Studio Calico

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!

 

Tips & Tricks

Tina shows how she caps off the month in her Project Life album.  Download this tutorial as a PDF.

watercolor tutorial

  

Watercolors are so on trend right now, and we wanted to give you an easy way to incorporate this look into your projects. We've brought in some new shop items - transparent watercolor papers and small and medium water brushes.

Tina Aszmus has put together a video to share just how these papers work : 

Whether you use them for coloring in stamps, creating backgrounds, or adding a custom look to ready made embellishments, these papers are a great item to have in your creative arsenal!

make it work

Clothespins. You either love 'em or loathe 'em. I think it's just a matter of using them that suites your needs most. I personally have a hard time using these cute mini clothespins on layouts but I find them perfect for cards and gifts. I also like using them on my trusty inspiration wire. 

Today I'll show a couple of simple gift ideas. There are a few things I like to have on hand for last minute gift wrapping + giving. Tags, kraft bags, vellum envelopes, rubber stamps, twine and clothespins. Only takes a few minutes to put together! 

This one is a gift for a friend's birthday. I got her a coffee card + a cute mug. I stamped the banner + quote from the Snippets stamp set using a Versamark ink pad onto a mini vellum envelope from the Selections Shop. I simply folded the paper bag, placed a doily over the fold and clipped the envelope with the card on top. 

I love using clothespins in this manor. It adds that little extra detail to gifts that my friends + family always appreciate. Here's a quick one for a grad gift...

Again, I used stamps from the Snippets set + Versamark ink on tag and clipped that to a vellum envelope. 

This is one of my favorite uses and It totally adds a little more love to an ordinary vase of flowers. I stamped the frame + quote from the Sundrifter stamp set, then clipped that to a vase of flowers I plan on giving to a friend. 

So next time you're scratching your head at a pack of mini clothespins, I challenge you to make it work. I hope you'll give these ideas a try. : )

(supplies - Versamark Onyx inkpad, vellum envelopes, Amy Tan Clothespins from Wendy add on, tags, acrylic block, Sundrifter frame + feathers stamp set, Snippets miss you so much stamp set. )

We looked through the Creative Team galleries and found more fun ways to use clothespins - check out these great ideas : 

Celeste used them to hold her photos and embellishments to her page : 

Lucy lined them up across a card : 

Marcy clipped her layers of patterned paper together : 

Maile created an embellishment cluster and clipped it together with one : 

How have you used clothespins in your projects? Link us up in the comments - we'd love to see!

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!

weekly challenge

Hey guys! My challenge to you this week is to scrap a photo from last December. Maybe a photo that didn't make it in last years December Daily (tm) or a photo you loved so much, you want to scrap it again. Journal what you can remember about last year or maybe how things have changed. 

I created a 6x8 layout (I'm loving this smaller size) to fit into my Handbook binder. I started with a photo I came across in a box from last year and I knew I had to scrap it again. I used bits and pieces from the Darling Dear line and hand stitched a grid for fun. :) I think it also helps define each square of paper and the special photo. 

supplies: Darling Dear 6x6 pad, Darling Dear Arrow sticker sheet, Studio Calico Veneer Arrows, Wonderland woodgrain snowflakes, Wonderland tree farm patterned paper, Mr Huey opaque white, heart in home paperclip from Kris Kringle add on, white thread, needle

Create a project using a photo from last December, then share it in the Studio Calico gallery. Leave us a link to your project by December 24th in the comments here to be entered to win a $5 GC to the Studio Calico Shop.

black friday

Happy Black Friday, everyone! We've got some rocking deals for you today. Check out the "Black Friday" tab in the shop for two new stamp sets - available JUST for Black Friday. You'll also find past kit stamps there, and you can use the coupon codes above for great deals on Classic Calico!

About those Black Friday stamp sets.... we wanted to show you just what the Noah Outline and 2013 New Years sets look like in action!

(gift wrap by Kinsey Wilson :  patterned paper - American Crafts POW (gold); stamps - Studio Calico (Noah Outline and 2013 New Years); ink - gold metallic Staz On; other- vellum, wrapping paper, star sequins)

(tags by Kinsey Wilson : patterned paper - Studio Calico (Darling Dear 6 x 6 pad); stamps - Studio Calico (Noah Outline and 2013 New Years); ink - gold metallic Staz On, onyx black Versafine; mist- Mister Huey's (silver); frame die cut- Studio Calico (Wonderland); chipboard camera sticker- Studio Calico (Darling Dear); other- tiny attacher, craft knife, vellum)

(read card by Jen Jockisch :  Stamps - Noah Outline and 2013 New Years; Cardstock - American Crafts; Journaling Card - Wonderland Journal Cards; Alphas - Calico V. 3 Sotheby's Thickers - Ledger; Stamps - Noah Outline 6x8 Stamp Set, New Year 4x6 Sta mp Set; Ink - Staz-On Timber Brown,  Hero Arts Shadow Ink - Pool; Tape - American Crafts Glitter Tape; Die - Cuts - Crate Paper, Binder Clip - American Crafts; Tag - misc.; misc. colored pencils; Tools - We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper)

(pumpkins by Lisa Truesdell : Stamps - Noah Outline and 2013 New Years; patterned paper - Studio Calico Darling Dear Temple & Wayne, Studio Calico Take Note, My Mind's Eye, Pebbles; chipboard - Studio Calico Darling Dear printed chipboard speech bubbles; badge - Studio Calico Darling Dear badges; veneer - Studio Calico Darling Dear wood veneer; journaling card - Studio Calico Darling Dear journaling cards; star sequin and diecut - Studio Calico Yearbook Ephmera pack; alphabet - Studio Calico Darling Dear navy tiny alphabet; mist - Mister Huey's Audrey)

