Studio Calico

saying goodbye

Saying goodbye is never easy. Summer of '69 will be the last design team gallery for six of our talented designers, and we'd love it if you could join us in extending them a HUGE thank you for all they've done for Studio Calico and our community over the years. We feel lucky to have been able to work with them, and consider them a permanent part of the Studio Calico family. While you won't see them in the gallery each month, we're certain they'll pop up on the blog and in our classes from time to time. We've asked each of them to share their favorite page made during their time at Studio Calico :

Kelly Purkey : Kelly's bright and vibrant personality comes through in all of her pages, and this one is no exception. From the rainbow of paper to the way she incorporated the stitched tag in her title, every detail here is pure Kelly. She will appear on the Studio Calico blog quarterly with tips and tricks, and will continue to design exclusive stamps for us as needed.

Stephanie Howell : Stephanie's pages are romantic and timeless, and she's shared so many of her major life moments in her galleries. Her emotions shine through in this beautiful page, as they do on all of her layouts.

Vee Jennings : Vee's funky cool pages are a perfect match for her personal style, and she approaches color and ink in such a wonderful way. The layers and misting on this page are 100% perfect, and 100% Vee.

Davinie Fiero : Davinie work is always playful  & fun- she's not afraid of mixing patterns and experimenting with new shapes. Her handstitching is amazing and gives her pages a beautiful quilted look - you can see that on thise layout.

Laura Kurz : Laura's classic and clean style has a way of drawing you right into the moment that she's sharing. She knows how to make a big impact with minimal products, and this page is a perfect illustration of that.


Nicole Harper : Nicole has a way with words - she wears her heart on her sleeve and isn't afraid to put it on her pages. She put the focus on her feelings in this page, and the result is stunning. Nicole will be continuing in her role as our Community Manager, and will be helping in our classrooms as well.

Kelly, Stephanie, Vee, Davinie, Laura & Nicole - thank you for all that you've given Studio Calico!

 

design team spotlight

Name : Susan Weinroth

Blog : http://susanweinroth.typepad.com/

How long have you been a DT member? since December 2009.

Favorite SC product? Mister Huey's SHINE!!!

Any rituals when your kits arrive? I like to open my box in private.  ha!  Which usually means naptime for my boys.  I set it all out to look at and get a feel for what photos I want to use that month and the stories I'll tell on my pages.

All time favorite SC kit? toughie...  I think Baker's Dozen.

Three products you can't live without: American Crafts kraft cardstock, Mister Huey's Shine, and my Silhouette machine!

Three people you get scrappy inspiration from: Laura Vegas, Linda Barber, & Lisa Storms

Three of my favorite photos:  So hard for me to pick just three, so here are three recent faves...

#1 - A shot from my oldest's - Evan's - 4 year old photos last summer - I can hear his crazy silly laugh just looking at this pic - and the colors just make me happy!

#2 - A shot from last fall of my youngest - Noah - taken in our backyard - he was at such a difficult age to photograph, and I'm pretty sure I was dancing around and putting his hat (that he wouldn't wear) on my head, to get this expression.  I just had this printed as a big black and white canvas for our family room and love looking at it each day.

#3 - A selfie.  I held my hand out and snapped this while Evan and I were riding Dumbo during his first ever trip to Disney.  The sun was setting and the sunflare was perfection, and it just kind of captured what we felt all day and especially at that moment.


A peek at my scrapspace:  I've recently moved all of my everyday scrap essentials into and onto and beneath a side counter space in our kitchen.  It's usually a MESS (like this!), but it works so much better from a functionality standpoint of letting me actually GET THINGS DONE during the day.  Now just to empty out all that I don't use in my old office.

Thanks for sharing a litlte more about yourself, Susan!!

Design Team Member Spotlight

 

Name: Kinsey Nicole Wilson (aka Kins)

City, State: Roseville, California (but home is on the East Coast)
Blog: www.kinseygirl.typepad.com

How long have you been a DT member? 7 months- I can't believe it! It's gone by so fast!

Favorite SC product? Oh geez, that's a toughie! If I had to choose one, I'd go with Mister Huey's...they jive with anything and everything.

Any rituals when your kits arrive? I have ZERO self control. I stalk the UPS man and practically tackle him for my box, ha! He probably thinks I'm a total creeper. I open the bags super carefully (because I hoard them) and then I go one bag at a time- shop items go in one pile and then the main kit + add ons go in another. I transfer each kit into it's own crop bag and I label them and then I also label the contents so that when everything gets mixed together on my messy table, I still know which kit I've worked with. I'm kind of OCD about organization. I haven't met an SC box that I didn't love :)

All time favorite SC kit? City of Lights. I love every layout I made with it and kept every little scrap of paper from it...that's always a good indicator of a winner.

