 2013 | SB team challenge 3

Count it out. Add some stats. Measure the distance, or the passing of time. Note their age. So many of us have unused number stickers hanging out in our leter packs, and we want you to put them to work!

Catherine Davis | For this challenge, I knew I wanted to do a countdown of sorts centered around my husband and I. (Majorly lacking "us" in my layouts!) Using my Cameo, I cut out numbers in a variety of sizes. Some are glued on the page flat, some are popped up with foam dots. I used little slips of paper to add a little note with each number and how they could be applied towards our story. I also had fun playing with misting here, using star embellishments as a mask.

Marcy Penner | I love using numbers as titles and large design elements on my page.  I had originally intended to include a very large number, but it got shrunk down as my page moved on and I decided I wanted it in the polaroid frame. Try using a single number as a title, numbers representing quantities, ages, and representing significant moments.

Amanda Caves |The numbers challenge was the perfect opportunity to document favorites from our recent trip to Walt Disney World. I originally planned on ten favorites, but just could not narrow it down to only 10.

Jenn Picard | Numbers are always a fun element to add to a project and when I saw this challenge I knew it was the perfect opportunity to make a very special card. My youngest daughter will be celebrating her birthday in just a few short days and what 6 year old girl wouldn’t want a sparkly number to mark the occasion? I die cut the number 6 then created a banner for it to hang on using some pattern paper and 2 of the super cute Amy Tan ribbon paper clips (I just removed the clips and used the fabric). I attached it to a PL Journaling card from the Halley’s Comet Add on, and then I couldn’t resist using the Studio Calico Roller Date Stamp to mark this special event. To finish it off I reached into my stash of letters and found these ones from Simple Stories SNAP line were the perfect match. Finally for once I would be scrambling last minute to make her a birthday card :)

Anna-Maria Wolniak | Numbers are very spectacular, always. The graphic for of the numbers are always perfect, they look great everywhere: as a pattern, as a title, multiplicate with stamps, masks, texture... If you've never tried, this is the best time to do so.

To be entered to win a prize from the fabulous Studio Calico prize stash, leave a comment here with a link to your new layout, card or PL spread/cards in the Studio Calico gallery by May 13th. We can't wait to see what you make!

tutorial - printing on Studio Calico Project Life cards

Hello! Catherine here with a video tutorial on printing right onto your Project Life Journaling cards. This simple process will open up a world of possibilities in your Project Life designs. Add text, Studio Calico Digital Brushes or even images to the journaling cards.

What you'll need:

• A computer program that allows you to draw 3x4 or 4x6 rectangular shapes.
• Repositional Tape. You can find some in the Studio Calico shop here.
• Studio Calico Project Life Journaling Cards.
• 8.5x11 paper to print a template

 

Please note that every printer is different. I can't be specific as to which way to face a card on your printer, whether it should be face up or face down. If you don't know which side your printer prints on, simply mark a piece of paper and place it face up before printing a test. If your test print comes out on the same side as your mark, then you know you have to face your card and template up.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

(supplies - journaling card and arrow stamp: Neverland Studio Calico Project Life Kit.)

-Catherine Davis

studio calico digital templates

Hello, it's Catherine here. I'm thrilled to be designing the new Digital Layout Templates in the Digital Shop. We've kicked things off this month with designs to coordinate with the Neverland kits. Use them for your Project Life albums, Handbooks or to kick start a layout.

I like to think of templates as cheatsheets. Even if you're a seasoned Photoshop user, they save time on design guesswork and pesky things like alignment. If you're new to digital scrapbooking, this makes executing a layout easy while you're learning the ropes.

If you're completely new to the whole thing, here's the scoop! The templates are layered PSD files, which means they are only editable in Photoshop Elements or Photoshop. (Tip: You can download a free 30-day trial of Photoshop Elements from Adobe here.) The templates are all set up for you to easily pop your photos into the boxes provided. I have a video tutorial that explains the simple process. Watch it on my blog Design Editor here.

I'm a big fan of mixing digital templates with papercrafting products, so I thought I'd share an example. (You can also check out an example by Celine Navarro her March gallery. Very cool!) 

