Studio Calico

weekly challenge | Anna-Maria Wolniak & Natalia Bun

Hi ladies! Anna-Maria and Natalia here to give you a new challenge for your layout and PL spread. I love quotes and it's always been a huge part of my layouts and PL spread. I love it most when I randomly stumble on a quote, something that's exactly what I needed to hear. When that happens, I always remember to screen grab them on my iPhone to use for my next spread or layout.  So for this challenge, we want you to find a quote that you recently found or one that's been on your mind, something that you really feel and definitely worth scrapping about :)

Anna-Maria used this quote for her layout. "Decide that you want it more then you are afraid of it".

(supplies: patterned paper: 'Planetarium' Scrapbook Main Kit, alphabets: 'Orion' and 'Lyra' Scrapbook add-ons, wooden veneers: 'Big Dipper' Scrapbook add-on andAtlantic Burnished Circle from 'Halley's Comet' PL add-on, printables: Planetarium Digital Printable #1 GS, Planetarium Digital Printable #2 MP, Planetarium Digital Printable Fancy Labels, other: Watercolor Transparent Papers, Mister Huey's Shell and Mister Huey's Seafoam both from Atlantic Collection)

I made a Project Life spread and printed out the quote in 4x6" card. I found this quote on Tumblr recently and I thought it's perfect. Life is indeed a balance of the good and bad.

(supplies: patterned paper - Atlantic 12x12 Vellum, South Hampton, Plymouth, New Haven; Bow - Atlantic Fabric Bows; Atlantic Cork Circles Stickers & Arrows; Atlantic Star Stickers; Atlantic Vellum Die Cut Shapes; Thickers - Atlantic Sunrise)

Make a project for this challenge, then share it in the Studio Calico gallery. Leave us a link to your project by May 13th in the comments here to be entered to win a $5 GC to the Studio Calico Shop.

Thank you!

Natalia & Anna-Maria

NSD at SC | 2013 | PL team challenge 3

See through elements add a bit of fun to any project - whether it's a pocket you can peek through in a Project Life album, a window in the front of a card, or an overlay or sheet of vellum mixed into the layers of a layout to give it more interest. For this challenge, add something transparent to your next creation!

Leena Loh | To make my window card for my PL spread, I cut out a piece of 8 1/4" x 6" pattern paper from Fancy Pants Trend Setter paper from the Big Dipper kit. I then cut a window in the center of that paper leaving about an inch of border all around the 4 edges. Then, I inserted this window card into Becky Higgins 6" x 12" protector, trimmed off the protector top to fit the window card. Next, I machine sewed a U-shape around the inside window card on the protector itself, leaving the top open. I poured in the Atlantic Sequin from my Halley's Comet kit, punched some papers and added into the see through window, together with a few pieces of wood chips from Freckled Fawn (from Big Dipper kit) to make them into confetti. I sewed the top to seal the window card. I machine sewed again across the protector of the see through window card randomly and added Heidi Swapp Clear Pop Letters on top of the protector. 

Julie Campbell | I love the new Atlantic printables & wanted to try them out for this challenge.  I imported the images into my Silhouette software & used the circle tool to cut out a window for my card.  The card base is actually made from an office transparency & it gives the illusion that the "love" die cut is floating in the center of my card.  I added patterned paper to the inside to create a space for writing a message to the recipient.

Celine Navarro | Hey everyone and HAPPY NSD! Let's talk "transparencies" here! Our challenge now is that you use anything see through! For my layout, I glued and then sewed a piece of glitter & star lace curtain that I bought at my favorite Fabric store - look how cool it looks! You can actually see through the fabric and peek at the gorgeous Studio Calico Sundrifter paper. I also used a Studio Calico Sundrifter vellum paper to create a fun and see through pocket near my photo. Whether it is fabric or vellum, you can easily find see-through supplies to create unique and colorful layouts!

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 | 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 | card team challenge 2

We've all been there. A zillion pieces of patterned paper in your stash, and none have the color scheme or design that you're looking for. Or maybe you have some new stamps you can't wait to get inky - or you just want to try something new. We're challenging you to stamp your own patterned paper!

