Using Scraps - Banners

Not everything in December can be about Christmas.  And over the weekend I really needed a break from the holiday rush.  So I decided to do a layout that is not about Christmas.  

When I'm working with my Studio Calico kits for the current month, I save every scrap - no matter how small.    So as the month ends, I tend to have lots of bits of patterned paper.  And I know I will throw some of them away when I mix the kit in with my stash, so I feel pressured to use them.

So this month I decided to mix lots of scraps to create banners to set off a photo block.  

The mix of colors and patterns created a fun, bright layout that was perfect for these pictures celebrating the one year anniversary of "gotcha day" with our sweet Jerry.  We adopted him from our local animal shelter, and he has brought us so much joy. 

But I was a bit stuck with title placement.  I finally decided to use the large wood veneer number like another banner and really love the way it works with the rest of the design.

A Quick and Easy Christmas Card

This time of year is super crazy at my house.  No matter how often I say that we are going to have a relaxed and enjoyable holiday, it seems like everything goes nuts starting the day after Thanksgiving.  And this year is no exception.  So last week passed in a blur of holiday craziness with work and school squeezed in. 

But over the last couple years, I've learned that a few quiet minutes in my scrap room each day go a long way to maintaining my sanity.  So this weekend I was determined to get back on track.  My craft room is a disaster right now which makes me crazy, but I squeezed in some crafty time - the organizing is going to have to wait.

I woke up Sunday with an idea for a card inspired by paper from Studio Calico's card kit last month.  I knew it would come together quickly, so it was perfect project for this time of year. 

I started with a plain white card base - I know they are easy to make, but I buy them just because it makes things so quick and easy.  I trimmed the great tree paper from the Walden card kit so that it was slightly smaller than the card.  Then I added a piece of vellum over the patterned paper. 

I knew I wanted to create a simple cluster in the bottom corner of the card.  I pulled out the stamp from this month's embellishment kit - Waldorf.  It had a small pine branch that was just what I had in mind.  I stamped the image a couple of times with Studio Calico Color Theory Yes Peas Ink and made sure the images overlapped slightly.

For the sentiment I used the stamp from the Garland Road project life add-on (November 2014) from Studio Calico and Gold Galax Brilliance Ink.  I placed the image just to the side and below the branches.  I pulled out one of those "vintage" wood veneer "tweets" from Studio Calico to link my sentiment and pine branches.  I colored it a soft red with a pale tomato Hero Arts ink dauber.    It just took a few tiny gold star sequins to finish it off.

I love when a project is inspired by a paper or embellishment.  They always seem to come together so quickly.  Link me up with your last project inspired by a supply in the comments.  I will pick one link at random for a $5 Studio Calico gift card.  I will choose a winner on December 21 - that way you will have the gift card in plenty of time for the January kit reveal.

I still have to pick the winner of my holiday giveaway - hopefully in the next few days. It totally got away from me last week.

Thanks for stopping by!

Leather Feathers and Old Photos

I am more than a little addicted to my Studio Calico kits - I get super excited for sneaks, presale and getting that box each month.  One of the biggest reasons is that those kits often push me in new directions.  For example, I am pretty sure I never would have tried doilies or sequins without those kits - and now those are crafting staples.  Same goes for shipping tags.

But this month was really out there.

When sneaks came out, the Concord add-on was super expensive.  And I already had most of the papers.  I did love the Amy Tangerine kraft thickers and I really liked the stamp set, but I still wasn't sold.  But at reveal there were two items that sold me.  The first was the wood veneer world mask.  And I will admit that I'm hoarding that, waiting for the perfect photo and layout.  The second was the leather feathers.  I was fascinated by the idea.  I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to figure out how to use them, but still couldn't resist.  That kit went right in my cart.



And when it came it was beautiful - and I loved the leather feathers -- and I had no idea what  I was going to do with them.  Until Tuesday night.

My son was driving through the night with friends to come home from college in South Carolina for Thanksgiving.  I knew I wouldn't sleep (that mom worry gene)  and was hanging out in my scrap room.  And old picture of Nicholas (he's about 1 in the photo) caught my eye and I decided to pull together a layout to help pass the time.

I started with this week's sketch at Studio Calico.  I loved all the horizontal lines (and am now thinking about trying a vertical version).


I pulled out some papers from my kit and got to work.  As the layout came together I kept thinking about those 3 leather feathers.  They seemed like the perfect finishing touches for this layout.  So before I knew it, the first one was highlighting the journaling.

The second one found its way onto the layout too - it accents the photo block.  And the third and largest feather created the final horizontal element on the layout.

But I was out of feathers and felt like I needed something at the top of the page.  I pulled a wood veneer heart that said love from my stash, colored it with navy colorshine  and added it with a paper strip.

And then the layout was finished

 - and Nicholas pulled in the driveway about 30 minutes later.

Think about scrapping some of those old photos.  Its so much fun to play with those memories.  And it helps remind us of why we love scrapbooking so much!

Thanks for stopping by!

December Daily-ish - Finally Starting

 Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Now that I've bored you silly all week with talking about how I picked supplies and how I am storing my supplies, I am finally going to share a page.  I chose a page protector with 12 2x2 pockets for my title page.  I wanted to be able to do something fun and use a variety of supplies to set the tone for the project. 

I star

I started by cutting 5 2x2 pieces of paper and used the oversize gold alphas from Pebbles to add the letters in the word "merry."  Then I started to pull embellishments to the different pockets.  Here are some highlights:

• The gold glitter tag is also from Pebbles.  I added the year with some small alphas for a custom look.  It is stapled into the pocket.  I left the string sticking out the top for now.  I am thinking I might have some other ribbons sticking out by the time the album is done, but if I don't I will trim the twine later.  And I glued a snowflake wood veneer on the back of the tag so it's pretty on the back side of the page too.
• Those puffy gold stars are scraps from trim that came in an old Studio Calico kit.  They are stapled into place also.
• That black plastic strip that says "celebrate" came in the November Studio Calico card kit.  I used adhesive to attach it to the top of the page protector.  And I put a corresponding piece that says grateful on the other side of the page protector in the same place.  Since Thanksgiving will be on the other side of  this, it should work perfectly.
• The sequins are from my stash.  I started with some of the red stars from Studio Calico - one of the embellishments I chose for my kit -- and added others from my stash.  I mixed sizes and colors.  And since I don't have a sewing machine, I used glossy accents to glue the pocket closed.
• The chipboard frame is from Crate Paper and the little wood heart is from the Atlantic collection by Studio Calico.  They are both attached to a small transparency square that slides in the pocket.  And another frame and another heart are attached to the back side.
• The wood veneer star is just floating in the pocket for now.  If it doesn't want to stay in I will staple it, but for now it works.
• The last square is a piece of white card stock that I covered with different washi tapes placed randomly.  The tape with words is holiday masking tape that came in one of the November scrapbook add ons from Studio Calico.

The back side of the page serves as a foundation page for Thanksgiving.  I will use patterned paper and small photos in the pockets that don't hold embellishments.

 I think I will use a full 6x8 page protector on the page opposite. 

Don't forget to leave a comment for an entry into my holiday themed giveaway.  This is the last day to enter.

Thanks for stopping by.