(supplies: Template - Studio Calico Neverland Layered Templates 5 Sizes; patterned paper - Studio Calico Sundrifter Meadowland, Sunny Day; Studio Calico Here & There San Diego, Chattanooga; Studio Calico Snippets Printed Chipboard Stars; Studio Calico Here & There Die Cut Shapes)

For this layout, I used the 8.5x11 template from the variety pack of Neverland designs. 

I got started in Photoshop, adding my photos to the template and changing the Hello text box from green to black. Our templates allow you to change colors, move around the boxes, and add your own type. 

After I printed out the template, I started building onto it with patterned paper, design elements, and some cross stitching sprinkled around. I gave the edges of my patterned paper a slight bend to give the page more dimension.

Here's an overview of the templates now available in the shop:

Neverland Templates in Five Sizes: This variety pack of square grid designs are just screaming for your Instagram photos!  We have a mix of sizes for all your project needs: 12x12, 8.5x11, 6x8 (in two designs!), 4x6, and 3x4. Check out the shop listing here.

Neverland Circle Frames: This template set includes a 3x4 and 4x6 card design with a spot to mask an image within a circle. Remember that you can change that background color to anything you like. Check out the shop listing here.

 We have some fun ideas for future template designs, so stay tuned!
- Catherine Davis

product spotlight - speech bubble mask

This month, we asked three of our designers to show you how they'd use the Snippets speech bubble mask - here's what they made :

Tina Aszmus - I love that we chose to use the new Snippets large speech bubble mask for our product spotlight. I love the large scale of the mask and wanted to do something different with it. I recently found some old watercolor crayons and did a bit of experimenting. I loved the colorful results. They incredibly easy to use. I held the mask down on a sheet of watercolor paper, traced the inside of the bubbles with the crayon. After blending a few colors within each bubble, I swiped it with watercolor brush until I achieved the look as I was after. 

I let the paper dry overnight, then added in my photo, journaling + a few other elements. I liked that I worked outside my comfort zone and tried something new. I hope this inspires you to try something new!

Supplies: Snippets speech bubble mask, Lyra watercolors, watercolor paper + flat brush, Knot & Bow twine, Micron pen, Sundrifter Beautiful paper, Sundrifter Pocahontas, Sundrifter die-cuts, white tags, Sundrifter Love This rubber stamps, Versamark onyx ink pad.

Dawn McVey - I have to say that this was a really fun assignment, as I haven't really used many masks in the past.  It was fun to put this one to use, to create a background for my card and all it took was some white card stock, the mask and some Mister Huey's mists!  I chose colors that I thought would work well with the patterned paper butterfly I created, and sprayed them in order of color from lightest at the bottom to darkest up top.  

I also LOVE that I was able to stamp my sentiment directly on the wood veneer speech bubble, as well as punch a hole through it so I could attach the brad!

(supplies : patterned paper - Studio Calico Snippets Anywho & Hmmm ; veneer - Snippets Speech Bubbles & Punctuation ; stamps - Snippets Months stamp set ; mask - Snippets 12x12 Speech Bubble Mask ; mists - Mister Huey's Boss Lady, Cameo, Lucille & Plum Thumb ; brads - Snippets epoxy brads ; gems - Darling Dear brights gems ; Papertrey Ink white card stock, dark chocolate ink & Beautiful Butterflies dies

Catherine Davis - The Snippets Speech Bubble mask has so many possibilities! As I worked on my Project Life spread, a photo of my daughters' glittery shoes gave me an idea on how to use my mask. Glitter! 

For the "amazing" card, I trimmed a Snippets Handbook Album Insert to 4x6 and placed the mask over it. Using a paint brush, I added regular craft glue in the speech bubble. After gently pulling the mask up, I sprinkled silver glitter and let it dry. Love it! 

For the glittery outline on the 3x4 card, I ran my Martha Stewart Glue Pen along the inside of one of the speech bubbles on the mask, pulled it up and added glitter. So easy! I also want to try using the mask by outlining the speech bubbles in ink to create a pattern, plus painting/misting it.

(supplies: mask - Studio Calico Snippets Speech Bubble Mask; patterned paper - Studio Calico Snippets Me OH My, Hey & Stop ; Studio Calico Snippets Handbook Album Inserts; Studio Calico Snippets Adhesive Badges; Martha Stewart Glue Pen)

How have you used the Snippets Speech Bubble Mask? Link us up in the comments - we'd love to see!