Stephanie Washburn | I LOVE using stamps to create my own backgrounds! On this one, I picked this tiny ampersand stamp (from Snippets Miss You So Much stamp set) and stamped it in different color inks to create a fun pattern. Then, I blended some distress ink across the card front to create a more rustic look. I finished it off with the sentiment, "you're awesome" stamped in gold ink! Stamping your own background is a great way to create flat, easy to mail cards!


Laura Kurz | So I have been meaning to do these pages for the last four months. Ha. I decided to use my square punch to punch out people's pictures from Christmas cards (if the pictures were bigger than the punch, I just punched it more than once). I have four whole pages of photo inserts! These are coin collector pages that I use in my Project Life album.

I used the hot air balloon stamp to create the background for two of the squares. I typed my title/journaling in red to give it a holiday-esque feel. 

Suzy Plantamura | Stamped backgrounds are perfect for a Project Life album - they bring in a lot of color and interest without bulking up the cards too much!

On the week card, I stamped the word “week” from the Amy Tan stamp set in the May PL kit all over a 4x6 piece of light blue paper; stamping it each time on a piece of scratch paper and then on this paper so the ink is lighter; for a few of the words, I stamped my background first so the ink is darker and those words stand out more. I then added a piece of yellow paper along the bottom and stamped the word “week” in a yellow just a bit darker than the paper. To finish, I stamped the word “week” in red ink on coral paper and cut the numbers out (draw or print on the back side backwards and cut out) and attached them to the front of card. I think that the repetition of the word “week” adds to the theme of this being a weekly introduction card.

For the “confetti” card, I stamped the two borders in one color several times and then stamped over them in a second color so they are just above the first.

To make the card with circles, I stamped the blue ink on a piece of scratch paper first and then stamped; sometimes I would try to leave more ink on the circle so there were different variations of the color; I stamped the words “you are loved” on top of the circles in the same color so it is subtle; then I stamped a yellow circle stamp on a yellow circle and stamped the same words in black and layered it over the background.

Sasha Farina | Using the circle stamp in Big Dipper, I randomly stamped the circle with versamark and embossed them in white before adding the mist. I spray the mist onto my kraft skeet and very lightly put my white cardstock facedown, making sure some parts stay white for the marbled effect. It's a gamble every time, but I love how no two pieces can ever be the same using this technique. Once I'm happy with the background, I gave the embossed parts a good wipe with some tissue.

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!

NSD at SC | 2013 | SB team challenge 1

That's right - we're challenging you to get a little bit artsy. Break out those watercolors. Stitch on some fabric. Dabble in paint and mist. We want to see you give mixed media a try!

Anna-Maria Wolniak | When we decided to create such challenge on NSD I almost started to fly!!! I mean - watercolors?! - this is "my" world! I adooore watercolors, watercolors effect, watercolor transparent papers, watercolors...  in all of the kinds. I create this page with thought that I should use as much watrcolors as possible and stick with simplicity of the other embellishments.

Tina Aszmus | I've been a lover of watercolor for quite some time but very rarely would apply this medium to layouts. I'm not sure what kept me from doing so because there are a ton of background possiblities. Swipping water color directly on rubber stamps and applying them with stencils are my favorites ways to use this medium right now. I simply taped down the chevron stencil using washi tape (it's low tack and didn't rip my paper) to a sheet of water color paper, and swiped the yellow color using the water brush. Easy peasy. :) 

Robyn Werlich | One of my favorite products from Studio Calico is the 'Here & There' V Pattern Mask! Love it! So, for these cards, I laid the mask on my card front and used watercolors to color in the chevron design. I did the color a bit heavier and lighter in areas to add some depth and variance in the color. I love how they turned out. I added a stamped banner image and saying (from the 'Snippets Miss You So Much stamp set) and popped it up on pop-dots. If your reluctant or nervous about trying some of the more advanced 'artsy' techniques...watercolors and masks are a great place to start! Happy NSD!!

Allison Waken | Project Life is a fun place to play with techniques since I can try a new one on each card! Here’s some mixed media ideas I incorporated into this spread.

Week 14 Card: I placed thickers on a blank 4x6 grid card and painted over with watercolor on a small brush - super easy and fun!  

Excellence Card: To create the ombre effect I loaded up the water color paint and applied it several times to the bottom of the card slowly blending it up with more water. As I got to the top all that was on my brush was water. Once it dried completely I printed over it with my quote!

