Studio Calico October - Yearbook

Hi all! I'm taking a break from volunteering in Morgan's Kindergarten class, scrubbing paint off Payton after preschool, hanging out at the library, hanging out in the car, driving to gymnastics, driving to soccer.... to share the October kit from Studio Calico. It's about time, eh? Hey, it takes me a minute to resize my photos so that I can fit everything in one blog post. Anyway, this is what I came up with this month.

I know I'm not helping anyone with my add-on choices, as I had to buy all three. But Studio Calico is the best scrapbook kit club on the planet, and I don't really feel the need to shop anywhere else. The shop is always full of fun goodies too. If you haven't, check it out sometime!

This kit was great for summer photos, school photos, fall photos, so it was great to wrap up some fun summer moments and also celebrate what's happening this week.

My first layout was Slip 'n Slide.

Normally the graphic patterns scare me to death but I really liked the color palette, thought this Monstrosity Sassafras paper would work great with these photos, and so I decided to showcase the pattern in this layout.

I used my favorite Fiskars punch on the blue Crate paper and layered it at the top. Then I punched circles in the blue cardstock and layered them across the paper . After all three patterns of paper were layed out I stitched around the border of the layout.

Oh, I almost forgot about the mist! I misted! I'm not much of a mist user but I liked the idea of an orange border, so I trimmed a retched shade of purple cardstock at 11.25 x 11.25 and layed it on top the cream cardstock and then misted in orange around the outside edges.

After that it was flower layering and alpha stickers.

I really liked this new patterned paper from SC. I wanted to showcase it as well but the pattern is a little busy for my photos, so I put Steve and his mower on cream cardstock. After I did that it seemed the opposite, a little plain, so it was after the fact that I decided to hand stitch circles. I'm not very good at spinning my sewing machine in a perfect circle, and I wanted them to be perfect, so hand stitch it was. I punched a circle out of a scrap piece of cardstock that was the same size as the woodgrain, and made pencil lines marking the circles on the cardstock. Then I pierced and stitched.
I was telling Steve that this seemed to be the favorite from my gallery this month and he was a bit upset that people seemed to like the stitches more than his photo. Silly man.

The ribbon was hand stitched to the layout as well.


This layout, this one right here, is my favorite layout from my gallery this month. I was completely inspired by the whole thing. When we were in Seattle last month we stayed at my dad's house. More specifically, we stayed in my stepmom's quilt/craft room at my dad's house. In this humungous craft room are quilting machines. And quilts. Everywhere. Every night as I went to sleep and every morning as I woke up I was overwhelmed with patterns and color and inspiration. She has so much fabric that she even has some on the bolts from the fabric store!

Our first night there, after dinner, as I mentioned in my journaling, Morgan noticed their fruit trees dripping with apples and pears and plums and begged to harvest some of them. We've never been apple picking, so the girls had a lot of fun climbing trees and picking fruit.

After I took the photos I knew I had to do a layout that incorporated where we were with what we did, and this is the result.



I had a lot of fun with this layout too. I was really happy to see how well the kit matched the photos of my girls on their first day of school, so this layout came together really easy.

I should first mention my photos. I saw a photo at 2peas of some little girls and a desk out in their backyard and just LOVED the idea. So I jumped on Craigs List and wouldn't you know it, there was a desk just like one I had in my first years of grade school, and it was $15! I nabbed it within 15 minutes of being listed and it's now in my living room. My girls love doing artwork and homework while sitting there. And of course, on their first day of school, I dragged it out into the yard. Of course, we had about 2 minutes to snap photos because we started running late, and as it was the first day of school, nobody wanted to sit there and let me take photos, but I did get a couple and you get the idea.

Most of the time I am more inspired by my photos, but lately I've also encountered patterned paper that really inspires me. Bo Bunny did that for me this month. I really really liked the patterns in the paper line that we used. For this particular layout, I knew I really had to include the fall tree patterns with my photos. I loved that the trees had pink in them.


I needed a pink felt tree to match that Bo Bunny paper, so I tore apart the Basic Grey feltie so that my tree matched. I then used the fun house stamp from Studio Calico to represent a little school house.