Three products you can't live without: kraft cardstock, alpha stickers, and ink/mist

Three people you get scrappy inspiration from: Kelly Purkey, Elise Blaha Cripe, and Tina Aszmus

Three goals you have: To finish school. Travel and teach classes all over the place. Make time to figure out my camera.

Here's a peek of where Kinsey gets down to business: {insert front shelving, steel cabinet, paper shelves, metal shelf} My scrapbooking space is extremely limited (read: we're in an apartment right now so I'm all set up in the dining area) but it works pretty well for me because it forces me to keep everything in check. I go through everything every 2 months or so and donate/giveaway what I know I won't use. Also? Everything is in arm's reach and I love the accessibility. I can pretty much see what I have and I'm much more likely to use it. 

And take a peek at three of Kinsey's favorite photos: 

We had just gotten back to the states after 4 years in England and we were taking leave in route in Georgia & Florida. We took her to the park to feed the ducks and the thing I love about this one is that she still has some baby face there...love that face.

I took this one 2 years ago of my little brother (Uncle Klint) and Brianna having a blast at the pool. Sam was deployed so we had gone to Florida to visit my family- lots of good memories from that visit. Most of all though, she and Klint became best buds and it did my heart so much good to see her so happy.

This is one of those goofy pics that you take on a whim. I love that it's just...her. So her. She's silly and all about cracking people up. This is textbook Brianna.

 

Design Team Spotlight: Nicole

It's time for a little Q&A with one of our fabulout Design Team members...

Name: Nicole Harper
City, State: Elyria, OH
Blog: www.seriouslybrains.blogspot.com
 
How long have you been a DT member? since Sept. 2007.

Favorite SC product? the Veneer Asterisks. Seriously, I can't NOT use them.

Any rituals when your kits arrive? usually my mama and/or daughter have busted open my box, lol...they get as excited as i do about it!

All time favorite SC kit? Lawn Party. so many doodads in that one that I LOVED.

Three products you can't live without: paint, kraft cardstock and alphabet stickers

Three people you get scrappy inspiration from: Nicole Samuels (the first gallery i check each month) and the rest of the DT gallery. They are always doing neat things I may not have thought of with the very same items!!

Three of my favorite photos:

I don't have many current photos of my husband and I, so this one just makes me beam from ear to ear...and for some crazy reason reminds me of when we were in high school and had first met.

This one here is from our daughter's 12th birthday this year. It's one of those that kind of caught my breath when I uploaded it into my computer...where did my baby go?!

This was taken seconds after we arrived to pick Allie up from a week away at soccer camp...she still lets me love on her in public, despite her age lol.

Here's a peek at my scrap space:

She is always nearby while I work lol...
This tray is directly to the right of my desk, keeping all of my brads/buttons/Slice cartridges/pins etc close at hand.

A general view of my desk...in it's clean state, lol.

Maggie Holmes

We've got DT member Maggie in the spotlight today!  Be sure to congratulate this gorgeous mama on the newest addition to her family!

Name: Maggie Holmes
City, State: Gilbert, AZ
Blog: www.maggieholmes.typepad.com

How long have you been a DT member? 2 years

Favorite SC product? Mister Huey’s Mists!

Any rituals when your kits arrive? I always get them out immediately so I can look at them and examine everything up close and personal! It always makes me so excited to start scrapping with everything!!

All time favorite SC kit? Candy Shoppe

Three products you can't live without: Cardstock, Patterned Paper and Alpha Stickers

Three people you get scrappy inspiration from: I can’t choose just three.... I am simply in awe at the whole Studio Calico design team and I always go to the gallery when I need inspiration! Each month I am so inspired by the things they think of and the innovative ways in which they use the products!!!

Three goals you have:
My ongoing goals are:
1 – to make sure that my husband and kids each feel important and loved every single day. It is so easy to get busy and wrapped up in the normal tasks of life and so I am always working to make sure I take time out to just snuggle with them or sit and talk to them or play outside.... Even if it is just for a few minutes at a time. I also love to tuck the kids in at night so that I can kiss them goodnight and tell them I love them one more time.

2 – to do better at editing and printing out my photos instead of leaving them sitting on the computer. I find that it is so much easier to scrapbook when I already have the photos printed and ready to go

3 – to be better at blogging.... I go in phases but overall I wish that I could keep up with it more, especially when it comes to recording our family stories. I love looking back at my blog posts about my kids and our family life but I am not the greatest at keeping up with it.