(happy new year card by Maile Belles : Stamps - Noah Outline and 2013 New Years; Gems - Darling Dear Opaque Gems Whites ; Ink - Hero Arts Pink Neon, Orange Neon, Yellow Neon ; Other - White Cardstock)

(made with love by Tina Aszmus : Today Handbook, Handbook 6x8 insert, More Kraft cardstock, grey tags, pro glider glue gun, Basic Gray die cuts/transparencies, Basic Grey woven tabs, Mister Huey Opaque White, Versamark Onyx, White Prima chalk ink, Noah outline stamp, New Years stamp set)

(hi new year card by Robyn Werlich : Noah Outline Alphabet Stamps, New Years Stamp Set, Ladybug Chalk Ink, Vintage Pink Chalk Ink, Coltfoot Stemens Chalk Ink, Moss Lawn Chalk Ink, Teal Damask Chalk Ink, Farmers Jeans Chalk Ink)

Happy shopping!!

Sunday Sketch

This week's sketch comes from Tina Aszmus' SOCK HOP gallery - it's based on her layout titled "October Goodness."


We were eager to see how Laura (laurafadora) used this sketch to whip up a few cards!!


Here Laura rocked the Darling Dear cut files and layered them just perfectly, don't you think?!

And we love the minimal approach on this card...just layered stamped images, yet still keeping with the sketch.

I knew I wanted to play with some of the new digital cut files along with my card kit paper pack. I picked four digital images that would represent the four squares in the sketch keeping the sentiment underneath. I had to scale the images down quite a bit to fit on a card in a way that kept with the dimensions of the sketch. 

The second card was much easier because I used simple repetition of shapes to represent the four squares in the sketch. I added all the color and dimension to give more interest to a very minimal approach.

Please check out the rest of Laura's work in her SC Gallery and on her blog.

How will YOU use this sketch?  Whether it's a layout, a card or something else, link us up to your project by November 19th for a chance to win a $5 gift card to the Studio Calico shop. (Please remember, your project must be loaded into our gallery to qualify...and your comment has to link back to it in the SC Gallery)

patterned transparency tutorial

In this Project Life spread, I decided to create my own transparencies using the digital stamp brushes. They’re quick and easy to create and they’re fun to use. Click here to download this tutorial as a PDF. 

(supplies : Roller Rink Main Scrapbook Kit, Rainbow Kneesocks add on, Crack the Whip add on, Roller Rink Digital StampBrushes, Roller Rink Card Kit Stamp Brushes, Roller Rink Printable #1, Stencil Tags, Honey Bee Scissors, Glue Glider Pro)

First, you’ll need to purchase the transparencies. I’m using an Epson R340 Inkjet printer. I’ve purchased my inkjet transparenies through Amazon.com but you can also find them in your local office supply store. Just make sure you get the correct transparencies for you printer. They make them for laser printers as well. The inkjet transparencies have sort of a “tooth” on one side to accept the ink from the printer. That is the side you want to print on. Once you have your transparencies, you’re ready to create your patterns.

I’m using the Roller Rink digital brushes that are currently available in the shop. I start by creating a new layer.

Then I open up my brush window. If you can’t see it, just look under window and select brush.

Now select the brush you wish to create your pattern with. I’m going to use the long chevrons. You’ll also need to select a color as well. I have a visual of the pattern I want to achieve but I’m also playing around with the brushes too. I know I want my pattern to have 2 different colors and 2 different chevron images. I go ahead and “stamp” the first brush leaving a space in between for the other chevron I plan to stamp.

Once I have the first color down, I create a new layer and begin my second pattern of chevrons. I’m going for a non-uniform look and overlap some of the chevrons. I’ve also added a quote on top of the finished pattern.

I’m really trying to get 4 different overlays for my Project Life album onto one transparency. I’m keeping an eye on my ruler as I stamp down my pattern.

The last pattern I want to create is with the asterisks. I like that it came with one fill and one outline. I start with the fill image, select my color and I space the image out so that I can just hold down my cursor and drag across to create a line of asterisks.

After stamping down a few rows of filled asterisks, I select the matching outline included in the brush set, space them, then stamp over the filled pattern. I don’t want these to line up perfectly with the filled pattern.

After I’m finished with my full sheet of patterns, I flatten the image and print.

You’ll have to select the glossy finish through your print settings for your printer to print properly on the transparency. I let my sheet dry for a few minutes before handling it.

Now it’s time to assemble my pockets. I print my photos and select a few of my favorite pieces from the Roller Rink kit and add ons.

I cut down my transparencies to fit the 3x4 pockets.

I decided to layer the quote over some patterned paper.

I like how layering the transparency over patterned paper added subtle dimension. I’m some what of a “flat” scrapbooking. That’s why I love overlays so much. It adds that subtle dimension that I’m comfortable with, especially when it comes to Project Life layouts.

 

 

tina's challenge

 

This stamp is so cool and I wanted to give it the focus it deserved. After stamping the image with yellow chalk ink onto white card stock, I immediately knew I wanted to create a repeating pattern but I knew it needed a focal point. I stamped the image once with the gray ink. cut it out and adhered it with a foam dot to make it stand out from the pattern. 

supplies :  Coltsfoot Petals Chalk Ink, Tin Can Chalk Ink, Stamp from November's add on kit, Crack the Whip, White card stock, foam dots

We want to see YOU make a card with a stamped background! Any stamp will do - just repeat one image over and over and see what you come up with. To be entered to win a $5 GC to the Studio Calico Shop, just complete a card based on Tina's challenge, then upload it to the Studio Calico gallery. Leave us a link to your project by October 15th in the comments here. We can't wait to see what you make!