Studio Calico

sunday sketch

Hello there! This week's sketch is based on the oh-so-inspiring Miss Susan.

Susan has such talent to make her pictures look so bright and colorful and her sense of design just makes me speechless...anyway, I was very impressed and inspired at the same time by Susan's layout. I thought I would replace some of the photos by tags and just made myself a reason to have fun with my Mister Huey's mists!!!

Some machine stitching around my layout adds some contrast on my layout!

I can't wait to see your take on this week's sketch! Post your layout by Monday, July 25 for your chance to win a SC giftcard!

4th anniversary PDFs

We've got yet another anniversary celebration for you - 4 step by step project PDFs featuring our State Fair and Countryside lines. Download them and print them out, and you'll have a little Studio Calico inspiration to take with you wherever you go!

(click here to download the PDF for Waleka's "Happy Shakes" layout)

(click here to download the PDF for Jen's "At the Cabin" layout)

(click here to download the PDF for Tina's "Like Forever" layout)

(click here to download the PDF for April's "Happy Birthday" card)

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 :

State Fair Spotlight

My assignment for the blog this month was to work with the State Fair line, one of the two newest collections.  As I was looking at this primary color palette, it immediately made me think of school photos which led me to some quirky photos I took of Morgan laying claim to the goalie box during Fall soccer.
A sports layout always makes me gravitate towards stars, so of course I had to break out the veneer and incorporate them into this layout as well.

A sports layout wouldn't necessarily make you think of hand stitching, however, but I used lots of it on this layout.  I used the WRMK Sew Easy tool for my hand stitching.  In between the stitches I added strips of patterned paper for pops of color.

The veneer alphabet is in an easy to use font, so I grabbed what I had left and used Hot Dog, a new color from Mister Huey, to change the color.  In addition to veneer, blue rubon alphas were also used to create my title.
Supplies: Patterned paper - Tickets Please, Guess your Weight, Sideshow, Step Right Up; Wood Veneer - Alphas, Stars; Other - Sew Easy

Laura also created a fun layout using State Fair.  She says: "there isn't one thing I don't love about the State Fair collection...The colors, the versatility, and did I mention the butterflies?? Oh, and they go so well with kraft cardstock.

I love this photo of my little peanut, and I wanted to keep the vertical feel with turning the title vertically."
Supplies: Cardstock - Kraft; Rub-ons: State Fair Alphabet, Butterflies; Label sticker - State Fair; Other - Blue twine

I can't wait to see the projects you come up with when this line hits stores.  Have a great day!

Food Challenge

Supplies: Patterned paper - State Fair Step Right Up, Stickers - State Fair Chipboard, Tags - State Fair Die Cut Tags, Pen - American Crafts .03

Happy Valentines Day to all my SC friends!  While all you happy couples out there are celebrating together, I thought I'd take this opportunity to honor the love of my life... delicious food.  Those of you who know me, know that I take this relationship very seriously.  And believe me, food has loved me back by clinging to my thighs.  Ahhh sweet romance.

My Muffuletta layout was made document my blissful experience with a sandwich down in New Orleans.  I had posted on Facebook that I was in NOLA and asked for suggestions on where to eat.  Studio Calico member Barb Novak left me a note to try out Central Grocery's Muffuletta and it made quite an impact.  Thanks, Barb!

So this week I'm challenging you to create a layout about food or cooking or recipes or anything gastronomy related!  Post your layout and link here by next Monday, February 21 for a chance to win a SC gift card.  I can't wait to see all your eye candy!