Another item in the main kit that I really enjoyed were these fun Maya Road envelopes. I wanted to use it on this layout but at first struggled with what to do with it. Write a note to the girls about my thoughts? No. I had just recently journaled about my fears regarding school. So instead, I had each girl draw a photo of herself on her first day of school on the Jenni Bowlin notepads. Boy are they cute! And now they are tucked away in envelope so that they will always be preserved! I love that! I save as much artwork as I can find a place for, but this was a fun way to include something else. It also has their signatures on it, and I am anxious to see how it changes from the first day to the last week. Maybe my PJ will graduate to Payton! :) Now, doesn't Morgan in her floral dress look cute? Those are flowers and sleeves, btw. Not bosoms. That girls knows where she came from, lol.

I posted the card I made with this kit here, and I made one more project for this kit before I ran out of time. I decided to make one of the envelopes into a mini album, an interview of Payton as she starts her school career. After doing the last layout, I couldn't stop! I had to carry on with school. I was also very inspired by Cosmo's pencils and the hop scotch on the B side of the Studio Calico paper. I thought the yellow and blue needed to be together.




I used the Jenni Bowlin memo notebook pages to determine the size, and trimmed the patterned paper the same to match. I also kept the design very simple, letting Payton's answers and artwork be the focus.

To create the album, I trimmed three pieces of cardstock, and then hand stitched them in the center to create the album binding. I was worried it might not hold so used glue as well, but as you can see on the very first page, I got a little sloppy, and in the end, I don't think I needed the glue.

I was happy with the photos I used, and included this last photo because it showcases her first backpack, and it shoes her headed out on her journey for education.

This was a very long post and if you made it this far, thank you very much! If you have any questions about my process, please let me know and I'll answer on my next post.

Have a great day! Davinie

Sketchfest Saturday and Studio Calico sneaks

Today is the last day and the last sketch for the Caardvarks Sketchfest challenge. It was an honor to be part of all the fun! For this last sketch I decided to sneak in an early peek at the October kit from Studio Calico, Yearbook, for my card.



Isn't it fun?! I loved those little felt trees from American Crafts. The alphas were fun too.

Speaking of Studio Calico, as promised, I have the remainder of my projects for October to share today. Just some sneaks, you know.



I had a lot of fun with this kit!

Have a great Saturday. We are getting ready to head to another Saturday soccer game. Gotta love 5 year old in action.

Today also would have been my Grandjack's birthday, which is wonderful because early this morning my brother became a daddy! Welcome Miss Lilly Cooper! I can't wait to meet you!

Davinie

Cards with a side of Scrapbook and Cards. Today!

Well, it's Friday which means we've made it through our first full week of school! And except for the fact that Morgan ALREADY has a case of the sniffles, everything went off without a hitch and the school year is going to be a lot of fun. Woot!

I do have a few cards to share with you today, the next three cards I made for Caardvarks Sketchfest challenge. There are a lot of great prizes up for grabs and there's still time to play along! Again, I only used Studio Calico kits for these cards, and some of them were a struggle, because I only have little scraps left! That worked out well for this first card:

This card features the "Looking Glass" kit.

This card features the "Bibliography" kit

And today's card features the current kit, Cotillion. As soon as I saw the sketch I knew I had to use the square frame stamp.

There is still one more sketch for Saturday, so you still have more sketches and more time. I also have Studio Calico sneaks to share, but I'm going to wait until Saturday, because the card I made with Saturday's sketch was made with October's kit, Yearbook (shhh, don't tell April, lol).

Before I go I did want to direct you to one of my very favorite crafty publications. The Fall issue of Scrapbook and Cards Today is up and ready. If you don't have access to it at your LSS, you can download this issue for free here. This is what the cover looks like:

It is full of such great content. I am very inspired every time I pick it up. The pages are nice and thick, and it goes on the shelves with other idea books at my house.

I had the honor of writing an article for this issue, so I have a few layouts in it. I also have some artwork by my favorite 5 year old on the planet, and I really loved what Catherine and Kerry had to say about her talent. That was my favorite part!