Take a peek at three of my favorite photos:

This will forever be a favorite photo of mine.... Even though it was a more formal photo shoot that I set up, this is one of the candid shots that I got in between the posed smiles and I love it soooo much! I love the way Tyler and Matthew are interacting and the fact that they are so happy and having fun. I love that Emily is looking at them and laughing as if she knows what they are saying and is in on the joke even though she has no clue what they are laughing about. And I also love that Nathan, my sweet and obedient one, is still looking at the camera and smiling even when I told them they didn’t have to. He was so excited about being in those rain boots and so proud of the fact that he got to stand on the bucket!!

I love this photo of Emily and Tyler simply because of the emotion and connection that it captures! It’s another candid moment that was captured during a more formal photo shoot. I love to do styled photo shoots of my kiddos but often my most favorite images are the ones that I take in between the poses! Little do my kids know that I am still snapping away and then I am able to capture their real personalities and little treasured moments like this!

I love any photos that I can get of all my kiddos together..... Anyone with more than one or two little ones knows how hard it can be to capture images of all your kids together and happy at the same time! :) So it is always fun when I get one like this of all 4 of them!

Name: Waleska
City, State:  Southern California
Blog:  talking to myself

How long have you been a DT member?  Since January 2010
 
Favorite SC product? Mister Huey's, Wood Veneer, FabRips
 
Any rituals when your kits arrive? The boys and I stalk the UPS guy, run up the stairs as soon as we hear the truck (to look out the window), run down, open the door + rip open the box right away! I open each bag (carefully not to rip the labels) and lay out every item on the floor. Delivery day is super exciting around here :)
 
All time favorite SC kit?  Yearbook

Three products you can't live without: white cardstock, pretty paper and brads/buttons (and Mister Huey's! Ok. that's four but in case you were wondering...)
 
Three people you get scrappy inspiration from (include links to blogs if possible): Everyone! Seriously, I love looking through galleries and magazines for inspiration. There's so many talented scrappers out there...
 
Three goals you have:
Capture more of our everyday
Make our house feel more like a home (which has been hard while renting)
Play, have fun and keep my boys my top priority

Three of my favorite photos...

This picture makes me laugh every single time.

This one shows my kids personalities... Can you guess who's the trouble maker?

And here's one of the very few pictures where you can see me :)

Take a peek into where I scrapbook...

My desk + shelves. Everything I own it's right there. When I run out of space it's time to purge. And yes, my desk is always that clean (well, except when I'm in the middle of a project, of course) :)

Handsome Mister Huey's.

Current month's kit embellies in mini colanders.

nicole samuels

Name:  Nicole Samuels
City, State:  Williamsburg, Virginia
Blog: http://nicolesamuels.wordpress.com

How long have you been a DT member? I started in September 2007, so about 3.5 years.  I feel so incredibly fortunate to be part of this amazing company! 

Favorite SC product?  That's a hard one.  I think I'd have to say my favorite right now are the Mister Huey's mists.  The new colors had me at hello. ;) 

 

Any rituals when your kits arrive?  These photos sort of sum it up!  I try to keep the little ones from damaging anything!  My daughter loves opening up each bag and pulling out the items with commentary like, "oohhhhh!" or "I love this one!" 

All time favorite SC kit?  I think it's a tie between Cotillion and Garment District.

Three products you can't live without:  Patterned paper (can't do a layout without it!), buttons and/or pretty brads, and lately...twine!

Three people you get scrappy inspiration from (include links to blogs if possible):  I can honestly say I get inspiration from all my fellow DT'ers.  Each gallery reveal, I see things that make me gasp or just say, "WOW."  Three of my scrap crushes beyond the SC team would be Kelly Goree, Keisha Campbell, and Robyn Werlich. Their creativity just makes me want to scrap!

Three goals you have:  1.  To raise kind, compassionate, confident children.  2.  To be grateful and joyful in all things.  (These are GOALS, mind you.  Not things I've accomplished yet!)  3.  To someday translate my love of photography into a job.

Three of my favorite photos : 
I am a fickle photographer!  My favorites are often my most recent snapshots.  Maybe that's why I can't ever decide which to make into permanent wall decor!  Here are my current faves...

I love this one because all the laughter is real and I can still hear their giggles.  I was trying to get a nice shot of all 4 of them and no one was cooperating at the same time (sound familiar?), when all of a sudden the baby (ahem) "tooted" very loudly and the big kids all just erupted with giggles.  I happened to snap at just the right moment.  And I love it.