Love Lives Here Card: I painted a base of gesso over a printed PL card. Once the gesso was semi-dry I applied some water color on top of that. Once dry I layered it up with a cut file!

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 | PL team challenge 2

Pockets and envelopes are a good product to have in your stash - they can hide journaling, hold confetti, give you a place to hide a gift card - and more! We'd love to see how you use pockets and envelopes on your projects.

Nicole Reaves | I like to use small paper (and sometimes transparent) baggies in my Project Life spreads, especially when I want to include journaling that I don't want everyone to read. I think it adds some fun texture and interest to my pages, whether it is embellished or not. The spread I did here for the challenge is an insert from a long-weekend that my kids spent with my in-laws, their first 'trip' away from us. I'm so happy my mother-in-law took a ton of photos of their adventures and shared them with us! Instead of using a bag from my stash, I cut up some Sundrifter vellum and sewed a pocket to insert in one of the 3x4 slots of this Design G page protector. For now, I've slipped a large white tag in the pocket. The next time I see my mother-in-law, I'm going to ask her to write about her weekend with the kids on the tag and slip it inside the pocket.

Maggie Holmes | Using bags and envelopes is such a fun way to add a little more dimension to a project. My favorite thing to "tuck in" or put inside a glassine bag is sequins! I love how they look in there and think it adds a nice little surprise to anything!

Dana Fleckenstein | While creating with the May kit, I used one of SC's butterfly masks to trace the shape on the back of a pretty patterned paper from the North Star card kit add-on. I then used the this as my guideline to hand-cut the shape from the paper. To finish the card, I stamped a sentiment on cardstock and slid it into one of the cute polka dotted envelopes from the Planetarium card kit.

Maggie Holmes | Cards are a fun way to use glassine bags! It creates a little element of surprise and you can hide your message inside so that the card becomes interactive!

Lisa Truesdell | I think we've all been in a position of wanting to record certain thoughts on a page without them beind front and center. For this page, I wanted to jot down some thoughts about how much we love our current ball team, but part of that reflection included some past struggles with teams. Hiding the journaling lets me focus on this amazing team of boys and their coaches.

I had a little extra room at the bottom of my glassine bag and was going to just trim it down and stitch it shut when I decided it would make an awesome place for some confetti.

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 | card team challenge 3

Do you like to mix and match? We want to see five different patterned papers on your project! Go BOLD with bright colors and big patterns, or go with a more toned down combination. Dig into your paper, pull together a fun mix of papers and put them to work!

Ashley Cannon Newell | Adding multiple patterned papers all at once is a big challenge to take on for a card because of the small canvas size, but I was ready to create something clean and simple. So, I trimmed five sheets of different patterned papers to about 1/2" wide. Next, I stared at them forever trying to figure out how I wanted to add them to my card. Finally, I stacked them together at an angle and the rest was history! All those patterns on a clean and simple card design...who knew it could be done! Try it out!

Gillian Nelson | I love the look of combining several patterns and colors on a page, but I tend to get easily overwhelmed if I try to use them in large blocks.  So the answer for me is to incorporate all the different colors and patterns, but do so with small shapes.  I love that I can still get the visual interest from the multiple patterns, but it doesn't make the design too busy for me to work with.  For this page, I used 5 different patterned papers from the Studio Calico Sundrifter, Snippets, and Here & There lines to cut out Mickey Mouse shapes and give my title a colorful border.  Lots of color and pattern going on here, but there's still plenty of white space to let my eyes rest.  And they need to rest.  They're old.  

Maggie Holmes | I have to admit that this one wasn't super tough for me because I do love to use a lot of different papers on my layouts. BUT you will notice that I typically do it in a subtle way so that it doesn't get too overwhelming or busy. Here I used all of the different papers (except for the background paper) in small doses. In case you get nervous to mix this many papers together, take my lead and keep the amount of each one to a minimum! 

Deb Duty | Since I used mostly smaller photos in my 4x6 pockets on this Project Life spread, I used patterned paper to back them. I didn't have a lot of extra photos and I loved the beautiful floral pattern on the Cosmo Cricket paper from the Planetarium Big Dipper add on so I used it as a filler in one of the 4x6 pockets. I also made some of my own 3x4 cards out of patterned paper from the same Cosmo Cricket floral paper and the Amy Tangerine paper from the Planetarium main scrapbook kit.