After you download the issue, head on over to the Scrapbook and Cards blog. They are hosting a great big giveaway today (but you should check the site often, because they are always doing giveaways).

Have a great Friday! See you tomorrow.

Project 12 September winner

The number of the day was 4 and that means:

ShellyJ said...

I got one done..
http://www.studiocalico.com
/forums/galleries/show/14529

5:51 PM

Shelly is the winner! Woot!

Thanks again to all who play along! I'll be back on the 1st with the October challenge, so if you are behind, keep plugging along! No worries!

Davinie

Sketchfest Tuesday and World Cardmaking Day

The Tuesday sketch for Sketchfest is up at the Caardvarks blog, and I wanted to share the card I made. I used July's Documentary kit for this one. I love those little pins from Making Memories!

Speaking of cards, you may have heard a few rumblings around the web, but I wanted to direct you to a fun event happening the first Saturday in October. It'll be World Cardmaking Day! What a perfect opportunity to get a head start on holiday cards and other card related tasks you may have been dreading and avoiding.

In honor of the big day, Paper Crafts Magazine is extending a discount to each of you! You can get 25% off your entire purchase subtotal at the Paper Crafts/CK online store -- just by enter the following code: NB84-TKMS-TAUJ. The coupon will be valid from midnight (MDT) on 09/21/09 through 23:59:59 (MDT) on 10/12/09. Be sure to check out the World Card Making Day website for all sorts of activities and you can even check out the Blog Tour. Some of my favorite card makers and crafters in general are listed there. So honored to be part of it.

And not because I'm partial or anything, but if you are looking for Christmas ideas I would absolutely jet over to the store for a copy of this:

I am really excited to have a couple of things in this issue, but honestly, in general I have never been so inspired by a magazine for holiday projects. So if you are looking for decor ideas, or gifts to give, and even ideas for those pesky Christmas cards, this is a really great issue to pick up. Here's one of my projects:


(Some of you might remember this from Studio Calico.)

You can check out this issue here.

Enjoy your Tuesday! The girls both have school today, and then it's off to soccer practice this evening. A busy day at my house!

Davinie

Card Challenge Monday!

I'm starting the week with some cards to inspire you. This works out great! Maybe it'll help get you card ideas for World Cardmaking Day, maybe it'll help inspire you to get ideas ready for those Christmas cards you hope to make this year. Either way, I have cards to share.

First is my Sketchfest Monday card. Be sure to check out the Caardvarks blog for details on this challenge. Remember, Studio Calico is a sponsor.


For my card, I used April's kit, Jack and Jill. Cosmo Cricket's Element cards make a great design element for this type of sketch.

Next up is my card for the challenge this week at the Cardalicious card challenge blog. The challenge? Make a birthday card using red, blue, and yellow. This is what I came up with:


Easy enough, yes?

Have a great day! Davinie

Studio Calico October sneaks

No beating around the bush with this post. I have a couple of Studio Calico sneaks to share. I was going to wait until I had one of my other projects finished, but I just can't help myself, I want to share.

This kit is very versatile. I've got a fall layout finished, some summer photos scrapped, a mini almost done, and other projects in the works as well. A very versatile kit, it is!





See you tomorrow!
Davinie

I'm a soccer Mom now!

The first week of school went off without a hitch, despite my concerns, and Morgan's transition into fall sports went better than expected too. No tap this time. Obviously, running off the stage at the recital one year, and refusing to go to class the next.... was a sure sign that tap and ballet dancing and spring recitals are not what Morgan's into, lol.
This fall I decided to try soccer. I did ask her what interested her, and soccer was her answer. The first practices were a little rough, because she spent a majority of her time upset when somebody else on her team scored a goal, because it wasn't her. I had no doubt that teamwork was something she was going to learn by participating.
Her very first game of her very first year, Morgan scored the very first goal. I was busy making friends with another parent at the goal line, had a big lens on my camera, and wasn't ready for the very first play of the very first game to have a goal made by my very first daughter, lol. I didn't get a great picture. She was so excited though, and I was so happy for her. And she only cried a few more times when other players scored, lol.
This week she did much better, and yesterday, she scored a goal all by herself. She muscled that ball down the field and into the goal and didn't even need one of the Superstars on her team to help her (they play 3 on 3 with no goalie at 5 years old).