I love this shot because of the pudgy baby legs.  sigh.  I know they won't last much longer and I'll miss those rolls soon enough!

My big girl.  I love the sparkle in her eyes here.

Here's a peek into my scrap space :

Design Team Spotlight: Vee

Name: Vee Jennings
City, State: DC Metro Area
Blog: creative blessing

How long have you been a DT member? seven months

Favorite SC product? eek, this is a tough one because I love all of SC products but since I have to choose here are some of my current favorites: Mister Huey's Calico White, Tweets Tan Ledger Rub-ons and any SC stamps

Any rituals when your kits arrive? No not really I am at work when my kit arrives. But once I get home and get settled I pretty much rip open my box to see the goodies inside!
All time favorite SC kit? My all time favorite kit is Napa Valley, I loved all of the pattern and texture in it!

Three products you can't live without: I couldn't live without creating with paint, white cardstock and adhesive.

Three people you get scrappy inspiration from: My dare girls, cheetahisthenewblack and life.

Three goals you have:
1. be open to change
2. continue to work hard but PLAY more often
3. Raise respectful, polite and positive children

Three of my favorite photos:

I love this photo because it shows both of their personalities perfectly.
My pages being documented for a pitch for a new television network, was totally a surreal experience and one I will remember forever.


I love this photo, it was taken when we were traveling down from the Grand Canyon back to Scottsdale, AZ last June. It is pure bliss to me a perfect capture of nature's beauty.

Here's a look at my scrap area:

Design Team Spotlight - Kelly Noel

Name: Kelly Noel
City, State: Land O' Lakes, Florida
Blog: www.kellynoel.typepad.com

How long have you been a DT member? Technically since November 2008, but I guested in August '08 too.

Favorite SC product? Ooooh, this is a tough one... probably Mister Huey's Calico White though for all the cool effects you can create with it.

Any rituals when your kits arrive? My kit usually arrives during Brady's nap time, so I've become accustomed to opening up my box in the peace and quiet. I keep everything separated by kit and add-on until after I've helped out with sneaks. Once sneaks are over, I mix everything together and separate by product type (all alphas together, all embellies together, etc.)

All time favorite SC kit? Probably Joyland, but Soda Fountain is a close second.

Three products you can't live without: buttons, patterned paper and alphas

Three people you get scrappy inspiration from: I'm more inspired by home decor, magazines, the mall, etc...but I find so many scrapbookers inspiring: Jen Johner, our very own Lisa Truesdell, and Erica Hernandez.

Three goals you have: To live in the moment more. Try really hard to not sweat the small stuff.
Raise my boys to be loving, caring and just all around good people

Here's a look at where I work...




And here are there of Kelly's favorite photos:I had to sneak in to capture this photo of Brady taking his nap....I love it so much...his pull-up (since he still wets the bed :), his favorite lovey "george", his Spiderman pillowcase, the quilt my MIL made for him.
It is so rare for me to be in a photo with the kids, since I'm always the one taking the photos. I love this one of Brady and at Chili's for his birthday lunch.
I think I might blow up this shot of Jackson for my wall...he is such a goofball, it's impossible these days to get him to give me a genuine smile...love the pure happiness in his face in this photo.

Design Team Spotlight: Stephanie

Name: Stephanie Howell

City, State: Savannah, GA

Blog: Just Me, My Soldier, and My Four Little Chicks 

How long have you been a DT member? 2 1/2 years...since May 2008.

Favorite SC product? The new notions, definitely. I love them!

Any rituals when your kits arrive? I open the box, separate everything into piles, and slowly look through each pile. I then put each kit and add-on into a SC crop bag.

All time favorite SC kit? It's a toss-up between Baker's Dozen and Newsstand.

Three products you can't live without: JBS label stickers, scallop border punches, AC precision pens

Three people you get scrappy inspiration from:  Jenni Bowlin, Kelly Goree, Jen McGuire

Three goals you have:

1. I'd love to eventually regularly contribute to a scrapbooking magazine (Scrapbooks Etc. has long been a dream of mine).

2. Get back in shape. Teach my body to run and maybe even run a half marathon one day.

3. One day I'd love to go back to school, get my Master's in Library Science, and become a librarian.

Take a look at Stephanie's beautiful workspace:

And Stephanie is sharing three of her favorite photos...
1. Our family reunited after a particularly harrowing year-long deployment that my husband, Jimmy, had in Afghanistan.

2. I've just always loved everything about this photo. I'm totally lucky I caught this moment.

3. This perfectly represents my beautiful, vibrant girls and how I see them.