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 | card team challenge 1

It's time to break out the masks! Whether you reach for a premade mask or cut your own, we want you to think outside the box while using it. That means NO MIST. What will you use instead? We can't wait to see!

Jenn Picard | I love having fun with the Studio Calico masks and Mr. Huey’s Mists so I knew this would be a great challenge for me to find a different way to use one of my favourite masks. I started with a plain piece of white card, my V-Pattern Mask, some ink and a brayer. I laid the mask down on the paper and used a little bit of repositionable tape to hold it in place, then inked up my brayer really well and rolled it over the mask. I did this several times and then I removed the masked and lightly brayered a few more times over the paper to add some soft colour and contrast. Once I had my background completed I added some fun elements and stamps from the May Project Life add on Kit – Halley’s Comet.

Natalia Bun | I used Studio Calico mask to make the 3 cards on this spread. Instead of spraying mist, I used watercolour and brushed it on top of the mask. Don't use too much water so the shapes of the mask will come out nicely. Make sure you hold the mask firmly to the paper so the watercolour doesn't seep below the mask.

Becky Novacek | I mixed a custom gray color with acrylic paints that have a bit of shimmer. The outcome was imperfect, but I thought it worked well with the sort of vintage papers. Love that I had the opportunity to have coffee with two friends and fellow Studio Calico design teamers! 

Suzy Plantamura | I attached the mask to a piece of white cardstock. I outlined it with a fine point black tipped marker. I removed the mask and applied a second outline so it looks more “doodled” and didn’t have to be perfect (this covers any mistakes you made when tracing the mask). I then colored it in with several shades of blue markers using Copics. I started with the lightest color on the top and moved to darker shades as I moved down the chevron shapes blending the colors as I went. I applied a shadow using a gray marker. I cut around the edges of the shape on the right side so I could slide my photo under it. To add to the look of the doodled design colored in with markers, I also added a doodled, colored heart on the top right of the layout. I cut it out of white paper and used the same techniques of outlining and coloring. I only attached it on the top and bottom with a tiny attacher so the sides had dimension.

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 2

Button, button, who's got the button? We're guessing YOU do, and we want to see them on your next project!!

Kelly Noel | As soon as I saw the button challenge, I knew for sure this was the one I wanted to participate in. I have a TON of buttons. More than I could ever use in a lifetime for sure. I love how using a small item, like a button, in excess can make a big statement on my projects. For this layout, just grouping together several colors of buttons with the new Atlantic Cork Stickers and some enamel dots really adds something interesting to my layout. 

Celeste Vermeend | Button on layouts is almost essential for my style! You will find buttons scattered on almost all my layouts. Any type of button looks effective on a scrapbooking page. My preference is too essentially create a scattered look with my button placement. 

But each button is decisively placed on my page before I stick them down permanently. In this way, I can achieve the messy but balanced look I am after. Buttons of various colours and size work well - especially when paired with circles.

 I find a button placed inside circles  pleasing to my eye. The addition of buttons to my work is often one of the last steps. I find placing them in the white space helps balance and complete my page. I also like to have them in a row at times. You will often find buttons along an edge of my photo. The line of them will help the eye travel to the image. 

Dana Fleckenstein | Let's face it, my buttons stash will last me forever and a day. While they still look cute, sequins and enamel dots have pushed them down on my list of favorite embellishments. I usually used single buttons on my projects, e.g. as flower centers on my cards but wanted to try something different for this challenge. So what I did here was to treat them as a regular layer on my card, just like I would use a strip of paper or washi tape. 

Lisa Truesdell | Once upon a time, I couldn't finish ANY project without buttons. Time went on, and decorative brads, enamel dots and sequins came into my life, and my poor button stash has spent a lot of time on a shelf in a jar (where it looks super cute, so at least it has that going for it!). As I worked on this PL spread, I realized that buttons fit right in with my beloved enamel dots, and I really like the two of them mixed together! They're also not too bulky in the pocket pages. Maybe I'd better move that button jar a little closer to my desk...

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!