It's been a lot of fun to watch! She's grown so much as a person in the last two weeks I can't imagine what she'll be like at Christmas! And because I'm an all-over-town driving soccer mom, I had to get me a new phone. It was time to enter the 21st century so I picked up a Blackberry. Apple is not in my area, so no Iphone for me. I took baby steps and upgraded to the Tour. So far, I like it. LOVE that I have the internet and I'm not at the computer! I can now keep up with the world while waiting at practices, waiting at gymnastics, waiting for school to get out, etc. I like the option.

I have a couple of scrappy things to share before I go. First, today is the last day to participate in the Project 12 challenge this month. Below is my layout for July.

If you are interested in playing along, read the details and link your layouts to this thread to be entered for the prize.

Lastly, this is my card for the first of 7 card challenges this week at the Caardvarks blog. Studio Calico is sponsoring the prizes, so be sure to check it out! I used 6-7 previous Studio Calico kits for these challenges, and even used the current kit (but don't tell April). Check out the Caardvarks blog for the Sunday sketch and how you can play along.

I used the current kit, Cotillion, for this card.

Have a great day! I have so much more to share, including some Studio Calico sneaks.
Davinie

Sketchfest with Caardvarks

Wow it's been a busy week! This marked the first official First Week of School at our house. Morgan in Kindergarten and Payton in preschool. Boy were they excited. I expected hesitancy and a few tears as I dropped them off in new and unfamiliar surroundings, but they couldn't have booted me out there fast enough, lol. I guess *I* was the only one worried about the new routine.

They couldn't even stand still and keep a smile long enough for a photo, but this is what they looked like on their first day:




Searching for backpacks turned in to a bit of an ordeal, but after looking everywhere Morgan liked this sparkly pink backpack with stars on it that we found at Old Navy of all places, and while at first she was insistent that her backpack have a horse on it, Payton eventually settled for Hello Kitty.

*phew*

Anyway, my week has been swamped, but I have managed to get out my scissors and glue as well. I will have Studio Calico sneaks soon, maybe later today or tomorrow, Project 12 layouts too, but I did want to direct you to something else I've been working on that's rather cool.




All sort of prizes on this one, from Studio Calico, and from what I hear, the Grand Prize for this event is a DT spot on the Caardvarks team, so if you like challenges, like making cards, this is the challenge for you! I hope you'll play along.

Enjoy your weekend!

Davinie

Like Maya Mists?

GET ON OVER to the Studio Calico blog. It was the Sneak Night Giveaway but they are leaving the comments open until Midnight tonight! 8 colors! woot!

Speaking of sneaks.... oh my. I don't have any yet as my box *just* got here. I took part in the combined kit shipping promo to save shipping costs for local kit delivery for a friend of mine, and along with some shop items, my box got too heavy for USPS and was sent UPS. It took forever and I almost took out the man in the brown truck when he pulled up.

He will NOT have to say "left package by front door" or "met woman in yard" or even "left package in tree", lol. He'll need to say "she took it right out of the back of the truck!"

heeeeeeeeee.

Off to scrap. And get my backlog of Project 12 layouts finished. And a few things I can't share yet. And then I need to feed kids. And bathe 'em. And all that.

:)

Seattle Part 2 - On the Puget Sound

When we were in the Seattle area I took over 500 photos, and have many that I love, but I wasn't sure anyone wanted to see them, lol, so I decided to show you just one more adventure we had this weekend. At least for now, anyway.

As you might know, I am an Alaskan. I was born in Homer, AK, which is on the Kenai peninsula. At the time, my mama was an Alaskan transplant, having moved up to live with an Aunt after high school. But my daddy was born and raised in Alaska. One of his first homes was across the Katchimak Bay on one of those houses on stilts that hangs out over the water. In fact, he's told me stories about one of their decks, and how it didn't have any fencing around it, yet he or one of his 6 siblings would be out there making tacks with a tricycle all over it. As a parent now, I can't imagine even thinking about letting an itty bitty kid on a wheeled vehicle on a deck hanging out over the ocean, but I guess that's why they call it "in the old days", lol.

Anyway, he was born and raised near the ocean. The ocean and boats are his first love. He ran a tug boat business while I was small, but in the '80's he sold it and for many years now he's been a boat pilot. He navigates these huge boats from Washington to Anchorage, where their cargo is most consumable goods for Alaskans, like milk and veggies, clothing, cars, etc.

For the past few years he's been busy building a boat from scratch. He bought this old boat, and has been basically rebuilding it from the hull up. And by building it I mean everything from the bottom up. He's an amazing craftsman.

I've been hearing about this boat, seeing pictures, but it wasn't until last weekend that I had a chance to go for a ride on it. Oh how it brought back memories of my childhood. It made me want to go to Alaska. It made Steve want to move to Sequim. We loved the ride, as did the kids.

The boat is called Necessity Cove. It's basic meaning is about taking care of yourself and doing something for you, something you love. Your own little shelter from the storm. I'm so glad he has it. He LOVES to be out on the boat.


I was still toting around my 50mm no lens camera, so this was the only full boat shot I got. We were walking around on this narrow dock, so I was as far away as I could get without stepping in the ocean, lol.

When we first got on the boat, while we were waiting for them to untie and get it ready for a cruise, the girls were busy being monsters or lions or something. My little princesses aren't much for girlie noises. They'd rather growl, lol.

Luckily, Morgan got over it quickly.

This is my daddy. The David half of the Davinie name, lol. He was just pushing the boat away from the dock before we took off when I snapped this shot. The boats are stacked fairly tightly and his boat was between two other boats.
Steve was excited and busy helping too. It was raining on and off and he was ready for it in his slicker.

Payton doesn't like loud noises. We can't even visit a public restroom without her having a bit of a panic about the flush. So she was nervous and ready when it came time to start the engine. Luckily for all of us, it wasn't as loud as she was fearing.

As we headed out, I handed the camera to Steve so he could get a photo of me with the girls, sitting out front. He even got my daddy in the photo. Good boy.
At this point I should mention that I have officially decided to change my hair color. It seems like every time I get in a photo, I'm overdue for a cut and color, lol. Dang those roots. We are going for less chunks of blond this time, and I'm going to do better about scheduling my next appointment. I always wait until I can't stand it, and then my girl is busy and I'm three weeks out. That would be the case for this time. I wanted my hair done before we left for our trip, but alas, she couldn't fit me in until the 15th. sheesh.


As I've mentioned... me. 50mm lens. That's it. So when we were in the house, I couldn't stand there and take photos of the girls getting a turn at the wheel. What I did was hold my camera out and up to the right, and just snapped away, hoping for the best. I think I took at least 50 photos, turning the camera a little each time.

Payton was very focused on her turn.

I included this one because it cracks me up. She makes this face all the time and I don't know where she gets it from, but it always makes us laugh when she does it.

I liked this one. I liked seeing her hands there.

I liked this one too, even though it's off. My dad was so focused he didn't even notice me over there, but the girls did!

On our way back to the dock after an hour or so on the water I was able to get a photo of my uncle's boat, which is moored in front of my daddy's boat. He says his is much better, but I don't know. I'm partial because it's my daddy's boat and therefore the boat I get to ride on, but I think my dad has done an amazing job building his dream boat.

I love Morgan's legs in this one. She cracks me up.
This boat may seem big, maybe not. But it has the main area where you steer, etc. But there's also stairs to the below deck area, where there is a galley for eating, and there is also a separate living quarters with it's own bathroom. It's perfect for my dad and stepmom, and they've taken it for "cruises" up and down the sound, a few days at a time. They just love it and I'm happy they have it. Unfortunately I didn't get any photos of that part. He's also still working on the details, so it isn't all finished yet.

I can't wait to go on another ride! Steve wants to go fishing next time. I just want to ride and feel the salt water breeze.

Thanks for taking a peek! Davinie